NHER 42496 (Monument record) - World War Two military training site at the Golden Sands Holiday Camp

February 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two military training site and area of associated coastal defences are visible on aerial photographs at the Golden Sands Holiday Camp, Hopton-on-Sea (S1-S6). This holiday camp was requisitioned by the military from 1939-1941 (S7), although the aerial photographs may indicate that it continued in military use later in the war. The site is centred on TM 5339 9978. The holiday chalets were being used for accommodation for the troops and are surrounded by evidence of their training exercises, such as practice trenches, weapons pits and barbed wire obstructions. Some military structures and buildings are also visible in amongst the existing holiday houses. This site also includes some coastal defences that were located along the strip of cliff behind the holiday camp, this includes two type 22 pillboxes positioned along the Beach Road. The 1930’s holiday camps in this area were heavily used by the military for accommodation and training sites and the Potter’s Hopton Beach Camp to the immediate south of Beach Road (NHER 42496) was also requisitioned.

Centred on TM 5320 9981 is a group of military structures, which appear to have been added to the holiday camp after February 1941 (S2). Two of these structures are curved-profile huts, and may be nissens or asbestos huts. The largest of these is 14m by 4m. Two rectangular pitched-roof structures have also been erected. A further three structure were also added at TM 5318 9978, again one of these is a short rectangular curved-profile hut (S5). Next to this hut is a tall, square structure, 2m across.

The main area of the camp becomes a focus for the digging of slit trenches throughout the war. In February 1941 two lines of pronounced zigzag trenches have been created along the southern boundary of the site (S2). These trenches produce quite deep and well-defined shadows indicating that the accompanying banks are quite substantial. The rest of the practice trenches and military training features appear after February 1941, but before May 1944 (S3). As the camp was only meant to have been requisitioned until 1941 (S7), this increase in training activity seems surprising and would suggest that the camp continued in military usage after 1941. Although none of the additional trenches, apart two large weapons pits or temporary gun emplacements dug at TM 5339 9985, appear to be of particularly recent creation. The trenches, which have been dug in amongst the chalet rows, seem quite old by summer 1944 (S3-S4). Also constructed in-between 1941 and summer 1944 is a system of trenches and barbed wire obstruction along the coastal strip, running from TM 5351 9993 to TM 5348 9972. These features may have acted as additional perimeter defences for the large coastal battery site to the immediate north, see NHER 42486 for details. The northern segment of this system consists of a 3m wide ditch, with a bank on either side. It seems likely that this formed an anti-tank ditch or tank trap.

The Beach Road forms the southern boundary of the holiday camp, with Potter’s Hopton Beach Camp to the south (NHER 42491). This road also provides access to the coastal strip and therefore was protected by fixed defences. At TM 5317 9971 is a hexagonal type 22 pillbox, 4.5m across (S1-S2). This is located next to a rectangular pitched roof hut, although there was no evidence that this was military in origin. An additional type 22 pillbox is located approximately half way along the Beach Road at TM 5334 9970. This hexagonal structure measures 4.5m across and has been removed by 1953 (S6).

On the coastal side of the main camp, centred on TM 5338 9982, is a pair of circular concrete or stone structures of unknown function and origin. It is possible that they are part of the original fabric of the holiday camp, although again, their function is not obvious if this is the case. It has been suggested that these are water tanks. The structures are 9m across and 6m across and would appear to be concrete, although it is possible that they are of metal constriction. In the majority of the available aerial photographs each of the structures has a cross in the centre. However it is not clear whether this is an actual cross-shaped recess or slot, or whether it is a painted on detail. In February 1953 the shadows would suggest that it is a slot cut into the top of the structures (S6). Although in July 1944 the same cross shape is visible but it has the appearance of a mark painted on with white paint (S4).

In July 1944 at TM 5346 9972 there is also a possible square structure, 6m across, surrounded on two sides by a slit trench. This is not visible in 1941 (S2) and has been removed by 1953 (S6). Too little of the structure can be discerned to offer any detailed description or interpretation. Also visible in 1944 is a possible camouflaged pillbox or gun emplacement within the edge of the wooded coastal belt. This appears to be diamond shaped and measures up to 6m across, centred on TM 5353 9972. This has been removed by 1953 (S6). There are slight linear gaps within the tree coverage visible in 1941 (S2), which could relate to the digging of trenches within the woods, although this is not certain from the available evidence.
S. Massey (NMP), 02 February 2006.