NHER 27712 (Monument record) - Site of World War Two buildings

September 2005. Norfolk NMP.
Several buildings are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1944 to 1945 (S1) and (S2), centred around TG 5255 0620. They appear to be absent on earlier photographs of the site taken in 1941 (S3), indicating a wartime date for their construction. They occupy a location near Great Yarmouth quayside, at what is now Atlas Wharf, in an area that is marked as a boat building yard and sawmill on the Ordnance Survey 2nd edition map (S4). The exact function of the buildings is unknown. While some or even all of them might relate to industrial activity at the site during the war years, they could equally relate to either the town's anti invasion defences or the naval base that was established here.

At the southern end of the site (at TG 5254 0615) a concrete building is visible, built up against pre war industrial buildings to its north and east. Its roof was painted with a camouflage design. This was probably the same building as is visible here on oblique aerial photographs of the site take in 1948 (S5) and (S6). Two structures can be seen on the quayside to its northwest (at TG 5251 0617). The northernmost was a curved profile hut (a Nissen hut or similar, typically associated with military activity); the southernmost was a rectangular concrete building which stood on a concrete pad. These had been removed by April 1947 (S7). To the north (at TG 5255 0624) stood another small concrete building, surrounded on three sides by a fence. This had also been removed by 1947 (S7). To the east (at TG 5258 0623) there was a small concrete building with a sloping roof, surrounded by a possible blast wall. This may have been part of a larger pre war structure which occupied this area in 1941 (S2). Alternatively, it was built after the removal of the earlier structure and had a defensive role. Another possibility is that it had a more prosaic function associated with industrial activity at the site. It still remained extant in April 1965 (S8) but the area was subsequently levelled and redeveloped.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 30 September 2005.