Inspired by a Twatter exchange. We have tons of threads on WW2 connected sites in the UK; unusual memorials, training areas, traces, relics, sites of interest etc., but it might be nice to build a more accessible and permanent list. Perhaps eventually something that could be turned into a more useful single-shot pdf, spreadsheet, map or similar for the download system. Something to use on a phone while out and about. Short and sweet entries. We've used Google earth files before to good effect, but maybe links to Google Maps might be more useful. Eg. The Radar Memorial. Where Watt & Watkins first demonstrated detecting aircraft by radar: Northants. Birth of RADAR Memorial Towcester NN12 8HR Map: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...6f2d37!8m2!3d52.1959664!4d-1.0501223?hl=en-GB Sections of Mulberry Harbour. Viewpoints for left-behind caissons etc. Portland. Castle car park, sections viewable from adjacent beach: Portland DT5 1AZ Map: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...6d508d72a53ae94!8m2!3d50.5681012!4d-2.4470605 Portsmouth: Etc. Appreciate the potential doubling up on other projects such as the DDay Museum's excellent lists, but might be a fun and actually useful thing that modern phones allow updates to on-the-spot. Giving a bit more exposure to any WW2 places people come across. Any more for any more?
Bawdsey Radar The Transmitter Block Off B1083, via Bawdsey Village Bawdsey Suffolk United Kingdom IP12 3AT Map: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...7907d97d23!8m2!3d51.9936987!4d1.4086808?hl=en
I usually try and visit sites wherever I travel whether home or abroad. I recently took a load of photos at HMS Jackdaw Fife. Giving Google map references is however way above my technical ability but would appreciate a database.
Not sure if this counts so feel free to delete if it doesn't. Not exactly accessible as it is now farmers fields but from the air the runways are still visible as is the boundary track. And there is a local memorial. RAF Castle Camps Cambridgeshire Lat & Long (it is located just to the south of the village): 52° 3'9.78"N 0°22'44.88"E Castle Camps Website: Castle Camps Cambridge Cambridgeshire East Anglia England UK
Picking bits from the Google Earth thread. Google Earth - WW2 Artifacts and other Related Objects (Appreciate the crossover there, but I've a feeling Google Maps links are now more generally useful and less fiddly than KMZ files. We navigate so much with phones, postcodes and Google maps. That thread also had a rather international flavour - am thinking here more of a UK guide. see a 'thing' - log it.) Madingley American Cemetery & Memorial: A little corner of the US in the UK: Cambridge Coton CB23 7PH https://www.google.co.uk/maps/searc...metery/@52.216323,0.0521421,17z/data=!3m1!4b1 Cannock Chase German Cemetery/Soldatenfriedhof Fascinating place. Galician memorial. Gathered remains of German servicemen who were buried in the UK: Brocton, Cannock WS12 4PS https://www.google.co.uk/maps/searc...metery/@52.216323,0.0521421,17z/data=!3m1!4b1 Battle of Britain Memorial. Not been - description by a visitor appreciated: New Dover Rd, Capel-le-Ferne, Folkestone CT18 7JJ https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...x3d170e24d26adae!8m2!3d51.0984954!4d1.2050562
Are pillboxes etc. to be excluded, so we're not duplicating the Extended Fefence of Britain database? PS. According to the local museum, the Portland Phoenixes (Phoenices?) weren't left behind in 1944, they were recovered from the Mulberries tobassist with works at Portland. These two were left behind when the others were taken to Holland to help seal some breached dykes in the 50s.
Been wondering about how DoB project stuff interfaces, but I can't see a problem with a bit of duplication. Still plenty of things outside of the DoB scope. I am thinking more along the lines of 'Ooh, an accessible strange/interesting WW2 'thing'' that might otherwise be missed while out and about with family etc. pretending to enjoy holidays . Nothing wrong with the odd pillbox or Northover plinth among all that. Point taken about Mulberry details etc. Notes & queries inevitably part of the thing.
Tatton Park The Drop zone for No.1 Parachute School based at nearby Ringway Airfield, now of course Manchester Airport. An estimated 383,000 parachute drops were made here and there's a rather nice memorial in the grounds. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...5864644f2729e85!8m2!3d53.3275988!4d-2.3703915
RAF Uxbridge Battle of Britain Bunker The Friends of No 11(F) Group Operations Rooms - Home https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...ved=0ahUKEwiAsv2z_eDUAhUkBMAKHadZBG4Q_BIIdjAK
Derwent Reservoir Where 617 Squadron went out to play.. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...d:0x62a360daf70d04a7!8m2!3d53.4166667!4d-1.75
Audley End House - SOE Polish Section Audley End Road Saffron Walden Essex CB11 4JF https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...5b8819431d!8m2!3d52.0205709!4d0.2207391?hl=en
Churchill War Rooms Churchill War Rooms https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...d=0ahUKEwitrOTSn-HUAhXjLMAKHZwRBzoQ_BIIiwEwDg
Jersey War Tunnels Home – Jersey War Tunnels https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...fa483f299c848c9!8m2!3d49.2103223!4d-2.1543181
Clapham South Deep Level Shelter Clapham South - London Transport Museum https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...b3b57ac25d17020!8m2!3d51.4528383!4d-0.1477613
Orford Ness Orford Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 2NY Now a large coastal nature reserve but for many years (since 1913) it was a Top Secret military testing area which included Robert Watson-Watt's early experiments with radar prior to moving to Bawdsey Manor. Post WW-2 the area was also used for atomic bomb tests and Anglo-US (very) long range radar tests under the codename 'Cobra Mist'. Google Map: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...7832a878a7!8m2!3d52.0838671!4d1.5742422?hl=en HMS Ganges Shotley Gate Ipswich Suffolk IP9 1QJ Used as a main training base for basic training from 1905 to 1976. Most of the former base has become a housing estate but the main mast still remains and there is a local HMS Ganges museum. Quite a nice area. Google Maps: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...a7c8e36ba9!8m2!3d51.9562929!4d1.2742578?hl=en HMS Badger Station Rd Parkeston Harwich Essex CO12 4SR Now it is the site of Harwich International Port which sees the daily running of ferries to the Hook of Holland as well as the occasional docking of cruise ships and an assortment of merchant vessels. But in WW-2 it was HMS Badger and the home of destroyers, minesweepers, submarines and coastal forces. A bunker was built under nearby Hamilton House for use as an Operations Room. Post-war the Ops Room was retained until 1992 as an emergency Ops Room for the area in the case of a nuclear strike. Not really that much to see now although it was bombed a fair bit. Google Maps: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...2ea05003b2!8m2!3d51.9474267!4d1.2554988?hl=en Pin Mill Babergh (near Ipswich) Suffolk IP9 1JW Located on the southern shore of the River Orwell. During WW-2 it was used by Royal Navy motor launches and also as a home base for many of the landing craft that were used on D-Day. Pin Mill is in a local area of natural beauty (and on the shore is a well known local pub 'The Butt & Oyster') but just next to the pub are a load of house boats that make the area a little bit of an eyesore. Pin Mill features in Arthur Ransome's book 'We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea' with the Alma Cottage mentioned in the book being a real location near the pub. Ransome even had his own boats built at Pin Mill and anchored his yacht there. Google Maps: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...cfe059cdef68!8m2!3d51.995495!4d1.213678?hl=en Pin Mill:
Royal Hospital School Holbrook Ipswich Suffolk IP9 2RX Not strictly relating to WW-2 but they still educated Naval children there from 1939-45 so it kind of counts! Founded in 1712 as a school for seafarers children & grandchildren, preparing them for life in the Royal Navy and hence the name 'Cradle of the Navy'. It has been located in Holbrook since 1933 and while it has not been a dedicated school for just Naval children for a few decades it still maintains strong Naval traditions and the 700 or so children are still issued Naval uniform and have regular Divisions (Parades for those non-RN among you.) All 11 'houses' of the school are named after a famous seafarer. If you happen to drive through that area you won't miss it as the main road from Holbrook to the northern shore of the estuary cuts through the grounds with the huge school building on one side and the staff accommodation looping around the perimeter on the other (not sure if these buildings still house staff or if they have been sold off in the past.) Google Maps: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...a76b33baad!8m2!3d51.9729749!4d1.1513276?hl=en Royal Hospital School (Image taken from the RHS website - Royal Hospital School )
And another one for Suffolk... Cavendish Cemetery Grave of Sir Leonard Cheshire VC Lower Street Cavendish Suffolk CO10 8AQ Google Maps: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...6664a9b86b!8m2!3d52.0872565!4d0.6393246?hl=en
'Nick of Pendle' Pendle Hill Lancashire More famous for the 17th Century Pendle Witches, but also home to numerous WW2 entrenchments (and a long gone pill box) and (lower down the hill towards Clitheroe) the Army training area where, for a while, David Niven was stationed. Several planes crashed on the hill during the war and a memorial was recently unveiled in memory of two airmen who died in these (RAAF 1942 and USAAF 1944) Anti-tank obstacles galore used for various reasons in nearby farms too! Google Maps: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...4625845da5809614!8m2!3d53.842967!4d-2.3486555