NHER 27510 (Monument record) - Site of World War Two military camp

July 2005. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two military site is visible on contemporary aerial photographs (S1 to S7). This site was centred on TG 5215 1205 and was located on the south side of West Road. The earliest aerial photographs showing military activity at the site date from May 1944 (S1). At that time a Nissen hut was present parallel to West Road. A detached rectangular structure with a sloping roof, which measures 3.5m by 2.5m, was positioned at the western end of the Nissen hut. These buildings are not shown on an aerial photograph dating to December 1940 (S9) and were constructed after that date. The aerial photographs dating to May 1944 (S1 to S2) show very little obvious activity at the site. By contrast aerial photographs dating from 4 July 1944 show at least twenty two vehicles at the site (S3). This increase in activity is likely to be connected to the allied invasion of mainland Europe one month earlier. Troops and equipment were probably amassed at this site, and others in the area, ready for departure for Europe to support and resupply the initial invasion force. These vehicles had all departed by 5 August 1944 (S4). This site is likely to be connected with the military use of the holiday camp at Caister Old Hall 100m to its northwest (NHER 27511). The Old Hall site shows the same increase in activity around July 1944 (S3). The Nissen hut and other structure at the West Road site were still present in July 1946 (S7) but had been removed by April 1952 (S8). A civilian surface air raid shelter was present on the south side of the site (NHER 27507).
J. Albone (NMP), 21 July 2005.