Recently, I have visited a few abandoned World War Two and Cold War era military facilities and bunkers that are scattered across the UK so I thought I'd pick up this book to take a break from my usual reading. I will try to post some pictures if it works.
Some of the logistical and administrative details in here were a bit dry, but with the numbers, McCamley does paint a picture of how vast and extensive these earthworks are. There weren't just one or two of these dotted about, there are dozens all around the country.
Most were built during World War Two, adapting already existing abandoned quarries and mine shafts. McCamley explains that, despite its appearance during the Great War, aerial warfare was novel, and the British government had not fully prepared for the possibility of German planes dropping bombs on factories and ammunition stores. In a panic, these underground bases were made at great expense, as underground was the only sure protection you could afford.
Some of these underground facilities grew to be entirely self-contained with electricity from generators, train lines and full plumbing designed to house an operational government in the event of a German invasion. You get a sense of real panic reading this. These weren't built for safe precaution. It was a real possibility that the government would have to retreat underground.
