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Summary

The base, located between Exeter and Topsham, was originally built in 1943-44 as the main US Navy Amphibious Supply Base in Europe during the Second World War. After the war it was used by the Royal Navy as a stores depot until its final closure in 1997. It is visible as a range of structures on aerial photographs of 1945 onwards and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken from 1999 onwards at Countess Wear, Exeter. The former site had been completely cleared and partly redeveloped for housing by 2012.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX99SE/174

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY DEPOT (World War II to Late 20th Century - 1943 AD to 1997 AD (Between))

Full description

1972, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV24208.

Raf ap of 1947 records extensive military depot around the above ngr. Royal naval depot recorded on os 1:10,000 (1972) map (horner).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV24213.

Des=horner, b. /(09/11/1995)/as above.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV24215.

Aph=raf/cpe/uk/1974/4454/(11/04/1947)/smr 37/59.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV24216.

Aph=raf/106g/uk/780 part ii/(various frames)/(09/09/1996)/copies in pf.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV24217.

Des=os 1:10,000 (1972).

Royal Air Force, 1941, RAF/GHQ/122, RAF/GHQ/122 V 002 18-MAY-1941 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352707.

The site of the naval store depot is undeveloped and comprises open land associated with Exeter Golf and Country Club.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/780, RAF/106G/UK/780 RVp1 6027-28 09-SEP-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354839.

The site of the naval store depot is visible as a range of structures.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/1412 RP 3281-82 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

The site of the naval store depot is visible as a range of structures. Map object based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Map object based on this Source.

BKS Surveys Ltd, 1967, BKS/2822, BKS/2822 V 2762 14-MAR-1967 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354836.

The site of the naval store depot is visible as a range of structures and remains largely unchanged since 1946, although the southern edge of the site has been redeveloped for housing.

Wasley, G., 1994, Devon at War 1939-1945, 124-5, 145 (Monograph). SDV165766.

The largest US naval store in the UK. Part of the city golf course was taken over for it. It covered 95 acres with 176 buildings and 2352 personnel. It also had a purpose built railway siding. The depot distributed spare parts and later prepared hot meals to cross-channel troop ships.

Clarke, N. J., 1995, Adolf Hitler's Holiday Snaps, 30 (Monograph). SDV24161.

This area of the site appears as parkland with trees on a Luftwaffe aerial photo of 1st July 1940.

Unknown, 1995, RNSD Exeter (Un-published). SDV24218.

Des=rnsd exeter/(1995)/sales document/copy in pf.

Hellis, J., 1996, RNSD Exeter (Un-published). SDV24220.

Vis=9/1/1996 (hellis) on the ne side of the site there was a small goods yard. The double gates to this yard are still in place as are some of the sheds and a loading gauge. Road system of depot seems as originally laid out. Originally built to supply the us forces in the build up to d-day, the site was taken over by the royal navy in 1946. However the use of a number of ministry of aircraft production buildings (a1 and robin hangars) suggests that this site was originally built by the british for the storage of aircraft parts. Full notes in smr (hellis).

Horner, B., 1996, The Royal Naval Store Depot and Former US Navy Advanced Supply Base, Exeter, Plans (Un-published). SDV24219.

Vis=9/1/1996(horner) the royal naval stores depot at exeter was established in 1943 as a us navy amphibious supply base. Many of the wartime buildings still survive, representing a well preserved and varied collection of building types. Buildings include former aircraft hangars of "a1", "robin", "super robin" and "blister" type, us quonset type curved hutting of 20 and 40 foot spans, transit sheds and nissen hutting of 16 foot span. One former accommodation hut still contains bunk markers of us nco's.1944 site plan still survives. Full report in smr (horner).

Francis, P., 1997, United States Naval Amphibious Supply Base, Exeter (Report - non-specific). SDV347475.

The former Royal Naval Stores Depot at Exeter was originally built in 1943-44 by the United States Vavy Construction Battalion. It performed a vitally important pivotal role during preparations for D-Day, and in support of the campaign that followed.
The base comprises three sites, a Lower Site fronting Topsham Road (SX95258964), the Middle Site adjoining the grounds of Newcourt House (SX95808996) and an Upper Site adjacent to the Exeter to Exmouth railway line (SX96009030).
Since the end of World War II it has been used by the Royal Navy as a Stores Deopt, until its final closure in 1997. An enclave has beenr etained by the Ministry of Defence. Some buildings have been demolished, although a large number of those built by the United States Navy still remain.
See report for full details, descriptions and photos of surviving buildings. Map object based on this Source.

Francis, P., 1997-2008, United States Naval Amphibious Supply Base Exeter (Report - Assessment). SDV348060.

Enhanced version of the rapid survey undertaken in 1997. The report describes the overall role and origin of the base, particularly in relation to the D-Day landings and subsequent campaign.
The stores, built in 1943-44, originated as the main US Navy Amphibious Supply Base in Europe during the Second World War. After the war it was used by the Royal Navy as a stores depot until its final closure in 1997; a strip of land fronting Topsham Road which contained living quarters was sold off for redevelopment in the 1960s and the railway sidings were abandoned in the 1970s. An enclave called the Support Engineering facility has been retained.
The surviving buildings include steel arched Quonset huts, rectangular end-opening Carnegie and Illinois transit sheds, aircraft hangars, blister hangars and Nissen huts. See report for full details.

GetMapping, 1999 - 2000, Millennium Map 1999-2000 Getmapping (Aerial Photograph). SDV321648.

The former site has been largely modified to the south, with the removal of the majority of smaller nissen huts, although a number of the larger huts and hangers remain intact. Two additional larger hangers or warehouses are visible. To the north, a range of original buildings and trackways remain intact and, where removed, are still visible as building platforms.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory SX9589, SX9689, SX9690 17-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

The former naval depot has been completely cleared and levelled and the northern extent redeveloped for housing.

Raymond, F., 2006, An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment of The Newcourt Area - Lower RNSD Site and Land Alongside Old Rydon Lane and the A379, Topsham, 30, 50 (Report - non-specific). SDV349909.

Established in 1943 and served as an apmhibious supply base for the US Navy. The site was taken over by the Royal Navy in 1946 and was used as a supply depot.

The report prepared by Paul Frances (1997) concluded with an evaluation of the importance of the surviving structures and a series of recommendations. Since then the condition of the building has deteriorated significantly through a combination of vandalism, theft and weathering. Several are missing cladding panels, while others are bieng affected by rust. In addition a number have been partly or fully demolished in preparation for the Spine Road. The Inspector's decision following the Inquiry in 2003 for development of the RNSD site made no specific recommendations in relation to them.

Bluesky, 2006 - 2007, Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341189.

The northern half of the former site has been completely cleared, whilst to the south the site remains largely intact.

Passmore, M. + Passmore, A., 2011, Military Supply Depots: Second World War and Beyond, 3-4 (Leaflet). SDV347414.

In 1944 the United States Navy established their largest depot in the UK at Countess Wear, from which to supply a number of D-Day embarkation points in the south-west of England. A part of the site later became a store depot for the Royal Navy until a review of defence costs in the 1990s earmarked the facility for closure. The complex fronted Topsham Road at its south-west boundary and extended to the Exeter to Exmouth railway line at its north-east limit. The last huts on the site were being demolished in November 2010, to be replaced by a housing development.

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

The former United States naval stores depot of Second World War date is visible as a range of structures on aerial photographs of 1945 onwards and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken from 1999 onwards at Countess Wear, Exeter. Aerial photographs of the site taken in 1941 show an undeveloped area of golf course associated with the Exeter Golf and Country Club. The site was first established in 1943 as an amphibious supply base and is first shown on aerial photographs of 1945. It comprised a range of nissen huts, hangers, pitched roof structures, storage areas and an earthwork railway siding (SX960905-SX960899), in addition to a range of smaller structures and features spread over three areas. The site is interconnected with a network of roadways and trackways, much of which was too complex to accurately map, particularly to the south of the site. The site, which was taken over by the Royal Navy in 1946, remains largely unaltered on aerial photographs of 1967, although the dense concentration of nissen huts flanking Topsham road have been levelled and redeveloped for housing. On digital images derived from aerial photographs taken between 1999-2000, the southern extent of the site has been largely modified and is characterised by the clearance of the majority of smaller nissen huts and addition of two large warehouse type structures. The remainder of the site to the north is largely unaltered and where structures have been removed their footprint remain visible as building platforms. On digital images of between 2006-2007, the northern extent of site has been completely cleared, whilst the southern extent of the site remains largely unchanged. By 2012, the entire site of the former depot has been completely cleared and levelled, with the northern extent of site having been redeveloped for housing.

1st Line Defence, 2016, Detailed Unexploded Ordnance Threat Assessment. Exeter Bridge Road, 13.3 (Report - Assessment). SDV360967.

A US Navy Supply Depot was built on Exeter Golf and Country Club on Topsham road in 1943 and commissioned in February 1944 as a supply depot for disembarkation ports for D Day.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV165766	Monograph: Wasley, G.. 1994. Devon at War 1939-1945. Devon at War. Hardback Volume. 124-5, 145.
SDV24161	Monograph: Clarke, N. J.. 1995. Adolf Hitler's Holiday Snaps. Adolf Hitler's Holiday Snaps. Unknown. 30.
SDV24208	Migrated Record: 1972.
SDV24213	Migrated Record:
SDV24215	Aerial Photograph:
SDV24216	Aerial Photograph:
SDV24217	Migrated Record:
SDV24218	Un-published: Unknown. 1995. RNSD Exeter. Sale Particulars. Photocopy + Digital.
SDV24219	Un-published: Horner, B.. 1996. The Royal Naval Store Depot and Former US Navy Advanced Supply Base, Exeter. File Note. A4 Unbound + Digital. Plans.
SDV24220	Un-published: Hellis, J.. 1996. RNSD Exeter. File Note. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV321648	Aerial Photograph: GetMapping. 1999 - 2000. Millennium Map 1999-2000 Getmapping. Millennium Map. Photograph (Digital).
SDV341189	Aerial Photograph: Bluesky. 2006 - 2007. Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007. Bluesky. Photograph (Digital).
SDV342938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 - 1949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Digital).
SDV347414	Leaflet: Passmore, M. + Passmore, A.. 2011. Military Supply Depots: Second World War and Beyond. A Brief Introduction to Twentieth Century Military and Civil Defence Archae. 31. A4 Folded + digital. 3-4.
SDV347475	Report - non-specific: Francis, P.. 1997. United States Naval Amphibious Supply Base, Exeter. Airfield Research Publishing Report. Digital + A4.
SDV348060	Report - Assessment: Francis, P.. 1997-2008. United States Naval Amphibious Supply Base Exeter. ARP Report. 8. Digital.
SDV349909	Report - non-specific: Raymond, F.. 2006. An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment of The Newcourt Area - Lower RNSD Site and Land Alongside Old Rydon Lane and the A379, Topsham. John Moore Heritage Services Report. A4 Stapled + Digital. 30, 50.
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
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coastal Observatory SX9589, SX9689, SX9690 17-SEP-2012.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/1412 RP 3281-82 13-APR-1946.
SDV352707	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1941. RAF/GHQ/122. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/GHQ/122 V 002 18-MAY-1941.
SDV354836	Aerial Photograph: BKS Surveys Ltd. 1967. BKS/2822. BKS Surveys Ltd. Photograph (Paper). BKS/2822 V 2762 14-MAR-1967.
SDV354839	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/780. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/780 RVp1 6027-28 09-SEP-1945.
SDV360967	Report - Assessment: 1st Line Defence. 2016. Detailed Unexploded Ordnance Threat Assessment. Exeter Bridge Road. 1st Line Defence. 2975JF00. Digital. 13.3.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5957 - Site Walkover of Development Sites in Newcourt Area: Lower RNSD Site and Land off Old Rydon Lane and A379
• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)
• EDV5493 - Assessment of the US Navy Supply Base, Exeter
• EDV7089 - Excavation at the former Royal Navy Stores Depot, Exeter

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