Cabinet's War Offices To Be Preserved

Chronicle (Levin), 23 March 1948, Page 6

Cabinet's War Offices To Be Preserved

Eeceived Montlay, 0.50 p.m. r LU^Joiv,' Alafcii 22l Althougli it has ht*en ainiounceU Lha^ the secref: undefgronnd lieadquartcro beneath Wiiitehail used by\ fire War Cabinet and chiefs of stait" ditrjng th.j war wiil be preserved for the natiA.u,. •it has been decided that the puljlie cau not at preseut be* admitted to them. •Jjhis . prohibitiou is -du'e ty Ihe need - fot securiLy as ihe nix ucres oi undergroumi ■rooms, pa'ssages aird shelters lie par" tlally under the [iresent vah.net ouices. The eonstruction of the Secret lieadquarters tvas commence.l in 1937 an-1 when .ihe Mumeh Conter.ence took place mvorai rooius hnd already been completed. \fhen v-"ur was fonnaliy , de' eiared at li a.m. on Sunday, Heptember 3, 1939, the chiefs of staffa wereactinijiy meetiug in oue of the under ground- rooms. They went uxi to their ofiices a t'ew mrnutes later to iiear the lirst air raiil warmn'g. The secret iieaduuaiters' were extend ed dunng the war uutil they coulu provide sieepmg aecommodatiou for 27!' persons and wor.ki ug spaee for n'ranv more. Today, thc underground \Va. vlalnxiet rooni, the map-ioom and eyier gency undei ground iied-roo.n used b,. .Mr Churchill areje.se as they were le. . wlu'n ihe war tncied. In the Cabinet room 'stand the 2 seats arrangcd in a ludlow square . with tk-e1 seat fonu n ly oc( upied by M. Churchili in the cesure. In 1'ront of M. Churchill 's seai there is a large printe card whieh reads: 'm lease uiiderstam • • there is no depreasion in tliis llouse an-. we are noa interested in the xxossibxlitxe..of defeat. They io not exist. — Victona K.l. " Althougli the si'.eets had been re moved the bed occ- upit'd >y ..sr t lxuft'.Ji ill when he used the shelter is stiu mad'e. It wvas from this room, equippe-: as a comhihed o.n t: and'sieepiixg cixam ber, that Mr barrhill luado uiosi or hii wartime bi !.i.td>*,'isi>. Mr Moville ( nam berlniu broaileast Itis speecti' uiiuouiiCiiig the declaration oi wttr. froux the uixder groiind Ckiunel rooni. Lax'ge maps l nu'ked to snow tn position oi 1 1 1 - ' Ail'ttl io.ee: 011 aii fronls when th \ war t une.I still hang .011 the wai:.- oi ihe map roOin. Dtiie. "maps simi.a' iy niarkeu i.-uug. benind m;curtains in Mlr he.re.mi s oedroom. Oxi a board whi li siiowtd dixilv ^the. Britisli aml enemy air ensualrics are ligures sh'e.,ing Vjhat v, e.C ciaimed to g be the enemy'.- f.sses duxlng th * E.A.F. 's be.-: 'ii\s at the height of the, Battie of Briuun. Th-ese ligxires wero snbsennent 1 v t .und to be exag'gerate'J, but they have been paiixtt-d in as a perm'iuent momona!, ''l.upv g^ave us great ^eneouiagei-it ib at ,tue tim , ic niarked M i' tbiuieluil s w-'Mnime ( h.ei 0f ' Stul'f, ivovd Ismay, who eonducted n jiartv of pressmen over the head (juarti xs I'ias v ee.;. The h-eadiimwteis was mever subje.cled to the test oi' a d-irect bomb hit, but a lOvlO-jiounde. biirsi not -very far away and -hook the ce.iiings. Aeeordjng to Lord Ismay, who was in the Fabine.t i room when it occurred, Mr Churchil! ' rema-rked: 'AVhat a'pity it could nut ni^g'VestlarbTifr TfTLR-es'T'f- mumujoe. j Lord Ismay also disclosed that Mr ! Churchill did not like the unxlergrouml 'shelter. "It was 'ahvays difticult to krep hiniMovrn eere, ne said. " vvheu there was an air raid lie was alwas.much happier if he couhl get up cm the Air Ministry t'oox nnd see wfiat wahappeniii'g. " 'The secret map room during the wa; wxis stalfed i>y xclired officeis specia.lly selectml for the purpose. Facli morniiig' Ihe du'y o oei'x* 'vcii; fioin liie undcwground lu-adqmii* ers to ihe Iving lo gi > e I1S Me.n-'f iiie latcst repor on the jirogress of ihe war. Lhe 1 V 1 1 g severn 1 timxs fisiled the licadquarier. in person.