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Summary

World War II searchlight site located in field at Sanduck Cross.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX78SE47
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1560157

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SEARCHLIGHT BATTERY (World War II - 1944 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

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, 37 (Report - non-specific). SDV323811.

The site of a Second World War searchlight battery, this was known as searchlight battery no. EXG 11 located at Sanduck at SX 765836. It was manned by 384 Searchlight Battery whose Battery Headquarters were located at Kenbury House, Exminster. It was operational by 09-FEB-1944.

Crowdy, J., 2001, The Book of Lustleigh (Monograph). SDV344888.

Reference to the Sanduck Searchlight site by Anna Bunclark: 'the searchlight unit was stationed at Sanduck and was run by a man named Neiburg. I talked to him a lot and learned quite a bit about the workings of it'.

Berriman, G., 2002, They swept the skies: a story of British Searchlight Units of the Second Word War (Monograph). SDV344891.

General information regarding the organisation of searchlight units. A typical unit usually consisted of Detachment Commander (Usually a Staff Non-Commissioned Officer), two spotters, two locator operators, three light operators, generator mechanic, cook and radioman. Initially these positions were all held by men, but by late 1942, some units were all female. Most units were originally equipped with sound locators in the form of plywood or metal megaphones or trumpets, although these were later mostly replaced with radar sets (no evidence of Sanduck having radar, however). Power for the unit was provided by a mobile generator, either truck, or trailer-mounted.

Dray, J., 2009, John Dray's recollections of Sanduck Searchlight (Personal Comment). SDV344890.

John Dray of Lustleigh remembers the Sanduck searchlight in use around 1941. He discussed details of the site with Nick Walter in 2009 including its location and great detail of the features of the site, which included two searchlights (on 90 centimetres and one 150 centimetres) which were guided by one sound locator (range finder) and two individual spotters, or listeners, each seated some distance from the lights. A Lewis light machine gun provided some anti aircraft defence. Other features located at the site included a generator, office building, canteen and living quarters. Other details: Additional hand drawn plan of site.

Walter, N., 2009, Sanduck Searchlight World War II site (Worksheet). SDV344894.

Compilation of detail regarding the searchlight site, including quotes from a variety of sources, including recollections from a local man; John Dray. These sites were established from 1941 to indicate to patrolling night fighters the general location of enemy bombers, as well as assisting lost friendly aircraft. Sanduck searchlight was manned by approximately 12-15 men in 1941-42, and was probably deactivated by the middle of 1944. Most Devon Units were under the control of the 89th Searchlight Regiment, which also included other local sites at Chudleigh Knighton Heath and near Blackingstone Rock.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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