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Summary

A tented encampment of Second World War date is visible as cropmarks and structures on aerial photographs of the 1940s to the 1950s, towards the southern edge of Area 'D' of the US Army Assault Training Centre, east of Soay Plain North on the eastern edge of 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/260/20
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY CAMP (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/957, NMR RAF/106G/UK/957 4022 30-OCT-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349054.

Cropmarks and structures indicate the extent of a former Second World War tented camp.

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

Tent marks and associated huts recorded on the Royal Air Force 1946 aerial photograph. Presumably part of the U.S. Army tent cities. Other details: HER: 3/29.

Royal Air Force, 1954, RAF/540/1266 (F22), NMR RAF/540/1266 (F22) 0094-0095 08-MAR-1954 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349931.

The cropmarks remain visible, with one small rect structure base visible at circa SS463358.

Royal Air Force, 1957, RAF/58/2205 F22, NMR RAF/58/2205 F22 0025-0026 05-JUL-1957 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349748.

Little cropmark evidence can be seen, but structural evidence remains visible.

Ordnance Survey, 1989, OS/89115, NMR OS/89115 335-336 04-MAY-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349086.

No cropmark evidence can be seen.

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. 1680 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Tent marks and associated huts recorded on raf 1946 ap. Presumably part of the us army tent cities.

Passmore, A. + Knight, S., 2009, Farm Environment Plan (FEP), Updated Spreadsheet of Archaeological Sites (Un-published). SDV344664.

U.S. Army Tent City, east of Soay Plain North identified from tent marks and associated huts recorded on the Royal Air Force 1946 aerial photograph. It is unlikely that extensive remains exist, but abandonment deposits may have been made into nearby ditches or pits.
Visited 2009.
Site lies on east edge of survey area, mostly outside the Burrows. No remains identified since area under thick vegetation.

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

Fragmentary parchmarks indicate the area of a Second World War military tented encampment on the eastern edge of Braunton Burrows. The camp was probably one of the ‘tent cities’ which comprised the troop accommodation at the U.S. Army Assault Training Centre from 1943 to 1944.
The camp appears to have been organised in a standard format, as is visible at the other camps recorded on the Burrows, to the north and south. The tents were rannged in blocks of one, two or three rows, each row containing least six and up to twenty tents. The tents measured circa 5 metres square and were spaced less than two metres from their neighbour. The extent of each block of tents is visible as a darker rectangular cropmark, the former location of each individual tent usually visible as a pale square parchmark.
At least twelve blocks of varying size and orientation can be identified. However, by October 1945 the cropmarks are diffuse and fragmentary. It was therefore possible to confidently transcribe the extent of only the most clear and definable elements of the camp. It is certain the camp contained more tents than has been transcribed.
Evidence for structures within the camp can be seen as several white rectangular features, probably areas of concrete hard standing, centred around circa SS462358. The function of these structures is unknown.
The cropmarks of the camp remain faintly visible in 1954, but by July 1957 only a small number of the possible structure bases can be seen. By May 1989 the area is covered in scrub vegetation and little evidence of the camp can be seen.

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.
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. 1680.
SDV344664	Un-published: Passmore, A. + Knight, S.. 2009. Farm Environment Plan (FEP), Updated Spreadsheet of Archaeological Sites. Exeter Archaeology Report. Digital.
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
SDV349054	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/957. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/UK/957 4022 30-OCT-1945. [Mapped feature: #95765 ]
SDV349086	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1989. OS/89115. Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR OS/89115 335-336 04-MAY-1989.
SDV349748	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1957. RAF/58/2205 F22. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/58/2205 F22 0025-0026 05-JUL-1957.
SDV349931	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1954. RAF/540/1266 (F22). Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/540/1266 (F22) 0094-0095 08-MAR-1954.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4737 - Stewardship Scheme Archaeological Survey, Braunton Burrows
• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project (Ref: ACD383/2/1)

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