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Monument details

HER Number:MWX51316
Type of record:Monument
Name:LIGHT ANTI AIRCRAFT (DIVER) BATTERY DUNGENESS 1

Summary

A Second World War barbed wire enclosure and four bomb craters are visible on aerial photographs as a structure and earthworks to the south of Romney Sand Station, at Greatstone-on-Sea. It is possible that this barbed wire enclosure may have been the site of the anti aircraft battery recorded 50m to the north-west on the basis of documentary evidence (Monument Number 1478121), although this is unclear These features were mapped from aerial photographs as part of the South East RCZAS NMP project.

Summary from record 1478121:

A light anti-aircraft (Diver) battery was previously noted from documentary sources as being deployed near Romney Sand Station during the Second World War. This area was surveyed as part of the South East RCZAS NMP project, but the anti aircraft battery was not visible on aerial photographs of 1946 at the grid reference specified. However, the site of the former battery may be indicated by a barbed wire enclosure located 50m to the south-east (Monument Number 1533956).


Grid Reference:TR 0818 2170
Map Sheet:TR02SE
Parish:LYDD, SHEPWAY, KENT

Monument Types

  • BARBED WIRE OBSTRUCTION (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • BOMB CRATER (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • LIGHT ANTI AIRCRAFT (DIVER) BATTERY (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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The barbed wire enclosure is centred at TR 0817 2169, and extends across an area measuring 223m NNW to SSE and 75m WSW to ENE. The eastern side of the enclosure is straight, as it is formed by the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway (Monument Number 1357333). The remainder of the enclosure is formed by an irregularly-shaped, single line of barbed wire. It is possible that this barbed wire enclosure may have been the site of the anti aircraft battery recorded 50m to the north-west on the basis of documentary evidence (Monument Number 1478121), although this is unclear.

Three bomb craters are visible within the barbed wire enclosure, and one just to the north. They all lie just to the west of the railway line. They are unusual in appearance for bomb craters in that they consist of a round mound with a hole or depression in the top. It is thought that a comparatively small bomb might have caused this effect in the loose shingle characteristic of this area; by a small explosion at the point of impact causing the shingle to be upcast into a circular bank around the small central crater. This is however, also speculation, and it is also possible that the shingle was banked-up to conceal structures such as land mines.

A stretch of contemporary anti-invasion scaffolding (Monument Number 1533928) extends inland from this enclosure towards the sound mirrors at Denge (Monument Number 462809). The barbed wire and bomb craters were all visible on vertical aerial photographs of 1946. By the time of the next available vertical aerial photograph of 1959, the barbed wire had been removed, and the bomb craters levelled and filled-in (1-2).

Description from record 1478121:
Site of a Second World War light anti aircraft (Diver) battery near Romney Sand Station. The site was already operating as a light anti aircraft battery when, from July 17th 1944, it was used in the Diver role. It is not known what armament was used, nor the manning details (1).

This area was surveyed as part of the South East RCZAS NMP project. The anti aircraft battery was not visible on aerial photographs of 1946. It is possible that, given the loose shingle characteristic of the ground in this area; the anti aircraft battery was situated on the road, which would have provided a more stable base. This may explain why no trace of the battery was visible on the aerial photographs. Alternatively, the site of the former battery may be indicated by a barbed wire enclosure located 50m to the south-east (Monument Number 1533956) (2).


<1> Dobinson, C., Operation Diver : England's Defence Against the Flying Bomb, June 1944-March 1945, pp 220 (Monograph). SWX23707.

<1> 1946, NMR CPE/UK/1752 3002-3 21-SEPT-1946 (Photograph). SWX23759.

<2> RAF, 1959, NMR RAF/58/2778 0199-0200 01-MAY-1959 (Photograph). SWX23876.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Monograph: Dobinson, C.. Operation Diver : England's Defence Against the Flying Bomb, June 1944-March 1945. pp 220.
<1>Photograph: 1946. NMR CPE/UK/1752 3002-3 21-SEPT-1946.
<2>Photograph: RAF. 1959. NMR RAF/58/2778 0199-0200 01-MAY-1959.

Related records

MWX51471Part of: Second World War anti invasion scaffolding, Greatstone-on-Sea (Monument)