World War 2 memories | Page 2 | Vital Football

World War 2 memories

Some may know this .....

Well near where I grew up in forest Gate and then South Woodford , under Redbridge Station on the Central line, a secret aircraft components factory was completed deep underground in what were unfinished tunnels for the Central Line extension at that time. The factory was completed in March 1942,
The factory was operated by the electronics manufacturer, Plessey and after their Ilford factory was bombed in late 1940, they persuaded the Air Ministry and London Transport to let them use the unfinished tunnels between Leytonstone and Gants Hill as a wartime factory. The conversion of the tunnels into a factory was completed in March 1942 at a cost of £500,000, giving Plessey 300,000 sq.ft. of factory space.
The sort of things being assembled in the factory included wiring sets for Halifax and Lancaster bombers,wireless equipment, field telephones, and Enigma Code-breaking “Bombes” for Bletchley Park. Up to 4,000 people – mainly women – worked in the tunnels for the four years that it was in use.
 
Greavswasthegreatest said:
Some may know this .....

Well near where I grew up in forest Gate and then South Woodford , under Redbridge Station on the Central line, a secret aircraft components factory was completed deep underground in what were unfinished tunnels for the Central Line extension at that time. The factory was completed in March 1942,
The factory was operated by the electronics manufacturer, Plessey and after their Ilford factory was bombed in late 1940, they persuaded the Air Ministry and London Transport to let them use the unfinished tunnels between Leytonstone and Gants Hill as a wartime factory. The conversion of the tunnels into a factory was completed in March 1942 at a cost of £500,000, giving Plessey 300,000 sq.ft. of factory space.
The sort of things being assembled in the factory included wiring sets for Halifax and Lancaster bombers,wireless equipment, field telephones, and Enigma Code-breaking “Bombes” for Bletchley Park. Up to 4,000 people – mainly women – worked in the tunnels for the four years that it was in use.
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As Michael Kane might say “Not a lot of people know that”....that’s amazing and very interesting Greavsie.
 
Greavswasthegreatest said:
Some may know this .....

Well near where I grew up in forest Gate and then South Woodford , under Redbridge Station on the Central line, a secret aircraft components factory was completed deep underground in what were unfinished tunnels for the Central Line extension at that time. The factory was completed in March 1942,
The factory was operated by the electronics manufacturer, Plessey and after their Ilford factory was bombed in late 1940, they persuaded the Air Ministry and London Transport to let them use the unfinished tunnels between Leytonstone and Gants Hill as a wartime factory. The conversion of the tunnels into a factory was completed in March 1942 at a cost of £500,000, giving Plessey 300,000 sq.ft. of factory space.
The sort of things being assembled in the factory included wiring sets for Halifax and Lancaster bombers,wireless equipment, field telephones, and Enigma Code-breaking “Bombes” for Bletchley Park. Up to 4,000 people – mainly women – worked in the tunnels for the four years that it was in use.
Click to expand...
Wow , I never knew that . There are some amazing facts that never seem to be public knowledge.
Along the coast above Portsmouth are a series of brick built forts , built to protect Portsmouth Harbour from the french invading down the coast and getting behind and above the city . The cliffs above Pompey are all chalk and known as Portsdown hill. The forts , or Palmerston Follies , as they are called , were never used in anger , but were constructed deep into the ground and all connected by tunnels . There are about five of them I think , I’ve done a bit of work in them and they are very spooky when you get inside .
One has become a military heavy gun museum , one the MOD use as something secret , another is a warehouse for all the artifacts not on display in Portsmouth Museum ( the spooky one I’ve been in ) and another is open to the public just to walk around the ramparts etc but no access inside as I remember . Things may have changed a bit ,?ive not been up there in years .
over the years , there have been many reports of rumblings underground , under the houses up there and various sink holes have appeared , the locals are adamant there is building work still going on underground , and conspiracy stories abound . Lots of stories on tinternet . Just google Palmerston,s Follies.
There are also unconfirmed reports that there are tunnels that link the forts on the hill , to the forts out at sea surrounding the Harbour . . All these forts were designed to be self sufficient and had their own fresh water supply , kept cattle and sheep etc and vegetables so there would have had to be a way to get provisions out the the Solent . We have been out on one of the forts in the Solent . They are amazing places . We had Sunday lunch and a tour of the place . A couple of them are now private and sell for millions .
the forts out at sea are built on fresh water underground streams . Water is piped up and into the these amazing constructions .
Another fort built at ground level in town has been converted to an industrial park but still houses a nuclear shelter , but I don’t know who would be invited ! Shouldn’t think they have got my number, when the shit hits the fan ,.
 
Dover Castle holds some interesting stories as well...tunnels underneath constructed in Napoleonic wars and used extensively in WWII......apparently if you do not know there was a WWII hospital in the tunnels as well as command centres, and what they did was to treat captured German Pilots and then convalesce them in a country home in Hertfordshire where they were hookwinked into thinking we had their better interests at heart, treated them like 'royal' pows and had nurses helping them recuperate but they did not know that it was all to make them feel totally at ease. The nurses and doctors could all speak fluent German and the aim was to get their tongues loosening amongst themselves and listebn to their banter/information. Clever stuff!
 
Greavswasthegreatest said:
Dover Castle holds some interesting stories as well...tunnels underneath constructed in Napoleonic wars and used extensively in WWII......apparently if you do not know there was a WWII hospital in the tunnels as well as command centres, and what they did was to treat captured German Pilots and then convalesce them in a country home in Hertfordshire where they were hookwinked into thinking we had their better interests at heart, treated them like 'royal' pows and had nurses helping them recuperate but they did not know that it was all to make them feel totally at ease. The nurses and doctors could all speak fluent German and the aim was to get their tongues loosening amongst themselves and listebn to their banter/information. Clever stuff!
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Brilliant stories that come out . I’ve been to Dover Castle but didn t know that . Had a great day there . Wish I had known . That sort of thing fascinates me .
There is also an underground hospital in Jersey , awesome but chilling experience.
we were in Malta several years ago and came across a whole underground “town”dug Into the side of a hill in Melia bay . People had their own rooms along corridors that go for what seems like miles . Incredible to see . All sorts of services were provided in a desperate attempt to evade the continuous barrage of bombs they incurred . Their bravery was something else , and their affection for the British is amazing .
 
Walthamstow wanderer said:
Brilliant stories that come out . I’ve been to Dover Castle but didn t know that . Had a great day there . Wish I had known . That sort of thing fascinates me .
There is also an underground hospital in Jersey , awesome but chilling experience.
we were in Malta several years ago and came across a whole underground “town”dug Into the side of a hill in Melia bay . People had their own rooms along corridors that go for what seems like miles . Incredible to see . All sorts of services were provided in a desperate attempt to evade the continuous barrage of bombs they incurred . Their bravery was something else , and their affection for the British is amazing .
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You must go back there..a tour of the two main tunnels one the pospital and one the command centre mainly used in WW2/cold war as well if I recall. Small film rooms show various aspects of the war / DDAY etc. Also all the equipment rooms Also did not know this but whilst the nazis had huge guns in Calais that could easily reach the castle and they decimated the town of Dover and docks itself but were under instruction from Hitler not to touch the castle. He intended using it as his command centre on invasion.
 
I lived on Guernsey for 3 years. There are German built fortifications on the coast and an underground hospital also built by them. Worth a look on google images. They certainly put in some effort into defences to no avail. The Guernsey liberation day was the day after out VE day and its celebrated quite fervently. Quite a bit of German genes left behind via the local women known as Gerry Bags who perhaps yielded their affections a little too gladly !!
 
Greavswasthegreatest said:
You must go back there..a tour of the two main tunnels one the pospital and one the command centre mainly used in WW2/cold war as well if I recall. Small film rooms show various aspects of the war / DDAY etc. Also all the equipment rooms Also did not know this but whilst the nazis had huge guns in Calais that could easily reach the castle and they decimated the town of Dover and docks itself but were under instruction from Hitler not to touch the castle. He intended using it as his command centre on invasion.
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Wow . Totally amazing . It’s on my List if things to do . Ta mate . Last time I was there was about 1968 I think . I was about nineteen . Ha ha
 
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