Site of Second World War Anti-Tank Ditch, Debden Airfield (EHER 21545)

Cropmarks of a Second World War anti-tank ditch beside Debden Airfield are visible on aerial photographs. This was filled in by 1948.

1999: Second World War features: possible gun emplacement (see EHER 21530) and anti-tank ditch. <1> <2> 2008: A cropmark of a former field boundary was mapped which was visible on first edition Ordnance Survey mapping. <3> <4> <5> 2013: A photocopy of an aerial photograph of Debden Airfield, taken in March 1943 shows, very clearly, the path of an anti-tank ditch half-encircling the east side of what is now Carver Barracks. <6> It appears to begin to the east of East House Farm at around TL 5695 3540, heading south-east around the Light Anti-Aircraft Gun Site (EHER 21530) to cross the B184 Thaxted Road at TL 5743 3496 (probably via a road barrier). It continued south to cross Elder Street at TL 5740 3455 and then headed south-west behind Freemans Farm buildings, possibly stopping at around TL 5680 3420. It is probable that it, in fact, extended further than the start and end points documented here. Analysis of aerial photographs in the Historic England Archive at Swindon may confirm this. An aerial photograph taken in May 1948 shows it to have been filled in by then. <7>