NHER 43361 (Monument record) - Site of a World War Two military training site and camp, Waveney Forest

March 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The site of a World War Two military training site and camp is visible on aerial photographs on an area of heath or common, now referred to as the Waveney Forest (S1-S4). The site is centred on TG 4612 0071 and consists of a tented and camouflaged military camp, large areas of weapons pits, trenches, barbed wire obstructions and earthwork gun emplacements. A firing range is also located to the west of the site (NHER 43362). Possible World War One trenches have been identified amongst the World War Two features, see NHER 42263.

The main tented camp is centred on TG 4642 0029, although a chain of tents and huts are also visible in a line of the west. This main area of tents is situated within a fenced compound, possibly defined by barbed wire. The largest tented structure measures 23m by 9m. All of the structures within this compound appear to be either tents, or huts with camouflage netting over the roofs, apart from a concrete structure at TG 4642 0029. The buildings to the west of the compound are mostly curved-profile huts, arranged in pairs. More isolated structures are visible amongst the trees to the west. A pair of tents is visible at TG 4612 0023 and a pair of flat-roofed surface structures at TG 4603 0012. It is possible that further structures are camouflaged amongst the trees away from the main camp, but these are not easily visible on the aerial photographs.

The whole of the site is covered with dispersed earthworks and evidence of sporadic military training exercises. In April 1944 (S1) a large collection of army trucks are visible in the vicinity of the firing range (NHER 43362). Given the date this is possibly part of a D-Day training exercise.

The whole area of the former heath is covered with weapons pits. The majority of these have not been mapped individually, unless they were larger or formed a significant group. At TG 4586 0089 is a group of larger pits and short, curvilinear trench sections. To the immediate north of this is a rectangular gun emplacement, 7.5m by 5m, which possibly has a central structure or gun visible in September 1944 (S3). There are several small slit trenches dotted around the heath, such as at TG 4602 0050 and TG 4636 0037. Centred on TG 4623 0048 is a row of six earthwork gun emplacements. Each of the emplacements consists of a rectangular pit, approximately 3m across and between 4m and 7m long, surrounded by a wide embankment, with at least one entrance.

At TG 4653 0069 is a group of extremely straight and closely set slit trenches, with accompanying upcast banks. This has the appearance of a training exercise, although the purpose of it is not obvious. To the east of this at TG 4641 0058 is a triangular arrangement of well-worn trackway, with a row of pits and bomb craters in the centre. A loop of barbed wire is also conjoined to the northern track. The purpose of these features is not clear, although it possibly relates to some sort of target practice.

To the east of the site, centred on TG 4657 0092 and TG 4646 0125, is an area of storage containers and piles of equipment and building materials. These are presumably supplies for the camp and training site. Another group of possible containers are located at TG 4598 0026. Although some of these rectangular flat-roofed structures appear to have blast walls to either side, which would suggest a use other than storage. It is possible that they are surface air raid shelters, but they are quite isolated from the main camp.

This site has since been planted with trees and it is possible that some of the earthworks remain within the plantation. A site visit would be needed to ascertain the level of survival.
S. Massey (NMP), 13 March 2006.

Waveney Wood was allegedly the site of a system of Auxiliary bunkers constructed in the Second World War. The Auxiliaries in the Great Yarmouth area were led by Russell Leach, who told one local resident that there were bunkers in Herringfleet and in Fritton. Local residents have identified a number of possible sites for these. Site visit July 2008 (Ken Hamilton) identified a large number of surviving military earthworks, brick lined drainage systems and the base of a Nissen/Quonsett type hut. Site Visit August 2008 (James Albone) inspected two wood and wire mesh lined underground chambers covered by concrete slabs. The purpose of these is not clear. The location of the two underground chambers corresponds to features mapped at TG 4600 0029.
K. Hamilton (NLA), 5 December 2008.

March 2009. Correspondence.
During the Great War the area was within the infantry defence scheme for Great Yarmouth and during the Second World War it was used by the Royal Navy during the to unload depth charges from a railway line, which were then stored nearby at Fritton Decoy. Later on circa 1943 – 44 the area was used by the US Army as an infantry training area, with a rifle range situated on the land adjacent to the River Waveney. At that time the area was not heavily forested and was chiefly heath land, the current forestry is approximately forty years old. The archaeological features include a variety of small fire trenches, an infantry redoubt with two integral dugouts (only earthworks remain), an intact dugout, and six accommodation dugouts that have had their roofing material removed. The dugouts all appear to have been made of corrugated sheeting laid on a horizontal timber frame set onto the ground over rectangular earthen pits. The spoil from the pits has been banked up to obscure the dug-outs from view and also provided additional over-head cover.
See (S5) for further details and sketch of the dugouts.
S. Howard (NLA), 11 March 2010.

May -June 2009.
18 cramped holes identified, and believed to have been used by members of the Home Guard to carry out sabotage operations against German invaders.
See (S6) for further details.
H. White (NLA), 2 June 2009.

April 2010.
Plans to turn the woodland into a sand and gravel quarry.
See (S7) for further details.
H. White, (NLA), 22 April 2010

August 2025. Record reviewed as part of the Forestry Commission Project K
Earthworks associated with the Second World War military training area and camp, mapped by the earlier NMP survey (see above) are visible on visualised lidar data (S8). As the lidar survey was flown relatively recently (2021), it is likely that the features still survive as earthworks. Additional earthworks associated with the site but not mapped in detail by the earlier NMP survey (see above), are also visible on S8 within the mapped extent of the site. This includes the earthworks of further First World War or Second World War practice trenches centred at approximately TG 4657 0059.
J. Powell (Norfolk County Council Environment Team), 26 August 2025.