Leningrad has been encircled, with supplies of food severely restricted, under German assault & artillery barrage, for 924 days. Over a million Soviet civilians have died during one of the longest sieges in history. https://t.co/yszbjQ91ig
Red Army have decisively broken the German lines around the city of Leningrad. Jubilant Leningrad defenders greet Soviet forces who have cracked Axis blockade. More on the city's liberation: https://t.co/torDTASoKr https://t.co/A6EOuZuhpQ
British landing craft LST-422 has hit a German mine off Anzio beach, Italy, ripping a 50 metre hole in her hull & setting the ship's fuel supply alight. 483 Allied troops, mostly asleep alongside vehicles in lower decks, have died, trapped in the sinking, burning vessel. https://t.co/uZTqMJNUFN
From the Allied beachhead at Anzio, Italy, BBC reporter Wynford Vaughan-Thomas broadcasts on radio as a German air raid strikes British forces. Listen now: https://t.co/B14n6HmAeH
Red Army troops have driven German Army back from the outskirts of Leningrad, breaking nearly 900 days of siege & starvation. https://t.co/mOFbXHpNZl
Allied forces are pouring into the beachheads at Anzio, Italy, almost unopposed by Germans. One American reconnaissance jeep even briefly reached outskirts of Rome- but Allies are fortifying Anzio rather than moving forward to take advantage of surprise. https://t.co/850aTBLam8
Allied landings at Anzio, Italy, completely surprise the Germans: 36,000 men now ashore, just 13 killed seizing beaches. https://t.co/Cs8MWY4Q1o
Hoping to break the stalemate in southern Italy, Allied forces are making an amphibious landing on beach at Anzio, north of the main German "Winter line" of defences. They hope to catch Axis from north & south. https://t.co/HQbsxpI4lY
“Kinabalu Guerrillas”, many armed with only melee weapons, arrows & blowdarts, managed to seize three towns in Borneo & kill ~90 Japanese occupiers. Leader Albert Kwok eventually surrendered after Japanese began indiscriminate killing of civilians. More: https://t.co/etJ2KqbTbb https://t.co/0NQnLU1RAe
On Japanese-occupied North Borneo, a three-month long revolt by a multi-ethnic resistance movement has been brutally crushed. Japanese Kenpeitai police have murdered 176 suspected rebels, mostly local civilians, by bayoneting, beheading, & burying alive in mass graves. https://t.co/lfSRdjfhWg
Newly released Alfred Hitchcock film "Lifeboat" is in cinemas now, telling story of survivors adrift in the Atlantic after their ship is torpedoed by a German U-boat- who discover one of the submarine's crew is with them: https://t.co/9bxAksp1l8
US 36th Infantry Division are trying to bridge Rapido river- both banks & cliffs heavily mined- under German artillery & machine-gun fire. https://t.co/90DlnMFYOX
As Allies attack at the Axis defensive lines at Monte Cassino, American troops have been ordered to make a "diversionary" frontal assault on Germans over River Rapido. https://t.co/hSRJLi3Jl4
Australian government has introduced meat rationing, allowing no more than one kilo of beef per week per person. Fish, sausages, chicken, ham & rabbits are not rationed. https://t.co/tqtnNY59SQ
Morgenthau warns Roosevelt that American officials tasked with saving Jewish refugees are committing "gross procrastination... even willful attempts to prevent action from being taken to rescue Jews from Hitler." https://t.co/42jTU02eXE
US Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau reports to President Roosevelt that Hitler is massacring Jews- & State Department does nothing: "One of the greatest crimes in history, the slaughter of the Jewish people in Europe, is continuing unabated..." https://t.co/GfV7Tk4ijN
Allied troops in Italy have begun an assault on the Axis Winter Line, through mountain valleys overlooked by historic Monte Cassino abbey. https://t.co/m4qa1ShW71
"Road of Life" built into besieged Leningrad over the frozen Lake Ladoga to funnel vital supplies is now ferrying Red Army into they city; 1,241,000 Soviet troops are attacking 74,000 encircling Germans. https://t.co/2XOmDQFmjY
Social Media
We have had a response to our request for clarity about future access to the bunker from the residents management company solicitor (As this is the method they now choose to communicate with Bunker 13). ![]()
It is not good news but pretty much as we suspected. We will publish more details in due course. Thank you for your support.
Hi everyone, it is now more than 7 months since Brannen and Partners, under instruction from the Residents Management Company, instructed Bunker 13 to stop their ongoing maintenance and comprehensive internal and external inspection regime of the Grade II Listed World War Two Bunker in the grounds of the Central Grange Estate.![]()
Our dehumidifiers had to be removed leaving the internals of the structure at risk of deterioration. There is no regular monitoring of water ingress and checking the pumps put in place by the Management Company to prevent this happening. This is of great concern to Newcastle City Council Heritage department also who are undertaking periodic inspections.![]()
The reason cited for preventing Bunker 13 access was stated as health and safety concerns. Despite Bunker 13 having a H&S professional consultant as one of our directors and our repeated requests for any information on the risks identified by them no details have been provided. The one concern we do have is regarding the electrical system which has not been inspected/tested for a number of years and thus until inspected this remains a potential fire risk.![]()
We believe enough time has now elapsed for any H&S issues to have been addressed and so we will be asking for access by Bunker 13 to the Bunker to resume our caretaking role. This in turn would mean the process of seeking funding for the restoration project could start once again.![]()
Unfortunately, our preservation activities have been STOPPED as the Residents Management Company refuse to engage in constructive discussions with us or anyone about the future of the bunker.![]()
We remain concerned that H&S concerns are being given as a smoke screen to keep the bunker disused mothballed and rotting away to save short term costs and feel this is a very short-sighted plan as the costs of repair required to a listed building once allowed to deteriorate will sadly fall on the Central Grange Residents. We are also concerned that as we are not undertaking our regular security inspections the Bunker is at high risk of break in and anti-social behaviour.![]()
We will keep you informed as to the management company’s response to our request to once again be granted access to act as caretakers of the bunker and restart the bunker project.
Application for Grade 2 Star listing has been Applied for as significant Air actions by the RAF were directed from this bunker. One such action was the tracking and interception of Rudolf Hess's plane. We will have more details in our up and coming news letters. We have had to take this action to protect the building due to the current management company's behaviour and total lack of communication which have returned the bunker to being at risk as an unmonitored vacant historic building. Watch this space for further news.
We will be publishing another BUNKER NEWS LETTER in the next couple of weeks which will have further NEWS about the new Central Grange Residents Group (Facebook Page going live soon) for the residents living near the bunker. In our news letter we will correct factual inaccuracies in the annual statement supplied by the management agents to all the residents. Each resident will also get a paper version supplied. Support is growing. 🙂👍Watch this space.
Below is a text copy of the September 2020 Bunker News Letter provided to the Residents of Central Grange.![]()
![]()
BUNKER NEWS No.1![]()
Bunker 13 ![]()
Email: enquiries@bunker13.co.uk![]()
September 2020![]()
![]()
Dear Resident/Homeowner,![]()
It has been a number of years since Bunker 13 have been in direct contact with the residents of Central Grange as we believed you had been kept informed by your resident management company Central Grange Kenton Management Company (We shall refer to them as the KMC) about Bunker 13 and our project to preserve the Bunker. Recent events have revealed that this has not been the case. We have decided to provide periodic Bunker Newsletters directly to you. Please visit our website www.bunker13.co.uk for information about the history of this historic bunker you have close to your homes.![]()
In short you have a significant historic building situated at the heart of Central Grange where specific notable historic RAF actions were orchestrated. Only 2 bunkers out of 4 built survive from the Dowding system of defence today. These bunkers were instrumental in defending Britain and ultimately delivering victory in the Battle of Britain. The sister bunker is the Uxbridge “Battle of Britain Bunker” London. This bunker is restored and used for educational and organised visits by the public. ![]()
Our Aims Are Simple: -![]()
To preserve and restore the bunker for future generations.![]()
1) Organise a financially self-funding framework to allow the bunker to help educate future generations while relieving the financial burden of the ongoing maintenance of the bunker from the residents of Central Grange. ![]()
Bunker 13 have always sought to involve the residents of Central Grange in securing a mutually beneficial future for the Bunker while maintaining a peaceful residential environment. Our basic plan is available on our website. We will cover this in more detail in our next newsletter.![]()
We felt this newsletter must dispel the “fake news” that some people may have heard stating Bunker 13 intend to open a general shop in the front guard room of the Bunker. This is not true and in no way part of our plans.![]()
BUNKER 13 Recent Activity: We have in recent years been acting as unpaid, non-funded care takers of the bunker while seeking funding and professional advice regarding this complex project. Until recently we were carrying out weekly external security inspections and weekly internal inspections (We still inspect externally) checking the operation of our dehumidifiers which were preventing interior deterioration while monitoring humidity & water ingress into the bunker. Our efforts have prevented a repeat of the catastrophic flooding of several years ago. However as of July 2020 The KMC in consultation the management agents Brannen & Partners, took the decision to no longer work with Bunker 13 and prevent our access to the building. This has meant removal of our dehumidifiers which were preventing wood rot and internal damage. The only reason they have stated for this decision was Health and Safety concerns but with no details on what grounds. We repeatedly asked for more information and to have a meeting to discuss these issues to move forward however, to date the KMC and Brannen’s refuse to have a meeting. This may have serious financial implications to you the residents. It has stopped Bunker 13’s ability to ensure the Bunkers condition is maintained and impacts our efforts to obtain funding. ![]()
In order to protect the bunker we have been forced to inform the relevant outside agencies such as Newcastle City Council and Historic England etc. that we are no longer able to maintain the bunkers internal condition which in turn means these agencies will require periodic inspections of the bunker to ensure its Grade 2 status is being maintained properly. As a direct result of the KMC/Brannen’s decision Newcastle City Council are inspecting the bunker on 17th September with the KMC Directors & Brannen’s present. This in all probability will mean money needing to be spent on the bunker by your management company on your behalf. Whereas if our working relationship had continued all major costs would have been met by our project receiving funding for our heritage community project.![]()
Please see our Facebook page and website for updates. Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. Email: enquiries@bunker13.co.uk ![]()
BREAKING NEWS!! There is a New Resident’s Group!!!![]()
CENTRAL GRANGE RESIDENT GROUP (Kenton)![]()
Watch out on Facebook for “The Central Grange Residents Group (Kenton)” and leaflets to each dwelling. This is a totally independent Facebook page set up BY residents FOR residents and MANAGED by residents. The current Central Grange page is managed by Brannen & Partners.![]()
To find out more and become part of the CGRG (Kenton) and have your voices heard please contact the following email address enquiries.CGRG@gmail.com We have been informed they are going to use all means possible to allow residents to communicate with each other to discuss issues on the development and make sure the KMC and Brannen & Partners consult and listen to residents views and concerns.![]()
Final Note: Bunker 13 would like to work with the residents once more and form a cohesive working relationship with the residents of Central Grange. We are pleased to announce we have agreed to work closely with CGRG moving forward and hope the KMC do likewise after all they are residents who represent the residents.![]()
BUNKER13
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- 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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