The September 2025 Chronicle has been E mailed to members. The June 2025 version is now available online.

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Dawlish Emergency Coast Defence Battery WW2 At Lea Mount (Grid ref: SX962762)

As the second world war began, gates were installed at the entrances to the park at Lea Mount and at the vehicle entrance a brick-built sentry box [still in situ] was put up to bar the public. The grounds became part of a chain of coastal defence batteries protecting every likely landing place. Housings were built for two 4 inch guns, one protecting the coast and one the beach, taken from scrapped ships. In 1943 these were returned to the Admiralty and two 138mm guns installed in their place. The housings can still be seen today converted to shelters.

The Battery Observation Post or watch tower was built at the most forward point on the corner of Lea Mount overlooking Coryton Cove and beside the rear entrance a concrete underground magazine store was built for the ammunition. A section of this can just be made out today. Between the observation post and the magazine an aerial photo shows a large building, purpose unknown. However, on the site one would expect to find a command post, workshops, stores and staff facilities. The site was well camouflaged by the trees which is why the aerial photos do not tell us more.

Coryton Cove was declared off-limits to civilians which is not surprising as on the path down to Coryton Cove two buildings for searchlights were created. Their bases are still there today. A generator house was needed to power the facilities and this still exists beside the toilet block at Boat Cove. A pillbox was situated at Boat Cove as well as a small one by the tunnel entrance. Usually, these batteries had a complement of 80 men and 3 officers. The men were billeted in Marine Parade. The battery was manned from 27 October 1940 by 390 Coast Battery of the Royal Artillery. It's status changed in 1943 when the likelihood of the enemy landing diminished and the site changed to care and maintenance using the home guard. Sources conflict but some say that in 1942 the site was designated 395 Coastal Battery of the 555 Coast Regiment R.A. It was 1947 before the public regained access to Lea Mount.


We are seeking more information. Can you help?

Any extra information or amendments on the above would be very helpful. We are keen to discover more about how the site was looked after between 1943 and the war end. In addition there has been a query about the grotto seating area halfway up the cliff path. Was It altered during the war and did it have a role to play?

Local memories suggest that there was an anti-aircraft position (protecting the coastal battery?) in a field across the main road from Lea Mount. It would be helpful to have more details.

It would also be good to know if the men manning the guns at Lea Mount were drawn from the regular army or the Territorials and finally were the buildings used in Marine Parade commandeered or were some civilians still living there?

Please contact David Allanach with any information or E Mail: enquiries@dawlishhistory.org.uk

Item of interest: This year sees 200 years since St Gregory's Church was renovated and extended in 1825. The Church celebrates with a weekend of events as shown in the image below.
St Gregory was Pope Gregory I, commonly known as Saint Gregory the Great and was the 64th Bishop of Rome from 3 September 590 until his death on 12 March 604. He is known for instituting the first recorded large-scale mission from Rome, the Gregorian mission, to convert the then largely pagan Anglo-Saxons to Christianity.
Alongside the anniversary information below, is a description and a damaged image of St Gregory which can be seen in St Mary's at Holne on Dartmoor.

Item of interest: Found in the History Group Archive a souvenir programme for an American Baseball game to be played in Dawlish on the 18th March 1944. The game to be played by United States service personnel as a fundraiser in aid of the Prisoners of War Fund. The team members of Jeepers versus Creepers are listed along with their home State.

End of War - 1944/5

Extracts from "Dawlish at War" by Tricia Whiteaway

"It is now summer 1944 and at last things are getting better as far as the war goes, peaceful times in Dawlish at last. Mum said it was now time to go back home to Plymouth. I knew I would miss Dawlish very much; it had been a part of my life and I had some happy times there. So off we went again back to Plymouth and Bridwell Road and back to Combs Head School. I remember we had not been home long and the end of the war with Germany was over, so we had a street party to celebrate victory. A grand time was had by all. Peace at last in my time. I will never forget, my war was over."
By John Roberts


In January 1945 Corporal H W Pearce DCLI was awarded the Military Cross by Field Marshall Montgomery. There was a big back log of prisoner-of-war letters received and it was certain that there were many relieved relations at home. By February, there was the removal of barbed wire defences on the Newhay and the recommendation that the meadow should be allowed for grazing for three months to recover it. A young Dawlish soldier Pte Desmond Tickle was in hospital recovering from a gunshot wound in his shoulder; he was wounded in Holland where he had his 19th birthday recently. He was for many years a well-loved caretaker in Westcliff School.

Perhaps with the New Year of 1945, the hopes of the people were imperceptibly improving with each piece of good news; surely the combined efforts and forces of Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt could not fail; then the capture of Cologne and destruction if Krupps factory, combined with the gradual forward movement of the allied troops, were lightening hearts. In the middle of April the "black-out" in London came to an end. The Germans had surrendered. Hitler committed suicide. The War was officially declared over on 8th May 1945. It took another three months before the Japanese in the Far East capitulated. Street parties all over the country took place and some of the evacuees returned to join in. In Dawlish by June the Morrison shelters were demolished.

May 8th 1945 VE Day Dawlish Gazette:
"With thankful hearts we have celebrated a Great Deliverance over foulest and most cruel tyranny that ever sought to enslave the minds and bodies of mankind. ----- There was a United Services Service in Dawlish on May 13th, thousands flocked to give thanks for Victory."

By June 1945 Mr. Denner asked if the removal of barbed wire from the beaches could be speeded up. The Surveyor thought all would be gone in the next fortnight.

In Dawlish by June the Morrison shelters were demolished. On the 15th 50 evacuees chiefly mothers and young children caught the 8am special train back to London. It was with mixed feelings they said goodbye to the town that had been their home since 1940.

July 1945: Dawlish Gazette: Jewish Hostel Leaving Dawlish. Beth Habonim Hostel (a Jewish youth movement) was established in Outlook Lodge, Eastcliff Road, as a war time emergency five years ago, when they were evacuated from London, are now to return.

August 17th 1945: Final Victory. Surrender of Japan. Dawlish joins in the National Rejoicing.
Second Victory Day: By happy coincidence the Carnival is also organised and a Victory tea is held on the Lawn.

"Their Finest Hour", is a Second World War digital archive project based at the University of Oxford is a unique collection of never-before-seen stories and artefacts from the Second World War.

The website can be found at "theirfinesthour.org"

Item of interest: March 29th 2025 - Pictures showing preparations for the 1920s event at Dawlish Manor.

Welcome to the Dawlish Local History Group website. We are a well-established group of Dawlish residents who share an interest in all aspects of local history. This site is one of the best places for information on the history of Dawlish please explore it.

We offer opportunities to discover and reflect on what life was like for residents and visitors to the local area in times past. This can be interesting and intriguing, and knowledge of the history of a place can provide a better understanding of the way it is now.