Monument record TYY 024 - Searson's Farm, AA Battery WWII & Cold War (Mod)

A World War II [Aps listed below from 1944] and cold war Heavy Anti-aircraft Artillery battery and associated camp are visible off Cordy's Lane, north of Searson's Farm, Trimley St Mary, on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s. The site consists of four embanked gun emplacements, with a central embanked command post, centred on TM 27753599. A concrete road links the battery itself to the domestic site, centred on TM 27763581, roughly 150m to the south. The domestic area consist of numerous nissen huts and buildings of various size, all linked by concrete roads and paths. What appears to be a trench air raid shelter is visible as an earthwork at TM 27693580. Most of the site is enclosed by stretches of barbed wire obstruction. Two possible single gun emplacements or gun pits are also visible at TM 29693598 and TM 27663587. Circular structures, possibly tents, are also visible, centred on TM 27893596, near to the road. Some structures and activity is also visible within the Post Medieval extraction pit (TYY 047) (S1) (S2) (S2).
By 1946 the World War II battery (see TYY 024 MSF17498] has gone out of use and the Cold War battery is under construction (S4).
Originally created as a heavy anti aircraft battery mounting four 3.7-inch guns mobile in 1941 with GL Mark II radar, when it was manned by 385 Battery of the 121st Royal Artilley regiment. It became Diver Strip battery H2 in 1944 equipped with four 3.7-inch Mark IIb guns equipped with GLIIIC Predictor, GLII and S2MA Radars. It formed part of 40 Heavy Anti Aircraft artillery Brigade. This heavy anti aircraft battery was retained into the late 1940s as an Off-Site as part of the Nucleus Force. Remains of the four gun pits may be found as surface features, the Gun Store, radar Tracker Tower, Command Post and Telephone Test Cubicle also survive, along with sections of the approach track (S5).