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Summary

A concentration of practice trenches and weapons pits of Second World War date and associated with Dalditch infantry training camp are visible as earthwork pit and banked features on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, to the south of Four Firs.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY08NW/162

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SLIT TRENCH (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))
• WEAPONS PIT (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 3171-72 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

The practice trenches and weapons pits are visible as earthwork pit and banked features.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 10 (Archive - Survey). SDV358490.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 10 (Report - Survey). SDV359019.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 10, Part 1; Part 2: Gazetteer, 3, Site No. 10 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

Trenches located in area to west of track and to east of B3180 road, probably representing World War Two, or later Royal Marines, practice trenches. The following features were noted, however, there may well be additional similar features obscured by the gorse/heather in this area. At grid reference SY 0311786065 L-shaped trench, with steep sides, each leg 5 metres in length, 1 metre wide by 1 metre deep. At grid reference SY 0309086085 crescent-shaped trench, 1 metre wide, 1 metre deep and circa 10 metres long. At grid reference SY 0308586083, square trench, 1 metre by 1 metre by 0.5 metre deep. At grid reference SY 0310486223, rectangular trench, 4 metres by 2 metres by 1 metre deep. At grid reference SY 0313286199 rectangular trench, 1 metre by 2 metres by 0.4 metre deep. Area covered in gorse/heather.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY0386 22-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356259.

The trenches remain visible as earthwork pits.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

A concentration of practice trenches and weapons pits of Second World War date and associated with Dalditch infantry training camp are visible as earthwork pit and banked features on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, to the south of Four Firs. The features occupy an area of approximately 0.28 hectares of moderate west facing slope. They comprise a number of broadly linear trenches, up to 8.5m in length, with the eastern of these also flanked by an earthwork bank along its northern side. These are interspersed with a number of probable weapon pits visible as earthwork pits. Other concentrations of probable weapons pits or artillery shell craters are visible to the north. The larger of the earthwork trenches remains visible on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2010.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV101648	Report - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. Exeter Archaeology Report. 03.26. A4 Unbound + Digital. 10, Part 1; Part 2: Gazetteer, 3, Site No. 10.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 3171-72 13-APR-1946. [Mapped feature: #99348 ]
SDV356259	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY0386 22-MAY-2010.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV358490	Archive - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. Mixed Archive Material. Site No. 10.
SDV359019	Report - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. Exeter Archaeology Report. 03.26. Site No. 10.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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