Site of Second World War ‘Diver’ Site No. N53, East of Marsh House (EHER 16013)

Now destroyed. The site of a Second World War heavy anti aircraft (Diver) Battery in the Diver Box near Marshhouse Decoy Pond. It was armed with eight guns in August 1944 and reduced to four guns in November 1944. By 1960 it had been totally destroyed.

1995. World War Two Defences in Maldon survey: desktop assessment. A probable Second World War anti aircraft site, for use primarily against V1 rockets. Identified through the NMP project. <1> - <5> November 2008. World War Two Defences in Maldon survey: desktop assessment and site visit. No comments from the site visit. <5> A report, compiled in 1996 from wartime documentation, lists the ‘Diver’ anti-aircraft gun sites in East Essex in summer/autumn 1944. Site No. N53, East of Marsh House, has three entries. On 13 August 1944, the site is recorded at Military Grid Reference M 468225. There are no other details. On 28 August 1944, the site has eight 3.7-inch Mk IIc guns, but no more details. On 24 November 1944, the guns are reduced to four, manned by 197 Regiment 604 Battery. <6> An aerial photograph taken in August 1945 shows about 27 huts, mainly Nissen, in two rows on each side of a North-South track. To their North the soil marks of four guns can be seen. <7> An aerial photograph taken in June 1960 shows the site to be totally cleared, with nothing remaining, and the field returned to agriculture. <8> NRHE data transfer: no new information. NRHE summary description: Site of a Second World War heavy anti aircraft (Diver) Battery in the Diver Box near Marshhouse Decoy Pond. It was armed with eight 3.7-inch Mark IIc guns on 13th August 1944. It was reduced to four guns equipped with BTL Predictor, and SCR584 Radar, on 24th November 1944, at which time it was manned by 604 Battery of 197 Anti Aircraft Artillery Regiment. <6>