See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Croyde Camp was a tented encampment in Area 'E' of the World War II US Assault Training Centre in Croyde Bay. The holiday camp visible on aerial photographs in the early 1940s has been greatly extended by the mid 1940s with Nissen-type huts, which were removed by 1953. Some of the holiday camp buildings used during the war are extant.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS43NW/70

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

The area covered by the Second World War camp is depicted as four separate fields.

Royal Air Force, 1941, RAF/S171, NMR RAF/5171 26-27 01-JUN-1941 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349056.

The holiday camp is visible as a complex of buildings with pitched roofs around the edges of five quadrilateral enclosures. An additional large building is located at SS4377538808 and a quadrilateral structure is centred at SS4383938782.

Royal Air Force, 1942, RAF/S767, NMR RAF/140/S747/H56 PO-3013-PO-3014 SS4338/2-3 06-FEB-1942 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349058.

The quadrilateral building appears to have an entrance on the west side and the four conjoining ranges of buildings open into a central courtyard.

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

'Croyde Camp' shown on US Assault Training Center plan.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/LA/132, NMR RAF/106G/LA/132 5178 14-FEB-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349061.

Numerous Nissen-type huts are visible within two of the quads and in a strip of land to the east and a field to the west of the holiday camp.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1501, 4131 (Aerial Photograph). SDV337198.

Hutted camp recorded on 1946 aerial photograph. Other details: HER 3/17.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1501, NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 4131-4132 13-MAY-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349927.

The holiday camp buildings and Nissen-type huts are visible as structures.

Royal Air Force, 1953, RAF/58/1133 (F22), NMR RAF/58/1133 F22 0001 28-MAY-1953 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349785.

All bar two of the Nissen-type huts on the east of the holiday camp have been removed, leaving parchmarks in the grass.

Royal Air Force, 1953, RAF/58/1136 (F22), NMR RAF/58/1136 F21 0099 09-JUN-1953 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349944.

The Nissen-type huts on the east of the holiday camp have been removed.

Bass, R. T., 1992, Spirits of the Sand, 6 (Monograph). SDV339609.

Wasley, G., 1994, Devon at War 1939-1945, 27 (Monograph). SDV165766.

NALGO (National Association of Local Government Officers) had moved their offices from London to Croyde in August 1940.

Bass, R. T., 1996, Guide to the US Assault Training Centre North Devon, 21,39 (Un-published). SDV325695.

The holiday camp at Croyde was taken over by the US Army in late 1943 for billeting officers and men. It was shared with NALGO staff evacuated from London. The 197th Replacement Company were stationed here in July 1944.

Next Perspectives, 2001, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4338 22-MAY-2001 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349376.

The holiday camp buildings are mainly unchanged, although the quadrilateral structure has been replaced by a car park.

Bass, R. T., 2005, Spirits of the Sand: Field Edition, 89-90 (Monograph). SDV325697.

Croyde Bay was principally a tented encampment for troops under training with the officers billeted in the holiday camp chalets. Croyde Hall was used for lectures and critiques. The original building has been replaced by a modern building on the same site.The bay in Area 'E' of the World War II US Assault Training Centre in Croyde Bay was used for practice DUKW landings and elementary amphibious exercises.

Next Perspectives, 2007, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4338 04-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349344.

Several groups of buildings have been replaced, including those around the square immediately to the north of the car park, and the north to south aligned row of buildings centred on SS4372438860.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 894 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

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

Croyde holiday camp is visible on aerial photographs in 1941 and 1942 as a complex of buildings with pitched roofs around the edges of five quadrilateral enclosures. An additional large building is located at SS4377538808 and a quadrilateral structure is centred at SS4383938782. The quadrilateral building appears to have an entrance on the west side on oblique aerial photographs, and the four conjoining ranges of buildings open into a central courtyard.
By 1945 the camp had been greatly extended by numerous Nissen-type huts, as a result of Second World War military use by the U.S. Army during training exercises for Operation Overlord. The camp in this year included 36 curved roofed huts in a field to the west of the camp, numbered 437 on the 1880s-1890s OS mapping, and 22 curved roofed huts mainly in pairs in a narrow strip of land to the east numbered 434 on the same Ordnance Survey map. Small complexes of 7 and 3 huts are visible within two of the quads, centred at SS4376238837 and SS4376338909 respectively. The huts are of a relatively standard size, consistent with an interpretation as Nissen huts, at circa 5 metres in width and 11 or 22 metres in length. This distinguishes them from the holiday camp buildings, most of which are smaller and only 4 metres in width. A trackway leading from the camp to the training area on the beach, as depicted on U.S. Army plans, is visible on the north side of the complex.
The Nissen-type huts were removed between 1946 and 1953, leaving parchmarks or cropmarks on the grass visible on aerial photographs in the summer of that year. Examination of aerial photographs from 2001 shows the holiday camp buildings to be mainly unchanged, although the quadrilateral structure has been replaced by a car park. By 2007 several groups of buildings had been replaced, including those around the square immediately to the north of the car park centred on SS4384138821, and the north to south aligned row of buildings centred on SS4372438860. However the other original holiday camp buildings appear to be extant.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV165766	Monograph: Wasley, G.. 1994. Devon at War 1939-1945. Devon at War. Hardback Volume. 27.
SDV325695	Un-published: Bass, R. T.. 1996. Guide to the US Assault Training Centre North Devon. Manuscript. 21,39.
SDV325697	Monograph: Bass, R. T.. 2005. Spirits of the Sand: Field Edition. Spirits of the Sand. A5 Paperback. 89-90.
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV337198	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1501. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 4131.
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. 6.
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. 894.
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
SDV349056	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1941. RAF/S171. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/5171 26-27 01-JUN-1941.
SDV349058	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1942. RAF/S767. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/140/S747/H56 PO-3013-PO-3014 SS4338/2-3 06-FEB-1942.
SDV349061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/LA/132. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/LA/132 5178 14-FEB-1945.
SDV349344	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2007. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4338 04-MAY-2007.
SDV349376	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2001. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4338 22-MAY-2001.
SDV349785	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1953. RAF/58/1133 (F22). Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/58/1133 F22 0001 28-MAY-1953.
SDV349927	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1501. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 4131-4132 13-MAY-1946. [Mapped feature: #95768 ]
SDV349944	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1953. RAF/58/1136 (F22). Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/58/1136 F21 0099 09-JUN-1953.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.