Hidden Below Canford Cliffs: A Wartime Time Capsule
During the Second World War, Poole and nearby Bournemouth endured over 50 air raids between July 1940 and February 1944. While Southampton drew the brunt of strategic bombing, Poole’s residential areas were not spared. In Canford Cliffs Park, a semi-subterranean air raid shelter—built by local residents—offered vital protection and a rare sense of solidarity beneath the chaos.
🛠️ Shelter Engineering & Design
- The shelter’s structure spans approximately 20m x 2m x 2m, with corrugated iron sheets bolted to curved steel girders, forming a domed tunnel.
- A low concrete flood wall guards the entrance, likely intended to prevent water ingress during heavy rain.
- Inside, three chambers once held wooden benches, with one section fitted with sinks and urinals—a nod to long-duration occupancy.
- Soil erosion has since exposed the tubular concrete ribs, and a square block at one end marks the emergency exit shaft.
🧾 Wartime Posters & Civil Defence Messaging
- A surviving poster reads: “Bring your Gas Mask with you”—a chilling reminder of the threat of chemical warfare.
- Civil defence leaflets distributed locally instructed families to queue silently, carry ration books, and remain calm to hear the all-clear signal.
- Election posters and morale-boosting slogans were repurposed underground, including chalked messages like “Vote for Victory”.
🗣️ First-Hand Accounts: Life Below Ground
- One resident recalled clutching her mother’s hand as incendiaries screamed overhead, describing the dust, cordite stench, and shrapnel rattling the roof.
- Another survivor described racing from her grandfather’s shop to the shelter, gas mask box in hand, whispering prayers until dawn broke.
- Children collected fragments of downed German aircraft to bring to school—one boy arrived to find his school had been bombed the night before.
🤝 Community Spirit in Crisis
- The shelter became a hub of resilience: ARP wardens organized singalongs, sock-knitting drives, and ration swaps.
- Despite cramped conditions, the space fostered a sense of shared purpose, with neighbours supporting one another through fear and fatigue.
Today, the Canford Cliffs shelter stands as a hidden monument to wartime ingenuity and community strength. Though benches and fittings have vanished, the structure remains accessible—if you bring a torch and a sense of reverence. Descending into its shadowy chambers offers not just a glimpse of history, but a powerful reminder of the courage it took to shelter under siege.
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