Record Details
| NHER Number: | 43784 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Big Wood / America Wood World War Two bomb store |
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Summary
A World War Two bomb storage facility is visible on 1946 aerial photographs. A group of structures and piles of stores are visible on a clearing at the southern edge of America Wood and a network of concrete roads are present in Big Wood at Earsham. These relate to a USAAF bomb store, which was part of a larger complex that had its headquarters at Earsham Hall (NHER 41375). The full extent of the military activity at this site is obscured by trees on the aerial photographs.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TM 31228 90347 |
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| Map Sheet: | TM39SW |
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| Parish: | EARSHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
June 2006. Norfolk NMP
A World War Two bomb storage facility is visible on 1946 aerial photographs (S1). This site was centred on TM 3120 9031. A group of structures and piles of stores are visible on a clearing at the southern edge of America Wood and a network of concrete roads are present in Big Wood at Earsham. These relate to a USAAF bomb store, which was part of a larger complex that had its headquarters at Earsham Hall (NHER 41375) (S2). This site was one of several that were located in woodlands around the hall and along roads in the area. The majority of this site of concealed by trees making its full extent difficult to gauge. However, the layout of the concrete roads in Big Wood, which are still marked on the 1:10000 Ordnance Survey map, is similar to those at the related bomb stores in Sexton Wood (NHER 41372) and Beech Wood (NHER 41374), suggesting that it also contained storage areas. The name America Wood does not relate to the use of the site by the USAAF as might be assumed. The northern part of the wood was shown with this name on the first edition 6 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map (S3) that dates to around 1887-1891.
J. Albone (NMP), 19 June 2006
Monument Types
- BOMB STORE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| <S1> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1636 4046-7 09-JUL-1946 (NHER TM 3190A-B). |
| <S2> | Article in Serial: 1973. Airfields of Norfolk and Suffolk. Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. vol 1, pp 17-18. |
| <S3> | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1887-1891. Ordnance Survey first edition 6 inch (1887-1891) Sheet XCVIII.SW. 6" to 1 mile. |
Related records
| 41375 | Part of: Headquarters camp of a USAAF World War Two bomb storage facility (Monument) |