World
War II Civilian Defences
To
commemorate and celebrate the 60 th anniversary
of the end of World War Two, Tees Archaeology
have joined forces with Hartlepool Arts &
Museums Services and Redcar & Cleveland Museums
Services, to launch the exciting new “Dig for
History” Project.
intro | gallery
| reports | further
information
While
military structures such as pillboxes, like those
above at Hart Warren, are well represented in
the archaeological record, civilian defences are
rare. The “Dig for History” project therefore,
was launched with a public appeal for information
on an often-overlooked archaeological aspect of
World War Two – the “Home Front”.
Although
over two million civilian Anderson air-raid shelters
were built during the war, very few are known
to have survived, with only one known example
in the Tees Valley area prior to the Project.
Designed to offer some protection for families
living in areas likely to be bombed, Anderson
shelters were cheap to produce and relatively
simple to erect. Often cold, damp and prone to
flooding, particularly during winter, they were
nevertheless very effective shelters and undoubtedly
saved a great many lives.
Provided
free of charge to those households with a garden
and where the occupying family earned less than
£250 per year, the completed shelter measured
2m long (6½ feet), 1.37m wide (4½ feet), and 1.8m
high (6 feet). It was set into a shallow pit in
the ground up to 1.2m deep (4 feet), and then
covered with at least 0.5m (15inches), of soil.
Not only did this give increased protection from
the effects of bomb-blast, but also allowed vegetables
to be grown, supplementing the already rationed
food.
So
far, a number of Anderson shelters have been identified
and recorded, while reports of several other types,
including a range of larger, concrete surface
shelters, have also been received.
Do you
still have an Anderson Shelter?
Have
a look at the bottom of your garden. That
tiny, old rusting shed may just be a piece of
World War Two history! The curved shape of the
shed should tell you, but if you’re not sure,
see if it matches the dimensions given above.
If it does, and you live in the Tees Valley area,
we would love to hear from you so we can arrange
a visit to record it.
intro | gallery
| reports | further
information |
