See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

A Second World War Practice Bombing Range ground signal arrow and associated camp structures are visible on aerial photographs of 1941 overlooking the coastal cliffs east of Dawlish. It was removed by April 1946.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOMBING RANGE MARKER (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1941, RAF/S411, RAF/S411 V 5-6 17-AUG-1941 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352281.

A Practice Bombing Range ground signal arrow and associated structures are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 3019-3020 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

The range marker structures are not visible.

Roger Thomas, Architectural Investigator, English Heritage, 2012-2013, Telephone and email correspondence (Personal Comment). SDV349402.

A number of illustrations describe the components and dimensions of Practice Bombing Range Ground Signals. The illustrations were taken from: Air Publication 1245, Armament Training Manual, Part IV, Chapter 1, Air Firing and Bombing Ranges, February 1940.

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

A Second World War Practice Bombing Range ground signal arrow and associated camp are visible as structures on aerial photographs of 1941 overlooking the coastal cliffs east of Dawlish. The Range Target Indicator comprises a circa 25 metre long white arrow, possibly constructed from concrete, orientated roughly north-south, surrounded on the west, south (point of the arrow) and eastern sites by square structures each measuring circa five metres square. On the north of the arrow evidence of a small triangular structure can be seen as a parchmark. Information supplied by Roger Thomas of English Heritage supports the interpretation that this structure is a High Altitude range marker. The three larger associated structures probably comprise reversible reflective signal discs to allow a range of codes to be communicated to aircraft. Rectangular structures visible adjacent to the field boundaries to the north-east and north-west might have been associated with the Range Target Indicator, perhaps as guardhouses. A small camp of Nissen hut type structures approximately 200 metres to the west is also likely to have been associated with the Range Target Indicator. A small structure immediately south of the tip of the arrow, overlooking the coastal cliffs, appears to have been an observation tower. It is unclear whether the operation of this tower was directly associated with that of the of the range indicator. The marker has been dismantled and removed by April of 1946.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV349402	Personal Comment: Roger Thomas, Architectural Investigator, English Heritage. 2012-2013. Telephone and email correspondence.
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
SDV352281	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1941. RAF/S411. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/S411 V 5-6 17-AUG-1941.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 3019-3020 13-APR-1946.

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)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.