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Underground Websites

Bunker NRW

This is a German forum website dealing with North-Rhine/Westphalia bunkers, shelters and Industrial ruins. 

Bunkertpictures

Contains pictures, locations and other information about bunkers situated on the Atlantic Wall during World War 2.

Friends of HMS Forward

Friends of HMS Forward Naval Headquarters, Newhaven.
One mile north of Newhaven lie the remains of a deep subterranean
WW2 Naval Headquarters that liased with similar naval plots at
Dover and Fort Southwick. Recognised by English Heritage to be of
National Importance. Book and Video available.

Friends of Williamson's Tunnels

Examines the strange underground kingdom beneath Liverpool. Sites don't come much better than this.

G8HUL's web page

Many and varied military and underground sites, plenty of pictures.

Kent Underground Research Group

This group was formed in 1981 to carry out research into the origins, use and history of the many subterranean features of Kent and the South East.

National Association of Mining History Organisation

Amongst other things it has links to just about every mining history group in the UK.

Scotland's Secret bunker

Scotland’s best kept secret for over 40 years, "Until Now" Hidden beneath a Scottish Farmhouse, a tunnel leads to Scotland’s Secret Bunker. 24,000 square feet of secret accommodation on two levels, 100 feet underground.

Subterranea Britannica

The study and investigation of all man-made & man used underground places. The UK's premier underground site.

Subterranean Exploration

Exploring disused bunkers, forts and tunnels in and around Kent. Plenty of well presented underground information.

The Underground at War

Concise and informative site about wartime London Underground with original pictures.

Underground Kent

Ex-military tunnels, Napoleonic fortifications and Underground tunnels of Kent.

Hampshire and Portsmouth Websites

A Tale Of One City

Visitors can add information about the people, places and topics that tell the story of Portsmouth plus their own memories, pictures and comments. A well thought out site created in 2012.

AboutMyArea PO6

If you live in Farlington, Drayton, Cosham, Wymering or Paulsgrove then this is your very own community website. 

Christ Church Portsdown

Built to serve the Garrisons of the Victorian Portsdown Forts. During WWII the Knights' Vigil was held there for the Second Army prior to their departure for the Normandy beaches on Operation Overlord.

Coleshill House

Hampshire Auxiliary Unit patrols and their operational bases. If you have any information about this topic then they would love to hear from you.

Hampshire Auxiliary Unit patrols and their operational bases. If you have any information about this topic then they would love to hear from you.

Hampshire Constabulary History Society

A very interesting and well researched site. Includes a section on the Police Stations of Portsmouth.

Hampshire & IOW Wildlife Trust - Portsmouth District Group

The website name sums it up nicely. This is a link to the excellent and up-to-date section on Portsdown.

Hantsweb - Hampshire County Council web site

A website packed with useful information. Easy to use and kept up to date.

Memorials & Monuments In Portsmouth

A website dedicated to the memory of both the service personnel and the civilians whose lives are remembered on the Memorials and Monuments in the Portsmouth area.

The Hayling Billy Line

Packed full of information about the famous railway line that served Hayling Island for over 100 years.

The Needles Battery

Constructed between 1861-95 as a defence against French invasion, the forts are on the most westerly point of the Isle of Wight and overlook one of Britain's most famous coastal landmarks. A very well designed website.

Palmerston Forts Society

All about the Victorian fortifications of Portsmouth, and beyond

Portsmouth From the Air

Hundreds of aerial photographs of Portsmouth spread over several decades, starting from the 1950s. A very useful research tool.

Portsmouth Society

Interested in the preservation of the best of Portsmouth's existing environment of buildings, streets, open spaces, seashore, and more.

RAYNET  

Radio Amateurs' EmergencY NETwork. The SE Hants branch is based at Fort Widley. They provide a flexible communications service for major civil emergencies or related exercises, and for local community events.

A guide to everything Portsmouth.

Military Websites

20th Century Cumbrian Defence Architecture Pages

A gazetteer of 20th Century defence infrastructure within Cumbria

Allies in War

This site was originally started for "Girls in the UK who married Allied Servicemen and moved overseas". It has now become an historical & educational web site for conflicts involving Britain and its Allies.

Auxiliary Units 1940 - 1944

Records all aspects of the Auxiliary Units, who were to carry on fighting the enemy after the invasion of England. Exceptionally well presented site.  

Castles & Fortifications of England and Wales

This site has information on 900 English and Welsh castles, fortified manor houses, Bishop's Palaces, Pele towers and coastal forts built since the eleventh century.

Coleshill House

This website is about the Auxiliary Unit and their training at Coleshill House located on the Oxfordshire/Wiltshire border.

OldOppos.co.uk

A website for making contact with your Old Oppos. It caters for all three services and has many useful features and links.

Pirate Storm

Supplies a fair list of Historic War Battles as recommended by Sarah in Vermont.

Secret Bases

A guide to using Internet based research tools to reveal the locations of the UK Government's "hidden" MoD laboratories and military sites. 

Timeline of World War Two

Provides some good links to WWII events. Recommended by Haylee and her kids...

Places to visit on Portsdown

PORTSDOWN WALKS - by Bob Hunt

Details walks on Portsdown allowing you to visit locations featured on this website. Includes all the maps and instructions you need.

Churchillian Pub  (SU 660064)

Situated to the east of Fort Widley. If you want to pay £12 for a cheese-burger then this is the place for you. Easy parking.

Fort Nelson  (SU 607071)

Part of the Royal Armouries, extensive site, plenty of exhibits, lots to explore. Free entry and parking. Home of the Palmerston Forts Society.

Fort Purbrook (SU 678064)

Guided visits available all year round, but they must be pre-booked. Extensive tunnels. Free parking.

Booking enquiries:

Fort Purbrook  - 023-9232-1223

Fort Widley (SU 656064)

Guided visits available all year round, but they must be pre-booked via Fort Purbrook - see above for phone number.  Tour includes the Civil Defence cold war bunker. Extensive tunnels. Nature trail nearby. Free parking.

George Inn (SU 667064)

Good traditional pub. Good Food. Nature trail nearby. Free parking.

Palace Café & Restaurant

If you are looking for a place to eat when visiting Portsdown then I strongly recommend the Palace Café & Restaurant. It serves excellent food and service is always with a smile. The menu is varied and the premises are spotlessly clean.

Viewpoint (SU 662064)

To the east of Fort Widley. Fantastic views of Portsmouth, Langstone and Portsmouth Harbour, the IOW, Hayling and the Solent. Nature trial. Picnic area. Mick's burger van does very good value food (I should know). Ice cream van on site. Free parking.

Bibliography & References

 These books were all available from the Hampshire Library Service, and were used in research for this website for which I thank the authors. If I have published anything for which due credit has not been given then please contact me.

Special thanks to the staff at Portchester Library for their cheerful and efficient service.

Attack Warning Red - History of the ROC including details of all ROC monitoring posts in the UK.

Derek Wood, Macdonald & Jane's, 1976 - ISBN 0356084116

Battle Over Portsmouth - A city at war in 1940

Paul Jenkins, Middleton Press, 1986 - ISBN 0906520290 

Beneath the City Streets: the secret plans to defend the state

Peter Laurie, A. Lane 1983 - ISBN X006749348

City At War

Nigel Peake, Milestone Publications 1986 - ISBN 0-903852-94-4

Cosham with Widley and Hilsea in Old Picture Postcards

Peter Rogers, European Library 1986 - ISBN 9028834567

Deeds of Valour

James W Bancroft, The House of Heros 1994 - ISBN 0 9524014 0 1

Escort: The Battle of the Atlantic

DA Rayner, William Kimber 1955 

Fields of Deception: Britain's bombing decoys of WWII

Colin Dobinson, Methuen 2000 - ISBN 0 413 74570 8 

Fighting Them on the Beaches - The D-day landings June 6, 1944

Martin Doughty, Arcturus Publishing - ISBN 1-84193-113-6

Hampshire and D-Day

Nigel Cawthorne, Hampshire Books - ISBN 1857410475

Hampshire and the Isle Of Wight : Buildings Of England

Nikolaus Pevsner, Penguin, 1967 - ISBN X001134485

Hampshire railways in old photographs, Collected by Kevin Robertson

Kevin Robertson, Alan Sutton 1989 - ISBN 0862996686

History in Hiding: the story of Britain's secret passages

Stewart Ross, Hale 1991 - ISBN 0709043775

Images of Portsmouth

S Quail & J Steadman, Breedon Books 1993 - ISBN 1 873626 25 8

Into the Blue: Great Mysteries of Aviation

Alexander McKee, Souvenir, 1981 - ISBN 0285624768

Invasion 1940 : An Account Of the German Preparations & the British Counter-measures

Peter Fleming, Hart-Davis 1957 - ISBN X000450219

Pluto : Pipe-Line Under the Ocean : the Definitive Story

Adrian Searle, Shanklin Chine 1995 - ISBN 0952587602

Portsdown Panorama

Anthony Triggs, Halsgrove - ISBN 84114 477 0

Portsmouth History in the Hiding

Anthony Triggs, Ensign Publications - ISBN 1854550663

Portsmouth "The Good Old Days"

Anthony Triggs, Halsgrove - ISBN 1841142190

Portsmouth : Yesterday and Today

Anthony Triggs, Halsgrove, 1997 - ISBN 1874448310

RAF Fighter Command Losses of the Second World War 

Volume 1. Operational Losses: Aircraft & Crews 1939-1941

Norman LR Franks, Midland, 1997 - ISBN 1 85780 055 9

Resisting the Nazi Invader

Arthur Ward, Constable London - ISBN 0094767505

Secret Passages and Hiding-Places

Jeremy Errand, David & Charles 1974 - ISBN  0715365541

Secret Underground Cities

N. J. McCamley, Leo Cooper 1998 - ISBN 0850525853

Secretive Southwick: Domesday to D-Day

Geoffrey O'Connell, Willowbridge, 1994 - ISBN 0950910449 

The Semaphore : The Story Of the Admiralty-To-Portsmouth Shutter Telegraph and Semaphore Lines, 1796 to 1847.

Holmes, T W, Stockwell, 1983 - ISBN  0722316291

Southwick: the D-Day village that went to war

Geoffrey O'Connell, Ashford 1994 - ISBN 1852532998 

Subterranean Britain

Harriet Crawford, John Baker 1979 - ISBN 0212970240

The Unsinkable Aircraft Carrier: American Military Power in Britain

Duncan Cambell, Paladin 1986 - ISBN 0586086269

Voices from the Home Front : personal experiences of wartime Britain 1939-45

Felicity Goodall, David & Charles, 2004 - ISBN 0715317083

War Plan UK : The Truth About Civil Defence in Britain

Duncan Cambell, Burnett Books, 1982 - ISBN 0091506719

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