East Coast War Channels in the First and Second World War Antony Firth March 2014 A report for English Heritage Fjordr Ref: 16131 English Heritage Ref: 6586 Fjordr Marine and Historic Environment Consulting Title East Coast War Channels in the First and Second World War Fjordr Ref / Version 16131 External Ref(s) EH 6586 Authors Antony Firth Derivation Origination Date 04/09/13 Date of Last Revision 28/03/14 (24/04/14) Status / Required Action Final (rev) Circulation Public File Name / Location East Coast War Channels - Final Report (rev) 240414 This report was prepared by Fjordr for English Heritage. The conclusions expressed in this report are those of Fjordr and do not necessarily reflect the views of English Heritage. Fjordr Limited. Company No. 07837575 VAT Reg. No. 138 7501 05 Post Office House, High Street, Tisbury, SP3 6LD Tel. 01747 873806 Registered Office: Windover House, St. Ann Street, Salisbury, SP1 2DR East Coast War Channels Fjordr 16131 – March 2014 Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... iv Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... v 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Initial Overview ............................................................................................ 1 1.2. Research Aim and Objectives ........................................................................ 4 1.3. Scope .......................................................................................................... 5 Coastal Artillery ............................................................................................ 6 Invasion Defences ........................................................................................ 6 Anti-Aircraft Defences ................................................................................... 6 Naval Fleet Actions ....................................................................................... 6 Blockade Operations ..................................................................................... 7 RN Coastal Forces ........................................................................................ 7 Evacuation and Invasion ............................................................................... 7 Strategic Offensives ..................................................................................... 7 1.4. Methods ...................................................................................................... 8 2. East Coast War Channels in the First and Second World Wars .................................. 11 2.1. Commonalities between the First and Second World Wars ............................. 11 2.2. The East Coast War Channels in the First World War ..................................... 13 2.3. The East Coast War Channels in the Second World War................................. 17 3. The surviving record of Heritage Assets associated with the ECWCs .......................... 21 3.1. The ECWCs as a Battlefield .......................................................................... 21 3.2. War Channels and Minefields ....................................................................... 22 3.3. Ship and Aircraft Wrecks .............................................................................. 24 Collective Characteristics ............................................................................. 24 Individual Characteristics ............................................................................. 29 Types and Classes: Vessels .......................................................................... 30 Classes and types: Aircraft ........................................................................... 33 3.4. Heritage Assets Onshore .............................................................................. 34 Naval Bases ................................................................................................ 35 Air Stations ................................................................................................. 36 Other Military Infrastructure ........................................................................ 38 4. Organisations and Data relating to the East Coast War Channels .............................. 40 4.1. National Museums and Archives ................................................................... 40 4.2. National Organisations holding Archives ....................................................... 45 The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) ................................... 45 Department for Transport (DfT) ................................................................... 47 i East Coast War Channels Fjordr 16131 – March 2014 MOD Navy Command .................................................................................. 47 MOD DES Salvage and Marine Operations (S&MO) ........................................ 47 The Receiver of Wreck (RoW) ...................................................................... 48 Trinity House Lighthouse Service (THLS) ...................................................... 48 The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) .............................................. 48 Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society ..................................................................... 48 4.3. National Heritage Organisations ................................................................... 49 4.4. Heritage Data Initiatives .............................................................................. 50 4.5. Regional Museums and Archives .................................................................. 52 4.6. Local Museums and Heritage Organisations .................................................. 53 4.7. Archaeological Units .................................................................................... 54 4.8. Seabed Survey Organisations ....................................................................... 54 4.9. Individual Researchers ................................................................................ 58 4.10. Representing Heritage Assets Spatially ......................................................... 59 5. Public Interest in ECWCs and the Scope for Greater Awareness ................................ 63 5.1. A Story Waiting to be Told ........................................................................... 63 5.2. Outline Communication Plan ........................................................................ 65 Challenges .................................................................................................. 65 Goal ........................................................................................................... 65 Audiences and Messages ............................................................................. 65 Channels .................................................................................................... 65 6. Conclusion and Recommendations .......................................................................... 67 6.1. Recognition................................................................................................. 67 6.2. Maritime Aspects of C20th Conflict elsewhere in England ............................... 68 6.3. Potential for Enhancement and Integration ................................................... 68 6.4. Enabling Access .......................................................................................... 69 6.5. An Outline Research Framework? ................................................................. 71 Chronological .............................................................................................. 71 Spatial ........................................................................................................ 71 Thematic .................................................................................................... 71 Source-based .............................................................................................. 71 Asset Type .................................................................................................. 71 Specific Assets ............................................................................................ 72 6.6. Management, Investigation and Designation ................................................. 72 6.7. A Renewed Commitment ............................................................................. 73 7. References ............................................................................................................ 74 8. Appendix I: Wrecks referred to in the Text .............................................................. 77 ii East Coast War Channels Fjordr 16131 – March 2014 Figures Figure 1 East Coast War Channels – Study Area Figure 2 The War Channels in the First World War Figure 3 The War Channels in the Second World War – off East Anglia Figure 4 ECWCs Wrecks, First World War Figure 5 ECWCs Wrecks, Second World War Figure 6 Seaward War Channels in the First World War Figure 7 Airman’s Chart showing War Channel buoys in the First World War Figure 8 Detail of War Channels off Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft Figure 9 British Mine showing Sinker, First World War Figure 10 Boom Defences in Humber, First World War Figure 11 ECWCs Wrecks off the North East Figure 12 ECWCs Wrecks in the Humber,