Second World War 'Diver' Site No. K12, Coles Lane (EHER 17237)

Second World War anti aircraft battery, 'Diver' site, and four gun emplacements. Eight of the huts, remarkably, still stand, the sole example of this in Essex's Diver sites.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. Second World War anti aircraft battery probable diver site, four gun emplacements. <1> <3> <6> A report compiled in 1996 from wartime documentation, lists the 'Diver' anti-aircraft gun sites in east Essex in summer/autumn 1944. Site No. K12, at Military Grid Reference M694409, is recorded on 24 November 1944 as being equipped with four 3.7 inch Mk IIc guns manned by 136 Regiment 182 Battery. It formed part of 40 Heavy Anti Aircraft Brigade deployment. <2> An aerial photograph taken in July 1946 shows the area very clearly. The site was on the outskirts of Walton-on-Naze, down Coles Lane. There were around 24 buildings, mainly Nissen-type huts. In a field to the NE of the huts the parch marks of the four in-line gun platforms stand out. Centrally behind these stood the control hut. Visited by F. Nash in February 2010 Eight of the huts, remarkably, still stand. On the east side of Coles lane, where there is a sharp bend, there is a ruined farmhouse. Behind this are the huts, seven in two short rows with the eighth 70 / 80 yards to the north. The main group are asbestos-roofed, and in many asbestos-lined, around 36' long x 19' wide. Most of the wooden end walls have gone and some huts are shorter than they were originally due to decay. There are, oddly, no side windows in the corrugated roofing. The eighth hut is larger than the others, 49' long x 25' wide, standing close to the road. It is built of steel corrugated sheeting, unlike the others, and was possibly an M.T. Shed, particularly as there was, as can be seen on the aerial photograph, a concreted standing area at its obvious entrance end. Nothing of the gun site now remains, this was at TM 2455 2265, the area being an open field. It should be noted that during World War Two the road ended at the "M.T. Shed", on the south side of the hut. Since then, it has been re-routed around the north side and continued, to the west of the gun position, to Titchmarsh Marina. One photo of site, taken around 2007. <4> Six photos of site, taken February 2010. <5> Site visit by F. Nash, 2010 At the time of writing around 30 'Diver' sites have been located and recorded in Essex. This is the sole example of anything surviving, let alone eight huts. It could easily be the only site in Essex where students of military history can study the architecture of World War Two 'Diver' sites and as such every opportunity should be taken to preserve it statutorily, ultimately to Scheduled Monument status.