Record Details
| NHER Number: | 41374 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Beech Wood World War Two bomb store |
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Summary
A World War Two bomb storage facility is visible on 1946 aerial photographs. This was part of large dispersed USAAF bomb store that had its headquarters at Earsham Hall (NHER 41375). This site was one of several located in woodlands around the hall, with other stores along roads in the area (NHER 41372-3, 43547-9). Concrete roads and structures were present within Beech Wood, with further hardstandings for bomb along the adjacent road. None of the structures remain at the site, but some of the hardstandings and roads are still present.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TM 3154 8947 |
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| Map Sheet: | TM38NW |
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| Parish: | EARSHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Beech Wood World War Two bomb store.
Part of gigantic bomb storage area for United States Army Air Force during World War Two. Connected with NHER 41373 and NHER 41372 by storage areas along road verges, the whole known as Earsham store; Headquarters building at NHER 41375. Supplied from siding on railway at Earsham, bombs were sent by lorry as required over radius of 42 miles. Continued in use until mid 1950s as military store. Concrete roadways and storage slabs remain in woods.
See (S1).
E. Rose (NLA), 21 April 2005.
April 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two bomb storage facility is visible on 1944 and 1946 aerial photographs (S2-S3). The central grid reference for this site has been amended from TM 3144 8953 to TM 3154 8947 to reflect its revised extent. A series of concrete roads are visible within Beech Wood. These relate to a USAAF bomb store which 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, with other stores along roads in the area (NHER 43547-9). Three buildings were present in the southwest corner of the wood, including a Nissen hut or similar curved profile structure. Rectangular structures accessed from the main perimeter road were also present in the southern part of the site at TM 3150 8942. It is likely that these were directly related to the storage of the bombs. Further structures of this type were present on Hall Road to the southeast of the wood along with rectangular hardstandings on which the bombs were also stored. None of the structures remain at the site, but some of the hardstandings and roads are still present.
J. Albone (NMP), 12 April 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. Pt. 1, p.18. |
| <S2> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1636 4046-7 09-JUL-1946 (NHER TM 3190A-B). |
| <S3> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: USAAF. 1944. US/7GR/LOC355 4048 30-MAY-1944 (NMR). |
Related records
| 41375 | Part of: Headquarters camp of a USAAF World War Two bomb storage facility (Monument) |
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