Second World War minefield, north and west Naze, Walton (EHER 21366)

This is the site of a Second World War minefield.

Contemporary records state, “Land mines. Walton Hall Farm. Map ref. 705425.” (Mil. Ed.) <1> A study of an aerial photograph taken in July 1946 shows that there were extensive minefields on The Naze during World War Two. <2> Recording in Essex has revealed that mines were sown in vulnerable areas, often paralleling the coast. They were laid in regularly spaced out lines, around three rows deep. Animals such as foxes and dogs strayed into the minefields, exploding the mines and leaving regular craters, all the same size, although this would depend on the changing firmness of the terrain. On The Naze, they can still be seen in 1946, distinguishable from the random, larger bomb craters which dot the area. There are well over a hundred such craters visible. Most of them are in a long band which parallels Cormorant Creek to the north and Walton Channel to the west, guarding the approaches from these waterways across Walton Hall Marshes and up to The Naze. A separate minefield lay at the furthest point east of The Naze where a flat promontory jutted out into the sea. Here, around 20 tightly-packed craters can be seen. For the sake of clarity The Naze minefields have been written up in two SMR records, this one which covers the major band around the north and west and SMR 21367 which covers the small field on the promontory. Walton Channel is the major watercourse which runs from north to south behind The Naze; Cormorant Creek leads from this, along The Naze’s northern boundary to the sea. Minefield craters can be seen on the 1946 aerial photograph stretching from TM 2607 2468 westwards to TM 2550 2469, south-west across the marshes to TM 2532 2449, and then southwards to peter out around TM 2537 2388. Site visit by F. Nash, 2010 In March 2010, the northern extremity, by Cormorant Creek was visited. The creek lies as the southern part of extensive saltings. Its south bank rises to a grassy dyke which forms the northern boundary of The Naze. Paralleling this, on The Naze, is a drain and then open landscape until the ground rises. The minefield ran immediately alongside the drain in what is now open fields at the point visited. Further west, the terrain appears to be rough ground. Two photos taken of site. <3>