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| HER Number: | MDV102646 |
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| Name: | Anti-Tank Obstacles on Doughnut Slack and Old Met Slack, Braunton Burrows |
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Summary
A double row of concrete anti-tank obstacles are visible as structures on aerial photographs taken in 1945. They are interpreted as a probable training obstacles for the U.S. military during the Second World War, and were probably removed soon after the war ended.
Location
| Grid Reference: | SS 451 334 |
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| Map Sheet: | SS43SE |
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| Admin Area | Devon |
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| Civil Parish | Braunton |
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| District | North Devon |
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| Ecclesiastical Parish | BRAUNTON |
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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/263
- SHINE Candidate (Yes)
Monument Type(s) and Dates
- ANTI TANK OBSTACLE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
- TRAINING STRUCTURE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
Full description
Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/891, NMR RAF/106G/LA/102 5007-5008 17-JAN-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349055.
Three double rows of small structures are visible.
Royal Air Force, 1952, RAF/540/949, NMR RAF/540/1949 5038-5039 24-NOV-1952 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349761.
The structures are not visible.
Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011-2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.
Three double rows of probable anti-invasion blocks are visible as structures on aerial photographs taken in 1945. They are aligned roughly north-west to south-east covering approximately 420 metres in total, although the three sections are each approximately 50 metres in length. The individual structures are circa 1.2 metres square and approximately 9 metres apart, arranged in two staggered rows approximately 4 metres apart. They are likely to be anti-tank cubes, perhaps dragon’s teeth, and part of the Second World War United States Army training site, as the gaps between the three sections are not what would be expected of a defensive barrier. A similar set of structures is recorded approximately 2 kilometers to the north-north-east. The structures are not visible on aerial photographs dating to 1952 and they were presumably removed in the immediate post-war years.
Sources / Further Reading
| 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. |
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| | Linked documents:1 |
| SDV349055 | Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/891. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/LA/102 5007-5008 17-JAN-1945. [Mapped features: #62120 ; #62121 ; #62122 ] |
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| 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. |
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Associated Monuments
| MDV57283 | Part of: Braunton Areas A, B, C and D of US Assault Training Centre (Monument) |
Associated Finds: none recorded
Associated Events
- EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project (Ref: ACD383/2/1)
| Date Last Edited: | Aug 11 2022 9:04AM |
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