Lots again written about these tunnels, there were excavated to provide both a large air raid tunnel system for Rochester and also to provide a underground workshop facility for Shorts Brothers.
This R.O.C. Post was built in November 1959 and was taken out of use in 1968. Located on land near Malmains Farm this was originally sited in an orchard and was accessed via a track from the main road. The post was built for three men. Today it is in a vandalised state and open to the elements.
Not a lot is known about the history of this site. It was apparently accessible until the 1970's and had six entrances which led either via steps or ramps done to the dressing station. Today all the entrances are filled in and just some surface bunkers are visible.
Constructed in 1806 the Grand Shaft was a triple helix stairwell, which allowed the rapid movement of soldiers from the lower Dover area up to the defenced Western Heights or vice versa. The Grand Shaft fell into disrepair in the 1960's and is now restored and secured. Open days are arranged by the Trust.
The deep shelters are probably unique to the WW2 coastal batteries in the Dover area and were dug to provide the battery personnel with protection in the event of an enemy attack which could have come either from the air or the English Channel or the long range enemy guns sited in Northern France. The shelters were normally lined with an iron girder framework and corrugated sheeting and then a wooden interior shuttering on the lower portion of the tunnel. They normally had more than one entrance/exit.
The battery itself was a WW2 6" BL battery, the site itself is now virtually destroyed with the gun emp' filled in, the magazines backfilled, the battery Plotting room is still intact and there are some original crew buildings.
The deep shelters are probably unique to the WW2 coastal batteries in the Dover area and were dug to provide the battery personnel with protection in the event of an enemy attack which could have come either from the air or the English Channel or the long range enemy guns sited in Northern France. The shelters were normally lined with an iron girder framework and corrugated sheeting and then a wooden interior shuttering on the lower portion of the tunnel. They normally had more than one entrance/exit.
The deep shelters are probably unique to the WW2 coastal batteries in the Dover area and were dug to provide the battery personnel with protection in the event of an enemy attack which could have come either from the air or the English Channel or the long range enemy guns sited in Northern France. The shelters were normally lined with an iron girder framework and corrugated sheeting and then a wooden interior shuttering on the lower portion of the tunnel. They normally had more than one entrance/exit.
The battery was a very large site of 4x 9.2" BL guns c1942. Today all the emplacements are filled in and the site is very overgrown. There is evidence still existing of the Battery and Fortress plotting rooms, the magazines are backfilled but accessible (just about) and the deep shelters still exist.
