![]() The north coast around Woolacombe Bay was also used for practising amphibious landing assaults in preparation for the D-Day landings. The Devon County War Memorial is a First World War memorial, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and situated on Cathedral Green in Exeter, the county town of Devon, in the south west of England.It is one of fifteen War Crosses designed by Lutyens with similar characteristics, and one of two to serve as a civic memorial in a city. All photos (184) Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more. ![]() In 1944, it was the site of the World War II military exercise, Exercise Tiger. Slapton was not the only site in Devon to be used by the American military during World War Two. Naturist beach which is located on Slapton Sands, near Strete, south of Dartmouth. Thanks to the training at Slapton, fewer soldiers died during the actual landing on Utah Beach than during Exercise Tiger, and so the training in Devon was not in vain. The following day 485 ships left the harbour, taking a full day to clear the mouth of the river and at dawn on the 6th June, the invasion of France began. Like many Memorials, it was adapted at the end of World. Carved from the local Beer stone and topped by an ornate cross, you can see at a glance that it is lovingly cared for and full of meaning for local people. Later that year on Sunday 4th June, the people of Dartmouth were ordered to stay indoors: tanks rolled through the town and troops converged on the harbour with its landing craft and ships. Michaels churchyard dominates the main street of Beer. The practice assault included a live-firing exercise and many more soldiers were tragically killed by ‘friendly fire’ from the supporting naval bombardment.īecause of fears of its impact on morale, the terrible loss of life during the exercise was not revealed until long after the war. One of the exercises, which was carried out in early 1944, ended in terrible tragedy costing the lives of nearly 800 American Servicemen it was a rehearsal for the D-Day landings on Utah Beach, Normandy, called Exercise Tiger and took place on the night of the 27 th April 1944. Over 700 Americans lost their lives.ĭespite this, the rest of the exercise continued at Slapton beach, but with disastrous results. ![]() Lack of training on the use of life vests, heavy packs and the cold water contributed to the disaster: many men drowned or died of hypothermia before they could be rescued. Two landing ships were sunk and a third badly damaged. However, unbeknown to the military, under cover of darkness nine German E-boats (fast attack craft) had managed to slip in amongst them in Lyme Bay. Landing craft loaded with soldiers, tanks and equipment were deployed along the coast. Nissen huts sprang up in Coronation Park in Dartmouth and new slipways and ramps were built on the river’s edge, all the way from Dartmouth up to Dittisham.Įxercise Tiger was designed to be as realistic as possible and on 22nd April 1944 it began. The beautiful and usually tranquil River Dart filled up with landing craft and ships for the operation. The area around Slapton Sands was selected for these exercises because it bore a great resemblance to parts of the French coast, the location chosen for largest invasion by sea of the war – the Normandy landings. 946 American servicemen died during Exercise Tiger, the rehearsals for the D-Day landing on Utah Beach in Normandy, France.Īs part of the build-up to D-Day, in 1943 some 3,000 local residents in the areas around Slapton, Strete, Torcross, Blackawton and East Allington in South Devon were evacuated from their homes in order for the American military to carry out exercises. The other parks in Barnstaple are managed by North Devon Council.On the night of 27th April 1944 during World War Two, a terrible tragedy unfolded just off Slapton Sands on the coast of Devon. ![]() Today the Park is owned by Barnstaple Town Council and managed by the Rock Park Trust Management Committee. As part of those celebrations swimming baths and a boating lake were constructed within the park, sadly these are no longer in situ. This was the year that the town celebrated 1000 years as a borough on the basis of an alleged Charter from King Athelstan in 930. Sited in the park is the town’s war memorial and a Millennium Stone dating from 1930. Ruined cottages, a factory and its yard, and an old limekiln were demolished in order to make way for the park and the ‘wide and noisome beach and water courses’ as they were at the time described, were tidied and drained. The grand obelisk at its entrance honours the opening in August of 1879. Rock Park was left in perpetuity as a Charitable Trust to the Mayor and Aldermen of Barnstaple Corporation, their heirs and successors, by William Rock.īestowed by Victorian benefactor William Rock, this expansive park was opened with great public celebration.
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