More information : (TA 2400 4130) Air gunnery range.
This air gunnery range, situated to the south of Great Cowden,
consisted of nine gunnery range shelters, two of which are now
destroyed (TA 2460 4118/TA 2446 4112). It also had a range direction arrow, to direct aircraft onto the range, this also still survives. The range is under constant threat from coastal erosion, but when it was surveyed by the Fortress Studies Group in 1992 during the Holderness Survey the site was still in good condition. (1)
The monument is also visible as upstanding structures and earthworks on air photographs examined as part of the Rapid Coastal Assessment Survey of the Yorkshire and Humber Estuary.
The site consists of a variety of bombing ranges, blockhouses and trackways and some bomb craters are visible. These features date to War World II. Due to coastal erosion a conspicuous part of the monument no longer survives in situ. (2)
World War 2 Royal Artillary Corps tank gunnery range, closed at the end of the war. 200 acres were bought in 1953 by the War Office and became RAF Cowden Sands air gunnery and bombing range, with 2 target railways and 12 range dug-outs, at least 5 now lost to coastal erosion. Range direction arrow also lost. Three concrete tank firing points, tank road and range control tower (MA58) survive. (3)
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