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| HER Number: | MDV71939 |
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| Name: | Searchlight on Bittleford Common |
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Summary
Site of World War II searchlight battery on Bittleford Common, 360 meters north-east of Jordan Farm, Widecombe in the Moor. Aerial photography indicates the position of features relating to the searchlight and levelled standings were noted on the Common in 2010.
Location
| Grid Reference: | SX 704 753 |
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| Map Sheet: | SX77NW |
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| Admin Area | Dartmoor National Park |
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| Civil Parish | Widecombe in the Moor |
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| District | Teignbridge |
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| Ecclesiastical Parish | WIDECOMBE IN THE MOOR |
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Protected Status: none recorded
Other References/Statuses
- National Monuments Record: SX77NW107
- National Record of the Historic Environment: 1559776
Monument Type(s) and Dates
- SEARCHLIGHT BATTERY (World War II - 1944 AD to 1945 AD (Between))
Full description
Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.
Remains of a possible World War II searchlight battery on Bittleford Common, Widecombe in the Moor visible on the aerial photography of the Common..
Lowry, Bernard (ed.), 1995, 20th Century Defences in Britain: An Introductory Guide, 63, No. 12 (Monograph). SDV362273.
Searchlight sites typically comprised a small ring-ditch to provide the crew with shelter during an air raid, a predictor emplacement for calculating the height and range of targets, a light anti-aircraft machine gun pit, a generator and hutted accommodation for the crew. During the Second World War searchlights were manned by the Royal Artillery and were under the control of the Army's Anti-Aircraft Command.
Dobinson, C. S., 2000, Searchlight sites in WWII, 36 (Report - non-specific). SDV323811.
The site of a Second World War searchlight battery, this was known as searchlight battery no. BXJ 5 located at Jordan at SX 704753. It was manned by 382 Searchlight Battery whose Battery Headquarters were located at Albion Hotel, Kingsbridge. It was operational by 09-FEB-1944.
Cowling, N. R., 2010, Sites near Dockwell Farm (Correspondence). SDV347770.
Letter mentions that local residents have confirmed that there were war time huts at this location on the Common, where levelled standings exist today. Other details: Annotated maplets attached.
Sources / Further Reading
| SDV323811 | Report - non-specific: Dobinson, C. S.. 2000. Searchlight sites in WWII. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. AA/1. A4 Stapled + Digital. 36. [Mapped feature: #129770 ] |
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| SDV342938 | Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 - 1949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Digital). |
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| SDV347770 | Correspondence: Cowling, N. R.. 2010. Sites near Dockwell Farm. Letter. A4 Stapled. |
| SDV362273 | Monograph: Lowry, Bernard (ed.). 1995. 20th Century Defences in Britain: An Introductory Guide. . 63, No. 12. |
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Associated Monuments
| MDV71936 | Related to: Archerton Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71945 | Related to: Buckfastleigh Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71948 | Related to: Cornwood Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71977 | Related to: Cranbrook Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV72051 | Related to: Dousland, Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71946 | Related to: Downstow Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV72029 | Related to: Druid, Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71987 | Related to: Hedge Barton Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71938 | Related to: Huccaby Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71981 | Related to: Leign Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV72040 | Related to: Lynch Common, Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71942 | Related to: Peatcot Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71937 | Related to: Rendlestone Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71940 | Related to: Sampford Spiney Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71989 | Related to: Sanduck Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71935 | Related to: Shapley Common Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71990 | Related to: Shuttamoor Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV72025 | Related to: Sigford, Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71975 | Related to: St Johns Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV71944 | Related to: Stoke Searchlight (Monument) |
| MDV72021 | Related to: Ullacombe, Searchlight (Monument) |
Associated Finds: none recorded
Associated Events: none recorded
| Date Last Edited: | Apr 16 2021 3:32PM |
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