Remaining WW2 Relics

 Air Raid Shelter underneath a shop in Reading now demolished with no trace. Two levels below the building remained a series of arches and vaulted ceilings, the space was originally part of Crypt which connected into the neighbouring building which is Holy Trinity Church by a single way tunnel. The tunnel went off in two directions one directly into the churches Crypt situated in the basement and the other i have no idea as by the time i got down there it was bricked up and ready for demolition. Later on during World War Two the Crypt under the shop and Church was converted into a Public Air Raid Shelter.  One of my greatest finds in Reading so far back in 2017 i managed to find a way into the old Richer Sounds Building 114-116 Oxford Road, i went down two basements before reaching a hatch with a ladder i thought 'WOW what have i just found' in no time i was down that ladder and realised i just found a hidden gem under Reading. Escape Ladder incase the church was bombed. ...

Type 28A Pillbox situated on a field in Sulham. Part of the GHQ Stop Line also called the 'General Headquarters Line' running all the way from South Reading to Oxfordshire with Pillboxes. Imagine how boring it would have been standing in these and hanging around in them waiting for an invasion by the Nazis. Type 28A Pillboxes are evolved versions of the Type 28, they are designed to allow increased firepower by adding a extra section for  infantry loopholes to be placed. The Type 28A Pillbox is a very large rectangle shellproof pillbox designed as a gun house to accommodate a Anti Tank Weaponry.  The Pillbox i photographed below is one of the 6,500 left in the UK. Pillboxes were built in 1940  as part of the British  anti-invasion preparations of World War Two. These arent great photos as they were taken on my mobile but seeing as i was nearby and was testing my drone out, the urge to get some shots of this Pillbox just made me go for it even though it was ...

During the Second World War, the quiet woods around Nettlebed and Peppard were a hive of activity, as camps were set up to accommodate allied troops. Around a quarter of a million personnel were housed there, along with equipment including tanks, trucks and ambulances. One of the groups stationed in the area was the 343rd US Army Engineers. Not much remains of the camp today except a Castle monument built in 1942 known as The Engineers Castle, and another building on Old Camp Road in Nettlebed. There is also a built a sewerage and water treatment plant, which still serves Nettlebed to this day.   Nettlebed US Army Engineers Castle The only bit of the building accessible Building on Old Camp Road Building on Old Camp Road Back of the building Back of the building now used to store cars Back of the building

  RSG6 at Warren Row was not purpose built as a nuclear bunker it has a long and interesting history. It began life as a chalk mine and then at some stage during Word War 2 it became an underground aircraft components factory, I assume to keep the aircraft parts safe from bombing raids. The bunker is not accessible and is now being used by Wine Storage Company....!! My guess this is a escape shaft Escape entrance  Main Entrance into the bunker now sealed off and used Main Entrance Main Entrance into the bunker and courtyard with the guard hut building Guard Hut situated outside the Slope Shaft exit.  Warren Row Conveyor Slope Shaft ***UPDATE REDEVELOPMENT IS STARTING ON SITE*** Vent Shaft  Main Entrance into the bunker Slope Exit from the bunker

 Sadly the shelter was long demolished and nothing remains of it now. Air Raid Precautions such as this shelter on Merton Road in Whitley were set up as a prelude to the Second World War by way of protecting and preparing civilians in the case of an air raid. This photograph was taken for the Berkshire Chronicle but was not published. Where the ARP Shelter would have been on Merton Road in Whitley.

Situated under Station Approach or shall i say the Former Vincents Site, This was a Purposely Built as a WW2 Shadow Factory. The underground space was also said to have been used by Vincents Spitfire Parts where they made aircraft parts then later on shipped them to the underground factory in Henley. The story goes that Reading was one of the chosen production sites after the Vickers Submarine Headquarters in Southampton was bombed in September 1940, later on it was then decided that using one factory was to tempting a target from German Bombers. Therefore this meant Vincents opposite Reading Station, Great Western Motors on Vastern Road and Star Road were allocated for the construction of Spitfire, Wings, Fuselage and engines. After the engines were checked and installed the aircrafts were then shipped of to Cockpole Green near Henley. Its also said that Vickers Armstrong used Reading as dispersed production facility in World War 2 with major sub assemblies in Reading Town Cen...

 Situated on Kidmore Road in Caversham lays a derelict forgotten ARP Wardens Post Shelter. Sadly there is no access to this one anyone, it seems its still there but has been concreted over. This is the only traces above ground i could see of it!

 Disused WW2 Home Guard Building situated in front on a church in Tilehurst. Condition is unknown as its completely sealed. Later on used as a police box/mini station in the 1960s/1970s. What is 'a member of  the Home Guard' ???? The  Home Guard  defended key targets like factories, explosive stores, beaches and sea fronts. At night they patrolled fields in which the enemy gliders or paratroops might land. No one expected them to beat well-trained German soldiers. Their job was  to slow them down until the army arrived.

 Situated on a Former WW2 RAF Base is a derelict Stanton Air Raid Shelter in excellent condition. ***UPDATE 2021 DEMOLITION HAS STARTED ON THE FORMER RAF WOODCOTE SITE, POSSIBLE CHANCE THE SHELTER IS NOW DEMOLISHED***                                                                  Exterior of the shelter  Interior of the shelter incredibly in good condition except the flooding....!!!

  Nice little Trianco Air Raid Shelter, which looks to be in very good condition despite not being used for such a long time. Located to the south of the former airfield. Clambering over many weeds and overgrowth to get to these well hidden remnants of the former airfield tucked away deep in the woods in Hampstead Norreys. Pitch black nothing to see except the occasional owl and the odd field mouse running around the disused shelters, with a howling whistle from the wind echoing through the woods. This modular shelter uses flat section concrete unlike the Stanton which uses contour shape. Every piece from the base, walls, roof, escape hatch, door pillars and drainage made of pre cast concrete. The World War II Airfield at Hampstead Norreys was built in 1940 on a plateau above the village. Originally built as an RAF Bomber Command (No. 15 Operational Training Unit) Station it was operational from the mid 1940’s until hostilities ceased in 1945. The Hampstead Airfield was home to sev...

 Situated in the centre of Market Place outside the Former Barclays Banks lays a derelict ARP Wardens Post, not many know its there but it is...!!!  I was lucky to see this one, as work was going on converting the building into a Burger Bar, when this was ongoing i noticed something rather bizarre outside it which was a hole with steps going down, so i checked it out and got this shot. Not the best of shots but at the end of the day its a shot!!! i didnt have my camera with me sadly at the time. I got home after that and researched what could have been there, it turns out its on the site of a old ARP Wardens Post, now being used to carry water and drainage through pipes!                                                           Inside the ARP Shelter                         ...

  Situated outside on the road running by Hardwick House in Pangbourne lays three forgotten derelict Air Raid Shelters, tucked away in the bushes. All three of them are the same design and all are in amazing condition with the ladders still attached to the escape hatch and the original wooden doors into them. My guess these where built privately for the Hardwick Estate during WW2. I only managed to photograph inside two of them but the third is pretty much the same as the other two.                                                    Exterior of one of the three shelters                                                 Inside one of the shelters pretty much intact