Siren 1 (Winter 1996)

3 Pages·1996·0.27 MB·English

by  Subterranea Britannica

grateful for any information, articles and Nuclear War Bunker to be torn down:
news for future copies of Siren. That's the Sub Head from the Willesden
The Newsletter of RSG and Brent Chronicle. It refers to a story
Regards about the redevelopment of a bunker in
Station Road at Willesden Junction
SIREN Tex Bennett Station.
23 Halstead Road
Earls Colne Ftaittradc Properties, which owns the
COLCHESTER steel reinforced bunker with 10 R walls
VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1, WINTER Essex insist it was used as a control room for
1996 C06 2NG trains in the Second World War, but
Harlesdon City Challenge (doing the
[phone] (Answer phone) redevelopment) claim the structure was
built in the 1950s as part of the Civil
Defence infrastructure for " the good
Welcome
and the great" of the borough (such as
Welcome to the first Newsletter of RSG.
The Research Study Group has been Kelvedon Hatch the Mayor and Leader) in the event of
formed specifically to study, research, The Parish Family have now opened Nuclear War. the bunker currently used
document, preserve and network on Kelvedon Hatch R4 bunker to the for paint storage by Railtrack, is to be
Britain's Cold War Defences. It is a non public. It is open every day 1000-1700, destroyed to improve the turning circle
- political organisation, and aims to with tours on the hour. Tours cost - for buses as part of the modernisation of
present an objective view of the UK's Adults £5, Children E3, and Families the station.
infrastructure and plans used in the E12. 'Phone [phone] to book.
period 1945 - 1990, for National Since the publication of this article,
Defence. This is an excellent example of an R4 Malcolm Tadd and Nick Catford have
Rotor Bunker, built in the early 1950's been granted access to the bunker to
This remit is deliberately broad, to as a Sector Operations Centre for the carry out an external survey. Lets hope
encompass the huge scope of this subject Metropolitan sector of Fighter a full record can be made before the
- Possible examples range from the Thor Command. It later became a SOC for bunker is lost. Many thanks to the Sub
Missile Pads of Eastern England to the the UKWMO, and starred in its own Brit members who passed this tip on. If
Protect and Survive films of the 70's, film! - The Hole in the Ground. It is you have any local knowledge of Cold
and the Rotor Bunker Network to the worth a visit simply to see what a huge War structures, pass it on to RSG.
Civil Defence Corps. We hope to cover undertaking it was.
all these area plus many more, with Civil Defence Down Under
something to interest all our members. STOP PRESS - At the time of writing A friend of mine who works in the
this article, the Bunker was due to shut, Australian Film Commission in Sydney
We will not infringe knowingly on any as the temporary planning permission has sent some fascinating information
subject matter covered by the Official had expired. Please 'phone the site for regarding Civil Defence in Australia:
Secrets Act, nor will we become more up to date information, before you
involved in any wild, conspiracy type visit According to recently de-classified
theories. documents, in 1965 the Australian
Imperial War Museum Federal Govermnent were worried
RSG was initially formed from a lecture The 1WM is opening an permanent Cold primarily about the threat from the H-
given at the Sub Brit meeting in Oct War Exhibit in June. It should be bomb equipped Chinese. They felt that
1995. At the committee meeting in Jan fascinating, with examples of Warsaw they would not be directly involved in a
1996, it was decided that RSG would be Pact Occupation money for invading possible(cid:9) Northern(cid:9) hemisphere
parented by Sub Brit up to the next troops to spend in the UK, and Russian - USA/USSR Nuclear Exchange. Several
AGM. If there was still enough interest English phrase books for Soviet pamphlets were prepared describing the
in the group shown at the AGM, then it Paratroops. It is intended that wherever general threat and basic precautions that
would form as a "Stand alone" group, the visitor looks, they will always see an could be taken. These were prepared by
and charge a nominal fee from its image of a Mushroom Cloud. It the Commonwealth Directorate of Civil
members. promises to be an interesting and Defence. The main pamphlet was
thought provoking exhibition. entitled Survival from Nuclear
This approach was chosen for several Warfare. This used many illustrations
reasons. Firstly, the existing Sub Brit Ma review - Atomic Cafe from the UK publication Advising the
third party insurance would cover any Although first released in 1982, this film Householder on protection from
RSG activities. Secondly, it would act as still retains its original impact, Nuclear Attack. The main thread of the
a useful catchment for Sub Brit especially when viewed from todays pamphlets was that the threat of attack
membership. Finally, it was thought that post-Cold War perspective. It consists was remote, but possible.
it was too risky to form a group from of nearly 90 minutes of official US
scratch. propaganda and training footage from However, due to the unique situation of
1945 to about 1968, set to a period Australia, with its vast un-populated
It was also agreed to produce Siren, and soundtrack. By clever compilation and areas, evacuation of the Coastal Cities -
send it out with the next copy of the Sub editing, it tells its own story. Highlights the main target areas - was viable, and
Brit Secretary's Newsletter, to all include: US soldiers watching a nuclear the population would be evacuated
members, to gauge interest. RSG is not test, and then climbing out of their during the period of tension before war.
the exclusive preserve of existing Sub protective trenches to advance into the To this end, a survey was carried out in
Brit members, and it is very much hoped mushroom cloud; Bert the Turtle telling all Australian slates, of buildings that
that many non-members will join. It is kids to "Duck and Cover". Available could be used for fallout protection.
hoped to produce at least 2 copies of The Australian Government initially
Siren, before the AGM. from Connoisseur Video priced E17. proposed to limit this survey to Northern
Credit card orders 0171-9578960. Australia (judged to be closer to the
I always welcome feedback. Please feel Chinese Threat), but it was felt that the
free to contact me and let me know WB inhabitants of Sydney and Melbourne
YOUR ideas and thoughts. I am also would not take kindly to the knowledge
Bunkenvatch
they had lesser priority than Northern maintainability, as well as performance -
Australia! some equipment had its range more than The arrival of the Type 80 in early 1953
doubled. changed the whole concept of ROTOR.
Also at this time a protected Civil It was realised that it could provide
Defence radio Transmitter was built just Research commenced on a new long CEW and GCI functions at one
outside Sydney, on the compound of range Centimetric Early Warning installation. It was also found that on
Emu Plains Prison. It was built to (CEW) radar - code named Green exercises, it was far easier to control the
broadcast pre-attack attack warnings, Garlic - later known as Type 80, as a interceptors from the radar site itself:
and post attack fallout messages. The replacement for the Chain Home/ There was simply too long a delay in the
programme feed came from an Ground Controlled Interception transfer of data in the original ROTOR
undisclosed site, via a specially laid (CH/GCI) radar's. But for the meantime concept.
Postmaster Generals' cable.(cid:9) The the primary long range warning came
transmitter was housed with a generator from twenty-eight selected rebuilt With the Soviet H-bomb in 1955 and
in a fallout proof brick and concrete coastal Chain Home sites; thirty-eight the advent of supersonic, high flying
bunker other sites were chosen for a variety of bombers, every second saved in warning
roles - CH Extra Low (CHEL), CEW and control was vital. A system to
and GCI, using standardised sets of designed to counter 400 mph piston
RSG - On Line! equipment - Either the Type 7 or 11 engined bombers just could not cope
For those of you who surf the GCI sets or the Type 13 and 14 with the new threat. The system of
information super highway, you can find Centimetric sets. Master Radar Stations (MRS) was
the RSG Web site at:- conceived. Now warning and control,
http://www.demon.co.uk/brit The ROTOR project was divided into was handled at one site using one Type
two areas - East Coast and West Coast, 80. The superior range of this radar
/rsg.html
partly as an economy measure. The meant that fewer sites were needed, and
threat was seen as higher on the East although many ROTOR sites became
Many thanks to Richard Lamont for
Coast, so the majority of the sites had MRS's many more became redundant,
constructing and maintaining it.
underground protected operations including the SOCs and AAOR's. The
rooms; the West Coast had mainly surplus sites, some less than 2 years old,
Rotor
surface bunkers or semi-sunk ones. The were cleared and transferred to other
The UK radar system was rapidly run
distinctive feature of the East Coast sites Government departments as War HQ's.
down towards the end of the Second
was the bungalow, which served as
World War. It was then envisaged that
access/guardroom to the bunkers. The Today many ROTOR sites remain,
it would be at least 10 years before
bungalow concealed an access corridor, some having going through several
another major conflict, but the first
which lead to either a 1,2 or 3 (4 for the different ownerrJuses, and varying from
Soviet Nuclear Test in 1949, and the
Sector Operations centres - SOC) level intact: Kelvedon Hatch, Anstruther - to
outbreak of the Korean War one year
bunker. These were known as RI for derelict: Hopton, Trimingharn, Beachy
later, dramatically changed that view.
single level bunkers, R2, R3 and the Head. To an explorer the main give-
SOC - R4. In construction, a massive away is the very distinctive bungalow
The then perceived threat was an
hole was first dug, and usually extensive (mainly found on the East Coast Sites),
onslaught of Soviet Tu-4 bombers
de-watering had to take place. The which stands over the entrance to the
(exact copies of US B-29 Superfortress-
bunker was then constructed, and buried underground bunker complex. The
obtained when 4 crash-landed in Siberia
under earth. The bunkers had 10 foot design of this bungalow has features
in 1945 after a bombing raid on Japan)
thick ferro-concrete walls, complete with common to many GPO telephone
armed with 20 kt yield atomic bombs. It
its own borehole, generators and filtered exchanges of the time. One cannot
was doubtful that with the decayed state
Air Conditioning. They were supposed wonder if they came from the same
of the UK's Air Defences that they could
to give protection against a near miss by Ministry of Works drawing office. The
of been detected and intercepted. With
a 20 la nuclear weapon. The West coast circular fanlights and verandas, make
great haste, the Cherry report of 1949
ROTOR sites had similarly massive for a very attractive building.
recommended an urgent overhaul and
bunkers, but built on the surface.
improvement of the UK's Air Defences,
Some of the West Coast Sites are
under the codename 'ROTOR'. Due to
At the top of the ROTOR hierarchy, six completely cleared, with only a few
this, it was recommended that the
huge SOCs were also built to provide acres of rubble to show what was there.
sprawling network of some 170 radar
command and control of the defences. With the rapid post Cold War
sites left over from the last war be
Fighter Command split the UK into six dismantling and disposal of the
rationalised and consolidated to 66 sites,
Sectors: Emergency Control Network, many of
and that the best existing radar be
these once very secret places are now on
completely re-built to higher peacetime
Scottish Sector - SOC at Barnton the market. Let's hope many of them
standards. The essential elements of the
Quarry survive. WARNING - Many of the
Wartime Control and Reporting
Northern Sector - SOC at Shipton ROTOR bunkers are in a very
structure were maintained - a
Eastern Sector - SOC at Bawburgh dilapidated and dangerous state -
hierarchical command and control
Metropolitan Sector- SOC et Kelvedon flooded, with missing floors, and full of
system, separate sectors etc. The
Hatch asbestos and broken glass, and are very
contract was given to the Marconi
Southern Sector- SOC at Box dangerous places to explore. Do not
Wireless and Telegraph Company and
Western Sector-SOC at Langley Lane explore without permission of the owner
was (and still is) the largest Government
and/or alone.
contract awarded to a UK firm.
In addition the radar laid AA guns of the
Army got twenty-eight protected AA Book Review -Willesden at War Part
The project was massive. The re
Operations Rooms (AAOR) in target 2 by KJ Valentine
manufactured(cid:9) radar(cid:9) equipment
areas. The whole ROTOR programme This is an excellent book, written by
consumed valuable manpower and
consumed 350 000 tons of concrete, 20 local historian and retired Civil Servant
resources. It must be remembered that
000 tons of steel and 1000's of miles of Ken Valentine. It describes the Secret
the country was under dire economic
telephone/telex connection. The project Cabinet War Room built under the GPO
circumstances at this time, with
started in 1950, with a completion date Research Establishment at Dollis Hill,
rationing still in place for many items.
of 1953. The project progressed well known as PADDOCK This was built
But this effort resulted in massive
with the usual delays and hiccups: But 2 as part of the North West London
improvements in reliability and
developments came like a bombshell. Suburbs Scheme 1936 -1940, which
2
planned for the evacuation of central fantastic Aladdin's Cave of "goodies". Please let me know what you think of
government due to severe bombing from The original plotting board, and gun RSG and Siren. I am always happy to
Whitehall, to the less vulnerable NW of state control board are on display. The receive feedback, and who knows, I may
London. Churchill had a specially Bunker has been set out as it would even persuade you to write an article!
requisitioned suite in the private flats have been to control the County -
"Neville's Court" in Dollis Hill Lane. complete(cid:9) with(cid:9) the(cid:9) various Regards
communication links and central map
Although the Cabinet only met there area There will be guided tours, and Tex
twice, it was retained until 1944 - partly films showing original Home Office
because of the threat from Hitler's V- films that would have been shown in the Thanks
Weapons. Similar bunkers were built at run up to War. There is also an Thanks to all those who have helped
Harrow - STATION 7, next to the LMS Audio/Visual presentation in the main with the concept and production of RSG
main line and the Naval Citadel - IP, at area & Siren.
Cricklewood. There is evidence that
these sites were considered for Cold War The bunker will be open from 10:30 -
use, but were rejected as other solutions 16:30 all week_ For the 1996 season the
became available. entrance fees will be:
The book is a good read, and explains Adults. (cid:9)
other plans such as relocation of the Senior Citizens. (cid:9) L3
Houses of Parliament to Technical Children. (cid:9) E2
Colleges in the Willesden Area It is Family Ticket (Two Adults & upto 3
available from the author priced L5.25, Children)(cid:9) £10
at:-
KJ Valentine For Full details contact:
150 Cairnfield Avenue
London Dr James Fox
NW2 7PJ Crown Buildings
Shrublands Road
WB Mistley
Essex
The Essex Secret Bunker - Furze Hill COIIIHS
The AAOR at Furze Hill, Mistley was (01206 392271)
built in 1951 for £ 500 000.(cid:9) It
controlled a regiment of 3.7" AA guns Blue Streak Silos
of the Royal Artillery, that had their Resent information has come to light
wartime deployment sites around the regarding the abandoned British ICBM
Ports of Harwich, Felixstowe and the project of the 50's - Blue Streak. This
Fighter Command Metropolitan SOC liquid fueled missile was being
site at Trimley Heath (this was before its developed to carry the Deterrent into the
relocation to the Bunker at Kelvedon 1970's. The recent HMSO book "RAF
Hatch in 1953). Nuclear Deferent Forces" mentions the
plans formulated to deploy the missile in
Aircraft plots were fed into the bunker underground silos in the UK and abroad.
from RAF radar sites at Bawdsey and It was decided that 60 missiles would be
Great Bromley, as well as the 4 Group deployed in underground pits in areas
ROC Center at Colchester. They were with rock masses of 300 -500 ft thick, at
all displayed on a main plotting table, a cost of L 2.88 million per site. It was
where friendly and enemy tracks were proposed to build a one sixth scale silo
extracted and then individual gun st Spacleadiun, to launch engineering
batteries were assigned targets, via radio test models from In the end, for a
and telephone links. These batteries all variety of reasons Blue Streak was
had their own gun laying radar, which cancelled as a millitary weapon. One of
used the information given to them from the first operational bases was to have
the AAOR to acquire individual targets. been RAF Duxford in Cambs. Mother
proposed site was RAF Upavon in
The site at Furze Hill had a small house Wilts. It is interesting to note, that the
in which the peacetime staff lived. silos would have been carved into the
There were also empty billets for the solid rock and at a very deep level. At
gunners who would arrive on one stage it was proposed that the
deployment. The event of new missiles missiles would be stored fully fueled and
and radars, made the AAOR concept armed underground on huge lifting
obsolete. The Army left in 1954, and it platforms, that would have been raised
was in the care of the War Office until to the surface for firing.
1964, when it was sold to Essex County
Council for just L 5 250!! It was in use RSG needs You!
right up to 1993 as the County War HQ. Siren needs your contributions. I am
always happy to receive information,
It has now been taken over by the same cuttings, and articles to put in the
team that opened Anstruther in Newsletter.
Scotland, the Western Approaches War
Rooms in Liverpool, and the Dover Let me know of any local intelligence on
Castle Complex. It is opening to the Cold War activities in your area Many
public on 5 April 1996 - Good Friday. sites are now up for disposal on the open
It is packed with over 80 tons of market, and visits may be arranged
original Cold War equipment, and is a