A friend of mine has sent me three photographs of the remains of a Bunker / Observation Post, which he says was built by the British in 1940. It is situated 100 meters under Stella Maris, Haifa, overlooking the Bay. He would very much like to learn more about this installation and has asked me to post on his behalf. Any information would be gratefully received. Regards Tom
Hi Tom, based on what I've seen in the UK (and knowing absolutely nothing about Haifa), I'd guess this was a Battery Observation Post and rangefinder housing for a coastal gun battery. Just an educated guess pending Ron's contact responding... - Pete
Ron/Pete Many thanks and will await your replies. Pete, your suggestion makes sense as there were coastal batteries in place during the First World War, albeit Turkish. As there was, I believe a fear of attack, I presume that British Coastal guns were installed. Regards Tom
Tom This from my Haifa contact, including lots of links: In 1942, there was a period of anxiety for the Yishuv Yishuv - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, when the forces of German General Erwin Rommel Erwin Rommel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia advanced east in North Africa <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Africa> towards the Suez Canal Suez Canal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and there was fear that they would conquer Palestine. This period was referred to as the two hundred days of anxiety 200 days of anxiety - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This event was the direct cause for the founding, with British support, of a range of fortifications many of them in the Carmel Hills both by the British and the Hagana of which this was one - they were supposed to help in a last ditch defence where the Jews would all be gathered into an area along the coast. According to various historians this particular bunker was built by the Hagana and was meant to be the bunker of Yitzhak Sadeh, commander of the Palmach as part of the 'Massada on the Carmel" programme. Hope this has been of some help ron
Ron, Thank you, and please alo convey our thanks your friend. I will transmit the information to my friend Michael, who I am sure will be very interested in the information provided. This information also ties in with Michaels last request about fortifications on Mount Carmel. Sounds like part of the same fortifications. Regards Tom
