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| HER Number: | MDV102722 |
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| Name: | A possible minefield north of Broadsands |
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Summary
A rough grid of craters is visible as circular earthwork pits on aerial photographs between 1945 and 1946. They are probably part of the Second World War U.S. Army military training area, associated with exercises undertaken on the foreshore to prepare for Operation Overlord. Slight earthworks or below-ground remains may survive below scrub growth.
Location
| Grid Reference: | SS 465 326 |
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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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| Civil Parish | Heanton Punchardon |
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| District | North Devon |
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Protected Status: none recorded
Other References/Statuses: none recorded
Monument Type(s) and Dates
- BOMB CRATER (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))
- MINEFIELD (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))
Full description
Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/LA/221, NMR RAF/106G/LA/221 5032-5033 15-APR-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349986.
Several craters are visible as circular earthwork pits in a rough grid pattern.
Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1655, NMR RAF/106G/1655 4196-4197 11-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349996.
The craters are visible as very pale marks.
Next Perspectives, 2010, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4632 08-APR-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349899.
The area is scrub covered.
Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011 - 2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.
A group of craters are visible as circular earthwork pits, circa 2 to 2.5 metres in diameter, just north of the foreshore at Broadsands on aerial photographs taken between 1945 and 1946. Six rows of up to 7 craters are visible although the original extent may have been greater and is likely to have extended further to the west. The craters may have resulted from exploded mines, possibly from early Second World War anti-invasion defences but more likely to be associated with U.S. Army training activities for Operation Overlord. They appear very pale and shallow, possibly having been infilled by windblown sand, on aerial photographs from 1946; this may have contributed to their subsequent lack of visiblity on later available aerial photographs, although it is possible that slight earthworks or below-ground remains survive below the scrub.
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 |
| SDV349899 | Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4632 08-APR-2010. |
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| SDV349986 | Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/LA/221. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/LA/221 5032-5033 15-APR-1945. [Mapped feature: #62218 ] |
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| SDV349996 | Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1655. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/1655 4196-4197 11-JUL-1946. |
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Associated Monuments
| MDV102705 | Part of: Military training area between Broadsands and Crow Point, Braunton Burrows. (Monument) |
Associated Finds: none recorded
Associated Events
- EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project
| Date Last Edited: | Sep 5 2012 12:19PM |
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