Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Site of the Hawkshill Down, Walmer, Second World War OBOE station.

Summary from record MWX43633:

WWII military site visible in 1942 and 1946, located in Kingsdown. The site was seen to expand significantly between 1942 and 1946, enveloping three other WWII military sites (MWX43635) (MWX43634) (MWX43632). Next Perspectives photography taken in 2003 showed none of the features to be visible.

Monument Types

• BANK (EARTHWORK) (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BARBED WIRE ENTANGLEMENT (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• DITCH (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MILITARY BUILDING (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MILITARY SITE (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• NISSEN HUT (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• STRUCTURE (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• RADAR STATION (Modern - 1943 AD? to 1946 AD?)

Full description

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Site of the Hawkshill Down, Walmer, Second World War OBOE station. It consisted of a number of structures over about 200m surrounded by barbed wire. It was apparently an OBOE station, one involved in guiding bombers to hit targets on the continent. Visible on aerial photos of 1946.

Description from record MWX43633:
WWII military site visible on aerial photographs taken in 1942 and 1946 [1 and 2], located in Kingsdown. The site measured 550 x 450m at maximum dimensions. Aerial photography taken in 1942 showed the site to be much smaller than its final extent, as it measured 220 x 250m. At this time the site was a small military site set within barbed wire, with an external complex to the NW. These contained 19 structures, of which three were banked nissen huts; four banks, or which two were within the barbed wire with buildings set upon then; and the barbed wire was between two and three lines thick.

Aerial photographs taken in 1946 showed the site to have expanded with 26 structures added, eight of which were nissen huts with blast walls; two banks added; 15 ditches were added; as were a series of pathways. The enclosing barbed wire was significantly extended and in some cases relocated to enclose the expanded site. Some of the wire was mapped with an extent of area polygon due to its sheer size, in some cases up to 70m thick. Sections of the enclosing barbed wire of two other WWII military sites (MWX43635) (MWX43632) was incorporated into the defence of this site, following the disuse of the other sites. Two circular banked features were also added in the area of the WWII military site (MWX43632) which was enveloped by the expansion of this site. Only one structure and one pillbox (MWX43636) visible on the 1942 photography had been removed, or obscured by the barbed wire.

Next Perspectives photography taken in 2003 [3 and 4] showed none of the features to be still visible.

Located close to this site were three other WWII military sites. One located to the S (MWX43635) was seen to be partially enveloped by this site on the 1946 photography and part of its barbed wire was used by this site. Another site (MWX43634) was located just E of this site and was wholly enveloped by the expansion noted on 1946 photography. The final site (MWX43632) was located further E and was partially enveloped also, with part of its barbed wire forming the easternmost defences of this site.

A transcription of the features recorded from aerial photographs exists within a GIS layer held by this HER.

<3> Next Perspectives consortium via English Heritage, 2003, 2007, Next Perspective PGA georeferenced aerial photograph data, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: TR3748 14-AUG-2003 (Graphic material). SWX15711.

<4> Next Perspectives consortium via English Heritage, 2003, 2007, Next Perspective PGA georeferenced aerial photograph data, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: TR3749 14-AUG-2003 (Graphic material). SWX15711.

Sources and further reading

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