Monument record ORF 073 - The remains of a probable World War One balloon shed, Orfordness.

Please read our .

Summary

The remains of a probable World War One balloon shed, Orfordness.

Location

Grid reference Centred TM 44258 49593 (42m by 36m)
Map sheet TM44NW
Civil Parish ORFORD, SUFFOLK COASTAL, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

The foundations of a structure centred on circa TM44254959 are visible on aerial photographs of 1942 onwards, probably marking the location of a balloon shed of World War One date on King's Marshes, Orford (S1, S2). Angus Wainwright has identified the structure as the shed where balloons that would have been used for meteorological tests and target practice would have been stored (S3). The shed also served as accommodation for a workforce, largely composed of Chinese Labour Corps, who carried out maintenance work and repaired the sea walls on the site. One of the modern banks in this area replaced this wall and is still marked on the Ordnance Survey base maps as 'Chinese Walls' (S4).

Sources/Archives (4)

  • <S1> Photograph: RAF. Air Photograph. RAF BR289 2-3 07-JAN-1942.
  • <S2> Photograph: RAF. Air Photograph. RAF 106G/UK/929 4373-4 16-OCT-1945.
  • <S3> Verbal communication: Angus Wainwright. Angus Wainwright, Verbal Communication. Verbal communication, March 2003.
  • <S4> Bibliographic reference: Gordon Kinsey. 1981. Orfordness - Secret Site, A History of the Establishment 1915-1980. Kinsey, G. (1981).

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Aug 2 2012 1:04PM

Comments and Feedback

Do you have any more information about this record? Please feel free to comment with information and photographs, or ask any questions, using the "Disqus" tool below. Comments are moderated, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible.