LIKE A FORTRESS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXV, Issue 12304, 19 April 1937, Page 3

LIKE A FORTRESS

PRIVATE AIK RAID SHELTER A gas and homo-proof shelter, which can hold 150 people for an indefinite period, is being built in secret by Sir Julien Calm in the South Midlands. "This is one of several great air raid shelters we are building throughout Britain,” an official of British Air Raid Shelters, Ltd., told the “Sunday Referee.” “It is the biggest jou we have tackled so far. Thousands of tons of concrete and steel are being used. The shelter Will be completely hidden. Sir Julien has ordered us to build a private theatre above it. ;■ “The theatre stalls alone will seat 350, so you have some idea of the area we are no excavating. So far there is little to see but a hole 4 5 feet deep. When completed, there will be living accommodation for 15« of the baronet’s retainers. There were be food to withstand a siege of Almost indefinite length. The place ls > in truth, a fortress more than a shelter. It will be equipped with tecessdd bunks, wireless, oxygen, electricity for cooking and heating and light, great reserve water supplies, telephone, and, of course a modern drainage system. “The walls will be of concrete more than 8 feet in thickness, reinforced with steel. Surrounding the concrete is a layer of sand designed fo filter poisonous gases should they Penetrate beneath the surface of the earth. The shelter will be absolutely impervious to air bombs or to shells. "We are building similar shelters for private individuals throughout the country. Recently we completed a job for a Mr Upjohn, who lives at Prince’s Way, Wimbledon. He ordered us to construct a shelter capable of housing 25 people for r Period of two weeks at a stretch. ‘W > built him two circular rooms with a connecting (passage. They lie 'beneath his front garden.”