NHER 27478 (Monument record) - World War Two defences at Caister Camp

July 2005. Norfolk NMP.
World War Two structures and defences are visible on contemporary aerial photographs at Caister Camp (S1 to S3). These defences are centred on TG 5202 1339 and are present at and around the holiday camp.

Like other holiday camp sites on the Norfolk coast, this camp was taken over by the military early in World War Two. The military presence at the site was well established by August 1940 (S1 to S2). Slit trenches and buildings had been constructed at the site to supplement the chalets that already existed.

Eleven buildings had been constructed at the site by December 1940 (S3). Nine of these buildings were rectangular in plan with projecting entrances at opposite corners. These buildings measured 10m long by 4m wide excluding the entrances. They are of a brick or concrete construction with flat concrete roofs. Buildings of this type are present at other holiday camp sites in Caister that were taken over by the military (NHER 27476 and NHER 27511) but their function is unknown. The other two buildings at the site were rectangular in plan. One of these measured 7m by 5m and was located at TG 5205 1337. The second rectangular building measured 6m by 3m and was located at TG 5211 1346. A small rectangular structure was also present in the northeast corner of the site at TG 5222 1351. Marks visible on August 1940 aerial photographs (S2) indicate that thirty seven circular tents had previously been located in the central area of the site around TG 5206 1342. However these tents had been removed prior to 16 August 1940 (S1).

Zig zag slit trenches are present along the south side of the side and adjacent to rows of chalets within the site itself. Two curved slit trenches were also present at TG 5188 1346 and TG 5217 1347. Military activity at a site to the southwest of Ormesby Road (NHER 27478) is likely to be associated with that at Caister Camp.

The slit trenches at the site had been backfilled by July 1946 (S6). At least one of the rectangular buildings at TG 5208 1347 survived into the mid 1980s before being demolished (S7 to S8).
J. Albone (NMP), 22 July 2005.