NHER 38981 (Monument record) - Site of World War Two gun emplacements

November 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A pair of World War Two gun emplacements is located on the cliff edge in the gardens of the now demolished Overstrand Hotel (S1-2). These defences are centred on TG 2528 4066 and are positioned in close proximity to several other defensive sites; a slit trench to the south of the coast road (NHER 38980) and a large concrete platform assumed to have held a gun position (NHER 38982). To the west are the heavily defended steps down to the beach, which had been protected with several pillboxes, gun emplacements and road blocks (NHER 38506).

The individual guns are positioned at TG 2528 4068 and at TG 2527 4064. Both consist of a 1m thick and 5.5m long, angular, C-shaped wall on the cliff edge, which is backed by a curving C-shaped wall of sandbags or similar material. The southern gun emplacement is destroyed in-between September 1940 (S1) and August 1941 (S2). This appears to be due to the cliff edge collapsing, although this may have been caused by enemy fire. The northern emplacement survives until at least 1943 (S3-4). The wall presumably had a series of loopholes or slots in the face.
(S1-4)
S. Massey (NMP), 25 November 2004.