“The first signals to come from the Normandy beaches delivering the messages of success would have been received here; amazing.”
“Early in 1944, bomb storage peaked at 31,563 tons as the invasion of Europe was being prepared and in April & May of that year the RAF dropped 200,000 tons in operation Overlord.”
“The firing range was constructed between 1889 and 1903 and the huge stone stop butt is the area's most iconic feature”
“Having previously visited the laboratories at Holton Heath it was a long time coming that I actually pulled my finger out and explored the rest of the site!”
“Darkness surrounds you with only the echoes of footsteps resonating all around... however when you get to the bottom of this particular 212-step shaft a whirring fan can be heard in the distance”
“During the Blitz, sculptures, The Elgin Marbles, tapestries & carpets from the V&A, even the crown jewels were said to be stored there.”
“The sheer scale of the Breakwater Fort becomes apparent as you approach the small, secluded harbour. We moored up and headed straight to the Fort, the outbuildings would have to wait.”
“Rather wet in the entrance and got even wetter inside. Flooded in fact. We opened the large heavy door and was greeting by a nice long passageway”
“There's still a lot of nice workings on the upper levels. Floors are very scary in places and if you're visiting, be really careful!”
“The tunnel was linked to the Monkton Farleigh Central Ammunition Depot approximately 1 mile away. Ammunition would be brought to the railway sidings, loaded in to carts and sorted in the yard below ground.”
“No one bats an eyelid as we uncover the man hole and start descending into the depths of Poole Town Centre.”
“Possibly one of the best preserved Victorian forts in the area, especially when compared to the Portland High-Angle Batteries”
“Room upon room filled with war memorabilia, journals, letters, newspapers - some of these things should be in a museum!”
