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View Full Version : Underground WW2 Secret Radio Station - Paulsgrove March 2011



corruption
14-04-2011, 06:53 PM
During WW2 a secure underground radio station was installed in tunnels excavated in the face of the Paulsgrove Chalk Quarry a short distance to the south of Fort Southwick. This was linked to the combined underground headquarters located in tunnels beneath the fort. The radio station was located some distance from the fort as the highly visible aerial arrays would have provided an easy target.

Sited in large chalkpit behind Paulsgrove, on Portsmouth’s Portsdown Hill, they are believed to have been radio facilities for the nearby underground HQ at Fort Southwick. Inside, there are two main rooms on different levels, lined with steel sheeting and supporting girders, the standard style for the for military tunnels at the time. These are accessed via two unlined adits in the quarry face. No artifacts remain in the tunnels and they have obviously been visited by many people over the years.

The tunnels are still accessible although following post war quarrying, the two adits are now 40 feet above the quarry floor and can only be entered by climbing a scree slope. A narrow path joins the two tunnel entrances and between them there is a 12 foot by 8 foot unlined chamber cut into the chalk, its purpose is unknown although it is undoubtedly linked to the radio station.

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/wp-content/themes/Influx/images/map.gif
Radio station map

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/28dayslater/radio-tunnel/1.jpg

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/28dayslater/radio-tunnel/2.jpg

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/28dayslater/radio-tunnel/3.jpg

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/28dayslater/radio-tunnel/4.jpg

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/28dayslater/radio-tunnel/5.jpg

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/28dayslater/radio-tunnel/6.jpg

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/28dayslater/radio-tunnel/7.jpg

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/28dayslater/radio-tunnel/8.jpg

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/28dayslater/radio-tunnel/9.jpg

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/28dayslater/radio-tunnel/10.jpg

http://wesleybrown.co.uk/28dayslater/radio-tunnel/11.jpg

coops
14-04-2011, 06:58 PM
Nice work mate :thumb

corruption
14-04-2011, 09:15 PM
This was a great explore. The actual portsdown tunnels run for miles but all the entrances have now been sealed :(

MJS
15-04-2011, 08:30 AM
nice

Nicola
15-04-2011, 01:13 PM
Love that last shot! :thumb