Monument record SUE 056 - A World War II anti-invasion defence obstruction in the River Alde at Home Reach

A World War II anti-invasion obstruction is visible as a structure on aerial photographs of Sudbourne parish, located in the middle of the channel of the River Alde at Home Reach, centred on circa TM45865419 (S1). The obstruction appears to be a line of structures with a barrier suspended between them, but it is not possible from the photographs to be sure what form the structures or suspended barrier takes. The structures may be posts, buoys or possibly mines, the latter being suggested by a passage in a book on Orfordness by G. Kinsey (S2). Along parts of the feature the suspended barrier is not visible, but it is not possible to be sure if this is because the obstruction is submerged or because it has been removed. However, much of the barrier is visible, for about 2.5km, from circa TM46205530 in the north to circa TM45435298 in the south. A shorter length of posts are visible centred on circa TM45985455, apparently forming a laterel barrier extending from the main obstruction to the eastern bank of the Alde, approximately 500m south of Slaughden Martello Tower.