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Summary

A Sherman amphibious tank and several memorial plaques stand at Torcross car park between Slapton Ley and the beach

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Tide Project: 02/09/2022

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ARMOURED VEHICLE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• WAR MEMORIAL (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

Impett, R. M., 1989, Recovered American Tank, Torcross (Ground Photograph). SDV339595.

Unknown, 2007, Sherman Tank (Website). SDV339597.

A Sherman amphibious tank and several plaques stand at Torcross car park between Slapton Ley and the beach as a memorial to the men who lost their lives during landing rehearsals for D Day called 'Exercise Tiger'. The operation to salvage the tank from the shallow waters of Start Bay was financed by Ken Small, a Torcross hotelier, and was completed in 1984.

Unknown, 2007, Stokenham '07 (Report - Excavation). SDV342104.

Survey undertaken by S Walls in 2007 investigating visitor interaction with the war memorial consisting of a World War II American Sherman tank at Torcross. The monument commemorates U.S. soldiers who lost their lives during exercises for D-Day in early 1944 during which the area was evacuated of its local population.

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

Map object based on this source.

Walls, S., 2010, The Materiality of Remembrance: Twentieth Century War Memorials in Devon, 158, 183; Figures 5.56, 5.75; STK30-37 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV355902.

There are also a few examples of relics from conflicts having been retained as part of the commemorative practices of the South Hams. These include the sea-mine found on the front at Dartmouth, and more prominently the tank at Torcross. The memorial tank's space is defined not only by bollards, flagpoles, boulders and paths, but also by the subsequent memorials which were added after its erection in 1984.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

'War Meml' shown. Map object based on this source.

Imperial War Museum, 2014, War Memorials Archive, 25719, 25721

25721 (Website). SDV356253.

Sherman tank with dedicatory metal plaque which bears the inscription: THIS AMERICAN SHERMAN TANK/ TOOK PART IN THE D-DAY PRACTICE/ LANDINGS AT SLAPTON BEACH IN/ 1944 WHERE IT WAS LOST AT SEA/ AND THERE REMAINED UNTIL ITS/ RECOVERY IN 1984. IT STANDS AS A MEMORIAL TO THOSE/ AMERICAN LIVES LOST DURING THE/ COURSE OF THE D-DAY PRACTICE/ LANDINGS AT SLAPTON BEACH IN 1944/ THEIR SACRIFICE WAS NOT IN VAIN/ BE THEY EVER AT PEACE
There is also a metal plaque dedicated by the United States of America, in honour of the men who perished during Operation Tiger.

Unknown, 2014, With the British Army in Flanders (Website). SDV356126.

Photographs of the Operation Tiger memorial plaque and Sherman tank.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4486 - Torcross War Memorial Survey

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