Monument record ARG 043 - Probable WW2 minefield

A small area of minefield is visible as earthworks on photographs of 1941, centred on TM47315933. The minefield is part of the anti-invasion defences on Thorpeness beach, and is located in-between a line of beach scaffolding and anti-tank cubes (see LCS 119 and ADB 154), and is roughly 120m north of an area of heavy concentration of beach defences (ARG 049). The minefield is not clearly visible on photographs of 1942, but this is due to poor definition caused by the quality of the print (S2). On photographs of 1945 the minefield is no longer visible as the ground surface has been disturbed, possibly due to mine clearance. However, an area much larger than that covered by the minefield in S1 has been disturbed. The proximity of two large craters to the visible minefield raises the possiblity that the minefield may be more extensive than the visible area recorded (S3) (see ARG 044).