20th+

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Ostwall

Never heard of the Ostwall? Here is why - MHnV > .

German Defense from Norway to Greece - MHnV > .

Defence of the Reich - Reichsverteidigung ..

German defences ..

Atlantikwall

Atlantikwall ..
Atlantikwall - Channel Islands ..

Ostwall

Ostwall ..

Westwall

Siegfried Line (1939) - Germany's Western Defences ..

Monday, August 13, 2018

London's Old Phone Boxes > .
PO telephone system in 1939 UK

"The outbreak of war on 3 September 1939 heralded six years of hugely increased activity and demand for the Post Office, placing great strain on its resources. An almost immediate effect was the sharp drop in available staff as over 73,000 men and women from the Post Office joined the armed forces within the first few weeks of the war - 15 per cent of the total staff. In some areas the loss was even more keenly felt; 25 per cent of Post Office engineers joined up in 1939, and a substantial percentage of Post Office technical research and telecommunications operating staff were absorbed into signals units of the Forces.

Some preparations prior to September 1939 had already been made when war seemed likely. Additional cables had been laid between important towns over different and alternative routes, particularly vulnerable sites had been by-passed, and old manual telephone exchanges when superseded by automatic exchanges were not dismantled, but held in reserve. In addition, public trunk lines were earmarked for future use of the Services, and these were promptly switched over in September 1939.

During the first six months of the war, before heavy German bombing started, the Post Office made use of the opportunity to complete the link up by telephone and telegraph of Home Defences, particularly Fighter and Anti-Aircraft Commands. By the time of the Battle of Britain, as the Headquarters of Fighter Command, at Bently Priory near Stanmore, Middlesex, was a communications centre in touch with all defence stations and information sources across the country via Post Office facilities. From here the Commander-in-Chief was able to observe the broad 'air picture' and co-ordinate his Fighter Groups. In addition to the vast telephone communications network provided by the Post Office for raid reporting, a complex teleprinter network was also installed. With the collapse of France and when invasion seemed a real possibility, new aerodromes, battery sites, searchlight centres and radar stations had to be set up - and all needed linking with telephone communications, again carried out by Post Office engineers.

Later in the war, as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion, a new network of cables, switchboards, telephones and teleprinters had to be set up along England's south coast to control the D-Day build up. Once the invasion was under-way, new cross-channel cables were laid and by VE-Day the Post Office had made direct communication possible by telephone or teleprinter to all Allied Forces in North West Europe.

On the home front the Post Office had soon organised itself to meet the demands of the war. ARP services were set up in all departments, and a Home Guard Force of over 50,000 was raised to defend Post Office telegraph and telephone systems in the event of invasion. Other Post Office Defence Forces included medical staff, fire fighters and first aiders, all of whom were particularly called upon during the bombing raids of the early war years. During this time Post Office engineers battled to repair bomb damage to plant and cables, yet were still able to open the additional military channels of communication described above.

The contribution of the Post Office, particularly on the telecommunications side, was significant enough to earn the praise of General Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe. Although under great strain, the Post Office met the challenges demanded of it, largely through the efforts and sacrifices of its staff. Of the 73,000 men and women who left the Post Office to join up, 3,800 gave their lives. On the Home Front, a further 413 Post Office employees died whilst carrying out their responsibilities.

'Two frequency' (2 VF) inland trunk signalling and dialling was introduced. This beginning of trunk mechanisation allowed operators to dial distant subscribers [directly] without the assistance of a second operator.

The first mobile Unit Automatic Exchange was put into service.
International telephone services were suspended on 30 August (with a few exceptions) and not restored until 23 June 1945 with the reopening of the service to the USA, Canada, and Kenya."

http://www.britishtelephones.com/histuk.htm

Jane Cain - voice of the Speaking Clock - 1935 > .

Telephonist Jane Cain wins the competition to become the voice of the Speaking Clock in 1935.

New Scotland Yard introduce the 999 telephone number (1937)

"The original New Scotland Yard opened its first information room in 1934 with the infamous telephone number Whitehall 1212. By 1937 they decided a new emergency number 999 should be introduced, the first such emergency number in the world. Wireless cars followed and sirens were fitted to police vehicle, the original blues and twos."

New Scotland Yard introduce the 999 telephone number (1937) > .

Saturday, August 11, 2018

RAF bases

Post WW2 > .

Hessel, 4:10 | Elvington, 8:50 | Upper Heyford, 13:40 | Bawdsey, 20:40 | Lisset

Declassified: RAF Bawdsey's Lasting Legacy To Radar > .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqzxGzXJnI4 .

RAF Bases: Declassified - Forces TV >> .
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeQQkbf45pQOd4ZPb-HJhdRQjjVA1zqy2 .

Twyford Wood in Lincolnshire.- The wood was used for the second world war airfield RAF North Witham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DNB0i4trIE .

Deserted Wartime Airfields and Bases of the UK
http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2009/09/deserted-air-force-bases/

USAAF airfields East England
http://mediafiles.thedms.co.uk/publication/ee-eet/cms/pdf/information-sheets/USAAF%20Airfields%20Guide%20and%20Map.pdf

Google Earth reveals the Ghostly Images of Britain’s Wartime Airfields
http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2012/10/google-earth-reveals-ghostly-images-wartime-airfields-abandoned-air-bases-britain/

The Forgotten Yorkshire Airfields of No. 4 Group, Bomber Command
http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2015/03/abandoned-yorkshire-airfields-4-group-raf-bomber-command/

5 Abandoned Cold War Airfields of Britain
http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2014/09/5-abandoned-cold-war-airfields-britain/

11 Abandoned Fleet Air Arm Bases of the United Kingdom
http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2015/08/abandoned-fleet-air-arm-bases-royal-navy-airfields/

The Remains of Britain's Three Massive Wartime Emergency Runways Seen from Above
http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2014/08/britains-three-massive-wartime-emergency-runways-carnaby-woodbridge-manston/

Google Earth Reveals Wartime Anti-Aircraft Battery
http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2013/05/google-earth-reveals-wartime-anti-aircraft-battery-millerhill-scotland/

Deserted Wartime Airfields and Bases of the UK | Urban Ghosts

Deserted Wartime Airfields and Bases of the UK | Urban Ghosts

Red Sand Sea Towers

Abandoned Sea Fortress > .https://youtu.be/UKwmm1xD1v0?t=535 .

These Bizarre Steel Structures Defended Britain During World War Two - HiHit > .

During the Second World War, the City of London was a major target for both naval and aerial bombardment. In 1943, numerous towers were built in the Thames Estuary as anti-aircraft defences to protect the capital. Known as the Red Sands Forts, these Star Wars Walker-like constructions were initially built on land and floated out to sea in 1943. These bizarre steel structures helped defend Britain during World War Two. The soldiers stationed there shot down a total of 22 attacking German aircraft and 30 doodlebugs, protecting densely populated London from even more devastation. Later in the war, the equipment was replaced, and removed soon after. The forts were eventually abandoned in 1958. It wasn't until 1964 that the Forts served a new purpose. Screaming Lord Sutch set up Radio Sutch (a pirate radio station) in one of the old towers. However, he soon became bored and handed the project to his friend and unpaid manager Reginald Calvert, who then expanded into all five towers that were still connected and called it Radio City. After the station was shut down in 1967, the Red Sands Forts were yet again abandoned and remained offshore, slowly rusting away. Luckily, a planned restoration of the forts was scheduled in 2020, but was delayed by COVID 19 pandemic. It is planned for the forts to become a museum once restored.

England's 1940 Sea Wall > .
Maintenance of equipment, 1948 > .
Red Sands rusting, CGI > .

The Red Sand Towers are a series of abandoned world war 2 anti-aircraft gun emplacements, built during WW1 to defend London during the Blitz and their rusting remains are still standing out to sea.

It is nearly a 100 mile round trip from London to the Red Sand Towers, the Kentish Wind farm and round the Isle of Sheppey. The forts have a fascinating history including once being home to a pirate radio station.

http://www.bobleroi.co.uk/ScrapBook/CityReunion/FortFanatics.html