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Summary

Earthworks and structures visible on 1940s aerial photographs are likely to be mock invasion defences sof the Infantry Demolition Range, part of the World War II US Assault Training Centre on Braunton Burrows. The structures are not visible on aerial photographs dated to 1952 but the earthwork ditches and craters are discernable on images derived from Lidar data captured in 2006-2007 and likely to survive.

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: SS43SE/264/12
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ANTI TANK DITCH? (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• ANTI TANK OBSTACLE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BOMB CRATER (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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

A network of linear ditches, banks and pits are visible as earthworks, and a segmented wall and several small structures are also present.

Royal Air Force, 1952, RAF/540/949, NMR RAF/540/1949 5038-5039 24-NOV-1952 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349761.

The ditches and craters are visible as earthworks but the structures are not visible.

Bass, R. T., 2005, Spirits of the Sand: Field Edition, 36 (Monograph). SDV325697.

A photograph of a demolition charge being placed on a 'dragon's tooth' anti-tank obstacle is included.

Environment Agency, 2006-2007, LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution), LIDAR SS4534NE Environment Agency D0072690 03-NOV-2006 to 03-FEB-2007 (Cartographic). SDV349850.

The ditches and some of the pits are visible as earthworks, although many of the other pits are obscured by scrub growth. Three large rectangular scrapes are visible in the east of the area intersecting with the site of the linear bank.

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

A network of linear ditches, banks and pits are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs from 1945 and on images derived from Lidar data captured in 2006-2007. A segmented wall and three lines of structures parallel to the wall are present, perpendicular to one of the ditches and parallel to another conjoining ditch. The pits are circular, between 1 and 6 metres in diameter, and many are also aligned approximately north to south, suggesting that they could be the sites of former structures that have been removed by explosives, or mark the former locations of mines. The visible extent of the wall is circa 25 metres long and 1.5 metres wide; it is unevenly segmented and this may also have been a result of explosives. The small structures could be dragon's teeth anti-tank blocks; troops at Braunton Burrows were trained in the demolition of these using explosives. At approximately 120 metres long the parallel rows of features could be mock anti-invasion defences, used in Second World War military training by the U.S. Army, and it is possible that the ditches were intended to emulate anti-tank ditches. It is likely that these features are the remains of the Infantry Demolition Range marked on U.S Army plans of the period, and that three nearby linear ditch complexes of a co-axial form are additional ranges that were replaced by subsequent complexes or simply have not survived as well. The ditches and many of the craters are very likely to survive, although the structures are not visible on available aerial photographs after the 1940s and may have collapsed or been demolished by post-war military activity.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV325697	Monograph: Bass, R. T.. 2005. Spirits of the Sand: Field Edition. Spirits of the Sand. A5 Paperback. 36.
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/957 4022 30-OCT-1945. [Mapped features: #1490 ; #62113 ]
SDV349761	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1952. RAF/540/949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/540/1949 5038-5039 24-NOV-1952.
SDV349850	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2006-2007. LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SS4534NE Environment Agency D0072690 03-NOV-2006 to 03-FEB-2007.

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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