News
Historic WWII sites given protection
To mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, six Second World War concrete structures built as replica landing craft for training, nine sunken army tanks, two armoured bulldozers and components of Mulberry floating harbours in Dorset, Devon and West Sussex are being granted protection by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England.
D-Day on 6 June 1944, codenamed Operation Overlord, was the greatest combined land, air and naval operation in history. It was a massive assault by the allies to invade Nazi-occupied Western Europe during the Second World War. 156,000 soldiers from Britain, America, Canada and France landed on the beaches of Normandy together with thousands of vehicles and supplies.
The many rehearsals and training exercises carried out along the coastline of Devon and Dorset together with the great engineering achievements of the Mulberry Harbours contributed to the success of the D-Day landings.
Images from Tanks & Bulldozers project July 2008 by Southsea Sub Aqua Club
Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said: “As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, it is right that we continue to honour the memory of those who fought for peace in one of the decisive moments of the Second World War. It is also right to recognise the engineering and ingenuity that enabled that offensive. By listing the landing crafts, tanks, bulldozers and floating harbours we can ensure that future generations can learn about this important moment in our history.”
Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England said: “Evidence of D-Day planning, rehearsal and the actual operation is all around us, on our coastline and in our waters helping to tell the D-Day Story. These tanks, armoured bulldozers, Mulberry Harbour components and concrete training landing craft are important as a witness to the great engineering achievements and logistical preparations around England’s coast for the largest amphibious invasion ever undertaken, on 6 June 1944. It is vital that we protect them as a memorial for future generations.”
VALENTINE TANK ASSEMBLAGE, STUDLAND BEACH, POOLE BAY, DORSET
(SCHEDULED MONUMENT)
Six weeks before D-Day in April 1944, troops arrived at Studland Beach in Dorset to rehearse an assault codenamed ‘Exercise Smash’. This was watched by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, King George VI and Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower from Fort Henry, an observation post built on a small cliff overlooking the bay.
Seven army tanks known as Duplex Drive (DD) Valentine tanks were lost during this exercise which went badly wrong. The Valentine was modified to be a ‘floating’ or amphibious tank that could leave its landing ship further out from shore than other tanks. However, during the exercise, these tanks sank with the loss of six crewmen shortly after driving off their landing craft. They ran into immediate difficulty when a sudden change in the weather adversely affected sea conditions. A valuable lesson was learned that these tanks couldn’t survive being launched too far from a beach and consequently on D-Day itself the tanks were released in shallow water.
The Valentine tanks in Poole Bay represent the largest surviving group of their type anywhere in the world.
Images from Tanks & Bulldozers project July 2008 by Southsea Sub Aqua Club
SECOND WORLD WAR TANKS & BULLDOZERS, SELSEY BILL, WEST SUSSEX
(SCHEDULED MONUMENT)
In June 1944, the Allies opened a second front in Europe with Operation Neptune, comprising a largely amphibious invasion. In preparation for the assault, the 286-ton landing craft LCT(A)2428 was loaded with two Centaur cruiser tanks designed to fire at concrete targets such as pillboxes, two armoured D7 bulldozers designed to protect both the driver and the engine while clearing the invasion beaches of obstacles, one 4X4 car and a jeep. All the vehicles were lost on the night of 5/6 June when the landing craft broke down in the Solent while on route to the D-Day landings in Normandy. The vessel was taken under tow but capsized, spilling into the sea its cargo of tanks and armoured bulldozers intended to support the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division landing at Juno Beach. Sometime afterwards, the upturned vessel was deliberately sunk by gunfire from its tug, several miles to the east, off Selsey Bill in West Sussex. These armoured vehicles represent the only surviving group of their type in north-west Europe.
PHOENIX CAISSON (OUTER) OFF PAGHAM HARBOUR, WEST SUSSEX (SCHEDULED MONUMENT)
Mulberry Harbours were considered to be a major technological and engineering achievement of their time and contributed to the success of the D-Day landings. Designed and constructed by British military engineers during the Second World War, these huge artificial floating harbours were used by the allies to rapidly land enormous amounts of supplies and equipment in Normandy following the invasion.
The component parts were towed by tugs across the Channel, assembled by the military then sunk off Normandy to form a sheltered harbour to protect unloading ships. The Mulberries consisted of four major component parts and each had a code-name: Gooseberry (a network of artificial breakwaters), Bombardon (floating breakwaters), Whale (floating piers) and Phoenix (sunken breakwaters).
The outer or far Mulberry off Pagham Harbour which has been protected is a Phoenix caisson and it is a rare type of steel reinforced concrete unit that functioned as a sunken breakwater. Phoenix units varied in size between 2000 and 6000 tons. In June 1944 this particular unit was ‘parked’ off Pagham awaiting passage to Normandy. Its ballast tanks were pumped out to re-float it but as its tug wasn’t ready, the unit was re-sunk. However, during stormy weather, it swung around in the tide and became so damaged that it became unusable. It has remained in situ ever since.
PHOENIX CAISSON (INNER) OFF PAGHAM, WEST SUSSEX (SCHEDULED MONUMENT)
A rare concrete pier off Pagham has also been granted protection. Part of the Mulberry Harbour, this comprises a steel reinforced concrete platform which was designed to connect to offshore pontoons allowing more than one ship to unload its cargo at any one time. It is not yet clear how this sunken pier came to be located in the shallow waters off Pagham, but it is in an area commonly known by mariners as the ‘park’ which contains a large number of submerged or ‘parked’ Second World War components that were associated with Mulberry Harbour operations.
SECOND WORLD WAR CONCRETE REPLICA LANDING CRAFT AND TRAINING AREA, BRAUNTON BURROWS, DEVON – LISTED GRADE II
Six Second World War replica landing craft installations made of concrete and used for training American troops at Braunton Burrows in Devon have been protected. From September 1943, the North Devon coast became an Assault Training Center for American forces as part of the preparations for an allied attack on the Normandy beaches. Concrete replica landing craft were based on a 1942 American modification of the British Tank Landing Craft and were designed to represent the top deck of the craft with its front ramp lowered so troops could practice the embarking and disembarking of vehicles and personnel in advance of the D-Day landings. Additional aprons were added at the back of the craft and six foot high metal poles at the base edges supported either canvas or corrugated-tin screens to represent the sides of the craft.
The training structures were abandoned and a large number demolished in the late 20th century. A memorial service is held on 6 June each year at the replica craft structures at Braunton Burrows to recognise and remember the important role that the members of the allied forces played in the liberation of Europe.
A further concrete structure newly listed at Grade II at the Assault Training Center, to the north of the landing craft, illustrates the range of facilities offered here. The practice rocket, or ‘Bazooka’, wall was built deep within the sand dunes in 1943, a target butt for the Allied forces. A rare survival of its type, the wall is largely intact and the visible repairs provide evidence of its use.
The majority of the newly protected structures have been identified by military enthusiasts the Friends of the Assault Training Center. They will be working with Historic England, North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Christie Estates to conserve and manage them after the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June to ensure they are accessible for more people to enjoy.
For more information visit the Historic England website by clicking here.
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In January The Scuba Place visited Ambon, Raja Ampat and Lembeh hosting a group of friends and divers, and what a blast they had! They stayed at some amazing spots and saw some amazing things! This is their trip report on their third and final stop in Lembeh.
There are well-known diving destinations, and then there are places that have a reputation on a level all on their own. For critters and all things small, weird, and wonderful, there is no place better known than Lembeh.
Lembeh is a small island sitting off the north-eastern coast of Sulawesi, accessed by Manado Airport, then an hour’s drive. Getting to Manado is easy –flights from Jakarta, a major international hub, are direct to Manado and Garuda Indonesia airline gives divers 20kgs of checked baggage plus another 23kgs for scuba equipment, free of charge! What could be better than that?!
Arriving in Manado is civilised – this is a sizeable airport and well-organised. Our baggage came out promptly, and we were met by our resorts’ drivers, popped into lovely, air-conditioned SUVs, and off we set on our journey to Dive into Lembeh. The first 30 minutes or so of the journey was on the new main road to Bitung – after having navigated the local traffic surrounding the airport of course. Then, we were in the hills and the rural landscape replaced the city buildings.
Passing through the final village, Kasawari, you soon arrive at the resort where a warm greeting from the staff, bearing cold flannels and a tropical punch, awaits! While we sat and chatted and drank our much-needed cold punch, our bags were swept away. We were then escorted to our rooms, and WOW! – they were beautiful!
The rooms are in three categories – Long House, Sea View Bungalows, or a larger Suite. The Long House is exactly that – a terrace of three rooms in one building and is set back in the gardens. The Long House rooms are twins or doubles and have a shared deck with views toward the sea. The Suite is an oversized room with a bedroom and lounge area and a huge open-air shower room.
We stayed in a Sea View Bungalow. They are at the front of the resort and overlook the water and a few are in front of the beautiful swimming pool too. Each bungalow has a canopy bed (king or twin configuration), a neat storage area with wardrobes and shelving, a day bed for extra storage or a third occupant, and a huge desk with power points with a stocked mini fridge below. There is also an indoor/outdoor bathroom with a walk-in shower.
The rooms are beautifully finished – authentic wood floors, walls, and woven ceilings and all the bungalows and the suite have their own deck to the front with table and chairs, plus the real surprise – a lovely Japanese-style style hot tub. This is, and trust us, the perfect place to sit with a cold beer after a full day of diving!
The swimming pool is beautiful, and the terraces surrounding it look directly over the strait to the island. If you get any downtime, this is the place to be! Or there is always the bar! The bar is in the central building together with a comfortable lounge area and of course the restaurant. Cold beers are plenty, but let the expert barman make you a cocktail – the Lembeh Mojito was superb! Imagine a normal mojito and add fresh lemon grass, fresh ginger, and chilli peppers … amazing!
This leads nicely into the food. – a very important part of any dive trip! There is, simply put, loads of it, and it is delicious!
The first breakfast is toast and cereals, juice, and hot drinks. This is available all day every day! The second breakfast is served after the first morning dive, and this is an awesome meal. A good blend of Western and Indonesian offerings, with eggs cooked to order. Manado porridge, a local dish of savoury oats was delicious, and supported by nasi goreng, mi goreng, rice noodles, waffles, pancakes, and good old bacon. Everything was cooked beautifully, and we were spoilt! Fresh fruit was plentiful and with numerous lime, mango and soursop trees on the property, getting your 5-a-day was easy!
Lunch started with the most amazing soups freshly made each day. Three or four main meal selections were served with rice, noodles, potatoes, and tofu – the choice was amazing and the food delicious. Dessert would be fruit at lunchtime and a more substantial offering, normally with ice cream, at dinner, following another amazing main meal!
The chefs are genius – the food is exceptional, and of course, supplied with a choice of hot sambals and chilli relishes ranging from the tongue tingling to the head-melting inferno versions only for the brave (or daft!). The highlight of our week was a hog roast – served with all the trimmings. We had guests with dietary requirements and vegetarian preferences in our group, and they were well catered-to.
After our afternoon dive, we were greeted at the dive centre with hot ginger and lemon grass tea or hot chocolate alongside donuts, cakes, or biscuits. Eat, sleep, dive, and repeat – it is a real way of life here!
The lounge and bar area are also a venue for some presentations. Our dive guide, Agust, studied marine biology at university and is a bit of a nudibranch specialist. He delivered a great 40-minute presentation on his favourite subject. And then Ben, the dive boss and professional photographer of international standing, gave an inspirational talk on creative lighting using torches. A few of our gang ditched their strobes and tried out some of the techniques Ben taught us with some exceptional results!
The camera room has rinse tanks and airguns outside, with personal cubby spaces and plenty of power points, towels, and storage – the perfect setup for underwater photographers and videographers. Between dives, you do what you need to your camera, and then pop it into a basket back in the rinse tank and it is automatically taken to the boat in time for your next dive.
The dive centre is as close to the water as you can get and provides each diver with space for a gear basket and plenty of hanging space. There are rinse tanks right next to the kit room, showers, drying racks, and plenty of benches for pulling on those wetsuits and boots. Your BCD awaits you on the boat, so absolutely no humping of kit anywhere!
The diving – at last, I hear you say! Sorry not sorry – the resort is amazing, and it needed to be said! Packages at Dive into Lembeh can be based on two dives a day or three. We say book the three-dive package – you will want to do every possible dive there is, and it is a little cheaper to book in advance than it is to pay for extra dives in resort. Nitrox is available in the resort ($7 per fill or $20 per day) and guided night dives are $35. Spend a few pennies and do a night dive! Octopus, bobbit worms, moon head sea slug, nebulose moon snail, stargazers, frogfish…we saw so much!!
07:30 is dive one, 10:30 the next, and then the third is at 230pm. The house reef is open all day in daylight hours too and is well worth a dive or three! From the boat, you drop in on muck, black sand, or a sloping seabed with coral bommies and then get your eyes into focus…. there is so much to see.
Lembeh is famous for critters – all things weird and wonderful and is well known for frogfish and various species of octopi. Every dive captures the simply amazing nature of the Lembeh Strait. We saw hairy, striated, painted, and warty frogfish of all shapes and sizes – from the smallest imaginable to the pretty huge.
We encountered mimic, wonderpus, reef, long-armed, blue-ringed, and coconut octopus. There are shrimps of every variety – emperor, Coleman, hairy, skeleton, harlequin, and tiger!
And crabs – porcelain, pom-pom, candy, and squat lobsters galore, including the amazing purple hairy ones you can find on barrel coral! We found scorpion fish, sea moths, Ambon scorpionfish, flathead and crocodile snake eels out hunting. And then nudis – hundreds of them! And seahorses and pygmy seahorses and and and and! The list is endless, and we will let our galleries do the talking, but it is safe to say that Lembeh delivered – in buckets!
The best dive? Getting to spend 45 minutes watching a coconut octopus decide on a new ‘house’ – a bigger and better shell than it was in, and watching it move from one to the other, and then disposing of the old shell by carrying it away from its territory! Just magical.
Our guides were exceptional and stayed with us from the beginning of the week to the very end, getting to know our diving styles and preferences and photography skills. Many of the guides have some experience with underwater photography and were happy to hold torches and make suggestions – underwater!! They tried their very best to deliver our bucket list and did so for one diver when they found a harlequin shrimp on our last dive! We were lucky to have one guide for every two divers and we are now ruined forever!
I know that there are those who like big stuff and colourful reefs, and I understand that totally – I am like that too. My first proper muck dive was a few years back in the Philippines, and I have been addicted ever since! The ‘yield’ is phenomenal in Lembeh, that being the amount of magical stuff that you see, and I would encourage everyone to give this a proper go. For photographers, macro lenses bring a little frustration at first and then great results – and using a strobe or a torch brings great colour to your photographs. For me, it doesn’t get any better, and I remain addicted to critters.
And Dive into Lembeh? I am addicted to this place too – it really is, quite simply, brilliant on all counts.
We’re heading back to Indonesia in January 2025 and will be returning to Lembeh after visiting Ambon and Triton Bay. Check out our brochure with full itinerary here. Come Dive with Us!
And our friends Anne and Phil Medcalf of Alphamarine Photography are hosting a Photography Workshop at Dive into Lembeh in August 2026. Click here for more information and drop us a line if you’re interested!
Key Facts:
- Getting there :We suggest flying with Emirates from Heathrow to Jakarta via Dubai. From Jakarta you can fly direct to Manado on Garuda Indonesia. We prefer Garuda with their free 23kg dive equipment baggage policy and the flight is 3 ½ hours. We were greeted at the airport and transported across the island in comfort.
- Air temperature : Lembeh enjoys a tropical rainforest climate – average daily temperature throughout the year is 29 to 31°C. The warmest and driest months are August and September and the wettest months are usually November and December
- Water temperature :An average of 30°C. A 1-3mm full suit or shorty will suit most.
- Visa requirement : We purchased our Visa on Arrival at the Jakarta airport for $35USD (or 500,000IDR) The visa for an initial period of 30 days. Make sure you have pristine bank notes if paying in USD or exchanged GBP when you get to Indonesia. The bills must be unmarked and undamaged to be accepted. The Customs Declaration must be completed online and the provided QR code is shown to the Customs officers.
- Currency : Indonesian Rupiah(IDR) or US Dollar are accepted most places. We exchanged Sterling for Rupiah at the Jakarta airport for an attractive rate.
- Electricity :230V with European style (round pin) two-prong plugs. Our room and the camera room had extension leads with UK plugs so no adapter was needed.
- Internet and Wi-Fi :There is wifi in resort and worked well in our room. We were able to email, WhatsApp and post on social media without issue.
Price Guide: Expect from £2499 per person based on two sharing a long house room for 7 nights with 18 Dives – 3 boat dives and night dives are offered daily, and the house reef is available during daylight hours. Full board basis with amazing food and includes flights and transfers. Extras : Indonesian Visa on Arrival, soft drinks and adult beverages, and tips.
Our Advice: Indonesia is an amazing destination. Dive into Lembeh was the last top on our three-centre trip and we felt it was the perfect ending to an amazing holiday!
Packing tips :
- Rechargeable fan(s) :If you’ve read any of our recent trip reports we recommend these over and over again. Perfect for warm planes, stuffy transfers and still evenings. We can’t believe we travelled without them for so many years! Join the fan club and grab one off Amazon… you won’t regret it!
- Travel laundry line : We find this comes in handy for any mid holiday hand washing and definitely at the end of the trip to hang SMBs, reels, dive socks etc.
- Insect repellent :We’ve made a habit of throwing some repellent in our dive bags every trip!
Sunscreen : Don’t forget to protect yourself when you’re in the sun and on the water!!
Come Dive with Us!
The Scuba Place designs and builds custom scuba diving holidays. With personal knowledge and experience diving in many of our destinations, there is no one better to help build your dream dive holiday. Come Dive with Us!
Call us at 020 3515 9955 or email at reservations@thescubaplace.co.uk
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