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Summary

A D-Day landing craft maintenance site of Second World War date is visible as a range of structures on aerial photographs of 1944 onwards and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2012, to the south of Waddeton.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020911: D-Day landing craft maintenance site on the River Dart, 560m south of Waddeton Court
• Scheduled Monument 1020911: D-Day landing craft maintenance site on the River Dart, 560m south of Waddeton Court

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1383755
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX85NE/114
• Old SAM Ref: 33058

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SHIPYARD (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Unknown, MIGRATED RECORD - MONUMENT PROTECTION PROGRAMME DATA (Migrated Record). SDV331.

This maintenance site was one of several such sites on the river dart of which only 3 now survive. It was constructed by the united states naval advanced amphibious base (usnaab) dartmouth which was commissioned for preparations for the d-day invasion, providing a range of shore-base and supply facilities before and during the invasion. After d-day the importance of usnaab dartmouth as base began to wane and waddeton court and its slipways was handed back to the british before the end of 1944 (mpp).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV167327.

Des=mpp/144557.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV167328.

Schofield, j. /antiquity/75(2001)77-83/d-day site in england: an assessment.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV167329.

Des=shepler, d. C.(1944)/the battered amphibian/painting in us navy art gallery (ref:88-199-fd).

LANDING CRAFT INFANTRY, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV167321.

Includes a maintenance site built on the e bank of the river upstream from dartmouth to service landing ships during the preparations, engagement, and aftermath of the 1944 d-day landings. The site includes an arrangement of 2 near-parallel concrete slipways which extend out from the bank and which terminate at mean low water. Operating from 1943 to 1944 the monument was one of a number of repair and maintenance sites on the river dart which were under the control of the united states naval advanced amphibious base at dartmouth. The slipways, each of which operated with its own winch mechanism, were designed with a slight gradient into the water. The ships could be winched forward at high tide on a low metal frame which ran on rails the length of the slipway and which could be raised up or lowered down the slipway as required. Once out of the water the ship was secured by chocks with the tension taken up by a series of cables strung from metal poles known as sheerlegs. Repairs took place during low tide and the ships then refloated at high tide by reversing the winching process and releasing the holding cables. At waddeton the 2 original concrete slipways both survive to their full length but the metal rails on which the winching mechanisms travelled have disappeared leaving only the bolt fastenings which attached the rails to the slipways and the concrete rail bedding recesses. The northern, upstream slipway is 110m in length of which 60m lies below the high water mark and 50m above. The slipway is 8.5m in width. Lying at the landward head of the slipway is a winch winding-block comprising an earthfast concrete block 4m by 1.5m into which are embedded 4 pairs of thick iron bolts protruding through the upper level of the block. At a distance of 10m behind the mounting block is a further earthfast concrete block 4.3m by 3.8m. This is considered to be the emplacement for the winch. The southern, downstream slipway is almost parallel to its companion although they are 30m apart at the head and 70m apart at mean low water. The downstream slipway has 76m of length below high water mark and 50m above giving a total length of 126m. It is thus slightly longer than its companion but in all other respects it is identical and it has the same arrangement of winching blocks at its head. Located to either side of the slipways and in the area between the two are numerous circular concrete emplacements each of which has at its centre an embedded circular metal shoe. These emplacements represent the bases of the sheerlegs, each pole resting within its metal shoe and held fast by the expanse of concrete around it. Leading down to the slipways from the landward side is a metalled road constructed at the time of the operation of the site in order to facilitate the movement of vehicles carrying heavy equipment which might otherwise have become bogged down in the devon clay. A contemporary watercolour painting of the site by the american war artist dwight c. Shepler shows an lci (landing craft infantry), which was damaged on a training exercise, having new plates welded. The painting is dated march 1944 and it has been identified by mr c. Bircham as depicting the s slipway at waddeton. Clearly shown in the painting are elements of the winch mechanism on its moveable rail, the winch winding-block, and several of the sheerlegs. The painting is titled the battered amphibian and the landing craft shown under repair is identified only as number 493.

SCHOFIELD, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV4491.

Vis=1/8/2000 (schofield)d-day landing craft maintenance site, 600m south of waddeton manor house.

United States Airforce, 1944, US/31GR/LOC31, US/31GR/LOC31 V 01 22-APR-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352217.

The maintenance site is visible as a range of structures.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 3199; HER 59/15. (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Slipways, pulleys and onshore hutting visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 RP 3198-99 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

The maintenance site is visible as a range of structures.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2105, RAF/CPE/UK/2105 RP 3023-24 28-MAY-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351151.

The maintenance site is visible as a range of structures.

Royal Air Force, 1950, RAF/541/520, RAF/541/520 RS 4065-66 13-MAY-1950 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352112.

The former slipway, marker/tethering blocks and possible single slipway structure remain visible as structures.

Royal Air Force, 1960, RAF/58/3510, RAF/58/3510 F22 241-42 22-APR-1960 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352221.

Building platforms of former demolished structures are visible, as well as the slipways and marker/tethering blocks.

Ordnance Survey, 1988, OS/88090, OS/88090 V 155-56 11-MAY-1988 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352222.

Only the slipways of the former site remain visible as structures.

Mann, R., 1991, Boat Trip Down the Dart: Totnes to Dartmouth (Monograph). SDV172387.

Clamp, A., 1994, Dartmouth and Kingswear during the Second World War, 25-33 (Monograph). SDV341255.

Jury, R., 1996, Waddeton Slipways (Worksheet). SDV167323.

Site visited on 28th April 1996. There are two slipways on the beach, constructed by the Americans in the build up to D-day. Some remains of onshore buildings with trolleys and winches.

Collings, A. G., 1998, Archaeological Assessment of Land at Dartside Quay, Galmpton Creek, 4 (Report - Assessment). SDV336394.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory SX8756 18-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

Only the slipways of the former site remain visible as structures.

Dyer, M. J., 2002, Greenway, Galmpton: Archaeological and Historic Landscape Survey: Part 1, 10 (Report - Survey). SDV169254.

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

A D-Day landing craft maintenance site of Second World War date is visible as a range of structures on aerial photographs of 1944 onwards and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2012, to the south of Waddeton. The site covers an area of approximately 1.36 hectares within a sheltered valley and accessed via a trackway leading from Waddeton, approximately 400m to the north. The site comprises a number of nissen huts and smaller structures located to the north of the site and possibly used for accommodation, administration and storage. To the south of these on the foreshore are two separate winch mechanisms with winding blocks, in addition to a range of smaller associated structures. Leading off from each of the winding blocks are two slipways which measure approximately 95m in length and are complete with a series of parallel winding rails. Two square concrete marker or tethering blocks are also positioned at the end of each slipway. The site remains largely complete as a range of structures on aerial photographs of 1947, although by 1950 only the slipways, marker/tethering blocks and a single structure remain visible. Aerial photographs of 1960 show the slipways and marker/tethering blocks visible as structures, in addition to a number of building platforms of the former structures and nissen huts. On aerial photographs of 1988, the concrete slipway marker/tethering blocks have been removed, although the two slipways remain visible as structures on aerial photographs derived from digital images taken in 2012.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV167321	Migrated Record: LANDING CRAFT INFANTRY.
SDV167323	Worksheet: Jury, R.. 1996. Waddeton Slipways. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV167327	Migrated Record:
SDV167328	Migrated Record:
SDV167329	Migrated Record:
SDV169254	Report - Survey: Dyer, M. J.. 2002. Greenway, Galmpton: Archaeological and Historic Landscape Survey: Part 1. Exeter Archaeology Report. 02.48. A4 Bound. 10.
SDV169268	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 3199; HER 59/15..
SDV172387	Monograph: Mann, R.. 1991. Boat Trip Down the Dart: Totnes to Dartmouth. Boat Trip Down the Dart: Totnes to Dartmouth. Paperback Volume.
SDV331	Migrated Record: Unknown. MIGRATED RECORD - MONUMENT PROTECTION PROGRAMME DATA. Monument Protection Programme. Unknown.
SDV336394	Report - Assessment: Collings, A. G.. 1998. Archaeological Assessment of Land at Dartside Quay, Galmpton Creek. Exeter Archaeology Report. 98.62. A4 Stapled + Digital. 4.
SDV341255	Monograph: Clamp, A.. 1994. Dartmouth and Kingswear during the Second World War. Dartmouth and Kingswear during the Second World War. Paperback Volume. 25-33.
SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 RP 3198-99 10-DEC-1946. [Mapped feature: #95514 ]
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
SDV351151	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/2105. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2105 RP 3023-24 28-MAY-1947.
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coastal Observatory SX8756 18-SEP-2012.
SDV352112	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1950. RAF/541/520. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/541/520 RS 4065-66 13-MAY-1950.
SDV352217	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1944. US/31GR/LOC31. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). US/31GR/LOC31 V 01 22-APR-1944.
SDV352221	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1960. RAF/58/3510. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/58/3510 F22 241-42 22-APR-1960.
SDV352222	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1988. OS/88090. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/88090 V 155-56 11-MAY-1988.
SDV4491	Migrated Record: SCHOFIELD.

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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