TWENTIETH CENTURY DEFENCE SITES of TYNE and WEAR

Section 3 The Second World War
features, consisting of a series of conjoined
ditches that form rectangles, measuring 16m
x 10m up to 0.30m deep. The upcast of the
ditch was used to create four raised
platforms. The earthworks can be seen on
the 1946 aerial photograph in process of
construction, five in one row and four in
another parallel row. They may have been
another type of trench, or the footings for
temporary buildings such as Nissen huts
(RCHME 1995).
83 Newcastle, Castle Leazes,
Nissen hut platforms
(HER 5893)
A series of seven raised platforms dug
parallel to one another along their long axis.
They measure 20m x 7.7m with the ditches
surrounding them measuring 1.8m wide and
0.3m deep. Two are subdivided along their
long axis and have no ditch surrounding their
shorter ends. There are another five raised
platforms at NZ 2329 6484 (RCHME 1995).
84 East Boldon Anti- Aircraft
Supply Depot (HER 1829)
This is the sister site of the anti-aircraft depot
in Killingworth, and supplied Sunderland.
Ruined buildings are still in-situ, but this is a
private site so access is not possible.
East Boldon Supply Depot
64
85 West Boldon, Downhill Quarry,
POW Camp (HER 5852)
In West Boldon was the site of a Second
World War prisoner of war camp, although
the precise location has not been identified.
Nothing is visible on immediate post-war
aerial photographs. Each POW camp was
allocated an official number during World
War Two within a prescribed numerical
sequence, ranging from Camp 1 (Grizedale
Hall, Ambleside) to Camp 1026 (Raynes
Park, Wimbledon). The West Boldon camp
was Camp 605. Not all of the sites were true
Prisoner of War camps, many were hostels
situated some distance away from the parent
site or base camp. It is not known what
category West Boldon Camp was. During the
early part of the war there was no standard
design of camp, but following the success of
the 8th Army’s North African Campaign
against the Italian Army, during which a
substantial number of prisoners were taken,
many prisoners were eventually brought to
Britain and held in purpose built ‘standard’
camps, many of which were built by the
prisoners themselves (Thomas 2003).
86 High Spen, POW Camp
(HER 7682)
This camp was situated on Rogues Lane
between the drift mine and sewage site. It
was known as “Squatter’s Camp”. No trace
survives (information provided by Mr. P
Smith).