I bought this RAF aerial photo of Birkenhead on eBay the other day and thought I'd share it. It was taken in August 1945, soon after the end of the war. What I found striking was the number of brick-built air raid shelters that can be seen dotted in many of the streets. You can spot them as tiny white rectangles (they had concrete roofs). The picture is pretty sharp, but gets blurred as you zoom in.
Higher res version of aerial map.
Thanks, Bert. I think the air raid shelters on the Birkenhead aerial photo were more like these (pictured - not in Birkenhead). They were simple, brick-built structures with flat concrete roofs, which presumably would have been put up very quickly by a gang of workmen. I'm not sure, though, if I'd have liked to take my chances in one, especially with a flat roof and incendiary bombs falling.
If you want to look closer at the aerial photo, I've found it helps to take a screen shot of the area you're interested in, then you can expand it. It does blur eventually, though.
There's 2 or 3 pics the same or similar, none could take a hit, they could only offer blast protection or falling debris.
Thanks again, Bert - I hadn't looked at the rest of the bomb shelter thread to which you referred. It better illustrates the street shelters - they did look miserable places. I seem to remember my mother saying they used Hamilton Square Station as a shelter during the Blitz, but I wonder if that was unofficial.
They tried to stop people using underground stations and tunnels (Queensway) the method in their madness was it just produced a bigger tomb, however this was soon forgotten, the people took no notice and used them anyway, they felt safer, as you would many feet underground.
I can't find it, hopefully someone can, there's a picture on here of Brickie's building one in Birkenhead, I think around Ilchester Sq.
At Hamilton Square station, I remember a time once, years ago, when the lifts were out of order and passengers were led along a long underground passage that brought us out at a side door somewhere. I could imagine people sheltering down there during an air raid - didn't look like it had been dusted since WW2!
At Hamilton Square station, I remember a time once, years ago, when the lifts were out of order and passengers were led along a long underground passage that brought us out at a side door somewhere. I could imagine people sheltering down there during an air raid - didn't look like it had been dusted since WW2!
My memory may be playing tricks, but I seem to remember there was a 'side' door in Shore Road that took you in and out of Hamilton Square Station and involved a long walk down a subterranean passage. This was probably a short cut for people working on the docks.
A bit more info on Hamilton Square Station underground entrance (think these are the doors to it
click
Are the eight large rectangle structures on Canning Street air raid shelters?
For some reason it won't let me view the photos, asks me to return to the previous page. Any ideas?
The brick built shelters that I used in lowther st had rounded roofs not flat.
