This photograph shows an Armoured Fighting Vehicle range, built in 1941, for the training of recruits into the Royal Armoured Corps. The triangular concrete track, which seems to have built in undulations, was designed to allow gunners to learn and practice their shooting technique at targets situated on St Govan's Head. A tank would drive around the track, giving the gunner the opportunity to engage targets from many different aspects. The targets included tank silhouettes that moved back and fore on a narrow gauge railway track. This allowed the gunner to learn how to "aim off" when trying to hit moving targets.

The large concrete hard standing was where the tanks were kept when not firing. There was a small camp with Nissen huts between this hardstanding and the valley to the north. Newton Farm, the site of which is just off shot to the left (north) was the officers mess. The range was little used after the end of the Second World War and eventually an aircraft rocket and strafing range was established, the control tower and briefing room for which can be seen in the top right of the photograph. The range was used to train pilots from RNAS Brawdy and RAF Chivenor in the 1950s and early 1960s. Latterly the range was used by Royal Navy helicopters, and the circular concrete pads (apart from the furthest from camera, which is an old tank turning circle from c1941) originate from this period.

In the centre of the photograph, just south of the original road to St Govans Head, is the site of a house that was known as Castle Tank.

Many thanks for adding this information - RCAHMW