NHER 38934 (Monument record) - Site of possible World War Two Royal Navy 'Y' service station east of Middle Street

November 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A possible military site dating to World War Two is visible as a number of standing structures on aerial photographs (S1), centred at TG 2827 3845. It could equate to the Royal Navy 'Y' station which was reportedly operating at Trimingham from May 1941 (S2). 'Y' stations monitored German radio traffic and attempted to locate the source of the transmissions using direction finding aerials.

The site consists of two buildings and four posts or towers, all of which were standing in June 1942. Both buildings appear to have had pitched rather than curved-profile roofs. The easternmost building is visible as an isolated structure surrounded by disturbed ground on oblique aerial photographs taken in 1940 (S3), when it may have had an agricultural function. The four posts do not appear to have been particularly substantial structures but were perhaps as tall as surrounding houses. They have been mapped as being circular but in fact could have been any shape in plan. They were arranged in a rectangle measuring approximately 36m (118 feet) by 12m (39 feet).
(S1-3)
S. Tremlett (NMP), 2 November 2004.

November 2004. Norfolk NMP.
Consultation with Roger Thomas (English Heritage) has confirmed that this site could be a 'Y' service station, comparable to one at Scarborough castle. These stations were manned by German-speaking WAAFs and Wrens who listened-in to German wireless telegraphy (W/T) and radio-telephony (R/T) transmissions, particularly those from aircraft and ships.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 29 November 2004.