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Summary

World War II Sentry Box and Memorial, Uppottery.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST20NW/251

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SENTRY BOX (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD (Between))
• WAR MEMORIAL (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV135467.

Des=curtis, g. / (27/10/1994)/ as above.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV135468.

Des=slide/ (01/12/1994)/ in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV135929.

Wwii sentry box still standing. Associated with upottery airfield (curtis).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV286600.

Vis=01/12/1994(horner) small brick sentry box standing at road junction (slide).

Unknown, 2004, Second World War Sentry Box adjacent to Moorhayes Farm, Upottery (Un-published). SDV346952.

Sentry box built in about 1943 for Dunkeswell [sic - should read Upottery] airfield guards. A very simple, small red brick structure with a monopitch roof clad in corrugated asbestos sheets. Square on plan, open at front, with small unglazed window on either side. It is the only survivng sentry box at Dunkeswell Airfield.
Not recommended for Listing.

Lewis, G. M., 2004, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV346953.

One of several sentry posts around the area, associated with Smeatharpe Airfield. This is the only example in good condition. Brick built by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. The main contractor. Other details: Photo.

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

Map object based on this source.

Walls, S., 2010, The Materiality of Remembrance: Twentieth Century War Memorials in Devon, 292; Figure 6.37a; UPO03 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV355902.

There are only two external instances of relics used as war memorials in East Devon, both of which are connected with Second World War airfields, with a memorial sentry box on the edge of Smeatharpe Airfield, Upottery, and the memorial propeller at Dunkeswell Airfield.

Read, A., + Trick, S., 2013, Blackdown Hills AONB War Memorials (Report - Survey). SDV352538.

Original sentry box from the entrance to RAF Upottery, now with memorial crosses inside and a large descriptive plaque on one side.

Other words on memorial:
Upottery Airfield
USAAF Station 462


'Just after midnight on the 5th June 1944 : 81 C-47 unarmed transport aircraft departed from this airfield carrying 1357 Paratroops who were to be dropped behind enemy lines near the coast of France on D-Day At dawn on the morning of 7th June 1944 : 50 C-47 aircraft towing 30 Horsa gliders and 20 Waco glider departed for France carrying 968 Glider Infantry troops in the second airborne wave of the Invasion.
Here in honoured memory are those killed in transit on those two missions.
LEST WE FORGET'

A unique and highly important memorial

68 names recorded.

Condition: Very Good

Surveyed: 21/07/2013

Passmore, M. + Passmore, A., 2013, RAF Upottery (Leaflet). SDV355705.

RAF Upottery, also known as Smeatharpe, was intended as a RAF bomber station, but was occupied by the United States Army Air Force, who used the facilities for its troop carriers. A former sentry box now stands as a memorial to those paratroops and glider infantry troops who lost their lives in missions that set out for France from Upottery in June 1944.

Read, A., 2013, Sentry Box Memorial Moonhayes Cross (Ground Photograph). SDV356660.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

Map object based on this source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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