Site of Second World War ‘Diver’ Site No. N52, Grange Farm, Dengie (EHER 16015)

Now destroyed. The site of a Second World War heavy anti aircraft (Diver) Battery in the Diver Box near Marshhouse Decoy Pond. It originally comprised about 30 huts and by 1960, only three remained, before it was completely destroyed by 2000.

1995. World War Two Defences in Maldon survey: desktop research. A Second World War anti aircraft site, possibly for use against V1 rockets. <1> <2> <3> November 2008. World War Two Defences in Maldon survey: desktop research and site visit. No comments from the site visit. <3> A report, compiled in 1996 from wartime documentation, lists the ‘Diver’ anti-aircraft gun sites in East Essex in summer/autumn 1944. Site No. 52, East of Grange Farm, has three entries. On 13 August 1944 the site is recorded at Military Grid Reference M 463205. There are no other details. On 28 August 1944 it is recorded that there were eight 3.7 inch Mk IIc guns. Three months later, on 24 November 1944, this had dropped to four guns, manned by 197 Regiment 603 Battery. <4> An aerial photograph taken in August 1945 shows the site clearly. It lay to the East of Grange Farm, and comprised about 30 huts in two rows. They were mainly Nissen. To the East of them the soil marks of four guns can be seen. <5> By 1960, three Nissen huts remained but it is not known whether they had been moved from elsewhere on the same, or a different, site. <6> Year 2000 aerial photographs show nothing now remaining. <7> 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 603 Battery of 197 Anti Aircraft Artillery Regiment. <4>