NHER 42486 (Monument record) - World War Two Coastal Battery and military camp at Hopton Holiday Village on Warren Road

February 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two Coastal Battery and military camp are visible on aerial photographs at the Hopton Holiday Village on Warren Road, Hopton-on-Sea (S1-S7). The site is centred on TG 5331 0033. The holiday camp was requisitioned by the military by at least August 1940, presumably for training exercises. The 1930’s holiday camps in this area were heavily used by the military for accommodation and training sites, such as the Golden Sands Holiday camp (NHER 42496) and the Potter’s Hopton Beach Camp (NHER 42496) to the south. The Coastal Battery site was constructed in 1941 (S8: p135), although this must have been after February, as there is no sign of it on aerial photographs of that date (S3). The battery consists of a pair of large gun houses, coastal artillery searchlights and associated coastal and perimeter defences. A site identified as a possible decoy coastal battery has been identified within the perimeter defences of the actual coastal battery, see NHER 42484 for details. It is unusual for the bombing decoy to a placed in such close proximity to a real target. It is possible that the dummy guns pre-date the decision to locate the real battery at this site. During the coastal artillery reductions of 1943 onwards the Hopton battery continued in operation, but was manned by the Home Guard. From September 1944 to February 1945 the battery is listed as the guns and lights being placed on ‘care and maintenance’ (S10: p 327), this ensured that the battery could be used at relatively short notice, but was not on constant alert. The battery was not retained for post-war use, unlike the Links battery to the north (NHER 42473).

The evidence of the early military training camp consists of a variety of practice trenches and weapons pits, largely clustered around the existing chalets. Examples of zigzag practice trenches can be seen at TG 5339 0026, TG 5330 0021, TG 5324 0018 and TG 5323 0044. Centred on TG 5332 0044 is an area of roughly parallel trenches which run in-between two rows of weapons pits. In August 1940 a group of weapons pits is visible at TG 5320 0020. The freshness of the earthworks in February 1941 would suggest that the majority of the training activities, such as the digging of trenches all took place earlier in the war, probably 1939-1940. The chalets were presumably being used as accommodation for the troops at this time. In 1940 several rows of small huts are visible at the southern and northern ends of the camp, the majority of which have all been removed by February 1941 (S1-S2). This removal of the chalets may have coincided with decision to turn the training camp into a coastal battery site and therefore less accommodation was needed. A variety of barbed wire enclosures and defences cover the former location of the huts by March 1944 (S4).

Also visible in 1940-1 at the northern end of the camp, centred on TG 5327 0058, is an area of small structures within a rectangular enclosed area, distinct from the holiday camp to the south and the golf course to the north (S1-S3). This enclosed field would appear to be associated with the Cliff Cottages to the immediate west, however it is not clear whether the structures are also associated with these properties and therefore may be domestic or agricultural in origin. None of the structures can be seen clearly enough for any possible military function to be suggested. They have been removed by March 1944 (S4), when perimeter barbed wire defences run through the field.

A strip of coastal gun emplacements and slit trenches are perched on the edge of the cliffs in 1940-1 (S1-S3), running in a line from TG 5347 0014 to TG 5349 0007. A rectangular concrete structure, measuring 6m by 5m, is visible at the southern end of the site at TG 5341 0012. This is probably a pillbox or similar defensive structure. A similar concrete structure is located at the northern end of the site at TG 5333 0058 in 1940-1, this gets removed by March 1944 (S4). In front of this structure was a wide sunken area leading to the cliff edge. Adjacent to this is a small sub-rectangular embanked gun emplacement. At TG 5333 0053 is a low square embankment, measuring 9m across. On the oblique aerial photographs from 1940 (S2) this possibly looks like a sunken and camouflaged gun emplacement or pillbox. Although it does appear to have a series of symmetrically arranged paths either side of it (S3), which could indicate that it is a pre-war garden feature associated with the holiday camp. The remainder of the coastal defences and structures visible on the aerial photographs would appear to date from February 1941 onwards and are associated with the establishment of the coastal battery site.

The first available aerial photographs of the coastal battery site are dated March 1944 (S4), by which date two large concrete casemates with associated magazines and underground shelters have been built, centred on TG 5333 0048. The battery was equipped with two naval 6-inch guns and was manned by the ‘191’ battery (S10: p 310). The casemates consist of octagonal concrete gun houses, 11m across, each linked to a rectangular row of magazines, shelters and gun stores. It is possible that these operational structures linked to the guns were slightly sunken as in March 1944 they appear almost flush with the ground surface (S4). Although this could easily be an optical illusion created by camouflage, as the magazines have been covered, presumably with either earth or sandbags. The casemates have also been covered. Their resulting profile is quite angular and with obvious ridges in it, this could indicate netting (S4-S5). Although the Hopton casemates are recorded as having a roof made from ‘plastic armour plates’ (S8: p137). This may be a protective covering made from a combination of asphalt and steel plates. It is not clear whether it is the surface of the ‘armour’ that is the angular covering visible on the aerial photographs, or whether this armoured roof has then been covered by netting.

Three new structures have been constructed around the gun houses in-between February 1941 and March 1944. These were presumably operational buildings associated with the running of the battery and are located at TG 5330 0054, 18m by 7m, and at TG 5333 0055 and TG 5330 0048, both 9.5m by 6.5m. Also at TG 5326 0041 is a small group of buildings, which appear to post-date 1941 and are therefore not associated with the camp. The central structures of the group are two small, rectangular pitched roof huts. The two end structures appear to consist of high-walled, roofless shells, each with a possible tall central feature, casting a shadow through the centre of the structure, but not clearly visible enough to identify or interpret. The height of the walls would suggest blast walls. It is possible that these structures were associated with the radar component of the site, perhaps no longer present in the 1944 aerial photographs (S4-S6). The existing buildings relating to the holiday camp were presumably also incorporated into the battery site.

The coast artillery searchlights (CASL) for the battery are located at TG 5332 0066 and at TG 5341 0033. Both are rectangular and measure 3.5m by 2.5m. Both of these lights are linked to the main gun houses by a slight trench, probably with a cable running along it. All along this linking trench are small circular features, approximately 1m across and possibly concrete. The function of these features is not certain. Immediately below both of these searchlights in 1950 is a second smaller, rectangular structure set into the cliff face (S7). It is possible that these housed a generator for the searchlights.

At TG 5325 0047 is a slightly sunken and camouflaged structure, which is polygonal, 5m across and shaped like a type 24 pillbox. This is only clearly visible in the 1944 aerial photographs, although it is possible that it is an earlier component of the site, that is not clear enough to distinguish on the poorer quality, earlier aerial photographs. At TG 5335 0034 is another possible camouflaged pillbox or structure, measuring 6.5m square. A light Anti-Aircraft gun emplacement is also visible at TG 5345 0015. This consists of a concrete rectangular emplacement, measuring 6.5m by 8.5m. This emplacement has several rectangular recesses for ammunition and the predictor. One of these may also have housed a covered shelter for gun maintenance (S9: p61). This emplacement is likely to have held a static Bofors machine gun. To either side of this light anti-aircraft gun pit is two large gun houses, which do not appear to have any associated structures or evidence of activity. These have tentatively been interpreted as dummy or decoy coastal guns, see NHER 42484 for details. In 1944 there are many small circular and angular concrete and earthwork emplacements in this area, presumably all gun positions. These guns would have formed a secondary armament for close and Anti-Aircraft defence. Adjacent to one of these possible dummy guns at TG 5343 0021 is a possible entrance to an underground shelter or structure. This is visible as a 15m by 2.5m recess cut into the ground surface. This appears to be similar to other large air raid shelter entrances in the area, see NHER 42349 for example. Although there is no obvious covered component, as is often visible at other shelters. It is possible that it is just an open military trench shelter, associated with the Anti-Aircraft gun emplacements along the cliff.

The whole perimeter of the battery is enclosed with barbed wire obstructions, in particular the northern area of the site. To the south of the site a series of barbed wire enclosures have been erected, these presumably would have surrounded particular structures or activities, however nothing remains within these on the aerial photographs in 1944.
S. Massey (NMP), 06 February 2006.