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Summary

A series of possible anti-tank obstacles of Second World War date are visible as a series of upstanding structures on oblique aerial photographs of 1941, along Exmouth sea wall flanking Queen’s Drive.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ANTI TANK OBSTACLE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1941, RAF/1416/S403H55, NMR SY 0080/3-4 MSO 31241/PO-055-56 14-AUG-1941 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352644.

The possible anti-tank obstacles are visible as a series of upstanding structures.

Royal Air Force, 1946, 106G/UK/1412, DCC RAF/106G/UK/1412 3041-42 13-APR-1946 (HER 44/152-153) (Aerial Photograph). SDV336108.

The anti-tank obstacles have been completely removed.

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

A series of possible anti-tank obstacles of Second World War date are visible as a series of upstanding structures on oblique aerial photographs of 1941, along Exmouth sea wall flanking Queen’s Drive. Three sets of obstacles are visible along the sea wall, with each set separated approximately 80m apart. Each individual set is composed of a linear alignment of eight obstacles which are themselves arranged into two groups of four, positioned either side of the semi-circular seating areas along the sea wall. The obstacles appear to be positioned across breaks in the sea wall and are visible as a series of upright pyramids, similar in style to anti-tank pimples. The anti-tank blocks represent part of a number of anti-invasion obstacles which were put into place along the shoreline of Exmouth during the early stages of the war. Other obstacles include beach scaffolding to the south and possible barbed-wire entanglements to the north. Other anti-tank obstacles are likely to have been positioned at other weak spots along the sea wall, although were not clearly visible owing to the poor resolution of the 1941 oblique aerial photographs. The structures have been completely removed by 1946, although were likely removed much earlier than this when the threat of invasion had passed.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336108	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. 106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DCC RAF/106G/UK/1412 3041-42 13-APR-1946 (HER 44/152-153).
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
SDV352644	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1941. RAF/1416/S403H55. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR SY 0080/3-4 MSO 31241/PO-055-56 14-AUG-1941. [Mapped feature: #65268 ]

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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