Site of Second World War ‘Diver’ Site, Light Anti Aircraft Battery Q, North of New Montsale, Southminster (EHER 21317)

Now destroyed. Site of a Second World War light anti aircraft (Diver) battery in the Diver Box south of Old Monsale. It was armed with four 40mm guns when it was deployed here on 28th August 1944, and was manned by 5 Light Anti Aircraft/SL Regiment. It formed part of the 37 Light Anti Aircraft Brigade deployment.

November 2008. World War Two Defences in Maldon survey. A report, compiled in 1996 from wartime documentation, lists the ‘Diver’ anti-aircraft gun sites in East Essex in summer/autumn 1944. <1> Most of these can be seen, from the quoted Military Grid References, on 1945/1946 aerial photographs. However, an aerial photograph taken in May 1946 shows the clear soil marks of a row of four guns with no corresponding entry in the report. They lay immediately North of New Montsale to the West of a track. No huts can be seen and the nearest documented Diver sites at Deal Hall or North of Old Montsale appear to be too far distant. <2> By 1960, all traces of the soil marks had disappeared. <3> <4> NRHE data transfer: no new information. NRHE summary description: Site of a Second World War light anti aircraft (Diver) battery in the Diver Box South of Old Monsale. It was armed with four 40mm guns when it was deployed here on 28th August 1944, and was manned by 5 Light Anti Aircraft/SL Regiment. It formed part of the 37 Light Anti Aircraft Brigade deployment. <1>