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- Elveden Explosives Area, Theford during the Great War -


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Elveden Explosives Area, Theford



   Elveden Explosives Area was located on the Elveden Estate near Thetford in Norfolk, it was home to The Heavy Section, Machine Gun Corps and their tank training school. Use of the estate was acquired by the military in April 1916 and the first tank, Mother, arrived by rail at Barnham station on the 4th of June and was driven by road in darkness to the estate in great secrecy. A further twenty arrived by the end of the month. In July the railway was extended into the estate so that the tanks could travel by rail and unloaded on a siding near Lodge Farm under cover of darkness. Explosions were ignited frequently to maintain the illusion of danger to deter visitors. Screens were erected along the boundary of the estate on the main road to conceal activity from passers by. Brandon Road, which cut across the estate was closed and the boundary was guarded by the Royal Defence Corps and Cavalry, who had no inkling of the activities inside the estate. Tank training took place in the centre of the estate in a cordoned off area, with more usual army training taking place in the rest of the site to give an impression of normality. A full scale trench system was constructed for realist training complete with wire defences.

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Those known to have trained at

Elveden Explosives Area, Theford

during the Great War 1914-1918.

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    • 22nd April 2024

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