Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A Second World War Diver rocket projector battery was previously recorded from documentary sources as having been deployed nearby in 1944. Vertical aerial photographs of January 1941 show an open-topped rectangular structure, which appears to have been removed by the time of the oblique aerial photographs of May 1941. It may be that this feature was a precursor to the later Diver battery. This feature has been mapped from aerial photographs as part of the South East RCZAS NMP project.

Monument Types

• DIVER BATTERY (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• ROCKET PROJECTOR BATTERY (TYPE U2P) (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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Site of a Second World War Diver rocket projector battery at Dungeness Point. This was armed with 64 x U2P rocket projectors on 28th August 1944. No manning details are known (1).

A Second World War Diver rocket projector battery was previously recorded from documentary sources as having been deployed nearby in 1944. Vertical aerial photographs of January 1941 show an open-topped rectangular structure, which appears to have been removed by the time of the oblique aerial photographs of May 1941. It may be that this feature was a precursor to the later Diver battery. This feature has been mapped from aerial photographs as part of the South East RCZAS NMP project.

The open-topped rectangular structure visible on vertical aerial photographs of January 1941 is centred at TR 0864 1663, and measures approximately two metres east to west and four metres north to south. There appears to be an opening in the eastern side. In January 1941 there was no anti-invasion scaffolding present, but by May 1941 the rectangular open-topped possible anti-aircraft battery or coastal battery had been removed, and continuous beach scaffolding had been installed straight through its former site (Monument Number 1533475).

It is possible that the structure recorded here was an earlier coastal battery or anti-aircraft battery predating the Diver battery noted from documentary sources. Alternatively, it may have been a non-military pre-war structure which was removed when the area was fortified against invasion. (2-3)

<1> Dobinson, C., Operation Diver : England's Defence Against the Flying Bomb, June 1944-March 1945, pp 224 (Monograph). SWX23707.

<2> RAF, 1941, NMR RAF/26K/BR242 D32-3 10-JAN-1941 (Photograph). SWX23864.

<3> RAF, 1941, NMR TR0816/5 RAF/GHQ/156 0646 27-MAY-1941 (Photograph). SWX23627.

Sources and further reading

Related records