Monument record MBC44918 - A Second World War roadside ammunition dump, Westbury sewage works

A Second World War roadside ammunition dump is visible on historic aerial photographs and was mapped as part of the North Buckinghamshire Aerial Investigation and Mapping project (EBC18304). Located on Fulwell Lane adjacent Westbury village sewage works and centred at SP 62609 35464, the ammunition storage area comprises 12 rectangular buildings, each about 5 x 2.5 metres and laid out in 6 pairs, each pair spaced about 10-13 metres apart over about 91 metres on the west facing side of the road. These portable corrugated iron shelters, or hutments, were usually camouflaged and covered stacks of artillery or small arms ammunition. Roadside storage not only made the ammunition easily accessible but dispersed the risk of a large loss of munitions in one event as a result of a German air raid. The munitions storage hutments are not present on aerial photographs taken in 1942 but are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1944 and 1946. All have been demolished by 1961 (1-7).