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Summary

A camp of probable Second World War date and military training function was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as numerous structures and slight earthworks, to the south of the A30/A35, on the western edge of Honiton. The site of the camp has been redeveloped for light industrial use and housing.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY CAMP (World War II to Mid 20th Century - 1939 AD to 1954 AD? (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Extensive military camp visible, with groups of buildings around a rectangular area, possibly a parade ground.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 F20 1444-1445 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

Structures and metalled surfaces defining an extensive camp were visible.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2482, RAF/CPE/UK/2482 4028-4029 10-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359310.

Structures and metalled surfaces defining an extensive camp were visible.

George Staples, 2012, 'Georeme'; My time, experiences and travels during Army National Service 1952/1954, Accessed 07/04/2016 (Website). SDV359501.

Personal remeniscences of National Service training at Heathfield Camp, 1952-1954.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Site now occupied by an industrial estate. Map object also based on this source.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

A camp of probable Second World War date and military training function was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as numerous structures and slight earthworks on the western edge of Honiton, to the south of the A30/A35 and north of the train line and former Heathfield Farm.
The camp was centred on a large rectangular open space approximately 160 metres by 90 metres in size, probably a parade ground, located on the northern side of a north-east to south-west aligned spinal track or road. The bulk of the camp accommodation was to the south of the spinal road, and consisted largely of pitched roof huts circa 18 by 6 metres in size, connected by narrow tracks. Only the large tracks or roads were transcribed by the survey.
Larger structures, probably the ablutionary and administrative centres of the camp were located around the parade ground. Two small arms firing ranges were located in the south-west corner of the site.
The camp remained visible on aerial photographs of 1948 and numerous online personal accounts refer to the site as having remained in use in the post-war years as a National Service training camp from circa 1950, in particular No2 Training Battalion for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).
The bulk of the camp has been redeveloped as Heathfield Industrial Estate use and a small section to the east as housing. The post-war camp has been commemorated in the naming of an industrial estate as Reme Drive.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV342938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 - 1949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Digital).
SDV348725	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2012. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey. Map (Digital).
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 F20 1444-1445 11-APR-1947. [Mapped feature: #108342 ]
SDV359310	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2482. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2482 4028-4029 10-MAR-1948.
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2
SDV359501	Website: George Staples. 2012. 'Georeme'; My time, experiences and travels during Army National Service 1952/1954. http://www.georeme.co.uk/. Website. Accessed 07/04/2016.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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