Source/Archive record SEM341488 - Assessment of World War Two military training earthworks on Halscombe Allotment

A rapid walkover survey of the Second World War military training earthworks on Halscombe Allotment (MMO3195) was undertaken by the South West Peatland Partnership (SWPP) Historic Environment Officer (HEO) in October 2023. The aim of the survey was to characterise the nature and survival of military training features at Halscombe Allotment prior to peatland restoration work over the winter of 2023 to 2024. Many of the features identified by 1946 aerial photography were found to correspond with extant earthworks. The remains of 15 slit trenches and 11 depressions formed by former field gun positions were identified, together with one further L-shaped trench located adjacent to a gun emplacement. Some of the features visible on aerial photographs were not identified as earthworks, either because they had been infilled or were obscured by vegetation.