Monument record WLN 037 - Military camp and associated anti-aircraft battery, Diver Battery T16

A military camp, consisting of a number of Nissen-type huts clustered in a square with interconnecting trackways, can be seen to the north-west of Grisewood Mere, near Minsmere Bird Reserve on 1945 aerial photographs (S1,S2). Some 250m away to the east, connected to the camp by a trackway, are four irregular circular features. These are the gun emplacements of a heavy anti-aircraft battery. As this site does not appear on aerial photographs from the earlier years of World War II, it can be assumed that the battery is part of the DIVER strip of batteries, constructed in the latter stages of the war. The nearby camp would have housed the military personnel who operated the battery. Slightly to the south of the military camp, a gun emplacement and a weapons pit are visible on the 1945 photographs, presumably associated features. Also in the centre of the field, about 200m south-west of the camp (at TM46856703) a structure is visible on the aerial photographs which may be a pillbox. The buildings of the military camp can be seen to have been dismantled by October 1945, as only their concrete floors are visible on aerial photographs of this date.
Site of a Second World War heavy anti aircraft (Diver) battery in the Diver Strip at Minsmere Nature Reserve. It was armed with four 3.7-inch Mark IIc guns equipped with Predictor BTL, and Radar AA No.3 Mark V when it was deployed here on 24th November 1944, and was manned by 412 Battery of 124 Anti Aircraft Artillery Regiment. It formed part of 40 Heavy Anti Aircraft Brigade deployment (S3).
2013: Converted for Bat habitation, photos and description, see (S4).

January 2015. Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Beauty National Mapping Programme.
Assessment of the aerial photographs (S5-S6) for this area revealed the surface traces of numerous small circular structures in close proximity to the pillbox mentioned above in 1945 (the area of these features has been defined by an ‘extent of area’ and not mapped individually). These are potentially related to temporary or mobile military structures associated with the site. The position of two of these can still be identified as slight circular parchmarks in 1969 (S6), suggested some element of subsurface component. Scatterings of small weapons pit type features are also visible in this area in 1945 (S5).
S. Horlock (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 02nd January 2015.