Slapton Sands: The Rehearsal for D-Day That Went Wrong
South West, England
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Sherman Tank
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225
XP
1 day
Slapton Sands: The Rehearsal for D-Day That Went Wrong
225 XP
Slapton Sands is a shingle bar with Slapton Ley behind it, the largest natural freshwater lake in south-west England and a national nature reserve. In 1943 the whole area was evacuated so American troops could rehearse the Normandy landings here, and during Exercise Tiger in April 1944 German E-boats attacked a convoy preparing for the landings, killing at least 749 American servicemen. A Sherman tank recovered from the sea stands at Torcross as their memorial.
Required Activities
1
of 4
Stand at the Sherman tank memorial at Torcross
2
of 4
Walk the shingle bar between the sea and Slapton Ley
3
of 4
Look for wildfowl on the freshwater ley behind the beach
4
of 4
Find the obelisk the US Army gave to the evacuated villages
Stand at the Sherman tank memorial at Torcross
Walk the shingle bar between the sea and Slapton Ley
Look for wildfowl on the freshwater ley behind the beach
Find the obelisk the US Army gave to the evacuated villages
Before you go
The A379 along Slapton Sands has been closed since storm damage in early 2026; reach Torcross by inland roads. The Torcross tank car park is closed for sea-defence works from September 2026 to June 2027, and access to the tank may be restricted.
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225 XP
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