Torcross facts for kids
Torcross is a small village by the sea in the South Hams area of south Devon, England. It sits at the very end of Slapton Sands. This is a long, narrow strip of land with a shingle beach.
Slapton Sands separates a freshwater lake called Slapton Ley from the sea, which is part of Start Bay. The main coastal road, the A379, runs along this strip of land, connecting Torcross north to Dartmouth.
Contents
Torcross: A Look at Its Past
How Torcross Began
The first time Torcross was officially mentioned was in 1602. Records from a local court showed that a person representing the new village reported that everything was "all well." This suggests the village was just starting out around that time.
Connecting Torcross: The Coastal Road
In 1854, a new road was built along the coast. This road connected the towns of Kingsbridge and Dartmouth and passed right through Torcross. This was a very important step for the village, helping it connect with other places. A few years later, in 1858, a coach service started using this road, making travel even easier.
World War II: A Secret Mission
Evacuation for D-Day Practice
In late 1943, during World War II, something big happened in Torcross. The village, along with many others in the South Hams area, had to be completely emptied. This was because 15,000 Allied soldiers needed the area to practice for the D-Day landings. D-Day was a huge invasion planned to help end the war.
Exercise Tiger: A Tragic Event
On April 28, 1944, a sad event took place during these practice landings, known as Exercise Tiger. German torpedo boats, called E-boats, found a group of Allied ships. These ships were traveling from the Isle of Portland to Slapton Sands for their practice.
During the attack, two large ships designed to land tanks were sunk. Sadly, 946 American soldiers died in this attack. On top of this, poor communication led to accidental shelling on the beach, which killed about 300 more men. In total, over 1,000 lives were lost during this operation. Most of these deaths were due to friendly fire from the US Army.
Remembering the Heroes
Today, a special memorial stands in the Torcross car park, between Slapton Ley and the beach. It includes a Sherman amphibious tank and several plaques. These are there to remember the brave soldiers who lost their lives. A local hotel owner, Ken Small, helped pay to get the tank from the shallow waters of Start Bay. It was finally put in place as a memorial in 1984.
Protecting Torcross: Storms and the Coast
Battling the Waves
Torcross has faced many powerful storms over the years. On January 4, 1979, huge waves crashed over the roofs of houses near the beach. This caused a lot of damage. After this, large rocks were brought in to protect the village. A new, curved seawall was also built to help stop the waves.
The Changing Beach
Another big storm hit on January 11 and 12, 2001. This storm washed away up to five meters of the beach along a long stretch. Part of the main road, the A379, near Slapton village was also destroyed. It took three months to reopen the road after it was rebuilt in a new spot.
At first, 3,000 tons of rocks were used to protect the road. However, these were later removed because they were harming the important natural area of Slapton Ley.
Keeping the Road Open
The road is very important for Torcross. It is the main way for villagers and local businesses to get to Dartmouth. The local council is working hard to stop the A379 road from being washed away. They are moving the road and bringing in shingle (small stones) from other parts of Slapton Sands where there is extra.
Studies have shown that the beach at Slapton Sands is slowly moving backward. This is due to less shingle being available, more frequent storms, and the sea level rising.
Recent Storms
In February 2014, another storm caused a lot of damage. The sea came over the seawall and flooded almost all the buildings along the promenade. Large shingle also hit the buildings. The road was covered with beach material and could not be used.
Another storm on February 14, 2014, washed thousands of tons of beach onto the road. Four people had to be rescued from their cars, which had been washed off the road. Even the coastguard's vehicle got stuck.
In January 2015, about 27,000 tons of shingle were moved to strengthen the sea defenses. However, this was washed away by the very next high tide. In February 2016, the seawall collapsed in one area, closing the road again. The concrete promenade also started to crack.
Images for kids
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Looking down on Torcross and Slapton Sands from Torcross Point. Slapton Ley is visible behind the houses.
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The "inland" part of Torcross seen from across Slapton Ley.
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Salvaged Sherman M4A1 DD tank from Operation Tiger
