Midhope Shooting Range Nr Langsett

[Guest Deepcar Dreamer]

I hope some one can help, During WW2 Upper Midhope was taken over by the Army as a shooting range. I've got all sorts of info and have spoke to people who remember those day however as it was a secret base I've had no joy finding any photos, Paticularly of the defenses that were put up following the Dambusters raid. It was thought that Germany would return the favour and bomb Langsett and Midhope dams, In deed the area was attacked a few times as it supplied water to sheffields industry, there was a star decoy near by(now overgrown in a wood).

I've found lots of the bases to the catenery defenses which was a huge cable stretched across the dams from 2 high towers with weight cables/chains hung from them. I've seen a sketch would love to see an original print.

The moors around this area are full of ordanance and are still dangerous.

thanks in advance for any help.

[SteveHB]

Welcome to SheffieldHistory Deepcar Dreamer,

if it is of any help, we have a photograph of the

[Guest Deepcar Dreamer]

Welcome to SheffieldHistory Deepcar Dreamer,

if it is of any help, we have a photograph of the

Superb. I knew there had to be one some where...

[Guest Deepcar Dreamer]

Found out quite a bit more and wrote a couple of articles for a local mag.

I've posted it on my website with links to lots of pictures.

http://everythingoutdoors.co.uk/the-shooting-ranges-around-langsett-and-midhope-reservoirs/

I was out with the rescue team over the weekend where we recovered and made safe around 30 shells from the ranges.

The good news is we may have funding for an archeological dig. I'll update as I get more.

[Bayleaf]

Excellent articles DD, thanks for the link!

[Guest 1para]

Great topic,and very interesting as I have spent many happy days metal detecting on Midhope Moor where the ATVR was constructed during WW11 with targets across the valley to the east and west under the shadow of the bronze age burial mound on Pike Low.

A mate of mine was once the gamekeeper on there,so I had free range well before the right to roam act came into force,and the amount of ordnance I managed to pull out of the ground was unbelievable,and as Americans,Canadians and British trained on there the variety was mind boggling:-

Mills bombs,Yank Pineaple grenades,variety of mortor rounds British & Canadian .303,50 Cal, American .30 & 50 cal,many unfired and just buried after the war.Obviously being an ex soldier gave me the knowledge of what was safe or unsafe to touch helped in no uncertain terms,and I must admit a lot of stuff still lying around on the surface up there is still decidedly dodgy to say the least.So my advice to anyone who wanders around on there,if you see anything that looks remotely like ordnance,DO NOT TOUCH!

The main battle tank used on the ranges was the American "Sherman" which fired mainly the 75MM solid shot round,not explosive but with an aproximate weight of 20lb in the warhead was a really effective armour piercing shell.These I have found in abundance complete with drive band,and once cleaned up and painted make brilliant door stops!

As an interesting foot note,whil,st on there detecting one day right at the side of one of the old firing positions,out of the grassy bank I dug up what I first thought was an old Regimental cap badge.Once at home and after cleaning under the tap I realised that it was something quite significant,made out of bronze and decorated on the front with the image of a roaring lion.Remarkably,still attached to each corner was a small ferrous metal pin.

When I took it along to the small finds co ordinater it was identified as an Anglo Saxon Stirrup Mount,dated 800AD.

What A Bonus!

[Langsettranger]

The Langsett Resr catenary defensive structures seen from Langsett Bank looking across towards where Thickwoods Plantation is today. I worked here as a Peak National Park Ranger for many year.

[miked]

Great topic,and very interesting as I have spent many happy days metal detecting on Midhope Moor where the ATVR was constructed during WW11 with targets across the valley to the east and west under the shadow of the bronze age burial mound on Pike Low.

A mate of mine was once the gamekeeper on there,so I had free range well before the right to roam act came into force,and the amount of ordnance I managed to pull out of the ground was unbelievable,and as Americans,Canadians and British trained on there the variety was mind boggling:-

Mills bombs,Yank Pineaple grenades,variety of mortor rounds British & Canadian .303,50 Cal, American .30 & 50 cal,many unfired and just buried after the war.Obviously being an ex soldier gave me the knowledge of what was safe or unsafe to touch helped in no uncertain terms,and I must admit a lot of stuff still lying around on the surface up there is still decidedly dodgy to say the least.So my advice to anyone who wanders around on there,if you see anything that looks remotely like ordnance,DO NOT TOUCH!

The main battle tank used on the ranges was the American "Sherman" which fired mainly the 75MM solid shot round,not explosive but with an aproximate weight of 20lb in the warhead was a really effective armour piercing shell.These I have found in abundance complete with drive band,and once cleaned up and painted make brilliant door stops!

As an interesting foot note,whil,st on there detecting one day right at the side of one of the old firing positions,out of the grassy bank I dug up what I first thought was an old Regimental cap badge.Once at home and after cleaning under the tap I realised that it was something quite significant,made out of bronze and decorated on the front with the image of a roaring lion.Remarkably,still attached to each corner was a small ferrous metal pin.

When I took it along to the small finds co ordinater it was identified as an Anglo Saxon Stirrup Mount,dated 800AD.

What A Bonus!

How intriguing. Any chance of seeing a pic of the stirrup mount please? Does this mean Anglo Saxons were riding about up there?

Also, I once spoke to a guy who showed me a shell found in a wall in the Derwent valley, he reckoned it had come over from Midhope?