My first explore for a couple of months, I've been struggling to get my kit back in order after watching my DSLR bounce into the North sea. With an urge to underground the other evening I felt my best bet would be to drive to Portsmouth and check the place out...
Fort Southwick, looming over Portsmouth undertook a drastic change during world war 2, when the underground HQ for operation overlord was dug out. This became the nerve centre for the D-day landings. A communications centre was required, situated away from the fort itself to avoid luftwaffe attacks.
The radio masts were built at the top of the Paulsgrove quarry with the radio station itself being dug at the base of the cliff, half a mile from the fort. The tunelling was dug by the 172 tunnelling company RE, based at Victoria barracks, and assisted by 183 Coy (Specialist Well Boring Tunnelling Company) RE.
The site has been quarried after the war, with a housing estate built nearby. The quarry has now become a park, the land being left as meadows.
Upon first glance, the entrance sits proudly, high up the cliff.
There is another hole in the chalk to the right of this entrance, just hidden from view.
After clambering up the cliff I got in and found a wall of rock infront of me. Great The only feature was a small tunnel, big enough to crawl through, this led into a similar chamber next to it.
Once through the tunnel I got my hopes up, it looked like there was more to this one, but no, it was just a small recess at the rear of the chamber.
The view from the rough-cut entrance to the second chamber. It was quite dusty in there.
It turned out that this was a seperate site to the radio station. These two short tunnels were built as air raid shelters for the Cooper family who owned much of he land in the area, including the quarry. The small tunnel inside was an emergency exit and was left unconnected with a thin wall of chalk between the two rooms. In an emergency, they would dig through the remaining wall to escape. The rest was dug out at a later date.
Unsure as to whether I had just driven 60 odd miles for nothing I kept looking. I'm glad I did, I eventually found this, about 40 feet up the cliff. There was at one stage a secure door on this entrance. This had then been infilled later on, but locals and erosion seem to have worn a way in.
The tunnel leads into the chalk for a good twenty metres before turning 90 degrees to the left. All of this is unlined, but in great condition.
This leads you into the main chamber of the complex. All of this would have been lined originally but was removed after the war.
The first half is the lined section, with the deeper part stripped.
An alcove in the wall houses a six inch borehole to the surface, presumably for cabling.
At the end of the chamber is a set of steps leading you up into another room. This is fully lined.
There is a small hole in the floor holding some piping but other than that this room is also featureless.
Once out of the room there is another 90 degree turn, leading you back towards the cliff.
The tunnel leading to the exit here is much higher up the cliff. It is reachable, but the other entrance is much easier.
Just inside the entrance is a spur tunnel leading off to the side. This only runs for a few metres but is again fully lined.
The view from the exit.
There is a small single room built between the two portals but this is unlined and featureless. It's purpose is unknown but it is related to the radio station, Most probably a guardhouse.
Not a bad evening, considering just over 65 years ago this place would have been a vital hive of activity as the Allied forces advanced into mainland Europe. I did spend a bit longer than anticipated in there, nearly 2 1/2 hours! Time flies...
Fort Southwick, looming over Portsmouth undertook a drastic change during world war 2, when the underground HQ for operation overlord was dug out. This became the nerve centre for the D-day landings. A communications centre was required, situated away from the fort itself to avoid luftwaffe attacks.
The radio masts were built at the top of the Paulsgrove quarry with the radio station itself being dug at the base of the cliff, half a mile from the fort. The tunelling was dug by the 172 tunnelling company RE, based at Victoria barracks, and assisted by 183 Coy (Specialist Well Boring Tunnelling Company) RE.
The site has been quarried after the war, with a housing estate built nearby. The quarry has now become a park, the land being left as meadows.
Upon first glance, the entrance sits proudly, high up the cliff.
There is another hole in the chalk to the right of this entrance, just hidden from view.
After clambering up the cliff I got in and found a wall of rock infront of me. Great The only feature was a small tunnel, big enough to crawl through, this led into a similar chamber next to it.
Once through the tunnel I got my hopes up, it looked like there was more to this one, but no, it was just a small recess at the rear of the chamber.
The view from the rough-cut entrance to the second chamber. It was quite dusty in there.
It turned out that this was a seperate site to the radio station. These two short tunnels were built as air raid shelters for the Cooper family who owned much of he land in the area, including the quarry. The small tunnel inside was an emergency exit and was left unconnected with a thin wall of chalk between the two rooms. In an emergency, they would dig through the remaining wall to escape. The rest was dug out at a later date.
Unsure as to whether I had just driven 60 odd miles for nothing I kept looking. I'm glad I did, I eventually found this, about 40 feet up the cliff. There was at one stage a secure door on this entrance. This had then been infilled later on, but locals and erosion seem to have worn a way in.
The tunnel leads into the chalk for a good twenty metres before turning 90 degrees to the left. All of this is unlined, but in great condition.
This leads you into the main chamber of the complex. All of this would have been lined originally but was removed after the war.
The first half is the lined section, with the deeper part stripped.
An alcove in the wall houses a six inch borehole to the surface, presumably for cabling.
At the end of the chamber is a set of steps leading you up into another room. This is fully lined.
There is a small hole in the floor holding some piping but other than that this room is also featureless.
Once out of the room there is another 90 degree turn, leading you back towards the cliff.
The tunnel leading to the exit here is much higher up the cliff. It is reachable, but the other entrance is much easier.
Just inside the entrance is a spur tunnel leading off to the side. This only runs for a few metres but is again fully lined.
The view from the exit.
There is a small single room built between the two portals but this is unlined and featureless. It's purpose is unknown but it is related to the radio station, Most probably a guardhouse.
Not a bad evening, considering just over 65 years ago this place would have been a vital hive of activity as the Allied forces advanced into mainland Europe. I did spend a bit longer than anticipated in there, nearly 2 1/2 hours! Time flies...
Last edited:
