Just off shore at Ferry point a large concrete structure serves an ominous reminder to part of Hayling Island’s role in World War two. Prior to the D-Day landings of 1944, the area around the Ferry Boat Inn was used to construct sections of Mulberry harbour, the massive floating harbour that was towed to France as an integral part of the landings.
One of these cassIons developed a fatal crack and was eventually abandoned on a sandbank in Langstone harbour. As an obstacle to shipping the cassIon was refloated and towed to safety on Sinah sands where it was again sunk.
In 1960, the Mulberry unit was purchased by a London metal merchant with a view obtaining its steel reinforcements, the terms of the tender requiring that no debris remain on the seabed. It is assumed that the cost of removing the reinforcements under this condition was prohibitive as the Mulberry unit remains on Sinah Sands until this day.
