The sketch illustrates an emergency trench to accommodate six persons which can be rapidly prepared in a garden. It is drawn from designs prepared at the Home Office. It consists of a shelter 4ft. 6in. deep and 4ft. 6in wide at the top, narrowing to 3ft. 6in. at the bottom. For six persons the trench should be 10ft long. It is covered with corrugated iron or old planks resting on sandbags, sacks or old boxes, filled with earth from the excavation. This covering should be laid at a slight slope to drain off rainwater and should be covered with two or three inches of earth to hold the roof down; the remaining earth should be piled against the sides of the boxes or sandbags. A short length of the roof (just sufficient to admit and adult) should be free from earth covering so that it can be removed in order to admit the occupants, and closed up when they are inside. In many soils it will be found that the sides of the trench will stand without support for a considerable period; but in other soils the sides may tend to fall in, in which case they should be supported by means of boards or corrugated iron as shown in the diagram. The floor of the trench should be cut so as to slope slightly toward a hole in the ground made large enough for a bucket to be dipped in, in order to remove any water which may drain towards the lower end. The floor of the trench should be covered with a layer of cinders or old boards to keep it dry. The trench should be dug some distance from the buildings to avoid the risk of wreckage falling on it. If the space in the garden is large enough the distance should be at least 20ft. A shelter thus made is, of course, not gas proof, but it would provide excellent protection against blast and splinters from high explosive bombs. The occupants should take their gas masks with them to the shelter in case of gas attack.
Peter, when does that date from? The drawing style would make me think more late 1940s-early 50s? phylo, The above details were issued by the Home Office in 1938. Regards Peter.
Obviously predates the Anderson shelter. Air-raid shelter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The above site also mentions reinforced cellars. I remember growing up in an end terraced house with a reinforced cellar which would be used by several families when required. The entrance was direct from the street by lifting up the metal plate which was about a metre square. Inside the cellar were steel pillars and steel I girders supporting the ceiling. I have no idea how good it would have been if it had seen action! Regards Tom
Thread moved to Home Front section. I know this sounds really sad but I'd love a garden big enough to dig something like this in, then again didn't I have enough of living in holes in the ground in my youth? Be a good bit of hands on history learning for my kids though.
