New discovered WW2 Tunnels in Kent, UK - Government claims no knowledge of them.

A little known network of tunnels that caused a sinkhole in the car park of a Kent Primark, date back to the Second World War, according to a local history group. Subsidence fears forced the clothing giant to carry out emergency repairs to its store back in May. It is the second time in three years that the ground has sunk because of the tunnels, according to the Thanet Hidden History Facebook group, which pictured them before they were secured.

S ource

This sort of thing fascinates me. Who built these and I wonder how many lives were lost down there (or saved)

Government claim (from a freedom of information request) that they have no knowledge of these tunnels which is interesting and quite plausible I guess given the circumstances at the time.

originally posted by: fusiondoe

A little known network of tunnels that caused a sinkhole in the car park of a Kent Primark, date back to the Second World War, according to a local history group. Subsidence fears forced the clothing giant to carry out emergency repairs to its store back in May. It is the second time in three years that the ground has sunk because of the tunnels, according to the Thanet Hidden History Facebook group, which pictured them before they were secured.

S ource

This sort of thing fascinates me. Who built these and I wonder how many lives were lost down there (or saved)

Government claim (from a freedom of information request) that they have no knowledge of these tunnels which is interesting and quite plausible I guess given the circumstances at the time.

Somebody like William Lyttle?
www.dailymail.co.uk...

It was an air-raid shelter. Probably built by the home guard:

www.kentonline.co.uk...

a reply to: fusiondoe

Sounds very much like the work of the home guard, if there is little knowledge of it, like stormcell said.

Britain was a lot more prepared for an invasion than most think.

Ah.. i know this place. Its my good old dogging spot..

The home guard there seemed to love digging tunnels:

sussexhistoryforum.co.uk...

sussexhistoryforum.co.uk...

Some more photographs:

thanetunderground.blogspot.co.uk...

originally posted by: fusiondoe

A little known network of tunnels that caused a sinkhole in the car park of a Kent Primark, date back to the Second World War, according to a local history group. Subsidence fears forced the clothing giant to carry out emergency repairs to its store back in May. It is the second time in three years that the ground has sunk because of the tunnels, according to the Thanet Hidden History Facebook group, which pictured them before they were secured.

S ource

This sort of thing fascinates me. Who built these and I wonder how many lives were lost down there (or saved)

Government claim (from a freedom of information request) that they have no knowledge of these tunnels which is interesting and quite plausible I guess given the circumstances at the time.

I'm originally from Chatham in Kent. I remember travelling along the road to any of the seaside resorts in the 1950's when just a small boy and there were quite a few military bunker style buildings built off the road into the ground, quite sophisticated even by today's standards. Sometimes the doors might be open and you could look in and they were pretty huge, you could look into infinity, well lit and reinforced constructions with guards posted, I was totally fascinated by them and always wanted my dad to stop and look at them, but he always thought it not such a good idea then. Not that I think this what is in the OP though, but there were many places that had tunnels constructed like that , maybe even well before WW2. It makes you think in retrospect.

a reply to: fusiondoe

There is more history underneath our feet than we realise.

Most of our towns and cities have quite a few subterranean structures, passages, tunnels, and old sewer systems from various different time periods in history that have been quite literally forgotten.

Interesting, although I am a Londoner myself, my Mum moved to Gillingham in Kent around 15 years ago and I have spent a lot of time in the Medway towns over the years.

I have heard there are rumoured to be many tunnels underneath Chatham and Gills especially in the Great Lines and Brompton area but not sure how much is true, struggled to find anything online.

P.S I hate to say that Chatham is a very different place now to the fond childhood memories you have. I wouldn't live there now if you paid me... mind you I come from the East End and still live there so ...

a reply to: smurfy

originally posted by: stormcell
The home guard there seemed to love digging tunnels:

sussexhistoryforum.co.uk...

sussexhistoryforum.co.uk...

Some more photographs:

thanetunderground.blogspot.co.uk...

Thanks for these ^

a reply to: fusiondoe

Yeah they are finding them here in Chatham too.

Many where built in the napoleon era but converted in WW1 or WW2.

These can be rather erm intresting as some are armorys filled with guns and grenades.
Full of old radio and radar equipment. I know someone out walking a dog found a cache of 200 submachine guns + grenades and ammo. It was built in ww2 incase the Germans had invaded.

a reply to: fusiondoe

a reply to: smurfy



Wow all 3 of us are chatham chavs then? Haha

Churchill had a lot of people to be resistance in case of German invasion, lots of stuff was done especially down the south coast in pretty much total secrecy as they were intended to delay and annoy any opposition, people quite often find that digging in the garden they'll find some sort of WW2 building and its a right royal pain for the electricity companies as they've got a lot of supplies that they don't know where they go etc.

heard about them on richtv.net and amach 1... if I remember right someone is talking about them