200 yard Moving Target Ranges

**Carnaby** · 28-06-2009, 23:55

Excellent Peter, I Googled 200 yard ranges and variations and got nowhere.
Another view of the Fort George site is here. From your data I believe Pembrey's was here

Theddlethorpe looks interesting. Can't find any traces - wonder if it was the Manby Turret Manipulation Trainer.

Incidentally if you stare at a section of coastal plain in Google Earth / Bing long enough it becomes a target range .

Graham

**PNK** · 29-06-2009, 06:58

I'm not sure about Theddlethorpe either. It might be a different type as there are a lot of moving targets on various ranges.

**PETERTHEEATER** · 01-07-2009, 10:56

Thanks PNK and Carnaby, you just solved a 45 year old mystery.

As another of my RAF Bomb Disposal jobs our Flight spent 6 months at Pembrey in the mid -60s 'clearing' 480 odd acres.

Apart from a lot of mortar round scrap on what had obviously been a practice site for the Army, the only 'explosive' item that we found was a 50 round belt of mixed .303 ammo. Various scenarios were put forward as to how it got there including it being thrown out from passing bombers.

From the location now identified I know that it was ditched from the Moving Target Range!

**PETERTHEEATER** · 15-07-2009, 10:46

Take a look at WORKS (AP3236) Page 74 Plan 20 which shows a typical layout for a coastal Bombing & Gunnery Range.

Marked on it is a 200 yard Turret Range.

Assuming that this is an actual layout (as implied by the Lat/Long figures in the margins) where is it? The nearest I can get is Pembrey but the Lat/Long don't fit.

But then I was an Armourer not a Navigator

**Carnaby** · 15-07-2009, 15:36

Originally Posted by PETERTHEEATER

Take a look at WORKS (AP3236) Page 74 Plan 20 ... where is it?

I believe I once traced this Peter but memory is now out on this one. However you've just opened another can of worms - see here

Graham

**PETERTHEEATER** · 16-07-2009, 09:09

Thanks Carnaby, I already looked at the other AP 3226 'where is it thread and gave a few answers.

But this one should be traceable given the grid numbers in the margins. Looking at it again, no 'degrees' are shown only 'minutes' and 'seconds' so I shall look between all the West Coast UK 'degree' points and see what I can find.

EDIT: OK, confirmed; it is Pembrey. The A/G target area shown on the plan (WW2) is much further down the beach than the present day RAF A/G target area. But, the Minutes and Seconds ties up.

**norwichpaul** · 16-07-2009, 22:06

This is the army equivellent not from Okehampton Camp, Devon

**PETERTHEEATER** · 17-07-2009, 07:51

Just for NP, some similar Army moving target ranges a couple of kms SW of Carnoustie golf course:

**PETERTHEEATER** · 17-07-2009, 08:05

Identifying the Page 252 model may not be possible. A snatch from the text referring to the special camouflage for AME stations states: (Page 253)

'Models were used on an elaborate scale and proved invaluable in determing results before any site work was commenced. A complete 1/2500 model with vertical scale of 1/500 was constructed in considerable and precise detail. Based largely on an existing bomber station it included additional features of coastal AME stations, WT stations, dispersed bomb stores etc.'

However, the next paragraph says....it will be seen it is indistinguishable from the aerial photograph of an actual site and the bomb store site of the model, in its camouflaged state'

'The' aerial photograph implies that the photograph on Page 252 below the photograph of the model is an actual station.

Since I have all practically all the airfields and their bomb stores plotted and not that many were in wooded areas I shall keep looking until I find it or admit defeat.