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Summary

Morte Bay/Woolacombe Areas G, H and L formed part of the World War II US Assault Training Centre in North Devon

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1107751: CASTLE HOTEL
• Listed Building (II) 1162467: THE OLD COTTAGE
• Listed Building (II) 1107736: LIMEKILN ADJOINING NORTH EAST SIDE OF VENTION COTTAGE
• Listed Building (II*) 1162825: CHURCH OF ST SABINUS (WOOLACOMBE CHURCH)
• Listed Building (II) 1366227: WATER MEADOW
• SHINE: Isolated 19th century farm buildings to north-east of Putsborough

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS44SE/114

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY TRAINING SITE (XX - 1901 AD to 2000 AD)

Full description

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

Areas G, H and L of the US Assault Training Centre in North Devon covered Morte Bay from Woolacombe in the north to Putsborough in the south and including the Yellow, Green and Red Woolacombe Beaches marked on original US army plans.

Bass, R. T., 1992, Spirits of the Sand, 98 (Monograph). SDV339609.

Bass, R. T., 1996, Guide to the US Assault Training Centre North Devon, 42-3 (Un-published). SDV325695.

The brief of the Assault Training Centre was to train combat units under realistic battle conditions, including overcoming on and off-shore obstacles, reduction of fortifications, repulsing of counter attacks and establishing of the beach head. Construction work began on training aids after 7/8/1943. Individual fortifications of various types sited along the sheltered beaches (including Croyde and Woolacombe). Details of training programme and individual structures given. Green and Yellow Beaches were the two main beaches for full scale amphibious assault landings once the troops had been taught their new tactics at Braunton and Baggy Point. Defences included wire, mines and pillboxes above high tide mark. Red Beach, at the north end of Woolacombe Bay, was a little used landing beach. The Assault Training Centre headquarters was at the Woolacombe Bay Hotel.

Bass, R. T., 2005, Spirits of the Sand: Field Edition, 95-101 (Monograph). SDV325697.

Area G at Putsborough covered the southernmost of the Woolacombe beaches and was little used. There was a stong point of concrete pillboxes and machine gun posts on the cliffs. Area H covered the middle of Morte Bay with Woolacombe Green and Yellow Beaches as the main destination for full-scale amphibious assault landings. Area L at the north end of Morte Bay included the Assault Training Centre's headquarters at Woolacombe Bay Hotel and the town played host to many officers billeted in local houses. The northern Woolacombe Red Beach was little used owing to the proximity of the rocks. A stone memorial below the road to Mortehoe overlooking Wollacombe Sands was dedicated in 1992 to the American soldiers who trained at the Assault Training Centre in North Devon.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 1686 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Areas "h" and "l" of the us assault training centre, north Devon. Including beaches woolacombe yellow, green & red marked on original us army plans. Fortifications of various types sited along beaches.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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