Im looking for some more information on the importance of the British waterways during WWII. ive seen the site regards the royal military canal and how it was built years before to stop the French. many canals have pill boxes situated at strategic points...but was the uk canal system still used to ferry military equipment around and was there use just for the defence of the uk i also think the river thames played a big part in the defence of london and helped control the fires but it obviously gave the Lufftwaffe directions to the City. were there any plans during 1939/1940 to extend any waterways to make areas more defencive. any info on this would be great
RAF, There was an official UK Civil Series history on Inland Transport which would have dealt with this-it also covered trains, road freight, coastal shipping etc. I've got a copy, but it might be tomorrow before I get the chance to look it up for you. I've also got Works & Buildings in the same series, and it might even be in there.
When the local Home Guard to my area were digging in the dragon's teeth and such around North Road Locks, they were asked what they were doing and why? Their response was that they were protecting the canal from possible U-boats coming up it, and they had 2 nets ready for just such an eventuality. I am not kidding here, they genuinely believed U-boats would come up the canal.
