Record Details
| NHER Number: | 41372 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Sexton Wood World War Two bomb store |
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Summary
A World War Two USAAF bomb storage site in Sexton Wood at Hedenham and extending along nearby roadsides. This bomb store was part of an extensive facility that had its headquarters at Earsham Hall (NHER 41375). It is visible on 1945 and later aerial photographs.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TM 29678 91621 |
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| Map Sheet: | TM29SE |
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| Parish: | BEDINGHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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| EARSHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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| HEDENHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Part of gigantic bomb storage area for the USAAF during World War Two. Connected with NHER 41372 and NHER 41374 by storage areas along road verges, the whole known as Earsham store; Headquarters buildings at NHER 41375. Supplied from siding on railway at Earsham (NHER 43546), bombs were sent by lorry as required over radius of forty two miles. Continued in use until mid 1950s as military store. Concrete roadways and storage slabs remain in woods.
Information from (S1).
E. Rose (NLA), 21 April 2005.
June 2006. Norfolk NMP
A World War Two bomb storage facility is visible on 1945 and later aerial photographs (S2-S4). A network of concrete roads and hardstandings are present within Sexton Wood at Hedenham. These relate to a USAAF bomb store that was part of a larger complex with its headquarters at Earsham Hall (NHER 41375) (S1). This site was one of several located in woodlands around the hall and has been extended to include adjacent roadside stores. The position of the roads within the wood is shown on the 1:10000 Ordnance Survey map. Square hardstandings were placed adjacent to the roads on which the bombs were stored. Although many of these were concealed by trees on the available aerial photographs, their positions are also shown on the Ordnance Survey map. A small number of buildings were also visible within the wood. These include pitched roofed huts and curved profile, Nissen hut type, buildings. Remains of some of these structures appear to survive on later aerial photographs. Further bomb storage areas were present to the east at Park’s Wood (NHER 41373) and America Wood/Big Wood (NHER 43784) as well as along roadsides in the area (NHER 43780, 43782, 43785).
J. Albone (NMP), 19 June 2006
Monument Types
- BOMB STORE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
- MILITARY BUILDING (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
- NISSEN HUT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| <S1> | Article in Serial: 1973. Airfields of Norfolk and Suffolk. Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. vol 1, pp 17-18. |
| <S2> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1945. RAF 106G/UK/930 4088 16-OCT-1945 (NHER TM 3091). |
| <S3> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1636 3044-5 09-JUL-1946 (NMR). |
| <S4> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1967. OS/67056 112 24-APR-1967 (NMR). |
Related records
| 41375 | Part of: Headquarters camp of a USAAF World War Two bomb storage facility (Monument) |
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