Record Details
| NHER Number: | 34527 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | World War Two searchlight battery |
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Summary
Aerial photographs taken in 1946 show the remains of a World War Two searchlight battery to the south of Buckenham Road. The size of the site and number of searchlight emplacements would suggest that this was a Troop headquarters for the passive defence of the area.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 3507 0732 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG30NE |
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| Parish: | STRUMPSHAW, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
July 1946. RAF aerial photograph (S1) shows parchmarks of recently demolished structires including trefoil feature resembling searchlight battery. Other features to north are less clear, but some building still extant near to road.
Height OD 30-35m. Area: 1.4
June 2007. Norfolk NMP.
The remains of a World War Two searchlight battery are visible on aerial photographs to the south of the Buckenham Road, Strumpshaw (S2). The site is centred on TG 3507 0729. The size of the site and number of searchlight emplacements would suggest that this is a Troop headquarters for the passive defence of the area (S3).
The site consists of two sets of markings indicating the former presence of a searchlight battery; one to the north, centred on TG 3507 0741 and another to the south at TG 3508 0716. Both sets of marks reveal a trefoil arrangement of emplacements and a larger emplacement to the north. The larger emplacement was probably for a 150mm light and the three smaller emplacements may have held 90cm lights or projectors.
The markings to the north appear much clearer than those to the south and may indicate that the site was dismantled from the southern location and reassembled to the north. It seems unlikely that both sets of lights were in action at the same time. The southern area is located on slightly higher ground.
A number of rectangular and sub-circular areas of disturbance indicate the former presence of associated huts and buildings. Two structures are still standing on the site in 1946, one immediately south of the Buckenham Road and another within the southern part of the site.
S. Massey (NMP) 28 June 2007.
Monument Types
- MILITARY BUILDING (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
- SEARCHLIGHT BATTERY (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| <S1> | Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. [unknown]. TG30?TG3507/B. |
| <S2> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1634 4010-1 09-JUL-1946 (NMR). |
| <S3> | Article in Monograph: 1995. 20th Century Defences in Britain.. Council for British Archaeology Handbook 12. p 63. |
Related records - none
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