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Summary

A military training site of Second World War date is visible as a range of structures and earthwork pit and banked features on aerial photographs of April 1944 onwards, along Slapton Sands. The excercises carried out by American troops along Slapton Sands during April and May 1944 formed part of Operation Tiger and Fabius.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY TRAINING SITE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

United States Airforce, 1944, US/30GR/LOC40, US/30GR/LOC41 V 030-40 27-APR-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351447.

The military training site is visible as a range of structures and earthwork pits and banks.

United States Airforce, 1944, US/30GR/LOC41, US/30GR/LOC41 V 10 27-APR-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351485.

The military training site is visible as a range of structures and earthwork pits and banks.

Royal Air Force, 1944, US/7PH/GP/LOC145, US/7PH/GP/LOC145 VM 8027-3031 05-JAN-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351456.

The military training site is not visible on aerial photographs of January 1944.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/967, RAF/106G/UK/967 P 3044-49 01-NOV-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351060.

The former military training site is visible as a range earthwork pits and banks.

Royal Air Force, 1951, RAF/540/497, RAF/540/497 RP 3137-38 12-MAY-1951 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351212.

The former military training site is visible as a range of partly infilled earthwork pits.

Ordnance Survey, 1976, OS/76038, OS/76038 V 28-32 26-APR-1976 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351458.

All earthwork pits of the former military training site have been levelled.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

A military training site of Second World War date is visible as a range of structures and earthwork pit and banked features on aerial photographs of April 1944 onwards along Slapton Sands. Slapton Sands, which stretch from Torcross to Strete, at a length of approximately 5km, was chosen as the focus of these operations by American forces because it closely resembled the landing beach of ‘Utah’. The training site is characterised by a series of artillery shell craters, gun pits and landing craft scars visible as earthwork pits and banks, as well as a range of temporary structures including military vehicles, landing craft and barrage balloons. A possible storage depot is also visible as a range of structures at Torcross to the south (SX823424). Located further inland are two separate structures, including a temporary bridge spanning Slapton Ley and a pontoon from Hartshorn Plantation. Whilst many of the more temporary features have been removed on aerial photographs by 1945, a number of the earthwork pits and banked features remain visible on aerial photographs up until 1951, although have been completely levelled by 1976.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV351060	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/967. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/967 P 3044-49 01-NOV-1945.
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351212	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1951. RAF/540/497. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/540/497 RP 3137-38 12-MAY-1951.
SDV351447	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1944. US/30GR/LOC40. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). US/30GR/LOC41 V 030-40 27-APR-1944.
SDV351456	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC145. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). US/7PH/GP/LOC145 VM 8027-3031 05-JAN-1944.
SDV351458	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1976. OS/76038. Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). OS/76038 V 28-32 26-APR-1976.
SDV351485	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1944. US/30GR/LOC41. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). US/30GR/LOC41 V 10 27-APR-1944. [Mapped feature: #64072 ]

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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