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Summary

A small U.S. Army tented encampment of Second World War date is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs of the 1940s, east of Knife Ridge in Area 'D' of the US Army Assault Training Centre at Braunton Burrows.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and structural remains of World War II military training features for D-Day Landings on Braunton Burrows and nineteenth century reclaimed field system on Braunton Marsh NW of Horsey Island

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS43NE/260/6
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Unknown, 1944, Roads and Training Aids: U.S. Assault Training Center (Un-published). SDV339604.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1501, 3005 (Aerial Photograph). SDV337198.

Marks of positions of tents recorded on Royal Air Force 1946 aerial photograph. Presumably one of the U.S. Army tent cities. Other details: HER: 3/29.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1501, NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 3128-3129 13-MAY-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349927.

The site of a military camp is visible as cropmarks.

Royal Air Force, 1953, RAF/58/1133 (F21), NMR RAF/58/1133 (F21) 0005-0006 28-MAY-1953 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350046.

The camp is visible as cropmarks.

Royal Air Force, 1958, RAF/80/744, NMR RAF/80/744 0044-0045 13-SEP-1958 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349746.

The camp is visible as very faint cropmarks.

Bass, R. T., 1992, Spirits of the Sand (Monograph). SDV339609.

Bass, R. T., 1996, Guide to the US Assault Training Centre North Devon (Un-published). SDV325695.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 927 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Passmore, A. + Knight, S., 2009, Farm Environment Plan (FEP), Updated Spreadsheet of Archaeological Sites (Un-published). SDV344664.

U.S. Army tent city east of Knife Ridge; likely not to be located in the holding, although remains from such occupation is sometimes deposited in nearby pits or ditches and may extend into the holding.
Site lies outside survey area. Not visited.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011-2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

Fragmentary parchmarks indicate the area of a small Second World War military tented encampment immediately to the east of Braunton Burrows. The camp was probably one of the ‘tent cities’ which comprised the troop accommodation at the U.S. Army Assault Training Area from 1943 to 1944. This is the westernmost camp identified on the Burrows, the closest camp being over 500 metres to the east.
The camp appears to have been organised in a standardised format, as visible at the other camps recorded on the Burrows. Each block of tents appears to have comprised rows of at least 8 square tents, often in two paired rows, each tent circa 4.5 metres square in size. The extent of each block of tents is visible as a darker rectangular cropmark, the former location of each tent usually visible as a pale square parchmark. At least five such blocks can be identified on aerial photographs, in three double rows of tents and one single row of tents. However, by 1946 the cropmarks are diffuse and fragmentary and it has is possible to transcribe the extent of only the most clear and definable elements of the camp and it might originally have been larger in extent. The camp is immediately adjacent to site of seven mock-up landing craft, and might have been sited specifically to access this training area.
The cropmarks of the camp remain visible into the 1950s. By May 1953 the area of the camp is affected by some ground disturbance and by September 1958 the cropmarks have become very faint. They are not visible in later aerial photographs available to the survey.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV325695	Un-published: Bass, R. T.. 1996. Guide to the US Assault Training Centre North Devon. Manuscript.
SDV337198	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1501. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 3005.
SDV339604	Un-published: Unknown. 1944. Roads and Training Aids: U.S. Assault Training Center. U.S. Plans from R.T.Bass. Mixed Archive Material + Digital.
SDV339609	Monograph: Bass, R. T.. 1992. Spirits of the Sand. Spirits of the Sand. Unknown.
SDV339712	Report - Assessment: Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J.. 2007. The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report. Exeter Archaeology Report. 06.22 (rev.1). A4 Stapled + Digital. No. 927.
SDV344664	Un-published: Passmore, A. + Knight, S.. 2009. Farm Environment Plan (FEP), Updated Spreadsheet of Archaeological Sites. Exeter Archaeology Report. Digital.
SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011-2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349746	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1958. RAF/80/744. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/80/744 0044-0045 13-SEP-1958.
SDV349927	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1501. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 3128-3129 13-MAY-1946. [Mapped feature: #95751 ]
SDV350046	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1953. RAF/58/1133 (F21). Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/58/1133 (F21) 0005-0006 28-MAY-1953.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4737 - Stewardship Scheme Archaeological Survey, Braunton Burrows
• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project (Ref: ACD383/2/1)

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