Japanese attempts to reinforce Rabaul's air defences through ring of Allied airfields & naval blockade have lost 200-300 irreplaceable Japanese planes & experienced pilots. American bombers now use the Japanese fortress for target practice, opposed only by few anti-aircraft guns. https://t.co/gShg8mEtW7
Capture of Admiralty Islands means that Japanese fortress of Rabaul, in eastern Papua New Guinea, is now surrounded by ring of Allied airbases & isolated by sea & land- turning a 100,000-strong Japanese garrison into prisoners without a shot. https://t.co/0DLRGQ3TfE
Allied forces capture strategic Admiralty Islands in South Pacific after 80 days of fighting, completely isolating major Japanese base at Rabaul. Audacious landings caught 4000-strong Admiralty garrison off-guard; just 75 Japanese taken prisoner. https://t.co/8WH6zp1Lvw
4 months of battle have left Monte Cassini monastery a ruined shell: wrecked by Allied bombs & artillery, Germans occupied rubble & have repelled 3 separate assaults. At last, Allied 5th Army have captured the heights, raising a Polish flat over the ruins. https://t.co/dRs1llCX3u
Since the beginning of May, Red Army have captured Sevastopol & Allied forces in Italy have launched a colossal assault on the fortified Gustav Line. Otherwise, fronts are static across Europe, as armies in Britain prepare for "D-Day" assault on France. https://t.co/Y2Xq3cCvVk
Allied assault has finally taken the Italian town of Cassino, driving German defenders back to fortified "Hitler line". https://t.co/7ievgdtZFG
American newspapers now openly speak of imminent "D-Day", planned Allied invasion of France, predicting a major breakthrough in the war this summer. New York Times tracks 30 days of bombing over occupied Europe in preparation for landing: https://t.co/lm4kbLxDij
Smashing against the German Gustav line of fortifications with overwhelming force, Allied forces in Italy are finally gaining ground at Monte Cassino. https://t.co/xMR39Tm4lJ
Allied air forces are carrying out heavy bombing raids on northern French coast, softening German “Atlantic Wall” defences from planned amphibious invasion. Bombers are particularly heavy over Calais, which Germans presume is intended initial landing point for “D-Day”. https://t.co/L2RcHGYH0R
Female Soviet partisans- guerrilla soldiers who fight behind German lines- celebrate Red Army reconquest of the Crimea: https://t.co/d4PUw6bGkv
German disaster in the Black Sea as Germans desperately evacuate from the Crimea: transport ships Teja & Totila, evacuating 10,000 Axis troops from Sevastopol, sunk by Soviets. https://t.co/LhcBI6AYgN
"Jane's OK- she's not at Anzio": Allied troops on Anzio front, Italy, are instructed to cover up to avoid mosquito bites & possible malaria. A British soldier appreciates the warning sign: https://t.co/2U5dYnl9HA
German General Erwin Jaenecke boasted: "At Sevastopol stands the 17th Army, & there the Soviets will bleed to death." Hitler refused permission to evacuate from Crimea; now 96,700 Axis troops killed, 36,000 captured by victorious Red Army. https://t.co/i5SH7CZni5
Red Army have re-conquered Sevastopol, after 2 years of German occupation. Soviet flag once more flies over city: https://t.co/dMdBtBEyFi
Red Army artillery have begun a massive bombardment of Sevastopol, last German stronghold in the Crimea. Soviets plan a massive assault to take the city, which Hitler has ordered defended to the death. https://t.co/zoVdlwe1ZY
"Glory to the liberators of Ukraine! Death to the Nazi invaders!" As Red Army troops sweep up to the Romanian border, Soviet propaganda celebrates Germans being forced from southern USSR: https://t.co/eWj0FB28Gb
Bombing raids smash rail hubs in the Balkans: as Red Army advances into northern Romania, Allied bombing raids are targeting Axis logistics, with mass raids of Liberator & Flying Fortress bombers trying to cut off German re-supply. https://t.co/WVxaXC6UVu
Gandhi has been freed due to ill-health, with British afraid he'll become a martyr if he dies in prison; he's fasting, urging Indians not to aid war & to non-violently resist until British Raj promises independence. https://t.co/kDPKMLql0L
British colonial authorities have released 75-year-old Indian independence campaigner Mohandas Gandhi from prison; he's been in captivity for two years for "opposing war effort" by urging Indians not to cooperate with British until they "Quit India". https://t.co/Tb9UdVsWpQ
The Site
The surface surrounding the bunker has changed considerably since the War. One of the major changes was the dismantling of the many Nissen Huts and water tanks that existed in the early 1940’s. The other was the erection of the DSS buildings in 1948 to house offices of the fledgling National Health Service.
The area actually on top did used to contain many shrubs and trees (as can be seen from the map) though today it is just grassed over. There is still some greenery that exists on the south side around the concrete mast plinths.
The bunker had two main entrances/exits, on the west and east side for obvious reasons (in case of attack, fire etc.).
The map below shows the site in 1948, as it was at the time.
There was also a generator hut with surrounding blast wall (not shown on map). It could be found at the west side of the compound, close to Ponteland Road just inside the fence.
FollowOne Response to The Site
- Dropped in to the bunker today for a routine dehumidifier check. All working well and bunker pretty dry now. Had a… https://t.co/QmRmX6v1Ra
- Not posted for a while - been busy elsewhere - found some interesting booklets though. Will, hopefully end up on di… https://t.co/GkOFdiHyOO
- Found another section of the Ejector room door skin and scraped the wimpey dark green off to reveal more original l… https://t.co/Ft7AoQXEWc
- Popped in this Sunday to check the dehumidifiers and decided to have a quick look at the pile of rubbish in the to… https://t.co/NCT130O8jr
- Another Sunday another clean up session and a bit of door sliding. Once again the Vacmaster donated by… https://t.co/giF5OZfChn
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