Monument record NAC 081 - World War II anti-aircraft obstructions and bomb craters.

World War II aircraft obstructions, as well as numerous bomb craters, are visible as structures and earthworks on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s, centred on TM 21674104 north-west of Nacton. An area of aircraft obstructions constructed of lines of poles measuring 0.2 km sq is visible centred on TM 21794110. To the west another area of aircraft obstructions is visible, consisting of earthwork ditches and small mounds, measuring 0.09 km sq and centred on TM 21234111. Between 26 March 1944 and 6 July 1944 the area of earthwork obstructions was either bombed or shelled intensively, as can be seen by the earthwork craters visible on photographs from the July. (S1) (S2)
The aircraft obstructions continue to the west and north of the area described above, extending across Felixstowe Road and the train tracks into Ipswich district and Purdis farm parishes, covering a total area of circa 2.2 km sq. A number of the features identified above as bomb craters appear to be limited to certain areas, or aligned on the aircraft obstruction ditches and may be weapons pits or associated with military training activity. (S3-5). A Heavy Anti-aircraft Artillery battery and associated camp is also visible within the area of the aircraft obstruction, see IPS 489 for more detail.