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Summary

The location of a tented encampment of Second World War date is visible as cropmarks and structures on aerial photographs of the 1940s, in Area 'D' of the US Army Assault Training Centre at Braunton Burrows

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and structural remains of World War II military training features for D-Day Landings on Braunton Burrows and nineteenth century reclaimed field system on Braunton Marsh NW of Horsey Island

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS43NE/260/15
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY CAMP (World War II - 1943 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Unknown, 1944, Roads and Training Aids: U.S. Assault Training Center (Un-published). SDV339604.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1501, 3005 (Aerial Photograph). SDV337198.

Marks of tents together with standing huts or hut platforms recorded on the Royal Air Force 1946 aerial photography. Presumably part of the U. S. Army tent cities. Other details: HER: 3/29.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1501, NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 3005-3006 13-MAY-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349927.

Cropmarks of a tented camp and possibly associated structure bases are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1949, RAF/541/402, NMR RAF/541/402 4037-4038 18-NOV-1949 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349942.

Cropmarks of the tented camp and structure bases remain visible.

Royal Air Force, 1952, RAF/540/949, NMR RAF540/949 5060-5062 24-NOV-1952 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349761.

The possible structures are not visible.

Royal Air Force, 1958, RAF/80/744, NMR RAF/80/744 0044-0045 13-SEP-1958 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349746.

Cropmarks of the tented camp remain faintly visible.

Nature Conservancy Council, 1989, Braunton Burrows Habitat Map (Cartographic). SDV339613.

Mounds and a post are marked on the Braunton Burrows Habitat Map.

Bass, R. T., 1992, Spirits of the Sand (Monograph). SDV339609.

Bass, R. T., 1996, Guide to the US Assault Training Centre North Devon (Un-published). SDV325695.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 1675 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Marks of tents together with standing huts or hut platforms recorded on raf 1956 ap. Presumably part of the u.s. army tent cities.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011-2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

Fragmentary parchmarks and low or levelled structures indicate the areaand extent of a small Second World War military tented encampment and possible training area on Braunton Burrows. The camp was probably part of one of the ‘tent cities’ which comprised the troop accommodation at the U.S. Army Assault Training Area from 1943 to 1944, probably an outlying part of on e of two larger camps visible in this area, the first circa 400 metres to the east and the second a similar distance to the south.
The tented camp appears to have been organised around standardised blocks of tents. Each block appears to have comprised at least two rows of five or six square tents, each tent circa 5 metres square in size. Two such blocks can be readily identified on aerial photographs from patchy parchmarks and cropmarks centred on circa SS 46143702 and SS 46103695. A larger block, centred on circa SS46033702 comprised four to six rows of ten tents. The former location of each tent is visible as a paler square parchmark against the darker vegetation of the burrows. In 1946 the cropmarks which outline the arrangement of the campsite are becoming diffuse, fragmentary and are often slighted by later tracks or paths. As such it has been possibly only to transcribe the most definable elements of the tented camp and it might originally have been larger in extent. Nonetheless, the cropmarks remain visible, albeit faintly, to September 1958.
At least ten rectangular structures, or the bases of footings of structures, are visible along the southern extent of the tented camp. The function of the structures is unknown. However, they resemble structures visible to the north and west, probably part of the Assault Training Centre, and although not depicted on the Assault Training Centre map precisely in this location, it is possible they were also training aids, such as ‘Ship’s Sides. The structures or bases are no longer visible on aerial photographs of 1952.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV325695	Un-published: Bass, R. T.. 1996. Guide to the US Assault Training Centre North Devon. Manuscript.
SDV337198	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1501. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 3005.
SDV339604	Un-published: Unknown. 1944. Roads and Training Aids: U.S. Assault Training Center. U.S. Plans from R.T.Bass. Mixed Archive Material + Digital.
SDV339609	Monograph: Bass, R. T.. 1992. Spirits of the Sand. Spirits of the Sand. Unknown.
SDV339613	Cartographic: Nature Conservancy Council. 1989. Braunton Burrows Habitat Map. Photocopy + Digital.
SDV339712	Report - Assessment: Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J.. 2007. The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report. Exeter Archaeology Report. 06.22 (rev.1). A4 Stapled + Digital. No. 1675.
SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011-2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349746	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1958. RAF/80/744. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/80/744 0044-0045 13-SEP-1958.
SDV349761	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1952. RAF/540/949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF540/949 5060-5062 24-NOV-1952.
SDV349927	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1501. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 3005-3006 13-MAY-1946.
SDV349942	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1949. RAF/541/402. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/541/402 4037-4038 18-NOV-1949.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project (Ref: ACD383/2/1)

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