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Summary

Site of three Ships Sides in Area 'D' of the World War II US Assault Training Centre on 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/260/9
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY TRAINING SITE (World War II - 1943 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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

Original US army plans record 'Ships Sides' in this area shown as three small rectangular features.

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

Concrete training aid recorded on 1946 aerial photograph. Other details: HER 3/29.

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

Bass, R. T., 1996, Guide to the US Assault Training Centre North Devon, 33 (Un-published). SDV325695.

Now part of golf course. Used for training in transfer from larger to smaller craft.

Bass, R. T., 2005, Spirits of the Sand: Field Edition, 67-88 (Monograph). SDV325697.

'Ships Sides' in Area 'D' of the World War II US Assault Training Centre on Braunton Burrows was not located during fieldwork in 2005. Three huge scaffold towers were draped with cargo nets where troops practised their descent into landing craft. Other details: Photograph.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 922 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

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

The location of two of the ‘ships sides’ training aids have been identified from aerial photographs of 1946. Two sets of paired white rectangular features measuring up to 12 by 4 metres in size are visible on Braunton Burrows on aerial photographs of 1946. Centred on circa SS 45833712 and SS46063726 and recorded as MDV102680 and MDV102681, these features might correspond with two of the ‘ships sides’ depicted on the U.S. army map of the Assault Training Centre. The third ‘ships side’ training aid has not been confidently identified, but might correspond with several similar areas of hard standing located on the southern edge of a military camp centred on circa SS461369. These have been interpreted as the remains of possible campsite structures, but could alternatively be evidence for at least 9 and possibly 10 ‘ships sides’ training aids, some measuring up to 30 metres in length. This perhaps indicates that the ‘ships sides’ training aids were more numerous than previously thought.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV325695	Un-published: Bass, R. T.. 1996. Guide to the US Assault Training Centre North Devon. Manuscript. 33.
SDV325697	Monograph: Bass, R. T.. 2005. Spirits of the Sand: Field Edition. Spirits of the Sand. A5 Paperback. 67-88.
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. 922.
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

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project (Ref: ACD383/2/1)

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