Site of Second World War ‘Diver’ Site, 'N55/F5' south of Churchend, Foulness (EHER 20820)

Now destroyed. The site of a Second World War heavy anti aircraft (Diver) Battery in the Diver Box near Priestwood. It was armed with two 3.7-inch Mark IIc guns equipped with BTL Predictor, and SCR584 Radar, on 24th November 1944. A light anti aircraft (Diver) battery 'F5' was also deployed here armed with four 40mm guns and manned by 2743 RAF Regiment on 28th August 1944.

December 2003. World War Two Defences in Rochford survey: site visit and desktop research. Contemporary records show this location as a WWII ‘Diver’ site, No. N55. Equipment is recorded in November 1944 (<1>): Date: 24 Nov 1944 Guns: 2 x 3.7 Mk IIc Radar: SCR 58 Regt: - Bty: - Aerial photographs taken in May 1946 show the layout of the site very clearly. The guns were located in a field 250 yards to the east of the accommodation huts. Although the record shows that there were two guns in November 1944, there must have been four at one time, as the mounting platform marks can be clearly made out in a straight north-south row. The command post, a single Nissen hut, is some yards behind (west) them. It is, however, possible that two of the four platforms stood vacant. The accommodation, or domestic, site comprised approximately 30 huts, mainly 'Nissen-type' arranged in a largely circular layout around a central grassy area. <1> <2> Visited in December 2003, nothing of the ‘Diver’ site now remains and the land has been returned to agriculture. <3> 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 Priestwood. It was armed with two 3.7-inch Mark IIc guns equipped with BTL Predictor, and SCR584 Radar, on 24th November 1944. A light anti aircraft (Diver) battery 'F5' was also deployed here armed with four 40mm guns and manned by 2743 RAF Regiment on 28th August 1944. <1>