Site of Second World War 'Diver' Site No. N35 and POW Camp, SE of Marsh House (EHER 16014)

Now destroyed. The site of a Second World War heavy anti aircraft (Diver) Battery in the Diver Box at the Tillingham Marshes. Sometime after 24 November 1944, it was converted to a Prisoner of War camp for German prisoners and a plan dated 5 August 1946 shows the layout of the camp. The camp had been destroyed by the time of an aerial photograph in 1960 and the field returned to agriculture.

1995. World War Two Defences in Maldon survey: desktop research. Second World War anti aircraft site and associated buildings. A possible 'Diver' site for use against V1 Rockets. Initially identified through the NMP Project. <1> - <4> November 2008. World War Two Defences in Maldon survey: desktop research and site visit. A report, compiled in 1996 from wartime documentation, lists the ‘Diver’ anti-aircraft gun sites in East Essex in summer/autumn 1944. Site No. N35, SE of Marsh House at Military Grid Reference M462217, is recorded, on 24 November 1944, as being equipped with eight 3.7 inch Mk IIc guns, manned by 142 (M) Regiment 477 Battery. <5> Sometime, clearly after 24 November 1944, the site was abandoned as a ‘Diver’ site and used as a Prisoner of War (POW) camp for German prisoners. A plan dated 5 August 1946, ‘Lageplan POW Camp Tillingham II’, shows the layout of the camp with 24 of the huts and other features annotated with their POW usage, ‘Speisesaal, Friseur, Schneider, etc’. Notes compiled by a local resident, from reminiscences of ex-prisoners, prisoners’ relatives and local people, give many aspects of life at the camp. ‘The prisoners were often employed on local farms... several were engaged in making items for sale or gifts... concerts were held there and villagers were invited as guests... the central part of the camp was transformed into a delightful garden area, rockeries with running water, willow trees, crazy paving, bridges’. <6> It is not known when the camp finally closed. <4> Aerial photographs taken in August 1945 show more than 40 huts, mainly Nissen, plus other structures. To the NE of these are the soil marks of eight guns, in two rows of four. <7> An aerial photograph taken in June 1960 shows absolutely nothing remaining and the field returned to agriculture. <8> No comments from the site visit. <4> NRHE data transfer: no new information. NRHE summary description: Site of a Second World War heavy anti aircraft (Diver) Battery in the Diver Box at the Tillingham Marshes. It was armed with eight 3.7-inch Mark IIc guns, and manned by 477 battery of 142 (Mixed) Anti Aircraft Artillery Regiment on 24th November 1944, and was equipped with BTL Predictor, and SCR584 Radars. It formed part of 37 Anti Aircraft Artillery Brigade. <5>