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Cliccare sulle immagini per ingrandirle

Cuando restaurar se convierte en fortaleza
Da ideal.es del 31 dicembre 2018

La Villa fortificada de Íllora, levantada sobre restos de época romana, es el paradigma de actuación positiva. / ADOLFO ESTEBAN

Torres y fortificaciones nazaríes pueblan la provincia de Granada pero no en todas se ha intervenido hasta la fecha con el mismo éxito

En Granada se conservan más de 150 restos de castillos, fortalezas y torres medievales. Son casi tantos como pueblos hay en la provincia (179). Y es que prácticamente en cada uno de ellos existe una construcción de este tipo. «Todos son especiales, singulares, con algo que los hacen diferentes al resto. A veces por su arquitectura, otras  por los acontecimientos históricos de los que fueron testigos o por la importancia de los restos que se han conservado», explica el arqueólogo Ángel Rodríguez, que ha participado en algunas de las actuaciones de restauración ejecutadas hasta hoy. Es precisamente la labor de conservación y restauración de estas infraestructuras históricas lo que supone una mayor inversión para la administración pública. Dentro de esa labor siempre se encuadra la investigación arqueológica. En ocasiones se hace de forma previa a la restauración y otras a la par. «Los resultados son muy dispares y eso provoca que no sepamos lo mismo de todos los castillos en los que aparentemente se ha intervenido, unas veces con éxito y otras con un evidente fracaso», señala Rodríguez.

La diversidad tipológica y funcional de los castillos y fortalezas es dispar. No todos son iguales ni son de la misma etapa. Por su carácter estratégico a lo largo de la historia suelen albergar distintas fases de construcción e incluso funciones cambiantes a lo largo del tiempo. «Muchos de ellos fueron construidos en el siglo XI d.C. pero la mayor parte forman parte del apogeo del reino nazarí de Granada, es decir, entre el siglo XIII y XIV. Hay algunos ejemplos muy bien fechados por las fuentes históricas. Por ejemplo, el castillo de Mondújar, mandado levantar por Muley Hacén en plena guerra con su hijo Boabdil, a finales del siglo XV; o el castillo de Iznájar - en Córdoba, cerca de Loja- que fue convertido en una fortaleza inexpugnable por Pedro I entre 1362 y 1369», apunta el arqueólogo.

Para encuadrar estas construcciones, la primera diferenciación que hacen los  investigadores es entre fortificaciones urbanas y rurales. En las urbanas se incluyen todas las murallas y alcazabas de las principales ciudades del reino, como Granada, Almería y Málaga, pero también las menores como Loja, Guadix, Baza, Almuñécar, Antequera o Ronda. «En todas es común la existencia de una muralla de la medina, más o menos reforzada con antemuro, barbacana y foso, que podía estar presente o no, en la que se abrían puertas fortificadas que controlaban el acceso. En la parte más simbólica y emblemática se encontraba la alcazaba, que tenía a su vez su propia estructura independiente, y el sistema se completaba con las defensas de los arrabales exteriores, unos amurallados y otros no», detalla Rodríguez. En Granada, el paradigma es el Albaicín, cerrado a mediados del siglo XIV con la construcción de la cerca Don Gonzalo, y otros, como el arrabal de la Rambla, que no estuvo amurallado.

En el mundo rural la variedad de fortificaciones es muy numerosa pero de forma  genérica el castillo -hins en árabe- era la pieza elemental y fundamental de todo el sistema. Alrededor de cada castillo se articulaban las alquerías -asentamientos ruralesy un sistema de defensa y conexión con otros por medio de una red de atalayas. Situadas siempre en punto estratégicos por su visibilidad, las torres se comunicaban entre sí por el sistema de ahumadas y en muy poco tiempo se podía informar de los acontecimientos que estaban sucediendo desde la frontera al corazón del reino, la Alhambra. El ejemplo más conocido es la atalaya de Albolote, cuyo emplazamiento explica la conexión visual entre la frontera y la famosa Torre de la Vela.

Torreones significativos

Un modelo intermedio eran las torres de alquería, fortificaciones formadas por una torre, a veces exenta y a veces con recinto amurallado que permitía la protección de los campesinos, de sus cosechas, ganados y aperos de labranza en caso de incursiones de las tropas castellanas. Algunas de estas torres formaban parte de grandes almunias y tenían un significado más bien residencial y aristocrático. «Son muy numerosas y los ejemplos más significativos son el torreón de Las Gabias, el fuerte de Alhendín, la torre de Tocón, la torre de Romilla, la torre del Tío Vayo, en las Albuñuelas, la de Lanteira, la de Ferreira, la torre del Bordonal, en Chauchina...», enumera Ángel Rodríguez. Entre las intervenciones más destacadas de conservación y restauración realizadas en estas fortificaciones destacan las de la alcazaba de Loja, el castillo de Moclín, Zagra, La Peza, la torre del Homenaje de Huéscar, Lanjarón, Íllora, Almuñécar, Salobreña o Píñar, entre otras. Pero Rodríguez subraya sobre el resto, por la simbiosis positiva entre arqueología y restauración, las de Lanjarón, Castril de la Peña y, especialmente, Salobreña e Íllora.

«En otros emplazamientos se han hecho muchas campañas arqueológicas pero las obras de restauración no han llegado a buen puerto y la posibilidad de obtener información relevante se ha visto frustrada, como por ejemplo en Moclín o en Píñar. En otros casos las intervenciones han sido meramente puntuales, como Zagra o La Peza», puntualiza. Y añade: «Los castillos de Lanjarón y Castril se han convertido en un importante reclamo turístico de estos dos municipios, poniendo en evidencia que la investigación y restauración del Patrimonio Histórico, siempre que se hace de forma bien planificada, es capaz de incrementar el valor añadido y el interés de su entorno». Desde su punto de vista las intervenciones más significativas son las de Salobreña e Íllora por varios motivos. «El de Salobreña, excavado en los últimos años por Julio Navarro Palazón, es un castillo que se encontraba oculto por la restauración de Francisco Prieto Moreno de los años 50 del siglo XX y después de las excavaciones se ha podido recuperar parte de su estructura islámica, que tiene mucho que ver con un recinto de tipo palaciego. No olvidemos que fue prisión real durante el siglo XV», indica. En el lado opuesto sitúa al castillo de Píñar. «Se dejaron los restos en coronación y es más probable que se degraden con el paso del tiempo», avanza el arqueólogo.

No obstante, si el arqueólogo tiene que destacar una fortificación en la provincia es, sin duda, Íllora. A su juicio, es «el mejor ejemplo que existe en la provincia para conocer la forma de vida en una pequeña ciudad fronteriza, porque se ha excavado una buena parte de su interior, aflorando la trama urbana, y se han restaurado sus murallas con criterios científicos en los que la arqueología ha jugado un papel muy importante». De hecho, considera que es «la única muestra arqueológica de este periodo de la que podemos disfrutar en Granada».

Cinco aljibes

Ubicado en el centro de Íllora, con fácil acceso, se extiende sobre un cerro con una superficie de 10.000 metros cuadrados, de los cuales se han excavado una tercera parte, aproximadamente. Está organizado en tres sectores, dos urbanos y una alcazaba en la parte más alta. En el sector oriental, que es el más accesible, se encuentra un complejo sistema de acceso muy fortificado y una doble muralla muy potente. «En el interior excavamos entre el 2014 y 2016 una densa trama urbana con calles principales, adarves y una veintena de edificios, algunos identificados como tiendas, talleres, casas y una alhóndiga», recuerda Rodríguez Aguilera. Entre los descubrimientos más relevantes fue la aparición de una calle de conexión directa entre la puerta de la fortaleza y la torre puerta de ingreso en la alcazaba de la que no había ninguna referencia. «Se trata de una gran torre con una puerta en recodo, en la que descubrimos un epígrafe árabe que nos permitirá conocer la fecha exacta de su fundación. Todo está levantado sobre los restos de una fortaleza de época romana», explica. En el interior de la alcazaba se encuentran un gran patio de armas, los restos de la torre del homenaje y, «lo más sorprendente, cinco aljibes con una capacidad de almacenar agua muy superior a la que se estima necesaria para la población». Pendiente de excavación de este castillo queda el sector urbano occidental, conocido como el arrabal. «Pudimos hacer algunas catas en sus murallas para identificar una puerta de acceso por el norte», resalta el arqueólogo. El castillo de Íllora está datado en el siglo XI y todas las grandes reformas arquitectónicas citadas se hicieron en la primer mitad del siglo XIII, justo cuando se consolida la formación del reino nazarí de Granada. Fue conquistado por los reinos cristianos en 1486 y Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba fue nombrado su alcaide. Las obras de restauración de este castillo se acercaron a 2,5 millones de euros, dato que puede servir de guía para hacerse una idea de lo costoso que resulta conservar el patrimonio de fortificaciones que posee la provincia. Es el principal problema al que se enfrentan los especialistas, la financiación. Afrontarlo todo sería muy costoso, por eso, Ángel Rodríguez propone dos casos singulares que la administración debería poner en su punto de mira: Montefrío y Mondújar. 

 

Castillo de San Felipe en Cartagena, ahora tendrá pararrayos
Da caracol.com del 28 dicembre 2018

Con los objetivos de evitar el impacto de rayos que puedan ocasionar perjuicios a los visitantes del Castillo de San Felipe, y de proteger los elementos constitutivos de esta fortaleza, la Escuela Taller Cartagena de Indias (ETCAR), administradora de las Fortificaciones de la ciudad por designio del Ministerio de Cultura, instaló un sistema de pararrayos en tres puntos estratégicos del monumento. Se trata de un moderno equipo certificado en Europa, que establece un apantallamiento en el Castillo de San Felipe a partir de la instalación de tres pararrayos, cuyos radios de acción dan cobertura total al fuerte. El primero se encuentra en la espadaña de la fortaleza, en el punto más alto del Bonete; el segundo está ubicado en la parte alta de la bandera de Colombia, en la batería del Hornabeque; y el tercero, en un poste de energía dentro del glacis del monumento. Para la implementación de este equipo, la ETCAR tuvo en cuenta los beneficios que traería en comparación con los sistemas tradicionales de pararrayos, los cuales contemplan la instalación de un cableado que bordearía la extensión del Castillo de San Felipe, con la utilización de clavos y alambres, lo cual generaría un impacto físico negativo a la fortaleza.

En contraste, este sistema se utiliza específicamente en sitios donde no es posible hacer un apantallamiento multipunto e interconectado, como es el caso del Castillo de San Felipe por su condición monumental, en el cual el sistema solo es visible en tres puntos, cada uno con un radio de acción suficiente para garantizar la protección de los visitantes y la fortaleza como tal. El director general (e) de la Escuela Taller, Álvaro Gómez Poveda, indica que “Estos pararrayos son de los elementos más discretos en el mercado, de las instalaciones más respetuosas con el carácter patrimonial del Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. No son invasivos y su eficacia es del cien por ciento. Con la instalación de este dispositivo no solo estamos procurando la conservación de la fortaleza, sino también la seguridad de nuestros visitantes”.

 

Castillos de Irlanda que te embrujarán
Da nationalgeographic.com del 27 dicembre 2018

Irlanda es tierra de leyendas en la que los castillos lo dominan todo. Desde torres en ruinas hasta preciosos castillos medievales reconvertidos en casas solariegas. ¡Nos vamos de ruta por los castillos de Irlanda!

Castillo de Dunluce

En ruinas, este castillo se ubica al borde de un acantilado en la localidad de Bushmills, en el condado de Antrim. Fue construido por el segundo Conde del Ulster, Richard Òg de Burgh, en el siglo XIII y tras él pasó por las manos de varios propietarios entre los que estuvieron el clan MacDonnell de Antrim. Este castillo aparece en la serie de Juego de Tronos como el castillo de los Greyjoy en Pyke, en las Islas del Hierro. Su acceso se hace a través de un puente que une el pináculo de basalto en el que se encuentra a tierra firme.

Castillo de Trim

El mayor complejo de arquitectura normanda en Europa es este castillo del siglo XII. Construido por Hugh de Lacy y su hijo Walter a orillas del río Boyne en la localidad de Trim, lo más llamativo de él es su torre, el edificio principal de tres plantas. Esta torre está construida en forma cruciforme, de tal manera que un cuadrado parece superponerse a una cruz, lo que le da hasta 20 ángulos distintos. El Castillo de Trim fue uno de los escenarios de la película Braveheart.

Castillo de Malahide

El Castillo de Malahide es el castillo medieval más antiguo de Irlanda. En muy buen estado de conservación, las partes más antiguas datan del siglo XII, aunque la mayor parte se construyó en el siglo XIV. Este castillo ha pertenecido a la familia Talbot desde el siglo XII hasta 1976, cuando Rose Talbot lo vendió consejo del Condado de Dublín como pago de los impuesto de sucesión. Actualmente, acoge un museo ferroviario y una colección de muebles del siglo XVIII.

Castillo de Dromoland

Reconvertido en hotel de lujo, el Castillo de Dromoland se ubica en Newmarket-on-Fergus y los primeros datos de este castillo datan del XV cuando se registra una casa torre a nombre del hijo de Shane Mac Anerheny. Hogar de ocho generaciones de los O'Brien, la construcción actual es de 1835, ideado por Edward O'Brien. Fue el estadounidense Bernard P. McDonough quien lo convirtió en hotel en 1962.

Castillo de Birr

En el condado de Offaly, en Birr, este castillo nació como fortaleza medieval en el siglo XI. Desde el siglo XIV hasta el XVII perteneció a la familia O'Carroll y en 1620 pasó a manos de Sir Laurence Parsons quien le dio parte del aspecto que tiene hoy, ya que el gótico que se ve en su construcción data del siglo XIX. Este castillo pertenece al séptimo Conde de Rosse por lo que las áreas residenciales no están abiertas al público. Sí lo están los jardines y su gran telescopio astronómico de 1845.

Castillo de Dunguaire

Del siglo XVI y ubicado en la parte sur de la bahía de Galway su nombre deriva del “Dun” -fortaleza medieval- del rey Guaire, el legendario rey de Connacht, quien se cree que levantó una torre defensiva en este lugar en el siglo VII. Sobre ella, el clan Hynes construyó este castillo en el siglo XVI. Fue restaurado a mediados del siglo XX y hoy está abierto al público.

Castillo de Lismore

Reconstruido en estilo gótico en el siglo XIX, nació como abadía en el siglo VII. Tras ser un importante centro monástico, en el siglo XII Juan de Inglaterra construyó un castellum y los Condes de Cork y Burlington lo fortificaron en siglos posteriores. Actualmente es propiedad de los duques de Devonshire y solo se puede visitar sus jardines.

Castillo de Blarney

En la localidad de Blarney, cerca de Cork, este castillo del siglo XIII fue levantado sobre una construcción de madera del siglo X. Parcialmente derruido, actualmente se puede ver su torre de 38 metros de altura y la "piedra de la elocuencia" o "piedra de Blarney". Esta piedra, se dice que es un fragmento de la Piedra de Scone, obsequio de Robert I de Escocia a Irlanda en agradecimiento de su colaboración en la Batalla de Bannockburn, en la Guerras de la Independencia de Escocia contra Inglaterra en el siglo XIV. Según cuenta la leyenda, quien besa la piedra adquiere el poder de la palabra.

Castillo de Kilkenny

Levantado sobre una torre normanda del siglo XII en un promontorio a orillas del río Nore, este castillo perteneció a la familia Butler, condes de Ormond, desde el siglo XIV hasta 1936, cuando pasó a manos estatales. Actualmente, se puede visitar y en su interior acoge la una colección de la Galería de Arte Nacional de la República de Irlanda.

Castillo del Rey Juan

En Limerick, el Castillo del Rey Juan es una espectacular fortificación de 800 años de antigüedad, construida sobre un bastión vikingo. Ubicado a orillas del río Shannon, en la Isla del Rey, es uno de los castillos mejor conservados de Irlanda del permanecen sus muros exteriores y las torres fortificadas. En su interior, los visitantes puedes ver dramatizaciones y exposiciones de la historia del castillo así como el asedio de Limerick de 1690.

 

Secret Cold War rail centre in Bricket Wood listed
Da bbc.com del 21 dicembre 2018

A Cold War railway control centre designed to survive an atom bomb attack has been given listed building status.

The disused Air Raid Precaution Railway Control Centre was constructed in Station Road, Bricket Wood, in 1954 as a defence against Soviet aggression. In the event of a war, key rail workers from London Euston were to be sent there to keep the trains running.

Historic England has recognised the building as being of "both special architectural and historic interest".

The Grade II listing means it will be added to the National Heritage List and given extra protection under planning law.

 

'Tangible evidence'

The secret control centre, near St Albans in Hertfordshire, measures 36ft (10.9m) by 95ft (28.9m) and was built beside Bricket Wood rail station at a cost of £8,500 - about £230,000 in today's value. The 2ft (0.6m) exterior, windowless walls are made of reinforced concrete with two steel doors at either end.

It was hidden in a wood, more than 10 miles from the centre of London, the likely epicentre of a missile strike, and was to be one of 25 centres around the country, although only five were completed. Falling into disuse decades ago, it was at one time used for storage by a building supplies company.

Historic England said it was of historic significance because it is "tangible evidence of the strategic national response to the perceived threat of hostility to British government, security, infrastructure and the civil population during Cold War tensions". St Albans district councillor Mary Maynard said: "I am pleased that it has now been given listed building protection, so that any modifications can only be made with consent from us."

 

THE BEAUTIFUL STAR SHAPED FORT CITIES OF THE NETHERLANDS [WITH DRONE FOOTAGE]
Da mysteriousuniverse.org del 21 dicembre 2018

The Netherlands is known for its beautiful canals in the heart of cities like Amsterdam (https://www.meetthecities.com/amsterdam/) and Utrecht. But outside of the major cities you will find a lot of well preserved star shaped fortress towns. Contrary to the fortifications of regular middle ages cities who were protected by city walls, these fortified cities were originally built as national strategic defenses across the country using moat, canals, bastions, ravelins and so on to protect important borders, roads and waterways. In this blog we check out breathtaking aerial drone footage of some of the most amazing star shaped fortifications in the Netherlands.

HEUSDEN

Heusden is a city strategically located between the provinces Holland and Brabant. This 12th century city was also one of the first places to gain city walls in the Netherlands. Heusden has faced many destructive disasters throughout history, which you can still see in the castle ruins within the city today, but the city in general was always rebuild. Today the city stands as as beautiful as ever, and in the center you will find some nice little cafe terraces to sit down at on a sunny day.

NAARDEN

Defending the access to Amsterdam you will find one of the most well preserved fortress cities in Europe. And with its wide canals and church Naarden is a local favorite among star shaped fort cities. You can walk over the defense works, visit the Netherlands Fortress Museum inside one the bastions and during the weekends you can even take a boat tour through the canals. Naarden is part of a larger defense network called the Waterlines, which is a network of fortresses and wartime canals that can be flooded in case of an invasion.
As one of the more impressive looking and tourist friendly fortress towns we have also recommended Naarden as one of the best places to visit nearby Amsterdam (https://www.meetthecities.com/guide/amsterdam/amsterdam-activities-nearby/).

WILLEMSTAD

Within the Kingdom of the Netherlands the colorful and culturally rich capital of the Island Curaçao is called Willemstad. But within the mainland of the Netherlands you will also find a neat little fort city called Willemstad. This city named after William of Orange both protected Holland from troops advancing north and it kept hostile boats from sailing down the most important Dutch rivers. Even in the second world war it functioned as a defensive position. As a strategically placed military fort and historical monument Willemstad is a great representation of the ingenuity and importance of Dutch architecture.

FORT BOURTANGE

Fort Bourtange is arguably the most famous star shaped fort town in the Netherlands. William of Orange had ordered to build this fortification to cut off an enemy supply route from Germany. As civilians settled in the fort it eventually became a stronghold. In the Netherlands only places with city rights were allowed to build city walls, but Fort Bourtange was one of the rare exceptions.
Due to its extensive fortifications and canals, ancient Tilia trees and multiple small museums, including an old military barracks, Fort Bourtange is arguably the most well known and popular Fort town in the Netherlands and is often considered a highlight for Asian tourists.

BRIELLE

Brielle can be considered the true birthplace of the Netherlands. It was the capture of city Brielle by the Watergeuzen (meaning Sea Beggars, as they were Dutch pirates allied with William of Orange) which sparked the Dutch rebellion and encouraged surrounding cities to declare independence of Spain. Which was a historical event which laid the foundation for the Netherlands as we know it.

The city of Brielle has some interesting sights as well. The 57 meter high church of Brielle for example was originally meant to become the largest church in Holland, but it was never entirely finished. It was also here that William of Orange married to his life.

Author: Chris Bell (https://www.meetthecities.com/travel-blog/author/chris/)
Filed Under: Europe (https://www.meetthecities.com/travel-blog/category/europe/)

 

Escuela Taller proyecta sus fortificaciones
Da eluniversal.com.co del 15 dicembre 2018

Varias fortificaciones históricas de las zonas insulares de Cartagena podrían servir como centros de actividad cultural y atractivos para turistas nacionales y extranjeros. Así lo dio a conocer la Escuela Taller Cartagena de Indias, cuyas directivas hicieron una rendición de cuentas en la que se incluyó un recorrido por los monumentos de la zona insular, pero específicamente del corregimiento de Bocachica. Álvaro Gómez Poveda, director de la Escuela Taller, dijo que durante 2018 su despacho gestionó acuerdos con el Ministerio de Cultura para continuar aplicando mejoras a los monumentos, algunos de los cuales estuvieron abandonados hasta 2012, pero recuperó la Sociedad de Mejoras Públicas y se los entregó en comodato a la Escuela Taller, que ha logrado recaudar, hasta el momento, más de 12 mil millones de pesos durante los seis años del préstamo. “Las inversiones que se necesitan para recuperar los monumentos al cien por ciento son incalculables, pero se van aplicando por etapas, que podrían durar entre 20 y 25 años”, indicó Gómez Poveda, refiriéndose a los baluartes San José, Ángel de La Popa y el fuerte San Fernando, en Bocachica; como también el horno Cocón, de la isla de Barú, y el aljibe de Tierrabomba. Advirtió que todos los fuertes están destinados a la actividad cultural, en donde las comunidades deben participar decididamente. Mario Zapateiro Altamiranda, director de obras de la Escuela Taller, contó que algunas obras coloniales están en tierras privadas, como el horno Cocón, pero la entidad las ha rescatado, después de estar atrapadas por la maleza, la intemperie y el comején, “aunque todavía falta construirles muelles y espacios peatonales y de descanso para los visitantes”. Dichos hornos, junto con los aljibes, fueron la infraestructura industrial de la época, empezando porque con ella se fabricaba la materia prima con que se levantarían las murallas y los fuertes que debían proteger la ciudad. “En el Fuerte San José --comentó Zapateiro-- tenemos que es uno de los más afectados por la subida de las mareas, por lo cual ahora mismo tiene sus espacios inferiores llenos de agua y de lodo, pero se espera trabajar en eso para convertirlo en una especie de centro de convenciones y de manifestaciones culturales, a las cuales todos los públicos tendrán acceso gratis, con el fin de generar el sentido de apropiación que necesita la comunidad respecto a sus monumentos”.“

 

Strange But True: The WWII Fort That Became a Country
Da warhistoryonline.com del 16 dicembre 2018

Sealand. Photo: Ryan Lackey / CC-BY-SA 2.0

About seven nautical miles from Britain’s east coast stands what was once Fort Roughs Tower but is now the Principality of Sealand, ruled over its own royal family.

During World War 2, Britain constructed several metal gun towers to try and protect the coastline from German sea attacks.

One of these was Fort Roughs Tower, which was to become known as “Roughs Tower.” The 6,000 square foot fort could house up to 120 seamen who would man the guns: two 40mm Bofors light anti-aircraft guns alongside two 94mm Vickers heavy anti-aircraft guns.

Location of Sealand. Map: David Liuzzo / CC-BY-SA 4.0

At the time that Roughs Tower was built, British territorial waters extended three miles from the coast.

However, Roughs Tower was built seven miles from the coast, technically putting it in international waters.

 

 

 

Since these towers were technically constructed illegally, they should have been destroyed when they were abandoned in the 1950s. Some were, but Roughs Tower remained. It stood there, deserted and mostly forgotten, until the 1960s when pirate radio stations began to crop up. At the time, BBC Radio Services did not play pop music with DJs like it does now, but in the Sixties there was a growing demand for such entertainment.

As a result, people began to create their own radio stations, often based on boats which could broadcast from outside territorial waters and therefore not break any of the strict broadcasting laws. Now was the time for Roy Bates to take center stage.

Roy was the son of Harry Bates, who had served as a Royal Artillery lieutenant in the First World War. Roy himself joined the army, becoming an infantry major in the First Battalion Royal Fusiliers City of London Regiment Roy Bates set up a radio station Knock John Tower, one of the abandoned naval forts. However, he found himself in a constant battle against the government who claimed he couldn’t be there because the fort fell within the UK’s jurisdiction.

Sealand from above. Photo: Ryan Lackey / CC-BY-SA 2.0

On Christmas Eve 1966, Roy moved to Roughs Tower, intending it to be the next base of his radio station.

But it turned out to be much more than that. On September 2, 1967, he announced that Roughs Tower was now, in fact, the Principality of Sealand.

He both unveiled and raised the first ever Sealand flag. He became Prince Roy and his wife was Princess Joan.

The British government took one look at this declaration and promptly sent military personnel to destroy the remaining forts.

Roy Bates and his family watched the forts being destroyed, and when the demolition crew passed by, they called out to the Bates family: “You’re next!”

Sealand’s “datacenter”. At a later point there were about 10 more machines and a couple ethernet switches, nothing more. Photo: Ryan Lackey / CC-BYSA 2.0

However, the next year saw a huge leap in the recognition of Sealand as an independent state.

Roy had two children, Penny and Michael.

A boat was passing, possibly a military vessel, possibly not, the sources are unclear.

What is for certain is that the crew shouted lewd comments at Penny, and the impetuous Michael fired warning shots over their heads.

 

Sealand’s pantry. Rarely was this food eaten, mainly fresh groceries from tesco online were purchased, delivered to the dock, and taken out to Sealand by boat. Photo: Ryan Lackey / CC-BY-SA 2.0

Roy and Michael were summoned to appear before the court in Essex under the Firearms Act 1937 on November 25, 1968.

However, the judge concluded that the court had no jurisdiction in the case because Roughs Tower/Sealand was beyond British territorial waters.

As such, British law did not apply.

 

 

Map of Sealand and the United Kingdom, with territorial water claims of 3 and 12 nmi (6 and 22 km) shown. Map: Chris 73 / CC-BY-SA 3.0

Thrilled with this success, Roy created a constitution and a currency, as well as issuing passports and stamps. He gave his new state a motto: “E Mare Libertas” meaning “From the Sea, Freedom.” It wasn’t just Bates who saw value in this new nation – others were interested too, and Bates had to defend his fledgling country from an invasion in 1977. Sealand encountered a setback in 1987 when Britain extended its territorial waters from three miles to twelve, thus bringing Sealand within its territorial waters.

Despite that, the government has made no serious effort to reclaim the fort, but then there have been no major incidents requiring them to intervene either. Sealand lives on today, although without its royal family. In 2006, Roy and Joan retired to Spain, leaving Sealand under the control of Michael as “Prince Regent.” However, Michael now lives in Essex, and Sealand’s main resident is a solitary caretaker. Roy Bates died on October 9, 2012, and Michael became the ruler of Sealand. Michael has named his own son, James, as “Prince Royal.” Whether or not Sealand is a sovereign state has been debated in the press, in legal textbooks and even in the House of Lords. Whatever its status, its online shop seems to be doing well. You can purchase anything from t-shirts to commemorative coins and even a pack to make you a Baron, Count, or Duke of Sealand.

Read another story from us: The Secret Nazi Super Fortress in Antarctica – Fact or Fiction? The family might not live there anymore, but Roughs Tower still stands, just as the army intended when it was first built. The fort has gone from being an obscure utilitarian structure to its own micronation. It stands as a testament to the fact that, sometimes, the spoils of war can take on a whole new lease of life. Charlotte Bond

 

Opération délicate : six heures pour déplacer un bunker au musée de Quinéville !
Da actu.fr del 15 dicembre 2018

L’opération est très délicate : déplacer un bunker de la Seconde guerre mondiale n’est pas une mince affaire… C’est pourtant ce qu’a entrepris Jean-François-Herry, collectionneur passionné à la tête du musée dédié à la Seconde Guerre mondiale depuis deux ans.

Déplacé à 150 m Avec le soutien de la municipalité et malgré les conditions météorologiques difficiles, le déplacement a débuté samedi 15 décembre, peu avant 10 heures. A LIRE AUSSI : un Bunker mis au jour à Quinéville et bientôt déplacé

Une entreprise d’Isigny-sur-Mer, spécialisée dans le domaine, est à la manoeuvre. Depuis 8 h 30, ils ont commencé l’installation du matériel et de la grue de 180 tonnes, nécessaire pour assurer ce challenge.

« Peu de personnes savaient qu’il existait » Le but : déplacer ce bunker devant le musée situé à 150 mètres de son emplacement d’origine. Jean-François Héry raconte : Avant, il y avait un massif de fleurs au-dessus du bunker. Si bien que peu de personnes savaient qu’il existait, et où était son emplacement exact. On souhaitait depuis longtemps en acquérir un, afin de faire visiter gratuitement ce bâtiment. L’occasion s’est présentée et avec le soutien de la mairie, nous avons eu les autorisations nécessaires. Ce sera un vrai plus pour ce musée, que nous souhaitons développer.

Blockhaus de plus de 42 tonnes ! Maille par maille, les réglages s’effectuent, comme l’explique Jean-François Héry : Object 1 Nous avons estimé le poids du bunker, qui est plus précisément un tobruk, à 32 tonnes. Nous devons à présent répartir cette charge équitablement pour trouver un équilibre qui permettra de le soulever. Cela prend du temps, nous pensons en avoir pour plusieurs heures.

Dès que l’édifice en béton armé a pu décoller du sol, son poids a été revu à la hausse : il ne faisait pas 32 mais 42 tonnes, ce qui a nécessité l’arrivée d’un camion avec une capacité supérieure pour son transport, et une heure d’attente pour l’équipe. Le responsable du World War II Museum était quand même confiant : Nous avons pu poser le blockhaus sur la route sans problème, tout va bien se passer. Il faut juste prendre le temps nécessaire.

A 14 heures, l’opération s’est achevée avec succès. Plus de six heures de labeur, pour la plus grande satisfaction des responsables, mais aussi des visiteurs qui découvriront l’installation complète à la réouverture, le 1er avril prochain.

 

Pirmasens: Neukonzeption Westwallmuseum stockt: RHEINPFALZ.de
Da rheinpfalz.de del 12 dicembre 2018

Das Westwallmuseum in Niedersimten – hier der Eingangsbereich – habe großes Potenzial, glaubt der US-Historiker John Proven. ( Archivfoto: Seebald)

Die Neukonzeption des Niedersimter Westwallmuseums stockt. Das Mainzer Wissenschaftsministerium wollte eigentlich im Frühjahr ein mit mehreren Ressorts abgestimmtes Konzept öffentlich vorstellen. Der Historiker, der damit beauftragt werden sollte, wartet aber immer noch auf seinen Auftrag. Der werde derzeit ausgearbeitet, heißt es aus dem Ministerium. Dessen Sprecher, Markus Nöhl, hofft, bis Mitte 2019 das Gesamtkonzept fertig zu haben. Wie mehrfach berichtet, hatte ein überregionaler Bericht über das Niedersimter Westwallmuseum eine Diskussion ausgelöst, wie die Sammlungen des privat betriebenen Museums so überarbeitet werden könnten, dass auch der historische Kontext des Westwalls entsprechend dargestellt wird. Aktuell liegt der Schwerpunkt mehr auf der Technik und hier speziell auf der Waffentechnik. Ein erster Anlauf für diese Neukonzeption im Rahmen des europaweiten Programms „Land of Memory“ war gescheitert, da die Antragsfrist vonseiten des Landes versäumt worden war. Bisher noch nichts Konkretes Jetzt will sich das Wissenschaftsministerium um die Neukonzeption kümmern und hat dazu den US-Amerikaner John Proven begeistern können. Der in Hessen lebende Historiker war bereits mehrfach im Niedersimter Westwallmuseum, wie Proven im Gespräch mit der RHEINPFALZ erzählt. „Das würde ich gerne machen“, meinte Proven. Als US-Amerikaner könne er das Thema „Westwall“ entspannter angehen als dies vielleicht bei einem deutschen Historiker der Fall wäre. Das Problem für Proven ist jedoch, dass er im Frühjahr  diesbezüglich angesprochen worden sei und bis jetzt noch nichts Konkretes von Seiten des Ministeriums gehört habe. Für eine detaillierte Neukonzeption brauche er aber ein klares „Go“ aus Mainz und im Januar werde er eine langfristig geplante Reise antreten, die bis Mai dauern werde, erklärte Proven weiter. Im Wissenschaftsministerium ist dessen Sprecher Markus Nöhl zuversichtlich, dass es bis Mitte des kommenden Jahres eine fertige Gesamtkonzeption geben werde. „Die Planungen für eine Neukonzeption sind im Gange“, sagte Nöhl auf Anfrage der RHEINPFALZ. Neben Gesprächen mit Proven will das Ministerium noch die Landeszentrale für politische Bildung einbinden. Hier verweist Nöhl auf die kürzlich erschienene Publikation „Der Westwall, Entstehung, Bauten, Wirkung, Relikte“ von Werner Schmachtenberg. „Der Autor stellt den Westwall in den Rahmen der europäischen Festungsgeschichte, stellt ihn aber auch in den Kontext der politischen, militärischen, wirtschaftlichen, sozialen und kulturellen Geschichte“, sagt Nöhl. Es habe im Oktober Gespräche zwischen Schmachtenberg und Proven gegeben für eine potentielle Zusammenarbeit. Großes Potenzial Auf die Frage nach dem Finanzrahmen für die Neukonzeption konnte der Ministeriumssprecher zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt noch keine Aussage treffen. Proven selbst sieht in dem Niedersimter Museum großes Potenzial. „Der Standort ist etwas abseits und nicht einfach zu finden“, lautet seine Einschätzung. Die Klimatisierung der unterirdischen Stollenanlage sei ebenfalls ein Problem. Gerade im Sommer sei dies für Besucher eine Herausforderung mit kurzen Hosen im kalten Stollen. Hier könnte sich Proven aber eine Lösung mit gebrauchten Feldjacken der US-Armee vorstellen. Die Sammlung des Niedersimter Museumsvereins erachtet der US-Historiker als sehr interessant. „Da wurde viel Liebe und Schweiß reingesteckt. Es fehlt nur noch der letzte Schliff“, so Proven, der überzeugt ist, dass nach der Überarbeitung das Westwallmuseum eine Bereicherung für die ganze Region sein wird. Und hier bezieht Proven explizit die US-Amerikaner ein, die auf der Airbase in Ramstein arbeiten oder dort auf der Durchreise sind. „Auf der Airbase ist das noch weitgehend unbekannt“, so Provens Einschätzung nach Gesprächen mit seinen Landsleuten in Ramstein. Von Klaus Kadel-Magin

 

Tourismusmagnet und Bildungsstätte
Da moz.de del 12 dicembre 2018

Die Festung Küstrin vom Süden her: Vorn ist  die „Kietzer Pforte“ zu sehen. Sie hat ihren Namen vom slawischen Kietz, der bis 1537 dort, an der alten Warthemündung, stand. Bis 1817 floss die Warthe dort in die Oder. Danach wurde der Friedrich-Wilhelm-Kanal ihr Bett bis zur Mündung nördlich der Neustadt

Küstrin (MOZ) Redakteure der Lokalredaktionen Eisenhüttenstadt, Frankfurt, Seelow und Bad Freienwalde sind in der Adventszeit markanten Gebäuden und Ansichten auf der Spur. Wir veröffentlichen jeden Tag ein Bilder-Rätsel und verlosen einen Preis. Heute die Auflösung unseres Dienstagsrätsels – Festung Küstrin.

„Jenseits der Oder, wo zwischen Werft und Weiden die Warthe rechtwinklig einmündet, liegt Küstrin, ein durch die Jahrhunderte hin in den Geschichten unseres Landes oft genannter Name. Oft, aber selten freudig. Etwas finster Unheimliches ist um ihn her, und in meiner Erinnerung sehe ich den Ort, der ihn trägt, unter einem ewigen Novemberhimmel.“ So beginnt Theodor Fontane sein Küstrin-Kapitel in den „Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg“.

Freilich, wer von der einstigen „Langen Vorstadt“, dem heutigen Küstrin-Kietz und dem darin eingeschlossenen Kietz in Richtung Altstadt fährt, der wird Fontane von Herzen recht geben: Dem trostlosen Anblick des Bahnhofsareals folgt der deutsch gebliebene Teil der Altstadt mit den verfallenen Artilleriekasernen, die seit dem Abzug  der GUS-Streitkräfte leer stehen, aber als Denkmal geschützt sind. Der Rest der „Oderinsel“, auf der sich bis zur Einäscherung durch die französischen Besatzer 1814 die Lange Vorstadt und der Kietz befanden, ist heute Totalreservat des Naturschutzfonds. Eine Altlastenbefreiung unterblieb so weitgehend.

Etwas unheimlich sind auch die Brücken für Gleise und Straße. Sie sind marode. sehen sie jedoch einer Erneuerung entgegen. Die eigentliche Festung aber ist dank der langjährigen Bemühungen der polnischen Stadtverwaltung von Kostrzyn und des emsigen Museumsteams um den ehemaligen Deutschlehrer Ryszard Skalba zum touristischen Magneten geworden. Dessen Einrichtungen leisten auch einen großen Teil an Bildung und Aufklärung. Das  vor zehn Jahren gegründete städtische Museum lockte allein in diesem Jahr wieder 12 000 zahlende Besucher an. Rund 4600 davon waren Deutsche. Hinzu kommen noch einmal Tausende, die die Anlagen an der Oder zur Erholung nutzen, ohne die Dauerausstellung im Museum oder in der Bastion Philipp zu besuchen. Es sind Hochzeitspaare, die die Kulisse für romantische Fotos nutzen, Werbeagenturen, Filmproduktionsfirmen, Angler und Ausflügler. Neben Polen und Deutschen kommen Gäste aus aller Welt in diesen Kulturerbeort von europäischem Rang. Unter dem Namen „Küstriner Pompej“ wird von polnischer Seite auf die Ruinen der Altstadt verwiesen, die nach der Schlacht um die am 15. Januar 1945 erneut zur Festung erklärten Stadt  übrig sind. Wobei Küstrin, anders als das antike Pompej, nicht durch Vulkanasche, sondern durch einen menschengemachten Krieg erlosch.

Der Spaziergang beginnt am Berliner Tor, das gleich hinter der Oderbrücke in die Altstadt führt. Dadurch fuhr ab 1925 sogar eine Straßenbahn in Richtung Altstadt-Bahnhof auf der Oderinsel oder zur Neustadt jenseits der Warthe.  Man bekommt einen ersten Eindruck von der Altstadt, deren erste urkundliche Erwähnung auf 1232 datiert ist.  Vom Marktflecken zur Festung hat sie Markgraf Johann von Küstrin gemacht, der 1535 seinen Erbteil von Brandenburg unter dem Namen „Neumark“ zum Fürstentum erklärte und Küstrin zu dessen Residenz und Hauptstadt. Er baute die Stadt zur Festung aus, deren Mauern den Küstrinern ebenso Schutz bot wie auch Fesseln für eine Entwicklung anlegten.

Empfehlenswert ist der Aufstieg  über die gerade erst freigelegte Granittreppe hinauf auf die Brüstung des Berliner Tores. Von dort hat man einen guten Überblick über das Altstadtareal. Auf dieser Treppe haben einst auch die Küstriner, die nach 1945 aus den von der Sowjetunion vereinnahmten ehemaligen polnischen Ostgebieten an die Oder gekommen waren, die ersten Fotos nach der Ankunft gemacht. Dort oben gab es einen sowjetischen Ehrenfriedhof mit Obelisk und Kanone. Vor wenigen Jahren wurde festgestellt, dass dort nie Gefallene bestattet wurden.

Der Weg zur Bastion König, dem mächtigsten Bauwerk, das Ankommende von der Oderbrücke her als erstes wahrnehmen, ist noch gesperrt. Vergeblich hat sich die Stadt bislang um Fördermittel zur Sanierung dieser Bastion bemüht. Aber der Weg zum „Kattewall“ ist frei. Dieser ab 1929 für die Zivilbevölkerung zugänglich gemachte Boulevard auf den Festungsmauern erinnert an ein geschichtsträchtiges Ereignis, das auch Fontane ausführlich beschreibt. Unweit dieses Walles wurde am 6. November 1730 Hans Hermann von Katte enthauptet. Und zwar der Legende nach vor den Augen  seines Freundes, des jungen Kronprinzen Friedrich, der mit seinem Freund nach einem Fluchtversuch des Hochverrats für schuldig befunden worden war.

Vom Kattewall geht es südwärts zur Bastion Philipp, die wie die anschließende Kietzer Pforte umfassend saniert wurde. Dort befindet sich eine moderne Ausstellung zur Festungsgeschichte, die allerdings unter der Feuchtigkeit der alten Kasematten leidet.

Das Museumsteam hat die alten Straßenschilder wieder aufgestellt und weist auf wichtige Gebäudestandorte hin. Unverfehlbar ist das große Kreuz in den Ruinen der einst wunderschönen Stadtpfarrkirche St. Marien. Den Klang von zwei ihrer einst vier Glocken kann man heute übrigens noch hören. Sie läuten seit 1948 in der Eberswalder  Maria-Magdalenen-Kirche.

Unter den Lesern, die am Dienstag richtig getippt haben, wurde Regine Kersten aus Seelow ausgelost. Der Gewinn liegt in der Lokalredaktion Seelow bereit. Ihren Tipp, welches Gebäude wir in dieser Ausgabe suchen, geben Sie bitte heute zwischen 11 und 12 Uhr unter Tel. 0335 5530592 oder E-Mail frankfurt-red@moz.de ab.

 

Spot on: Russia to track future US missiles with upgraded over-the-horizon radar
Da rt.com del 11 dicembre 2018

Hypersonic Technology Vehicle HTV-2 reentry (artist's impression) © DARPA Falcon Project

In response to US plans to pull out of the INF Treaty and the active development of its hypersonic technology, Russia is building a network of radar stations best suited to detect missile launches from afar.

Russia is seeking to install Container-type over- he-horizon (OTH) radar stations along its borders. The move will substantially boost Moscow's capabilities to monitor airspace and detect missile launches, particularly in case of hypersonic projectiles.

Looking beyond the horizon

An OTH radar employs completely different technology, compared with conventional radar installations that only provide "line-of-sight" coverage limited to a range of dozens or hundreds of kilometers at best. OTH systems rely on radio waves bouncing off the ionosphere, Earth's top layer that is heavily ionized by space rays. Radio beams of a specific frequency projected by an OTH transmitting antenna get bounced down high up in the sky and on their way back to the ground can be reflected back by aircraft, ships or missiles. The return signal then travels back to the receiving antennas, again, via the ionosphere. This technique extends coverage to thousands of kilometers.

Russian researchers had to develop new equipment and processing algorithms to compensate for the interference caused by Sun's radiation in the ionosphere. It takes sophisticated mathematical algorithms to isolate relevant targets and, and more so to determine their velocity and direction based on the Doppler shift.

The idea of using radio waves reflected off the ionosphere to detect over-the-horizon targets was originally floated back in the 1940s, but it took some time to quash initial doubts that background noise would be too strong to track faraway objects. Research in this area resumed in the Soviet Union in 1958, after scientists proved that aircraft could be detected at a range of up to 3,000km on a single-hop propagation and ballistic missile launches can be detected at a range of up to 6,000km on a two-hop propagation.

The Duga experiment

VHF radar "Voronezh", Leningrad Region © Sputnik / Alexander Yuriev

The experimental N-17 Duga-I OTH radar was deployed near the city of Nikolayev in the 1960s. Although it failed to fully meet the expectations of the military, the installation served as a proof-of-concept, showing that it was possible to detect a relatively weak signal amid a much more intensive background clutter. The system was also configured to automatically adapt to changes in the reflective properties of the ionosphere and to filter out strong sources of noise radiation.

The combat-worthy 5N32 Duga was ready to enter service in 1971. The first radar was deployed in Ukraine, with the receiving antenna placed 10km away from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and the transmitting antenna located near the town of Lubech in Chernigov Region. The second was installed in the Far East, near the town of Bolshoi Kartel outside of Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

They managed to detect American space rockets launched at Cape Canaveral. Following multiple upgrades, the Duga was able to provide consistent detection of Space Shuttle launches and Titan ballistic missiles from Cape Kennedy – 7,000-9,000km away. Nevertheless, all attempts to detect Minuteman missile launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base via the polar section of the ionosphere were in vain.

Despite the success, the Soviet OTH program had to give way to the space-based ballistic missile launch early warning technology. Some influential military specialists who were involved in the OTH research were skeptical about its merits. But the Duga project still yielded many practical achievements that were later used in the development of the next-generation OTH systems.

Container OTH

The space component of the ICBM launch early-warning system is pretty good at detecting launches from US soil. But it is not capable of getting the coordinates for targets. In the early 1990s, over-the-horizon radar technology became relevant again, but there was no point in replicating the gigantic antennas after the fall of the Soviet Union. So, Russian engineers began developing the next generation of OTH radar. Due to budgetary constraints, most of the work was done in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The Container (29B6) 2-coordinate OTH radar was created by the Scientific and Research Institute for Long-Distance Radio Communication (NIIDAR). The equipment can be stored in transport containers and delivered anywhere, reducing the need for on-site construction work.

The radar section of the system includes two antennas – the transmitter and the receiver. Each is provided with its own control area and a personnel housing unit. The control equipment includes antenna-feeder systems, communications and other hardware. The receiver antenna array consists of over 140 antenna masts, each 34m high (about the height of a 10-story building). The station detects and tracks all aerodynamic targets, including small planes, within a 240 degree arc.

The 29B6 OTH radar was reported as deployed for trials near the town of Kovylkino in Mordovia in December 2013. This is where the receiving antennas and main processing equipment were located. The transmitting antennas were located outside Gorodets in Nizhny Oblast. This was the first OTH radar capable of monitoring airspace up to a range of over 3,000km. Its coverage included airspace over Poland, Germany, and the Baltics all the way to Turkey, Syria, and Israel.

Unlike the Duga, the Container's signal is reflected by the ionosphere only once, allowing for more accurate target detection. This allows it to track even small planes over Western Europe. The station can detect a mass launch towards Russia of cruise missiles, deployments of aircraft and hypersonic cruise missiles, when they are ready.

Upgrading the watchful eye

By 2018, the Container system was significantly improved. In early December, the Ministry of Defense announced that upgraded OTH radar is now on trial duty in Russia's Mordovia region. In six months, it is expected to be fully operational and enter regular service.

Basically, the same location was used for the deployment of a new OTH radar station that is far superior to the old Container (29B6). The new station has a larger detection zone. Now it is capable of discovering aerodynamic targets in a 240-degre arc, compared to 180 degrees for the old system. The computing systems and tracking stability have been improved significantly.

The new Container radar is capable of detecting and tracking over 5,000 air targets simultaneously. It can also track a small plane right on the runway, or detect launch and track the warhead of short or intermediate range ballistic missiles, which have smaller radar cross-sections than their intercontinental cousins.

There is one more important thing. When hypersonic aircraft and shortand intermediate-range missile warheads fly at high altitudes, an ionization signature forms around them in the form of a compression wave in front and an ionization wake behind. This makes them easier to detect by OTH radar already trained to analyze the state of the ionosphere.

Full coverage

Russia's eastern over-the-horizon monitoring hub is supposed to be built in the next two years. A location to deploy the Container radar has already been scouted and chosen in the town of Zeya, Amur Oblast. The military is already producing the necessary equipment.

This new Container radar station will monitor the Pacific region from Kamchatka to New Zealand and China. It will cover the airspace down to just above water, which will enhance our capabilities to detect missiles destroyers and aircraft carrier strike groups.

In the nearest future, a number of Container-type OTH radar stations are expected to be deployed in the Russian Far East, Central Siberia, and in Kaliningrad in the Baltic region. The Russian military believes that 10 to 12 Container-type OTH radar stations will be enough to cover the entire airspace outside of the borders of Russia.

The OTH coverage will complement traditional radar stations of the upgraded Voronezh type, which serve as part of Russia's ICBM launch early warning system. And last but not least, there are the Podsolnukh coastal OTH radars. Podsolnukh is surface-wave radar capable of detecting naval targets up to 300km away and air targets up to 450km away, as long as they fly over the water. They too are an important part of the country's defense capabilities.

By Mikhail Khodarenok, military commentator for Gazeta.ru

Bio: Mikhail Khodarenok is a retired colonel. He graduated from the Minsk Higher Engineering School of Anti-Aircraft Missile Defense (1976) and the Command Academy of the Air Defense Forces (1986).

Commanding officer of the S-75 AA missile battalion (1980-1983).

Deputy commanding officer of a SAM regiment (1986-1988).

Senior officer at the High Command of the Air Defense Forces (1988 –1992).

Officer at the main operational directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces(1992–2000).

Graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (1998). Worked as an analyst at Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2000-2003) and editorin- chief of Voyenno-Promyshlennyi Kuriyer (2010-2015).

 

Cold War nuclear warning flares set off
Da bbc.com del 10 dicembre 2018

Cold War flares that would have warned of immediate radioactive fallout have been set off on Guernsey's northern coast. A police bomb disposal team has detonated more than 30 of the flares - each of which carries three charges. Phil Martin, deputy civil protection officer for the States of Guernsey, said: "There were something like 1,500 monitoring posts built [across the British Isles] in the 50s and 60s and virtually every one of those posts would have had a device to warn the general public." Mr Martin said there were better systems now for warning the public in the event of a nuclear emergency. He said the island seems to have been missed when the flares - some dating back to the early 1960s - were collected. A dummy flare - showing how one is constructed - and the outer casing of one of the Mk 1 flares are being donated to the Imperial War Museum, while other parts are being donated to museums set up in former monitoring posts.

 

INDIA FIRES AGNI-5 BALLISTIC MISSILE FROM MOBILE LAUNCHER
Da defenseworld.net del 10 dicembre 2018

Agni-5 long-range air-to-air ballistic missile test-fired from a canister on a mobile launcher (Image: @DefenceMinIndia on Twitter)

India on Monday fired a home-grown nuclear-capable long range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, Agni 5 from a canister on a mobile launcher. “Indigenous long range Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile, Agni5, was successfully launched from a canister on a road mobile launcher at Dr Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, today, Indian Defense Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman said in a tweet Monday. This was the third successful test for Agni-5 this year. It was test fired in January and June. The missile with a range of 5000- 5500 km range underwent its penultimate pre-induction test in June and was expected to be inducted by next year. It is being built by the Defence Research Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Advanced Systems Laboratory and it was assumed that the production for deployment would start after the final test The missile will be inducted into the Strategic Forces Command for deployment; strategic missiles, Agni 1 to 4, with ranges from 700 km to 3,500 km, have already been deployed by the Strategic Forces Command, which controls India’s ballistic missile arsenal. SFC is also expected to test the missiles after induction. The first test of Agni-5 was conducted on April 19, 2012, the second on September 15, 2013, the third on January 31, 2015 and the fourth on December 26, 2016. The fifth test was held on January 18. All the five trials were successful.

 

BAE Systems to Supply Mk 41 VLS Canisters
Da defenseworld.net del 8 dicembre 2018

VLS Mk 41 missile canisters (image: BAE Systems)

BAE Systems has won a $41 million modification to an existing contract for Mk 21 mod 2 (SM-3) and Mk 21 mod 3 (SM-6) canisters in support of the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS).

The contract includes the manufacture, production and test of Mk 21 mod 2 and Mk 21 mod 3 canisters, United States Department of Defense said in a statement Friday.

The Mk 41 VLS provides a missile launching system for CG 47- and DDG 51-class surface combatants of the Navy, as well as that of allied navies. The canisters provide rocket motor exhaust gas containment and a launch rail during missile firing. The canisters also serve as missile shipping and storage containers.

Work is expected to be complete by August 2021

 

Manche : un bunker mis au jour à Quinéville et bientôt déplacé
Da actu.fr del 8 dicembre 2018

D’un poids de 25 à 30 tonnes le tobruk va être déplacé. (©Jean-Paul BARBIER)

Un bunker récemment mis au jour à Quinéville (Manche) sera déplacé le 15 décembre 2018 afin d'intégrer le World War 2 Museum. Un bunker de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale récemment mis au jour à Quinéville va faire l’objet le 15 décembre 2018 d’une opération qui s’annonce spectaculaire. A la demande des gérants du World War 2 Museum, il sera déplacé quelques mètres plus loin, à l’aide d’une grue de 180 tonnes, afin d’intégrer l’enceinte de l’établissement.

Jean-François Herry, le collectionneur passionné qui a repris les rênes du musée en 2017 explique :

Avec mon fils, nous en recherchions un depuis un petit bout de temps car nous savons que les visiteurs apprécient. En discutant avec l’employé communal, nous avons appris l’existence de ce bunker qui n’avait pas été détruit lorsque la route (des Gougins) a été faite, contrairement à d’autres.

Tobruk

Si la mairie de Quinéville a répondu très vite favorablement à la demande, la Direction régionale des affaires culturelles (DRAC), selon le premier magistrat, René Hardy, a été plus réticente. Elle a néanmoins fini par donner un accord verbal. 

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Le bunker en question est un tobruk, appelé ainsi après le siège de la ville lybienne par Rommel, de type BF 69. La manœuvre prévue le 15 décembre nécessitera le barrage de la route et la création d’une déviation au moins pour la matinée.

 

One Of The Last Minuteman-II Missile Sites Is Right Here In North Dakota And It’s So Worth A Visit
Da onlyinyourstate.com del 6 dicembre 2018

North Dakota has some truly awesome historic sites. From villages datings back long before the state was even a state to military sites that went out of use only a handful of decades ago, there is a lot to see and learn about here. One of the coolest historical sites here is one you can visit yourself to see the history up close and in person. Head on out yourself and discover what makes it so fascinating. The incredible Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Site is so worth a visit. It is located near Cooperstown, North Dakota. From the surface, this site might just look like a military facility consisting of a few buildings, but there is a lot hiding underground. Large underground bunkers were built during the Cold War and have been left completely intact, exactly as they were since the site was shut down. Although the missile silos in this site are now empty, at one point they are armed and ready to launch at any sign of enemy missiles heading our way. Minuteman missiles were designed to destroy incoming missiles and protect the country from attack. During the site tour, you'll be headed 60 feet underground into the launch control. In these heavily armored underground bunkers, you'll see everything up close and personal as the service members who served here did from 1966 until 1997. The launch control area is behind a 4-foot-thick blast door that is insanely huge.  In the launch control room you'll get to be right up close to the very spot that could have saved thousands of people if the time was necessary. Every day, two people would be in this room for long 24-hour shifts, at the ready in case of attack. It's incredible to see in person and one of the last of its kind that you can tour, and it's right here in North Dakota. The Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site is located at 555 113 1/2 Ave. NE, Hwy 45, Cooperstown, ND 58425. During winter months the site is open for tours by appointment only, so be sure to call ahead of time. The rest of the year it is open daily. Click here for more information. This certainly will make you feel like you’re stepping back into a snapshot of the past. Check out these awesome photographs taken in North Dakota around the same time this place was built to catch even more of a glimpse of the time.

 

Neupreussische Befestigungsmanier — Fortification néoprussienne : l'exemple de la place forte de Germersheim
Da fortifications-neuf-brisach.com del 5 dicembre 2018

Neupreussische Befestigungsmanier — Fortification néo-prussienne

Des ingénieurs réputés du monde alémanique et des princes influents, Wallrawe pour les premiers et Frédéric le Grand pour les seconds, ont été d’autant plus sensibles aux thèses de Montalembert et de Carnot qu’ils s’appuyaient sur un système de fortification qui, historiquement, laissait une place de choix aux casemates dans les fortifications. Par ailleurs, quelques autres réalisations telles que celles du général Chasseloup de Laubat développée et mise en oeuvre dans la première moitié du 19e siècle, après la chute de l’empire français, dans l’espace germanique.

Contexte historique : la confédération germanique [1815-1866].

Cette nouvelle manière de fortifier est actuellement connue sous le nom de « Neupreussische Befestigungsmanier » dont la traduction la plus adaptée semble correspondre à celle de « Fortification néo-prussienne ». En réalité, cette dénomination pourrait laisser à penser qu’elle ne s’applique qu’au petit royaume de Prusse alors qu’il concerne un vaste espace, la confédération germanique (Deutscher Bund) constituée en 1815 à 1866 lors du congrès de Vienne. Cette confédération germanique reprend en grande partie les limites du Saint-Empire romain germanique en excluant les territoires autrichiens relevant du royaume de Hongrie et les territoires prussiens à l’est du Brandebourg (notamment la Prusse orientale). Dominée par deux états, la Prusse et l’Autriche, son histoire est marquée, entre autres, par leur rivalité constante et par les avis divergents des autres états qui la constitue jusqu’en 1866. Bien évidemment, les frontières de ce territoire doivent être fortifiées et on confère à un certain nombre de places importantes le statut de Bundesfestung. Il s’agit des places de Luxembourg, Mainz, Landau, Rastatt et Ulm. Enfin, d’autres places n’ont pas le rang de Bundesfestung et des places importantes telles que celle de Germersheim se trouvent sous le contrôle du royaume de Bavière. On utilise dans la plupart de ces places et plus généralement dans la confédération germanique, un nouveau système de fortification qui s’appuie sur les principes du système polygonal.

Sur le plan conceptuel, pour mettre en oeuvre ce nouveau système de fortification, trois généraux prussiens jouent un rôle de premier plan : von Aster, Brese et von Prittwitz.

• Ernst Ludwig VON ASTER (1778-1855) était un général d’infanterie prussien et un ingénieur des fortifications qui a joué un rôle majeur dans la construction des fortifications prussiennes, d’abord dans l’espace rhénan (Coblence, Cologne)

• Johann Leopold Ludwig BRESE (1787-1878) était également un général d’infanterie prussien. Presque ignoré aujourd’hui, il a joué un rôle très important puisqu’il avait le rang  d’inspecteur général des fortifications prussiennes et de commandant du corps des ingénieurs. Il sera principalement actif sur le versant est du territoire.

• Moritz Karl Ernst VON PRITTWITZ UND GAFFRON (1795-1885) également un général d’infanterie prussien, inspecteur général en second des fortifications prussiennes et directeur des fortifications de l’importante place d’Ulm. Il a rédigé plusieurs mémoires et traités sur les fortifications dont l’influence se révèlera majeure.

Fortification polygonale germanique : principes architecturaux.

Les contributions de von Aster comptent parmi les plus importantes, car il a su exposer ses principes avec beaucoup de clarté.

De manière générale, on retient les préceptes suivants :

• Utilisation et adaptation du terrain aux besoins du combat ;

• Fortification d’une place avec un minimum de troupes économie de moyens — en reprenant le principe d’une forte enceinte urbaine (Strasbourg en est un excellent exemple) ;

• Le cas échéant, création de camps retranchés ou de places plus importantes cernées par une ceinture d’ouvrages détachés.

Principes architecturaux :

• Ils reposent bien évidemment sur ceux de la fortification polygonale avec un flanquement du fossé par des casemates, car elles permettent de s’adapter le plus aisément au terrain tout en assurant un volume de feux important ;

• Utilisation de pièces d’artillerie et de mortiers sous casemate pour un feu d’artillerie plus efficace ;

• Pour renforcer la défense, l’escarpe dispose… d’une galerie défensive disposant de créneaux de fusillade voire de créneaux pour des pièces d’artillerie légères ; de réduits casematés ; de traverses défensives ; de caponnières disposées au milieu d’un front ;

• Pour faciliter les offensives… Des blockhaus complètent le chemin couvert.

La place forte de Germersheim

Historique succinct.

La place de Germersheim, située au nord de l’Alsace, sur le Rhin, a connu, à de nombreuses reprises, les vicissitudes de la guerre ! Pendant la guerre de Trente Ans, elle passe tantôt entre les mains de la France, la Suède ou des impériaux. Prise par Turenne verrou nord de l’Alsace et est fortifiée en conséquence. Reprise par les troupes françaises en 1792, elle a à nouveau été fortifiée dans la foulée. En 1816, elle passe aux mains du royaume de Bavière qui renforce immédiatement ses fortifications. Son importance stratégique est rapidement perçue au sein de la confédération germanique nouvellement créée : il s’agissait d’organiser en cas d’attaque française, un front passant par Luxembourg, Landau et Rastatt. Dans cette optique, Germersheim, alors un important noeud de communication, devait jouer un rôle essentiel. Il convient de relever que si la construction de nouvelles fortifications avait été financée par la confédération germanique, il ne s’agissait toutefois pas d’une forteresse fédérale (une erreur assez commune !). Les travaux commencent en 30 juin 1834 suivant les plans établis par l’ingénieur (Bay. Ingenieur-Major) bavarois Friedrich Schmauß. L’essentiel des travaux se termine en 1855 alors que les travaux conduisant à la création d’un important réseau de galeries de contremines se poursuivent jusqu’en 1861. Dans les suites du Traité de Versailles qui conclut le premier conflit mondial, ses fortifications ont été en grande partie démolies entre 1920 et 1922. Les vestiges, aujourd’hui encore visibles, sont importants et, parfaitement mis en valeur, présentent un intérêt tout particulier.

Éléments architecturaux.

L’enceinte urbaine.

Suivant le système polygonal — polygonalen Kaponniersystem —, cette enceinte d’une longue de 3200 m forme le noyau de la fortification. Elle présente six fronts qui portent chacun le nom de généraux bavarois qui se sont illustrés, après un renversement d’alliances, dans la guerre contre l’empire français entre 1813 et 1815. Les fronts les plus développés sont orientés vers l’ouest et le sud-ouest alors que les secteurs orientés vers le nord et l’est se contentaient d’une enceinte plus légère, car ils étaient eux-mêmes couverts par des marais et le Rhin.

Ouvrages détachés.

Sur glacis, neuf ouvrages détachés avaient été construits qui couvraient le pont de bateaux sur le Rhin. 

Éléments de fortification visibles à Germersheim.

Malgré les destructions des années vingt, de nombreux vestiges de fortifications ont été conservés :

• Deux portes : La porte dite « Ludwigstor » qui accueille un musée et la porte de Wissembourg « Weissenburger Tor » dont les façades extérieures avaient été dessinées par le professeur munichois Friedrich von Gärtner) ;

• Un arsenal « Zeughaus » précédé d'une caponnière double ;

• Dans le prolongement de ce dernier, un « mur à la Carnot » a été dégagé ;

• Le front polygonal adjacent à la porte de Wissembourg, le « Fronte Lamotte », qui sans être complet offre d'excellentes perspectives qui permettent une vue d'ensemble du système défensif, même vu du sol ;

• Un front complet, le « Fronte Beckers », qui forme sans conteste l'un des segments les plus intéressant par la qualité de sa conservation ainsi que de par une excellente mise en valeur. Par la qualité de la mise en valeur des fortifications, une visite à Germersheim s'impose ! —— Sehr empfehlenswert ! ——

Fronte Lamotte Weissenburger-Tor (Porte de Wissembourg)

La défense du fossé… l'imposante caponnière double

La caponnière correspond à un ouvrage défensif construit à l'épreuve qui est adossé à l'escarpe. Elle permet des tirs d'infanterie et abrite quelques pièces d'artillerie pouvant tirer dans le sens de la longueur du fossé. Quand une caponnière doit donner des feux dans deux directions, on l'appelle « caponnière double ».

Carnot'sche Mauer Pour protéger les fronts moins menacés, les Allemands avaient souvent recourt à des murs inspirés par les projets de Carnot… il s’agit, en réalité, de murs a arceaux ! Ces murs, dont l’épaisseur peut atteindre trois mètres, présentent des niches fermées du côté du fossé par un mur de masque crénelé. La construction de ces murs est peu onéreuse et présente l’avantage de protéger les défenseurs des coups d’enfilade tout en offrant une solidité plus importante que les murs simples et peu épais utilisés habituellement.

Ludwigstor Il abrite un musée de la fortification de Germersheim qui n'est toutefois accessible que les dimanches.

Plusieurs casernes défensives sont conservées : Seysselkaserne

Orientations bibliographiques.

1 [ÉCOLE D'APPLICATION DE L'ARTILLERIE ET DU GÉNIE] - DELAIR (Paul-Emile, Chef de bataillon du Génie) - Cours de fortification permanente. 2e partie - Organisation de la fortification actuelle. 1er fascicule. Par Mr. Delair, chef de bataillon du Génie, Professeur. D'après les leçons faites en 1882 par Mr. Beau, capitaine du Génie, Professeur adjoint. Octobre 1882. Fontainebleau, École d'Application de l'Artillerie et du Génie, 1882 ; in-folio, 180 pp.

2 [FESTUNG GERMERSHEIM] - SCHERER (A.) - Armierungsstellung - zwischen Reben, Wald und Rüben. In : Interfest - Am Wall, 2014, No. 86, 1-2.

3 FROBENIUS (Sous la dir. de H.), WILLE, VON ZEPPELIN, VON NIESEN, ARNDT - Militär-Lexikon. Handwörterbuch der Militärwissenschaften. Berlin, Verlag von Martin Oldenburg, 1901.

4 HÄNLEIN D. - Erhalt und Nutzung historischer Großfestungen des 19. Jahrhunderts am Beispiel der Festung Germersheim. In : Festungsforschung, 2010, No. 2, p. 9-38.

5 HANS L. - Zur Geschichte der Festung Germersheim während der badisch-pfälzischen Erhebung des Jahres 1849. In : Schriftenreihe Festungsforschung, 1994, No. 12, p. 45- 56.

6 SCHEIBERT & PORTH (Kgl. Pr. Major z. D. - k. und k. österr. Oberst) - Illustriertes MILITÄR-LEXIKON für die k. und k. österreichisch-ungarische und deutsche Armee. Berlin, Verlag von W. Pauli's Nachf. H. Jerosch, 1897.

7 SCHERER A. - Erste Entwürfe für Germersheim als befestigter Rheinübergangspunkt. In : Fortifikation - Interfest, 2017, No. 31, p. 49-68.

8 ÜBEL R. - Die Festungen an Queich und Lauter. Germersheim, Landau, Lauterburg, Weißenburg. Herxheim (RFA), K&K Verlagsanstalt, 1996.

9 WEBER K.T. - "Neupreußische Festungsmanier" - ein Mythos ?. In : Festungsforschung, 2011, No. 3, p. 123-134.  

 

Why it's the end of the world for Plymouth's nuke bomb proof bunker
Da plymouthherald.co.uk del 1 dicembre 2018

Plymouth’s famous Cold War bunker was supposed to be nuclear blast proof but, it turns out, isn’t even bulldozer proof – because it is going to be demolished. The labyrinthine, subterranean bunker is likely to be smashed to bits because no one can come up with an economically viable use for it. Developer Mount Wise (Devon) Ltd, which owns the entire 28-hectare former naval site at Mount Wise, has looked at various possible uses for the bunker, which would have been a military nerve centre had the Russians dropped the big one on us during the Cold War. Among ideas mooted were a £20million data storage hub, a paint-ball adventure centre, storage of documents, storage for wine and high-end cars, and even somewhere to grow mushrooms and other plants via aquaponics.

But when it came to cold hard cash none of those ideas proved to be a hot ticket. So the bunker, with its Dr Strangelove-like war room, is now being included in the Phase Five development of the former naval base and likely to be dug out and covered in houses and flats. “The bunker will be demolished as part of the development,” said Emma Faraday, of Hertford Investor, development adviser to Mount Wise (Devon) Ltd.

“It will be houses and apartments.” She added: “There is no demand for the bunker. It’s mechanically ventilated and the amount of plant you need to get it up and running, well, it would not work.” In 2010, a company called Mount Wise Data Centre was set up with the idea of turning the structure into a storage centre for 670 computer racks, with the rooms being filled with servers, keeping them secure and cool. But even then it was expected that it would cost £20million and need an initial investment of about £10 million to get the scheme started. Ms Faraday said: “If it had been in London’s Docklands it would have been superb for that. “But down her people can do that in an industrial shed.” The bunker was constructed at the start of World War Two as a command centre with two storeys of rooms including a Battle of Britain-style war room – and all under seven and a half feet of reinforced concrete. The centre was used by the MoD throughout the Cold War until 2004, and housed up to 200 staff. But when the Mount Wise Royal Navy site was sold off for housing in 2006 the bunker provided a headache for new owner Mount Wise (Devon) Ltd. Mount Wise naval base before it was developed. The Cold War bunker is top left near the marina It needs to have power, water and even air pumped in, and the cost of refurbishing and maintaining such an unusual building would be astronomical. It has no vehicular access, limited pedestrian access and the walls and roof are so thick that internal and external modifications are difficult. There’s no natural light or ventilation, so it would need mechanical ventilation, which does not come cheap. “It doesn’t stand up to modern specifications,” said Ms Faraday. “All the mechanics are obsolete.”

Mount Wise – from navy base to plush flats

The 28-acre waterside plot was used by the Royal Navy for 200 years before the senior service pulled out in 2004. The land, including a cricket pitch, was sold by Defence Estates for £5.5million in 2006. Work started on Phase One’s 159 units, a £14.5million project at that time dubbed “the village by the sea”, in 2010 and ended two years later. In 2013 Mount Wise (Devon) Ltd started Phase Two, building flats and houses either side of the Grade II-listed Admiralty House, once thehome of the Royal Navy’s top brass. The £13.5million Phase Two scheme encompassed 59 units, a mix of houses and flats, built either side of the square, now a car park, outside Admiralty House. This has been named Maritime Quarter. Meanwhile, 30 units (28 flats, and a couple of three-bed houses), went up either side of Admiralty House, with extensive views over the River Tamar. Scott House, the last building constructed in the second phase, was completed in 2016. Phase Three is Leeward House, the £10million, six-floor apartment block overlooking the Tamar. Work started in 2016 and it is now complete with only a few of the 59 flats available. Work is due to start on Phase Four, a strip of land bordering Devonport Hill, in 2019, with it becoming home to a 73-apartment block. Phase Five will comprise an area next to Richmond Walk – and a disused Cold War underground bunker. It was planned to turn Admiralty House (pictured), once home to former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, into a boutique hotel. But Mount Wise (Devonport) ltd said demand for an establishment of that type in the area was “non-existent” and in November 2016 applied to turn it into luxury flats. It was thought it would be problematical running a boutique hotel in the midst of a residential development. The proximity of residents meant it would have been difficult to stage events such as weddings without causing disruption. Work has now begun to turn it into 12 apartments. She said work started in the bunker in 1939 at the start of the Second World War. But by the time it was completed in 1942 it was already out of date. During the Cold War is was used as a training base incase a nuclear conflict started. But, although bomb proof, it probably wouldn’t have been Hbomb proof. “The size of bomb it had been built to withstand had been superseded,” said Ms Faraday. “It wouldn’t have taken a direct hit. So it was never used as a HQ but only for training purposes. It was operationally limited. “But it had taken so much planning they had to finish it once they’d started building it.” The lower part of the Mount Wise site, bordering Richmond Walk, has been earmarked for flats and houses, but as yet no plans or exact numbers have been decided on. But when the bunker goes nothing can be placed on its footprint that is higher than the current structure. However, within that constraint a building of two to three storeys in height could be constructed. Richard Keen, also from Hertford Investors, said: “We have to look at the regeneration of the site and the sustainable long-term use of that land.”

 

Doune Castle – Where Monty Python and the Holy Grail was filmed
Da abandonedspaces.com del 30 novembre 2018

An aerial view of Doune Castle. Author: Andrew Shiva – CC BY-SA 4.0

It doesn’t take much for Monty Python fans to recognize this castle as it was here that Monty Python and the Holy Grail was filmed. Situated in Scotland, fairly close to the village of Doune, it has become a site of pilgrimage for all dedicated fans ever since the movie first premiered on March 14, 1975, in Los Angeles, California. But for those that might have missed out on Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Doune Castle can also be seen in Game of Thrones, where it bears the fictional name “Castle Leoch.” Erected on high ground and carefully keeping a watchful eye over the Teith River, Doune Castle was built in the 14th century. The exact date of its construction remains a mystery that eludes historians to this very day. It is known that the fortification was erected for Robert Stewart, the 1st Duke of Albany. The name Doune comes from the Gaelic word “dun,” which roughly translates as “fort” and hints that there was once an ancient earthworks at the location. Robert Stewart’s castle made sure to erase every trace of this early fort. He was the first owner but not the last, and the site changed hands a number of times.
The son of King Robert II of Scotland, he ruled over Scotland for 32 years – from 1388 to 1420 when he passed away. That same year, the castle went to Robert’s son, Murdoch. Unlike his father, Murdoch had no time to enjoy this gorgeous edifice. Once James I returned to Scotland after spending almost two decades in England, he quickly took over from his cousin.The castle’s architecture was very impressive. With its rectangular gatehouse, it posed a true challenge for anyone who tried to enter without permission. The entrance passage was lined with arrow loops, making it impossible to pass once arrows started to fly from every direction. During James’ time, the site was a popular hunting lodge – partly because of its proximity to the royal court at Stirling.
After James I, it kept changing hands and became a home for a couple of famous queens including Mary of Gueldres, the wife of James II of Scotland; and Margaret Tudor, the wife of James IV. Towards the end of the 16th century, the castle went to the Earl of Moray, Sir James Stewart. A tumultuous period then followed. It was captured in 1745 by “Bonnie Prince Charlie” in a battle for the crown. Towards the end of the 18th century, it was abandoned and was forgotten. It remained that way for almost a century. The Earl of Moray took matters in his own hands and rescued the castle from oblivion. It is thanks to him that we can still enjoy the site today. It now serves as a major tourist attraction in Scotland, and people come from all corners of the globe to witness this original 14th century castle or to experience the famous Monty Python location first-hand. You can purchase coconut shells at the reception and create your own Monty Python scene. There is even an annual Monty Python Day which is high on the bucket list of every dedicated fan.
For the drama/romance lovers, the castle features in Douglas Camfield’s movie Ivanhoe. It is also mentioned in The Bonny Earl of Murray – a Scottish ballad that dates all the way back to the 17th century.

 

To będzie kultowe miejsce! Zajrzeliśmy do środka odrestaurowanego Fortu Służew
Da haloursynow.pl del 29 novembre 2018

Remontowany Fort Służew (MSO)

Mało kto wie, że na Ursynowie mamy świetnie zachowany, a obecnie odrestaurowywany, fort z XIX wieku. Już niebawem stanie się on miejscem sąsiedzkich spotkań, a przylegające do niego zielone tereny już teraz robią wrażenie.

Fort Służew - prawdę powiedziawszy nie brzmi to zbyt „ursynowsko” - a jednak od ponad stu lat, na terenie obecnej dzielnicy, znajduje się zapomniana twierdza, która właśnie dostała szansę na drugie życie. Kiedyś leżała we wsi Służew, dziś znajduje się przy ul. Nowoursynowskiej w otoczeniu rodzinnych ogrodów działkowych "Ursynów". Niebawem szykuje się tutaj otwarcie nowej, zielonej i przyjaznej mieszkańcom przestrzeni. W zapomnianym przez lata historycznym forcie i przylegającym do niego wąwozie znów zatętni życie. Będą tu restauracje, warsztaty dla dzieci i wybieg dla psów.

Echo niesamowitej historii

Fort VIII Służew może poszczycić się ponad 130-letnią przeszłością. Został zbudowany z polecenia cara Aleksandra w latach osiemdziesiątych XIX wieku. Budowa została ukończona w 1890 roku. Ta część Twierdzy Warszawa składała się z 28 obiektów i zajmowała 26 hektarów powierzchni. Do tej pory koszary nie były zbyt intensywnie eksploatowane, jedynie w czasie II wojny światowej stacjonowały tu wojska niemieckie, trzymające w kazamatach konie. W późniejszych latach usiłowano wykorzystać fort do innych celów, ale plany spełzły na niczym. Wybudowano tu za to, podobno bez wymaganych zgód, tzw. osiedle generalskie - wojskowe osiedle mieszkaniowe dla najwyższej kadry Ludowego Wojska Polskiego, które obecnie znajduje się między rewitalizowanym budynkiem a parkiem.

Kiedy w 2005 roku teren zmienił właściciela i z wojskowych rąk trafił do prywatnego inwestora - firmy Turret Development - zaczęto planować i projektować przestrzeń przylegającą do powstającej tu inwestycji mieszkaniowej. Załatwianie wszystkich formalności, łącznie ze zgodami wydawanymi przez konserwatora zabytków, trwało 10 lat. Prace ruszyły w 2016 roku i zostaną zakończone w połowie 2019 r. Efektem będą odrestaurowane, lecz zachowujące historyczną wartość, wnętrza i teren wokół nich.

Miejsce spotkań

Zamiarem inwestora jest stworzenie tu miejsca klimatycznego, przyjaznego rodzinom z dziećmi i psami.

Fort liczący w sumie 1800 m2, będzie podzielony według potrzeb najemców na kilkanaście oddzielnych lokali.

Każdy z nich będzie miał latem do dyspozycji ogródek.

Same wnętrza zostały zachowane w oryginalnym stanie. Możemy oglądać świetnie zachowane sklepienia, cegły i tynki. Jedyne zmiany dotyczą podziału między poszczególnymi częściami budynku i wydzielenia części sanitarnych oraz gospodarczych.

 

Ponadto, w oknach znajdziemy oryginalne stare ramy będące obecnie elementem dekoracyjnym, a we wnętrzach m.in. metalowe kółka, do których przypinano konie. Drzwi do lokali będą szklane lub drewniane. Wszystkie pomieszczenia zostały wyposażone w zdobycze nowoczesnej technologii – od ogrzewania podłogowego po światłowody.

Wiadomo już, że w zabytkowych wnętrzach będzie mieściła się pracowania Doroty Szelągowskiej, biuro architektoniczne City Form Design i salon kosmetyczny Petite Amie.

Planowane są także kawiarnie, restauracje i miejsce, w którym będą odbywać się warsztaty rodzinne.

Całość otoczona ma być przez minipark wypełniony elementami małej architektury, przez który będzie prowadziła brukowana ścieżka.

Tuż obok znajdzie się wybieg dla psów, a za nim kilka hektarów odrestaurowanych z dokładnością co do 1 m, historycznych trawiastych wałów.

W otoczeniu dzikiej przyrody

 

fot. Marta Siesicka-Osiak

Zwieńczeniem projektu jest renowacja „Ósmego Parku” przylegającego do fortu. W trakcie rewitalizacji zaniedbanego terenu znaleziono tu m.in. starą łódkę i kanapę. Wszystko porastały chaszcze, a niewiele osób wiedziało o istnieniu w tym miejscu pięknego kilkudziesięciometrowego wąwozu z fosą.

Niższą część parku oczyszczono i pozostawiono w naturalnej odsłonie, w górnej stworzono przestrzeń sprzyjającą sąsiedzkiej integracji. Znajdziemy tu wkomponowane w zieleń: plac zabaw, siłownię plenerową, ale także wyznaczone miejsca do grillowania oraz uprawiania ogrodu społecznościowego.

Park przez najbliższe dwa lata będzie prowadzony i utrzymywany przez dewelopera, w późniejszym czasie może stać się parkiem miejskim, choć już od późnej wiosny, wstęp będą mieli do niego wszyscy.

 

Army issues contract for Hawk missile parts for foreign military sales
Da upi.com del 29 novembre 2018

A MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missile is fired by Romanian forces during a joint exercise with the U.S. Army. Photo by Pfc. Nicholas Vidro/7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/U.S. Army

Nov. 29 (UPI) -- Communications and Power Industries has been awarded $24.8 million to provide Klystron Tube spares for the MIM-23 Homing All the Way Killer surface-to-air missile launcher. The contract, announced Thursday by the Department of Defense, includes foreign military sales to Bahrain, Egypt, Japan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates and is expected to conclude by November 2023. The MIM-23 Hawk is a medium-range radar- uided surfaceto- air missile that has been in use in various forms since 1960.

Depending on the variant, it has a range of over 30 miles and can engage targets up to 65,000 feet. The Hawk has been phased out of U.S. service in favor of the much longer ranged Patriot surface-to-air missile, but has been exported across much of the world and has been produced under license in other countries. The missile is showing its age, with Klystron Tubes being a type of vacuum tube technology that is obsolete by today's digital standards.

It is still effective against most fighters and helicopters but suffers from a relatively short range compared to modern radar guided surface-to-air missiles.

 

Junta restaura la torre islámica y los restos de la capilla neoclásica de Cántabos, en Soria, tras invertir 31.000 euros
Da 20minutos.es del 27 novembre 2018

La Consejería de Cultura y Turismo ha logrado estabilizar el deterioro de estas construcciones, incluyendo elementos, como una cubierta, para proteger la estructura de las inclemencias meteorológicas. El delegado territorial, Manuel López, se ha desplazado este martes a Fuentelmonge para comprobar, junto con los técnicos de la empresa adjudicataria, Arquetipo, S.C.L., y del Servicio Territorial de Cultura, coordinador de la intervención, el resultado de las obras. La Torre de Cántabos es una atalaya islámica, posiblemente del siglo X, ubicada en importante punto estratégico, sobre una colina de 837 metros de altitud, que comunica los valles del Jalón y del Duero a través de los campos de Gómara y Almazán. De planta circular, de 3,4 metros de diámetro interno y un grosor de muros de 1,34 metros, está construida en tosca mampostería y conserva una altura en más de 10 metros. La puerta de acceso se dispone en altura, a tres metros del suelo, y de ella todavía perduran los goznes de las hojas y el hueco de la tranca. Su función fue defensiva, para la protección del Califato de Córdoba en su Marca Media, con capital en Medinaceli, y formaba parte de una extensa red de torres vigía que facilitaban las comunicaciones - ediante señales- entre los diferentes castillos de la comarca. Está protegida por la declaración genérica de 1949 sobre castillos, por lo que tiene consideración de Bien de Interés Cultural. La torre está integrada en la granja de Cántabos, lugar que debe su origen al monasterio cisterciense levantado a instancias de Alfonso VII por los monjes que posteriormente fundaron el monasterio de Santa María de Huerta, en 1166. La planta baja de la atalaya fue modificada durante el siglo XVIII para albergar una capilla, muy deteriorada en la actualidad. Las ruinas que hoy se aprecian no pertenecen al primitivo monasterio sino a una granja que se asentó después y perduró hasta la exclaustración de 1835. LIMPIEZA Y ADECUACIÓN DE LA CAPILLA La capilla también ha sido objeto de adecuación. Tras la eliminación de la extensa capa de tierras, cenizas y escombros variados, se ha llegado hasta el nivel de solado original, integrado por una capa de mortero de cal y canto, alisado y nivelado. Esta retirada de desperdicios ha posibilitado la exhumación de restos de pintura mural acompañada de motivos geométricos remarcados con líneas incisas en tonos azulados y grisáceos, situados en la base de la construcción y pertenecientes al antiguo oratorio. En la actualidad toda la cripta se hallaba afectada por grafitis realizados en los últimos decenios, un acto deplorable que ha ocasionado la pérdida de gran parte de la decoración que mostraban sus paredes y hornacinas. En este sentido, se han eliminado los grafitis recientes que afeaban el templo y se ha pintado todo su interior (fijación transpirable que permite la posterior adhesión de la pintura mural natural a la cal), mejorando la estética del conjunto y de manera más concreta la del interior del oratorio.

 

Antwerp : Bunkers at Dawn
Da explorabilia.co.uk del 27 novembre 2018
One of my golden rules of urban exploration is : wherever you are, whatever the occasion – never miss an opportunity to see something obscure, and special. We are surrounded by less known, forgotten history, waiting for us to rediscover, and a small investment in time and effort can yield great results. Point in fact, I found myself in Antwerp during a trip earlier this year. It is a less hyped city in Belgium in terms of tourism, which doesn’t do it justice : I had the chance to visit several times in the past visiting friends studying and living there, as well as to meet clients. Antwerp is one of the greatest, most diverse cities of Europe, and a center where business and culture flourish. Some facts that stand out about Antwerp : it was the home of the first Stock Exchange in the 16th century, it hosted the summer Olympic Games in 1920, it has the largest diamond trade district in the world, netting a mind boggling 54 billion $ annually, and it is the second largest port in the continent, and one of the top 20 largest ports in the world. and the Allies during WW2. By 1943, the Belgian section of the Atlantik Wall ranged from Dunkirk in the French border to the river Scheldt estuary in the Dutch border. The ports of Oostende, Zeebrugge as well as Walcheren island controlling the mouth of the river Scheldt became particularly fortified strong points, and the entire section came under the command of Wehrmacht’s amply named LXXXIX Corps (easier to remember as the 89th Corps) based in Antwerp. During one of my previous wartime research sojourns in Bruges (where I desperately – and unsuccessfully – looked for the remains of the Kaiser’s Navy Ubootflotille Flandern WW1 submarine base located there) I was told that the Atlantik Wall command posts of Antwerp are still intact, and in fact can be visited.

Antwerp’s Albertdok under Allied aerial attack in 1943 (sourced at © www.longshoresoldiers.com)

So here I was in Antwerp that evening, after a day full with business meetings and contacts in Brussels, hungry and dehydrated to the point of having a throbbing headache. I passed out exhausted in my hotel room around 1800 hrs, and woke up in the middle of the night, hungry, thirsty, still in pain, and quite unprepared to face another day full of appointments. As the torrent of cold rain outside lashed my window, and fighting back against my better judgement about recovering in bed for a few more hours, my trusty urbex instinct kicked in : I’d seize the day (well, more like the night at that time), and venture forth in search for Antwerp’s obscure Nazi bunkers – rather than succumb to misery. Knowingly under-equipped for a trek in the camera, a bottle of water, some breakfast and headache pills from the station’s pharmacy, and hopped on the first tram of the day towards Park Den Brandt, the expansive woodland area in southern Antwerp where the bunkers were located. I had just over 2 hours to my first appointment, and intended to make every minute count : it could only be Bunkers at Dawn !! elements on that morning, I found the residential area around Park Den Brandt quite rewarding in itself : the rows and rows of neat Art Deco townhouses of Acacialaan were impressive. Could it have been that Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox, might have also taken exception? He inspected the bunkers twice while in command of the Atlantik Wall in 1944, and it is quite likely that he would have been billeted in one of these fabulous mansions close to the command installation, as per typical Wehrmacht procedure at the time. It was early in the morning, and in that foul weather, the only other living souls in the neighborhood were a drunken man, a couple of dog walkers and an early morning jogger. Looking further up Acacialaan, I could see them all turning into the park at a point further ahead – so I followed this unlikely early morning herd toward the now visible entrance.

 

SK1 type Führungsbunker – a rare construction specification

The bunkers sneak upon you as you enter, exactly as they’re supposed to.

The two SK1 type command bunkers are massive, and stand directly across each other along the path leading deeper into the park.

There have been evident past efforts to demoss them, but nature always has the upper hand, and through its perseverance the structures are blanketed by soft green-brown moss that makes for an unforgettable sight as the morning haze lifts.

 

SK1 type Führungsbunker entrance

The bunkers are remarkable up close.

They look very well maintained through the conservation efforts of the Antwerp Atlantik Wall and Air War Museum , which – unfortunately for me – is not open on that day, let alone in this early hour of the morning.

I notice the round armored ventilation grill, a typical fixture I’ve seen before on most Atlantik Wall bunkers.

It’s a component of the system that provides ventilation, filtration (against smoke and chemical attacks), and air conditioning (heated air) to the soldiers inside.

SK1 type Führungsbunker, now housing the Museum

The other bunker is now housing the actual museum and was fenced. I was able, however, to admire the museum’s significant collection of Atlantik Wall coastal defense implements, seen in the photo below : From left to right, we have a small portable pillbox, fronted by a Nusscnackermine, or Nutcracker mine : basically a concrete receptacle for the huge Teller anti-tank mine with a pivoting steel beam to activate it – for example when set underwater, as an approaching landing craft pushes against the beam. Clank. Push. Boom !

Next, a version of the Rommelspargel, or Rommel’s asparagus – a wooden beam meant to discourage airdrops and gliders – here we see a version mounted on another concrete Teller mine receptacle, much like the nutcracker. Next, a concrete Tetraëder, a somewhat portable pyramid-shaped tank obstacle. The more familiar 3-steel beam trap in the background is a Tschechenigel, a type of hedgehog named after the Czechs who first deployed it in the Sudetenland border with Germany shortly before the war – and a very familiar site on the beaches of Normandy. In front of it, a wooden Hemmbalk – another obstacle against landing craft, made of two short wood beams and a longer third put together in a pyramid arrangement. To the right, two more basic upright anti-glider obstacles, one is concrete and the other just a wood beam. The French, Belgian and Dutch coasts were literally covered with such obstacles during the Axis occupation, many of which still remain visible on various coastal sites.

A unique collection of tank traps and beach obstacles

Conveniently, there’s a helpful site map outside the Führungsbunker, directing visitors to the location of the other bunkers.

And just as well, because some of the remaining ones aren’t that easy to spot, as they were originally part-buried into the park’s fertile soil, which through decades of accumulation and exposure have made entire hillocks out of the massive concrete hulks, entombing them in a veritable jungle – like mysterious undiscovered Mesoamerican temples, with fully grown trees and lush vegetation from top to bottom.

 

 

There are no straight lines in nature

There are 5 of those VF52A-type Troopsbunker, lined up about 50 to 100 meters behind the command bunkers.

These are smaller fortified barracks as their name suggests.

 

 

The business part of the bunker

Although any visible entrances were either shut or walled in, their firing points could still be approached and a limited view of the space inside is possible.

 

An (unfortunately) walled in entrance to a VF52A-type Troopsbunker

At the end of the bunker line, one can find what appears as the best preserved VF52A.

It’s main entrance is fully excavated although the blue door doesn’t appear to be the original armored type… it has been added post the restoration, as well as the handrails.

 

 

The door doesn’t appear to be as secure as it used to be

The brick chimneys adjacent to the entrance encase two steel tubes of different sizes:

these are probably some sort of chimneys or exhausts for the bunker’s power plant. It is also typical for such bunkers to have periscope or radio antenna shafts built in topside – either could be extended when is use and then retracted back to safety as needed – but the VF52A type doesn’t appear to have these interesting features.

I’ve read that this one has been fully restored, and is usually open to the public.

 

Looks formidable even today

 

Hospitalbunker, the installation’s infirmary, which is easy to tell just by looking at the red on white cross painted on the steel door – this one looks like the real deal !!

 

 

The Infirmary Bunker from the top of the entrance’s protective wall

All German WW2 bunkers were built with exceptional Teutonic efficiency according to the Regelbau, the “Standard Build” concept:

A regulation manual outlining the specifications pertaining to utility, positioning, wall thickness, steel casing, layouts, construction techniques or materials – in short, everything required to put such a defensive position together was researched and then prescribed.

About 700 individual German bunker types, designed to deliver in a variety of specific missions have been identified – with the ones here in Antwerp being quite unique, as I haven’t heard of similar examples anywhere else.

Almost like a Regelbau-certified steel door : This one looks decisively older, probably has been loaned from another fort around Antwerp

 

Regelbau regulations, for example, stipulated that all external steel doors should be 30mm thick and lined with a rubber seal to make them gas proof.

I had the chance to swing such doors in Normandy recently – and I can tell you, they must have been quite good exercise for the troops inside:

they were very heavy and clunky to operate, much like a ship’s bulkhead door, but that’s what also made them a safety feature.

 

 

The skirt walls would protect the entrances from shrapnel, direct hits and small arms fire. Here they are made of brick – a rare occurrence

The Regelbau concept was conceptualized during WW1, and developed further during the 1930s, underpinning the German field fortification mentality and vision: it was that of a highly mobile combat force, well protected from the perils of a front line such as shelling or aerial bombardment, but equally prepared, or rather compelled to eventually come out of their bunker to connect with the rest of their unit and make contact with the enemy.

This meant a dispersal of smaller fortifications connected by trenches, that certainly provided adequate protection in combat, but were neither suitable nor designed for longer stays. As a result, German WW2 bunkers were exceptionally designed, and extremely functional, but also generally smaller, cramped and decidedly spartan.

This design philosophy was fundamentally different than the French or Belgian vision of static deterrence, which can be seen as applied at the Maginot Line or Eben-Emael – reputedly impregnable, multi-story fortresses with expansive facilities and all possible comforts for the troops, designed for a protracted defensive action. Well, Herr Hitler rather preferred his soldiers well protected, and also ready to come out of their comfort zone (literally) and fight. Anyway – you probably know the rest of that story.

A rather sad looking lift-and-place guard shelter.. or perhaps a Regelsbau portaloo?

One of my greatest regrets from that visit was being unable to go inside. Not as much for being unable to admire the bunkers from within (Regelbau made sure that once you see one, you could probably say you’ve seen them all), but mostly because I didn’t get the chance to view the Museum’s extensive collection of artifacts related to another, often overlooked wartime story : the desperate defense of Antwerp during the winter of 1944 from the German V-weapon attacks. The museum is holding a notable collection of rocket and flying bomb bits, however I’d have to postpone that visit for another time, along with my on location reporting of the engrossing series of intertwined late war events with Antwerp at the epicenter : the the Battle of the Scheldt, the Battle of the Bulge, and the fascinating story of the Antwerp X force and its defense of the skies over the city and port !

It was past dawn by that time, already daytime. The rain had stopped, my headache was gone, and I was emerging from Park den Brandt, just a tiny bit wetter and muddier than a businessman should look – but certainly happier, and ready to face the day ahead with a big smile and an indelible connection to the soul and history of this great city !! All photos © explorabilia, except where otherwise indicated 

 

Fortificaciones de la bahía de Cartagena tendrán PEMP
Da caracol.com del 26 novembre 2018

El Ministerio de Cultura, a través de la Escuela Taller Cartagena de Indias (ETCAR), adelanta desde octubre de 2018 la primera fase de la formulación de un Plan Especial de Manejo y Protección (PEMP) para los Bienes de Interés Cultural (BIC) del ámbito nacional que se encuentran ubicados en la bahía interna y externa de Cartagena.

La primera fase, consistente en un prediagnóstico, se extenderá hasta mediados diciembre del año en curso. La segunda fase, de diagnóstico, se prevé se desarrolle en el 2019. En total, serán 46 los BIC que harán parte del PEMP de las Fortificaciones de la Bahía entre los que se encuentran los fuertes de San Sebastián del Pastelillo y de San Juan de Manzanillo, y las ruinas de la Batería de Santa Cruz de Castillogrande en la bahía interna de Cartagena. También se incluyen los ubicados en la isla de Tierrabomba: fuertes de San Fernando, de San José y la Batería del Ángel San Rafael, así como los vestigios de las baterías de Santiago, de San Felipe, de Santa Bárbara y Chamba en el corregimiento de Bocachica; el Tejar de los Jesuitas (pozo, horno y aljibe) en el corregimiento de Tierrabomba; y el edificio administrativo del leprocomio en el corregimiento de Caño del Oro. Además de los hornos, pozos, albercas, aljibes, restos de viviendas y estructuras arquitectónicas, ubicados en el corregimiento de Manzanillo y en las islas de Tierrabomba y Barú, que conformaban los centros de producción coloniales en los que se fabricaban la cal, ladrillos y tejas con los que se construyeron las edificaciones militares, civiles y eclesiásticas de Cartagena de Indias. El PEMP de las Fortificaciones de la Bahía junto con el PEMP del Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas y las Murallas (elaborado durante el 2017 por el Ministerio de Cultura y la ETCAR) serán instrumentos de planeación y gestión para la protección y conservación de estos bienes patrimoniales. Para la elaboración de ambos instrumentos se ha contado con el apoyo y articulación de la Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena, entidad que de forma paralela lidera la formulación del PEMP del Centro Histórico de Cartagena de Indias. Este PEMP tendrá como finalidad: Definir las condiciones para la articulación de los bienes con su contexto físico, arquitectónico, urbano o rural, los planes preexistentes y su entorno socio-cultural, partiendo de la conservación de sus valores, la mitigación de sus riesgos y el aprovechamiento de sus potencialidades. Precisar las acciones de protección de carácter preventivo y/o correctivo que sean necesarias para la conservación de los bienes. Establecer las condiciones físicas, de mantenimiento y de conservación de los bienes. Establecer mecanismos o determinantes que permitan la recuperación y sostenibilidad de los bienes. Generar las condiciones y estrategias para el mejor conocimiento y la apropiación de los bienes por parte de la comunidad, con el fin de garantizar su conservación y su transmisión a futuras generaciones. El equipo humano encargado del prediagnóstico del PEMP de las Fortificaciones de la Bahía está conformado por profesionales de diferentes áreas que abarcan la arquitectura, restauración, ingeniería, antropología e historia; además de asesores para los componentes jurídicos, ambientales, económicos, participación comunitaria e institucional, patrimonio cultural mueble y patrimonio inmaterial. Con el acompañamiento del Ministerio de Cultura y de la ETCAR, entidad delegada desde el 2012 para la administración de las Fortificaciones de la ciudad, el equipo formulador del prediagnóstico del PEMP ha realizado visitas de reconocimiento a los BIC de la bahía. Un PEMP es el instrumento de planeación y gestión del Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación, mediante el cual se establecen las acciones necesarias con el objetivo de garantizar la protección, conservación y sostenibilidad de bienes patrimoniales. Durante el 2017, el Ministerio de Cultura y la Escuela Taller Cartagena de Indias formuló el PEMP del Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas y de las Murallas de Cartagena que servirá para marcar el camino a seguir en el mediano y largo plazo tanto en la intervención y cuidado de las fortalezas, como en el planteamiento de estrategias para fomentar usos adecuados de las mismas, de cara a la generación de apropiación social de estos BIC.

 

Castillos y fortalezas de Salamanca: Cerralbo
Da enjoy-castilla-y-leon.noticiascyl.com del 25 novembre 2018

Empleado como defensa contra el avance portugués en las diferentes contiendas bélicas, fue incendiado y destruido, utilizándose sus piedras para construir un convenio ahora también en ruinas. Su base todavía es visible en la zona

El ser humano es capaz de lo mejor y lo peor. Capaz de los más increíbles adelantos, pero también las más horripilantes aberraciones. La historia de los castillos de la provincia de Salamanca está repleta de tales paradojas, fruto del destructor dominio de quienes impusieron su estulticia y temor en tiempos donde la conservación del patrimonio histórico y monumental era tan sólo una alejada quimera. La lucha fratricida por ambicionar poder afectó de lleno a torreones y fortalezas repletos por sus cuatro costados de épica medieval, pero que sucumbieron a las iras de los vencedores para no dejar piedra sobre piedra a las generaciones venideras. Es el caso del castillo de Cerralbo, protagonista del vigésimo cuarto capítulo de la serie dominical sobre estos pedregosos testigos mudos en la provincia de Salamanca. Sus vestigios apenas se reducen a una pedregosa base que da fe de las opulentas anécdotas que acontecieron en su interior cuando levantaba más de dos palmos, ejemplos de la aniquiladora mano del hombre. Sobre un altozano en cuyas laderas se ubica actualmente la localidad de Cerralbo existió hasta finales del siglo XIX una fortaleza cuyo origen se remonta a la Edad Media con motivo de la guerra contra los portugueses. Al parecer, este castillo fue levantado en el siglo XIV por Esteban Pacheco, primer señor de Cerralbo y uno de los personajes de relevancia en Ciudad Rodrigo, con la finalidad de defender esta zona de la ofensiva lusa, de ahí que su estructura fuera principalmente defensiva.

Concluida la contienda bélica e iniciado el periodo de señorialización de los bienes de la Corona, como muchas otras fortalezas de la provincia se transformó en residencia palaciega, introduciendo entonces varios elementos arquitectónicos ornamentales, según consta en la documentación que ha llegado hasta nuestros días. De esta manera, fue legado a sus herederos, recibiendo uno de sus descendientes, Rodrigo Pacheco, el título de marqués de Cerralbo de manos de Carlos V en recompensa por sus servicios a la Corona. Pero no lo habitaron por su estancia en la ciudad mirobrigense por los cargos que ocuparon en constante conflicto con la familia de los López Chaves. Cuando parecía que su sino estaría ligado al olvido, de nuevo una contienda bélica contra Portugal, en esta ocasión la Guerra de Secesión, le devolvió la función para la que este castillo fue edificado. Así, a mediados del siglo XVII desempeñó un papel primordial en la defensa del campo de Camaces y del Abadengo. Su numantina resistencia a los ataques de la tropa portuguesa dirigida por Xaque de Magalhaes provocó que, en su retirada al no poder conquistarlo, lo incendiaran en 1664, iniciando un camino sin retorno hacia la ruina y el abandono después de que los marqueses fijaran su residencia en Salamanca y Madrid. A finales del siglo XIX su torre del homenaje todavía se mantenía firme, desafiando a los avatares del tiempo, pero el destino jugó una vez más en su contra. Este torreón, tan alto como cuadrado, con una enorme ventana bajo un escudo igual al de la iglesia de los franciscanos, se convirtió en un jugoso pastel para que los vecinos pudieran acometer su misión de construir un convento. Por este motivo, se derribó la torre del homenaje para construir la pared del corralón de un templo que, ironías del caprichoso destino, también hoy se encuentra en estado ruinoso. Tan sólo se conserva del castillo la base del antiguo recinto cuadrado, con grandes cubos redondos de cal y canto recubiertos de sillería y con saeteras, el mejor conservado denominado como ‘torreón de la yedra’.

 

Stutzpunkt Scharnhorst
Da wo2walcheren.nl del 24 novembre 2018

Lewedorp - Aan de Zeedijk van Jakobpolder staan 3 bunkers gevestigd. Deze deden dienst als onderkomen voor manschappen en flakgeschut. Waar komt de naam Scharnhorst vandaan? Het hele gebied rond de Sloedam werd door de Duitsers als "Stützpunkt Scharnhorst" aangeduid, genoemd naar G.J.D. von Scharnhorst. Gerhard Johann David von Scharnhorst was in vroegere tijden een belangrijk Pruisisch militair. Hij werd op 12 november 1755 in Hannover geboren. Binnen het pruisische leger heeft hij belangrijke hervormingen toegepast, o.a. door de instelling van de 'Landwehr'. Hij voerde tevens de algemene dienstplicht in en zorgde er voor dat officieren niet meer perse van Adel moesten zijn. Twee Duitse oorlogsschepen kregen eveneens de naam "Scharnhorst". De Sloedam was moeilijk in te nemen. De dam was een kale dijk van meer dan een kilometer lengte. In die tijd bevonden zich aan weerskanten van de dijk slechts schorren en slikken. De Duitsers zaten op Walcheren verschanst in betonnen bunkers en hadden langs de spoordijk tanks en antitankgeschut ingegraven.

Op 31 oktober startte de "Black Watch of Canada" de aanval en de soldaten rukten op onder zwaar Duits vuur. Tot op 70 meter voor de kust van Walcheren geraakten ze, toen stokte de opmars en moesten de mannen terug. 's Avonds deed een ander bataljon, de "Calgary Highlanders", een poging. Ook tevergeefs. De volgende morgen probeerden de Canadezen het opnieuw, nu met ondersteuning van artillerie. Dit keer lukte het wel en wisten ze voet op Walcheren te krijgen, maar een nachtelijke tegenaanval van Duitse zijde joeg ze weer terug.  Uiteindelijk wist het laatste Canadese bataljon tot Walcheren door te dringen en daar een bescheiden bruggehoofd te vormen. Daarna nam de Britse 157ste brigade de aanval over en moest op 2 november al een Duitse tegenaanval afslaan. Maar hulp uit onverwachte bron diende zich aan: de verzetsman Kloosterman uit Nisse wist een manier om de Sloe ten zuiden van de Sloedam over te steken. Nadat verkenningen waren uitgevoerd en mijnen geruimd, werd in de nacht van 2 op 3 november, met stormboten en wadend door het lage water, een oversteek gemaakt. Op deze manier wist de 156ste brigade de Bijleveldpolder te bereiken en de Duitsers daar volkomen te verrassen. Op 4 november maakten deze troepen contact met de 157ste brigade in het bruggehoofd bij de Sloedam en was het ergste leed geleden. 's Avonds was er een bruggehoofd gevormd van vier bij twee kilometer en kon de opmars naar Middelburg beginnen.

 

Este domingo, entrada gratis a las fotificaciones de Cartagena
Da  caracol.com del 23 novembre 2018

Este domingo 25 de noviembre, se llevará a cabo una nueva jornada de Entrada Gratis para colombianos en las Fortificaciones de la ciudad, organizada por la Escuela Taller Cartagena de Indias (ETCAR), delegada por el Ministerio de Cultura para la administración, conservación y puesta en valor de estos bienes.

Este Día de Entrada gratis ofrecerá una programación cultural que en el Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas estará enmarcada en la temporada navideña, y en el Fuerte de San Fernando de Bocachica, girará en torno a la música y el canto, y su relación ancestral con la identidad de los habitantes ese territorio.
El director general (e) de la ETCAR, Álvaro Gómez Poveda, invita a los cartageneros y a los colombianos que se encuentran en La Heroica, “a reunirse para continuar viviendo el patrimonio, en una actividad que se ha ratificado a través del tiempo como una de las favoritas por locales y nacionales, esta vez en torno a temas como la Navidad y la tradición musical, que históricamente han unido a los seres queridos en fraternidad y armonía”.

Programación

Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas
En el San Felipe, los colombianos que porten su cédula de ciudadanía colombiana, podrán ingresar gratis de 8:00 a.m. a 5:00 p.m., y disfrutar sin costo el servicio de guianza turística por el fuerte, así como de un taller de fabricación de manualidades navideñas, de pintura libre, y la obra de títeres ‘Nueva novena de navidad’, realizadas con el apoyo de la Asociación de Arte Trotasueños.

Fuerte de San Fernando de Bocachica
En el corregimiento insular de Bocachica, los visitantes en San Fernando apreciarán durante la jornada de la mañana, la agenda preparada con apoyo de FUNCADEBLAK, que incluye presentaciones de danza tradicional cantada, y danza fusionada con sonidos urbanos, talleres de música percutiva y técnica vocal, así como presentaciones musicales de ‘Kim Bantu’, Yaider Castro y el duo Jey y Junio Afro Dance.

Los interesados en ir al corregimiento insular de Bocachica, deben abordar una lancha en el muelle La Bodeguita, único autorizado para el zarpe hacia la zona insular, el cual está ubicado en la Avenida Blas de Lezo frente a la estación de Transcaribe.

 

Fortifications & artillerie… lorsque les mots ont un sens (2) !
Da fortifications-neuf-brisach.com  del 20 novembre 2018

Aujourd'hui, si l'intérêt pour le fait militaire et, plus particulièrement les fortifications connaît un franc succès, on s'aperçoit que le langage induit « la culture militaire » laisse, parfois, la place à quelque approximation.

Ce second billet s'attache cette fois à mieux définir les feux d'infanterie avec une terminologie qui s'applique essentiellement à partir du début du 20e siècle. Cette sémantique s'applique, bien évidemment, au domaine des fortifications.

Source imprimée…

Il convient de se référer à quelque bonnes sources et, ce cours de fortification proposé en 1931 (rééd. en 1936) y répond parfaitement : MILLOT (Cne), LAZARD (Sous de la direction du Lt-Colonel) — Cours de fortification. 1re Partie —Organisation du  terrain.
1re Section — Principes et procédés. École Militaire et d’Application du Génie, 1931-1936.

Les définitions figurant ci-dessous reprennent l'intégralité du texte original.

Définitions relatives au tir d’infanterie

On appelle :

Objectif de tir : l’élément ennemi ou la position localisée avec précision sur le terrain, sur lesquels sont dirigés les projectiles ;
Droite (gauche) d’un objectif : la partie de cet objectif que l’observateur voit à sa droite (gauche), lorsqu’il regarde l’objectif de face ;
Tir à pointage direct : le tir dans lequel toutes les opérations relatives au pointage sont faites sur l’objectif lui-même ;
Tir à pointage indirect : le tir exécuté en pointant sur un point de pointage distinct du but. Ce genre de tir est particulier aux engins d’accompagnement ;
Tir indirect : le tir destiné à battre un objectif non vu de l’emplacement de l’arme. Ce genre de tir est spécial aux unités de mitrailleuses ;
Tir masqué : le tir exécuté derrière un couvert ou un masque, à l’abri des vues de l’ennemi ;
Tir repéré : le tir permettant l’exécution d’un feu ajusté au milieu de la fumée, du  brouillard, pendant la nuit. Il s’effectue, soit en pointant sur des repères naturels ou artificiels placés à proximité de l’arme et très visibles pour le tireur, soit en rétablissant, par les moyens de repérage prévus, la direction et l’inclinaison de l’arme, déterminées de jour.

Le tir est dit :

de front : lorsque la ligne de tir est sensiblement perpendiculaire à la direction du front de l’ennemi, quelle que soit d’ailleurs sa formation d’attaque ou de défense ;
d’écharpe : lorsque la ligne de tir est plus ou moins oblique au front de l’objectif ; ‣ de flanc : lorsque la ligne de tir aboutit dans le flanc del’objectif ;
de revers : lorsque la ligne de tir est dirigée dans le dos de l’ennemi, soit perpendiculairement, soit obliquement ;
d’enfilade : lorsqu’il est dirigé dans le sens de la plus grande dimension d’un objectif ; un tel tir est en même temps de front, d’écharpe, de flanc ou de revers, suivant la façon dont se présente l’objectif ;
rasant : lorsque sur tout leurs parcours, les trajectoires ne s’élèvent pas au-dessus du terrain, à une hauteur :supérieure à celle de l’homme debout ;
fichant : lorsque la zone dangereuse se limite sensiblement à la zone des points d’arrivée des projectiles.

On appelle :

Feux de flanquement : les feux exécutés par une unité pour protéger ses flancs ou son front, ou ceux d’une unité voisine, au moyen de tirs à peu près parallèles à la ligne à interdire ;
Barrage de feux : la combinaison de feux ayant pour objet de concentrer les projectiles, sans solution de continuité, sur une bande de terrain plus ou moins large, exactement définie ;
Tir de neutralisation : le tir ayant pour résultat d’empêcher l’ennemi de faire un usage efficace de ses armes ;
Tir d’interdiction : le tir exécuté sur les communications de l’ennemi et sur les points de passage qu’il est obligé d’utiliser ;
Tir de harcèlement : le tir ayant pour objet de gêner l’observation de l’ennemi, ses mouvements (ravitaillement, travaux, relèves) et son stationnement ;
Plan des feux : l’ensemble coordonné des tirs prévus pour toutes les armes d’infanterie, d’Artillerie et d’Aviation, dans l’offensive comme dans la défensive, en présence d’une situation ou en vue d’une opération déterminée ;

Plan des feux d’infanterie : la partie du plan des feux concernant les armes et engins d’infanterie et définissant les missions de tir des différentes unités.

‣ Les distances de tir d’infanterie sont dénommées :

Petites distances : de 0 à 400 mètres ;
Moyennes distances : de 400 à 1200 mètres ;
Grandes distances : de 1200 à 2400 mètres ;
Très grandes distances : de 2400 mètres jusqu’à la portée extrême du projectile.


Dr Balliet JM

 

First Tor-M2DT air defense missile systems delivered to Russian army
Da armyrecognition.com del 19 novembre 2018

The Russian army is equipping its first battalion with Tor-M2DT (/russia_russian_missile_system_vehicle_uk/tor-m2dt_arctic_short range_air_defense_missile_system_technical_data_sheet_specifications_pictures_video_12104174.html) short-range air defense missile systems, the Russian Defense Ministry announced last 15 November. On November 19-25, 2018, the first Arctic Tor-M2DT anti-aircraft missile systems are to enter operational service in the Northern fleet (Yeysk, Krasnodar Region)," the statement reads. The hand-over ceremony will be held in the territory of the 726th air defence training centre of military air defence.

The TOR-M2DT (/russia_russian_missile_system_vehicle_uk/tor-m2dt_arctic_short range_air_defense_missile_system_technical_data_sheet_specifications_pictures_video_12104174.html) is a Russian-made short-range air defense missile system using the TOR-M2 missile launcher station.

The system, especially designed to be used for Arctic region, is based on the chassis of the DT-30PM (/russia_russian_army_light_armoured_vehicle_uk/dt-30_allterrain_ tracked_carrier_vehicle_data_pictures_video.html) tracked all-terrain vehicle which consists of two tracked modules linked by a steering mechanism.

The second vehicle is used to carry the TOR-M2 missile launcher station.

The TOR-M2DT has been developed by the JSC Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant Kupol (a subsidiary of the Almaz-Antey Concern). In February 2017, it was announced that Russian defense contractor Tekhnodinamika was finalizing the development of a prototype transporter-loader for the Arctic derivative of the Tor (NATO reporting name: SA-15 Gauntlet) air defense missile system. According to the Company Tekhnodinamika, the Arctic version of the TOR short-range air defense missile system can be used for defending the polar military bases being set up in the Russian Arctic from Frantz Josef Land to Chukotka. The TOR-M2DT was revealed during the rehearsal for the Russian Victory Day Parade, in April 2017.

 

El Castillo de los castillos abrirá en enero en Fuensaldaña
Da noticiascyl.com del 20 novembre 2018

La Diputación de Valladolid ultima la cuenta atrás para mostrar uno de los proyectos más importantes a nivel patrimonial de los últimos años, la transformación del Castillo de Fuensaldaña en un “referente internacional” de las fortalezas, “un auténtico Castillo de castillos, cabeza principal e hilo conductor de las fortalezas de la provincia”, tal y como ha destacado el presidente de la institución provincial, Jesús Julio Carnero. La actuación en el Castillo de Fuensaldaña y su próxima apertura va a ser uno de los puntales de la promoción turística de la provincia en la Feria del Turismo de Interior (Intur) que comienza este jueves en Valladolid y donde la Diputación presentará parte del renovado atractivo con el que contará este Castillo que prevé su apertura en el mes de enero. “Los trabajos están muy avanzados y estamos satisfechos con su desarrollo”, ha apuntado Carnero que ha incidido en que la parte expositiva de la renovada fortaleza se centrará en “contar la historia que tienen los Castillos que es también nuestra historia y es digna de ser conocida”.

Logotipo

Carnero también ha presentado el logotipo diseñado para identificar el Castillo de Fuensaldaña. La imagen representa la planta del castillo y la gran torre del homenaje, nota que caracteriza a los castillos de la Escuela de Valladolid, de la que el Castillo de Fuensaldaña es uno de sus máximos exponentes. Los colores utilizados son el color institucional de la Diputación, que representa a la tierra de Castilla, los campos y pinares en primavera y los inmensos cielos de nuestra provincia”. Junto al nuevo logotipo, se ha presentado una infografía de lo que será el interior del Castillo una vez finalizada toda la obra de adecuación, así como un spot promocional para despertar en los visitantes el interés por conocer el castillo en su nuevo formato.

 

El castillo de Peñafiel ganará 3.200 metros cuadrados para visitas tras su restauración
Da elnortedecastilla.es del 18 novembre 2018

di LORENA SANCHO YUSTE

People Un proyecto valorado en casi un millón de euros actuará en los adarves, la barbacana y el patio norte

A punto de soplar las veinte velas, el Museo Provincial del Vino, uno de los centros turísticos que mayor número de visitantes acapara a lo largo del año en la provincia de Valladolid, se someterá el próximo año a un lavado de cara que permitirá obtener una mayor capacidad de acogida en el número de turistas, así como contemplar el castillo de Peñafiel, donde se ubica, desde diferentes perspectivas hasta ahora desconocidas. La Diputación de Valladolid, junto con el Ayuntamiento de Peñafiel, tienen ya el visto bueno de la Comisión Territorial de Patrimonio Cultural para actuar en la barbacana, el patio norte y los adarves de esta fortaleza, donde invertirán cerca de un millón de euros para continuar con el impulso de este centro turístico «como eje dinamizador no solo de Peñafiel, sino de toda la comarca, porque atrae turismo a todo su entorno», matiza el diputado responsable de Desarrollo Económico, Víctor Alonso. La memoria técnica contempla así la recuperación del adarve perimetral, de tal forma que permitirá conectarlos mediante una escalera de caracol en el patio norte y con el patio sur sobre el techo del museo del vino; además de recuperar los pavimentos dañados e instalar barandillas y medidas de seguridad. La inversión, que llegará financiada en parte a través del 1,5% cultural y con fondos del Ayuntamiento de Peñafiel –la Diputación ha reservado otro medio millón de euros dentro de la propuesta de los Presupuestos–, contempla además consolidar y restaurar la barbacana perimetral, colmatada de sedimentos y con graves patologías en su barrera y muro interior como desplomes y descalces; y el patio norte, cuyos adarves, naves subterráneas y aljibe presentan degradaciones, además de su apertura para la visita. Todo ello, según recogió la Diputación en la memoria descriptiva presentada a Patrimonio, permitirá aumentar en más de 3.200 metros cuadrados la superficie visitable y en 800 metros el recorrido lineal. «La recuperación del nivel original de la barbacana permitirá realizar un recorrido de 360 grados de todo el castillo con vistas ahora imposibles», señala al respecto el diputado de Desarrollo Económico, Víctor Alonso. Vinos de toda la provincia Con estas mejoras, la Diputación pretende de esta forma un doble objetivo; por un lado, según puntualiza el diputado, recuperar la riqueza patrimonial de la provincia a través de esta fortaleza de Peñafiel; y, por otro, seguir impulsando el vino como uno de los recursos más importantes de Valladolid. «Aquí se promocionan no solo los vinos de la Ribera del Duero, donde está asentado el castillo, sino de todas las denominaciones de origen que se asientan en nuestra provincia», puntualiza Víctor Alonso. Las obras podrían arrancar así en 2019, pero el diputado de área admite que será difícil que estén a punto para conmemorar el XX aniversario del Museo Provincial del Vino. Para celebrar estos veinte años de este centro turístico, la Diputación trabaja ya en un ambicioso programa de actividades, donde tendrán cabida catas maridadas, encuentros musicales y gastronómicos, entre otras propuestas sobre las que ya se trabajan.

Cerca de 100.000 visitantes consolidan la atracción turística del Museo del Vino El Museo Provincial del Vino cerrará el año con un nuevo incremento en el número de visitantes a tenor de los datos que maneja la Diputación. Con fecha de agosto eran ya 90.000 los visitantes que este centreo turístico provincial había recibido ya, lo que representaba una cifra superior a los registrados hasta medidados de diciembre del pasado año, que ascendían a 86.553, un 5,8% más que los registrados a 31 de diciembre del 2016. La previsión es así de rondar las 100.000 visitas este año en el Museo Provincial del Vino, que según sostiene la Diputación «sigue siendo el más visitado de Castilla y León». Con respecto al perfil del visitante, los lugares de procedencia siguen siendo los habituales, al menos dentro de la geografía nacional, con madrileños, residentes en la cornisa Cantábrica (Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria y País Vasco) y Cataluña. Durante dos décadas, el Museo del Vino ha supuesto así un «revulsivo» en el turismo creciente de la Ribera del Duero y de toda la comarca de Peñafiel. De tal forma que, según incidente desde la institución provincial, este centro turístico provincial ha motivado el incremento de la oferta turística con nuevos hoteles, restaurantes y tiendas especializadas. El Museo Provincial del Vino fue promovido en 1999 por la Diputación con el fin de dar a conocer la riqueza enológica de la provincia de Valladolid, que aglutina el mayor número de denominaciones de origen de España (DO Tierra de León, Ribera del Duero, Cigales, Toro y Rueda) y la mención de calidad Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla y León.

 

MGuPak (Maschinengewehr Schartenstand und Panzerabwehrkanone Unterstand)
Da bunkrowo.pl del 18 novembre 2018

Nazwa: MGuPak (Maschinengewehr Schartenstand und Panzerabwehrkanone Unterstand), „Hindenburgstand”
Państwo: Niemcy (III Rzesza)
Przedział czasowy: 1934-1935
Przeznaczenie: Schron bojowy
Typ: Schron lekki
Odporność: (wg. klasyfikacji niemieckiej) C
Grubość ścian/stropu: 0,6 m/0,6 m
Pancerze: Płyta stalowa 10P7, płyta stalowa 48P8, drzwi stalowe 14P7, drzwi stalowe dwudzielne 16P7, drzwi stalowe dwuskrzydłowe 446P01
Uzbrojenie: Karabin maszynowy MG 08, działo przeciwpancerne 3,7 cm Pak 36 lub 3,7 cm Pak 36/37 lub 4,7 cm Pak 37 (t)

Obsługa: 10 osób
Opis: Schron składał się z dwóch kondygnacji. Górna (bojowa) zbudowana była z żelazobetonu o grubości 0,6 m i posadowiona na powierzchni gruntu, dla dodatkowej ochrony obsypana ziemią na bokach (skarpy) oraz koronie schronu. Dolna kondygnacja (bytowa) zbudowana była z cegły fortecznej i posadowiona pod powierzchną. Górna kondygnacja dodatkowo wyposażona była w szereg pancerzy wspomagających obronę obiektu. Izba bojowa karabinu maszynowego MG08 posiadała płytę stalową 10P7 chroniąca stanowisko od czoła schronu. W ścianie oddzielającej izbę bojową od garażu armaty ppanc. umieszczono strzelnicę skrzynkową 48P8 jako ochronę wejścia drzwi garażowych. Obydwa pomieszczenia zaopatrzono w stalowe drzwi wewnętrzne (dwudzielne) 16P7 prowadzące do głównej izby i ciągu komunikacyjnego. Od zewnątrz zamontowano drzwi stalowe 14P7 w bloku wejściowym oraz stalowe drzwi garażowe (dwuskrzydłowe) 447P01. Dodatkowo blok wejściowy osłaniany był przez strzelnicę obrony wejścia (48P8) umieszczoną w ubikacji, tuż przy bloku wejściowym. Głównym uzbrojeniem obiektu był karabin maszynowy MG08 umieszczony na lawecie fortecznej 08, posadowionej na betonowej ławie oraz działo przeciwpancerne wytaczane z garażu na stanowisko strzeleckie na koronie schronu, osłonięte betonowym przedpiersiem. Na chwilę obecną trudno jednoznacznie określić, które z dział przeciwpancernych wykorzystywano w schronie. Dolna kondygnacja, przeznaczona do celów bytowych, składała się z izby załogi wyposażonej w składane prycze mocowane do ścian, izby dowódcy, magazynu podręcznego i kuchni wyposażonej w umywalkę, piec, silnik, pompę wody, studnię i zbiornik na wodę. Obie kondygnację łączyła klatka schodowa oraz wyjście ewakuacyjne (przez właz w stropie między kondygnacjami). Przykłady miejsc zastosowania:

Linia Niesłysz-Obra (później FF OWB)

Bibliografia: „Twierdza Europa. Europejskie fortyfikacje II wojny Światowej” – J.E. Kaufmann, R.M. Jurga, Poznań 2013; „Fortyfikacje III Rzeszy w rysunkach przestrzennych” – R.M. Jurga, Zielona Góra 2010; „Fortyfikacje III Rzeszy” – J.E. Kaufmann, H.W. Kaufmann, R.M. Jurga, Poznań 2011. „Międzyrzecki Rejon Umocniony – mapa turystyczna” – T. Gołębiewski, J. Biesiadka, R. Banaś, Poznań 2012; „Dywizje Waffen-SS 1939-1945” C. Bishop, Warszawa 2009; „Zagraniczne formacje Waffen-SS. Zagraniczni ochotnicy w Waffen-SS 1940-1945.” – C. Bishop, Warszawa 2015; „Międzyrzecki Rejon Umocniony 1934-1945” – J. Miniewicz, B. Perzyk, Warszawa 1993; „Propozycja prac konserwatorskich schronu bojowego Pz.W. 745.” – R. Marcinkiewicz, G. Paczkowski, Zielona Góra 1997, www.tanks- ncyclopedia.com.

W latach 1934-1935 rozpoczęto budowę umocnień polowych, umocnień stałych oraz budowli hydrotechnicznych wchodzących w skład Linii Niesłysz-Obra. Był to umocniony pas, rozciągający się od zakola Odry w okolicy miejscowości Bródki na południu, do zakola Warty w okolicach Skwierzyny na północy. Powstająca Linia miała na celu zamknąć dostęp do tzw.

Bramy Lubuskiej z kierunku wschodniego. Zgodnie z wczesnymi planami Hitlera, Niemcy mieli rozpocząć realizowanie swych mocarstwowych dążeń od uderzenia na Francję, co rodziło potrzebę zabezpieczenia wschodniej granicy III Rzeszy przed ewentualnym atakiem ze strony Polski, zwłaszcza na kierunku berlińskim. Linia swoją nazwę wzięła od największych przeszkód terenowych wykorzystanych w trakcie budowy jako naturalne przeszkody – jeziora Niesłysz i rzeki Obry.

W kolejnych latach znacząco rozbudowano całą Linie, wzmacniając ją szeregiem ciężkich schronów bojowych, podziemnych tuneli, koszar, magazynów oraz innej niezbędnej infrastruktury fortecznej i przekształcając pierwotne założenie obronne w Ufortyfikowany Front Łuku Odry i Warty (niem. Festungsfront Oder-Warthe Bogen), zwane dziś Międzyrzeckim Rejonem Umocnionym.

Podstawę pierwotnej Linii Niesłysz-Obra stanowiło zarówno ukształtowanie terenu, jak i mnogość różnego rodzaju przeszkód wodnych, dodatkowo uzupełnionych o kanały taktyczne oraz szereg budowli hydrotechnicznych. Miejsca przepraw dodatkowo wzmocniono obiektami fortyfikacji stałej, a dokładniej schronami bojowymi typu MGuPak (Maschinengewehr Shartenstand und Panzerabwehrkanone Unterstand, zwanymi również „Hindenburgstand”). Łącznie wybudowano 6 takich obiektów. Ze względu na problemy gospodarcze Niemiec we wczesnych latach 30-tych XX w., a także egzekwowane jeszcze wówczas postanowienia Traktatu Wersalskiego, wymienione obiekty posiadały jedynie odporność C i tylko ich górna, tj. bojowa kondygnacja skonstruowana została z wytrzymałego, choć niezbyt grubego żelbetu (0,6 m grubości). Zlokalizowaną pod powierzchnią gruntu dolną kondygnację – bytową – wybudowano ze znacznie tańszej cegły fortecznej.

Powyższe problemy przyczyniły się również do budowy dzieła fortecznego o stosunkowo niewielkich rozmiarach, co wymusiło na projektantach zastosowanie nietypowych rozwiązań. Przykładem może być tu podwójna funkcja niektórych pomieszczeń, jak umieszczenie w latrynie, zlokalizowanej przy bloku wejściowym, strzelnicy obrony wejścia, przez co latryna stawała się jednocześnie wartownią. Drugim przykładem może być garaż dla armaty przeciwpancernej, który jednocześnie stanowił magazyn amunicyjny. Również główna izba bojowa, w ścianie sąsiadującej z garażem, wyposażona została w strzelnicę skrzynkową skierowaną na wprost drzwi garażu i tym samym pozwalającą na obronę wejścia do garażu armaty przeciwpancernej. Dolną kondygnację, dużo przestronniejszą, wyposażono w izbę załogi, izbę dowódcy, podręczny składzik oraz kuchnię ze wszelkimi udogodnieniami.

Główne uzbrojenie obiektu stanowił karabin maszynowy MG08 oraz działo przeciwpancerne. Karabin na lawecie fortecznej (Schartenlafette 08), posadowionej na betonowej ławie, ukryto za płytą stalową 10P7. Stanowiło to dodatkową ochronę dla załogi obsługującej karabin (przed ogniem przeciwnika od czoła). Całość umieszczono w izbie bojowej zwróconej w kierunku przeprawy mostowej. Stanowisko to miało za zadanie zwalczanie siły żywej próbującej forsować pobliski ciek wodny. Poza karabinem maszynowym, w obiekcie umieszczono działo przeciwpancerne w garażu chroniącym armatę przed zniszczeniem podczas ewentualnego nalotu, bądź ostrzału artyleryjskiego.

Armata służyć miała do niszczenia pojazdów przeciwnika zbliżających sie do przeprawy. W celu jej użycia, niezbędne było wytoczenie armaty z garażu na koronę obiektu, gdzie ukryta za betonowym przedpiersiem mogła prowadzić ogień na drogę oraz most na przedpolu schronu. Niestety na podstawie posiadanych źródeł trudno dociec jakiej rzeczywiście armaty przeciwpancernej używano w obiektach tego typu. Najprawdopodobniej było to działo 3,7 cm Pak 36 lub 3,7 cm Pak 36/37 przystosowane do trakcji konnej, czyli wyposażone w koła o konstrukcji drewnianej. Niewykluczone jednak, że w latach późniejszych obiekty tego typu mogły być wyposażone w armaty czechosłowackiej konstrukcji o niemieckim oznaczeniu 4,7 cm Pak 37 (t), przejęte przez Niemców po zajęciu Czechosłowacji – również wyposażone w trakcję konną i o stosunkowo kompaktowej konstrukcji. Zwłaszcza, iż w 1944 roku na obszarze eksperymentalnej Grupy Warownej Ludendorff wybudowano kazamatę dla wyżej wymienionego działa w wersji fortecznej. Jednak jest to jedynie hipoteza.

Prócz izby bojowej, garażu dla armaty wraz z magazynem amunicyjnym oraz wartowni, na górnej kondygnacji znajdowała się również izba główna, która przyjęła rolę składu i ciągu komunikacyjnego a w czasie prowadzenia walki również pomieszczenia, z którego dowodzono obroną. Na jednej ze ścian umieszczono składany stolik dowódcy oraz telefon forteczny (najprawdopodobniej FS35) pozwalający zachować łączność obiektu ze światem zewnętrznym. Do komunikacji wewnątrz schronu, służyły specjale rury głosowe poprowadzone w ścianach z wyjściami w postaci tub głosowych (niem. Sprachrohr) w najważniejszych punktach obiektu. Pozwalało to na sprawne porozumiewanie się pomiędzy kondygnacjami, bez potrzeby opuszczania stanowiska. Na dole, w izbie dowódcy znajdował się najprawdopodobniej dodatkowy telefon stolikowy dla dowódcy (FTS36). W schronie zainstalowano również piece.

Początkowo były to zapewne proste piece okopowe, natomiast z czasem zainstalowano w obiekcie piece forteczne Wt80K. Także w zakresie wentylacji dochodziło do zmian wymuszonych rozwojem technik fortyfikacyjnych. Do 1937 w niemieckiej fortyfikacji stosowano system wentylacji grawitacyjnej. Po roku 1937 obiekt zaopatrzono w ręczny filtrowentylator korbowy (HES 0,6 bądź 1,2). W schronach typu MGuPak stosowano zarówno oświetlenie elektryczne, jak i lampy naftowe czy karbidowe umieszczone w specjalnie przystosowanych do tego celu niszach ściennych (niem. Lichtnische). Obiekt wyposażono w nisze na ładunki wybuchowe, umieszczone przy wejściu i klatce schodowej. Miały one na celu ewentualne uniemożliwienie dostania się nieprzyjaciela do obiektu, w sytuacji gdyby dalsza obrona okazała się niemożliwa.

Jednym z ważniejszych pomieszczeń kondygnacji bytowej była kuchnia. Wyposażono ją w piec kaflowy z płytą grzewczą służącą do przygotowywania ciepłych posiłków, studnię głębionową z pompą wody zasilaną przez silnik elektryczny, zbiornik na wodę oraz zlew kuchenny. Dodatkowo w celach sanitarnych, w izbie załogi, zamontowano mniejszą umywalkę. Najprawdopodobniej załogę schronu stanowiło 10 żołnierzy: 3-osobowa obsługa karabinu maszynowego MG08 w wersji fortecznej, 6-osobowa obsługa działa przeciwpancernego oraz dowódca. Taki stan rzeczy potwierdzałyby pozostałości instalacji w kondygnacji bytowej – mocowania/haki po 9 metalowych pryczach składanych przytwierdzonych do ścian oraz pomieszczenie dowódcy wyposażone w wolnostojące łóżko. Najlepiej zachowany obiekt typu MGuPak znajduje się przy drodze Międzyrzecz-Pieski, niedaleko przeprawy mostowej przez Strugę Jeziorną. Nosi on oznaczenie Pz.W. 745 lub 743 (w zależności od przyjętego źródła) i ze względu na stan zachowania jest obiektem o ogromnej wartości historycznej. Niestety do dnia dzisiejszego nie przetrwały pancerze ani inne elementy stalowe, jednak niemal w idealnym stanie zachowały się instrukcje schronowe w postaci prostych, krótkich i jednoznacznych napisów wymalowanych na ścianach. Informowały one zazwyczaj o przeznaczeniu poszczególnych urządzeń bądź ostrzegały przed nieprawidłowym ich używaniem. Za ich pomocą oznaczano także numery poszczególnych pomieszczeń, czy też izb (niem. Raum). Obiekt nie został wysadzony, więc zachował się również pierwotny układ poszczególnych pomieszczeń, zarówno w kondygnacji bojowej jak i bytowej. Ponadto z obrysów na ścianach można, przynajmniej częściowo, zrekonstruować wygląd i umiejscowienie poszczególnych urządzeń użytkowych schronu, jak umywalki, piece, prycze, stoliki itp. Również otoczenie schronu zachowało w dużej mierze swój pierwotny kształt i charakter. Świetnie widoczne są orylony chroniące zaplecze schronu przed ogniem ukośnym. W niemal nienaruszonym stanie jest zarówno korona schronu oraz skarpy, jak i żelbetowe przedpiersie chroniące stanowisko ogniowe armaty przeciwpancernej. Na przedpolu do dziś zlokalizować można stalowe potykacze, na których rozwieszone były zasieki stanowiące zaporę przeciwpiechotną. Wzdłuż drogi natomiast, natknąć się można na pozostałości zapór przeciwpancernych oraz szlabanów. Ciekawostką są także profile w żelbecie przęseł mostu oraz drewniane pozostałości pali posadowionych w dnie strumienia. Mogą one wskazywać na obecność niewielkiego jazu, który w razie potrzeby miał za zadanie spiętrzyć wodę na Strudze Jeziornej i tym samym dodatkowo utrudnić pokonanie przeprawy. Jednak jest to jedynie kolejna hipoteza.

Niewątpliwie schron bojowy typu MGuPak Pz.W. 745/743 przy drodze Międzyrzecz-Pieski jest warty polecenia nie tylko miłośnikom Ars fortificatio ale również szeroko pojętym turystom, tłumnie odwiedzającym Międzyrzecki Rejon Umocniony każdego roku. Dostęp do niego nie jest trudny, jednakże wymaga spaceru wzdłuż dość ruchliwej drogi bez poboczy, co niestety dyskwalifikuje go jako obiekt turystyczny. Również stan zachowania może ulec poważnemu pogorszeniu ze względu na rozprzestrzeniający się w zastraszającym tempie wandalizm. Świetnie zachowane napisy na ścianach powoli znikają pod warstwami sprayu a dolna kondygnacja wypełnia się śmieciami. Wydaje się, że jedynym ratunkiem dla tego cennego obiektu jest objęcie go opieką odpowiednich instytucji bądź wolontariuszy i przystosowanie go do celów turystyki – świadomej turystyki.

Bibliografia: „Twierdza Europa. Europejskie fortyfikacje II wojny Światowej” – J.E.Kaufmann, R.M. Jurga, Poznań 2013; „Fortyfikacje III Rzeszy w rysunkach przestrzennych” – R.M. Jurga, Zielona Góra 2010; „Fortyfikacje III Rzeszy” – J.E. Kaufmann, H.W. Kaufmann, R.M. Jurga, Poznań 2011. „Międzyrzecki Rejon Umocniony – mapa turystyczna” – T. Gołębiewski, J. Biesiadka, R. Banaś, Poznań 2012; „Dywizje Waffen-SS 1939-1945” C. Bishop, Warszawa 2009; „Zagraniczne formacje Waffen-SS. Zagraniczni ochotnicy w Waffen-SS 1940-1945.” – C. Bishop, Warszawa 2015; „Międzyrzecki Rejon Umocniony 1934-1945” – J. Miniewicz, B. Perzyk, Warszawa 1993; „Propozycja prac konserwatorskich schronu bojowego Pz.W. 745.” – R. Marcinkiewicz, G. Paczkowski, Zielona Góra 1997; „Nowa Marchia – prowincja zapomniana – wspólne korzenie. Front Forteczny Łuku Odry i Warty” – A.M. Kędryna, R.M. Jurga, Gorzów Wlkp. 2006; „Wyposażenie socjalne obiektów fortyfikacji niemieckiej 1933-1944” – A.M. Kędryna, R.M. Jurga, Kraków 1999; „Festungsfront Oder-Warthe Bogen” – A.M. Kędryna, R.M. Jurga; „Międzyrzecki Rejon Umocniony” – A. Toczewski, Zielona Góra 2001; www.tanks-encyclopedia.com

 

Ruta por los castillos de las órdenes militares de Teruel
Da heraldo.es del 17 novembre 2018

Ruta por los castillos de las órdenes militares de Teruel

María José Montesinos Zaragoza

Templarios, sanjuanistas, calatravos... defendían a los nuevos pobladores de los ataques de las tropas musulmanas. Hasta siete órdenes militares distintas estuvieron instaladas en la provincia de Teruel. El recorrido diseñado por la asociación Arcatur nos lleva durante un fin de semana por los castillos y fortalezas más representativos de cada una de ellas.

Hubo un tiempo en que Teruel era un territorio de guerra, la frontera en la que peleaban ejércitos cristianos y musulmanes. Cuando Alfonso I el Batallador inició la conquista definitiva de esas tierras, nadie quería aventurarse a vivir en un lugar asediado por luchas y batallas. Fueron las  órdenes militares las encargadas por el monarca para instalarse en determinados puntos clave y ofrecer la protección de sus armas a la llegada de futuros pobladores, que consolidarían con su presencia la ampliación del reino de Aragón hacia el sur y el Levante.

Teruel llegó a tener siete órdenes militares, -con sus soldados mitad monjes mitad guerreros-, más que ningún otro lugar de España. Para su defensa, construyeron numerosas fortificaciones, de las que se mantienen unas 50-60 construcciones, en distinto estado de conservación.

La Asociación para la Recuperación de los Castillos Turolenses, Arcatur, ha creado una Ruta de los Castillos de las Órdenes Militares de Teruel que permite conocer mejor el legado de estas órdenes y lo que significó su presencia. Entre las fortificaciones levantadas, algunas formaban «complejos defensivos realmente espectaculares», afirma Rubén Sanz, presidente de Arcatur. La ruta cuenta con mesas de interpretación, trípticos y material complementario.

La ruta, que ha recibido la placa al Mérito Turístico, visita siete fortalezas, una por cada congregación con presencia en la provincia, en un recorrido que puede completarse sin problemas durante un fin de semana. Estas son sus siete etapas:

Monreal y la Militia Christi

El castillo de Monreal fue creado en 1122 por Alfonso I el Batallador, a la vez que fundaba la Cofradía Militar, germen de la posterior Militia Christi o Militia Dei, creada a imagen y semejanza de las órdenes que combatían en Tierra Santa. El castillo de Mont Regal cumplía un papel estratégico en la ruta de Zaragoza a Valencia y era paso obligado para los cruzados aragoneses camino de Jerusalén. Mantuvo su protagonismo durante las guerras con Castilla y fue una de las principales fortalezas del Alto Jiloca hasta su destrucción por el jefe carlista Luis Llagostera en 1839. Sus restos medievales aguardan los trabajos arqueológicos que les permitan salir a la luz. Su mesa de interpretación marca el inicio de la ruta.

Alfambra y el Monte Gaudio

La Orden del Monte Gaudio fue fundada en 1173 para proteger a los peregrinos que iban a Tierra Santa. Alfonso II la implantó en la provincia de Teruel donándoles el castillo de Alfambra y otras posesiones. Tras la conquista de Jerusalén por Saladino en el 1187, Alfambra pasó a ser la casa maestral (sede central) de la Orden. Durante la Guerra de los Dos Pedros el castillo fue conquistado momentáneamente por las tropas castellanas. Fortaleza de gran tamaño, ocupaba la cumbre y la parte superior de la ladera suroriental del cerro donde se encuentra, pero el declive sufrido ha dejado pocos restos. Sí puede verse todavía el aljibe, parte de la obra de ingeniería hidráulica que era su sistema de decantación de aguas, que ya fue destacado desde antiguo.

Alcalá y los frailes de la Selva

Alfonso II conquistó la fortaleza islámica que ya existía desde el siglo XI y la entregó a los monjes, o freires, de la Selva Mayor, «para la repoblación y destrucción de sarracenos», convirtiendo a los mansos frailes benedictinos en combativos guerreros. En el siglo XIII construyeron un nuevo edificio, que seguía dominando el territorio desde el espolón rocoso de las hoces del río Alcalá. Incendiado durante la Guerra de los Dos Pedros, Fernández Heredia se encargó de su reconstrucción. En 1835 fue reforzado por los carlistas, y conquistado por los liberales poco después, tras un intenso bombardeo. El castillo de Alcalá ha sido restaurado y se ha iniciado el proceso de musealización.

Aliaga y la Orden del Hospital

El castillo de Aliaga comprendía un impresionante complejo defensivo de 4.000 m2 situado en una escarpada roca, que era considerado uno de los más inexpugnables del sur de Aragón. Antigua fortaleza musulmana, con Alfonso II fue conquistado definitivamente y donado a la Orden del Hospital, fundada en 1048 junto a la basílica del Santo Sepulcro de Jerusalén. Allí se mantuvo la sede central, mientras Aliaga fue designada como segunda Encomienda de la orden sanjuanista de los monjes hospitalarios. La fortaleza fue víctima también de la contienda carlista, pero conserva visible buena parte del recinto exterior, donde destacan una quincena de torres cilíndricas y los restos de la torre del homenaje, asentada sobre un peñasco de más de 30 metros de altura.

Montalbán y Santiago

La Orden de Santiago tuvo su origen en Extremadura, donde se creó para proteger la frontera cristiana frente a las tropas musulmanas, pero pronto le fue encomendada la protección de los peregrinos que acudían a visitar el sepulcro del apóstol Santiago en Compostela. Su presencia en Teruel está documentada desde 1200 pero no es hasta 1210 que Pedro II les entrega el castillo de Montalbán, creado sobre la antigua fortaleza islámica, y donde situaron la sede de su Encomienda Mayor de Aragón. Durante la Guerra de los Dos Pedros, los avances castellanos situaron a Montalbán en cabeza de frontera sur del reino aragonés, lo que significó el reforzamiento y renovación de sus fortificaciones. En las guerras carlistas, tras ser tomado por los liberales sufrió 50 días de sitio, durante los que lanzaron 600 granadas y 3.000 proyectiles, que lo dejaron en ruinas. Actualmente, un plan director prepara su restauración.

Castellote y los templarios

Tras ser tomado por Alfonso II, este castillo de Castellote pasó en 1196 a ser posesión de la Orden del Temple. Su estratégica situación y alto equipamiento permitió resistir a los caballeros que lo habitaban tras la disolución de la orden, siendo el último reducto en manos templarias en el sur de Aragón. La fortaleza ejerció funciones militares en las guerras carlistas. Bombardeado por las tropas de Espartero, el recinto sufrió mucho, pero recientes trabajos de restauración lo han devuelto a la vida. Se conserva la torre del homenaje, sala capitular, el aljibe y dos puertas exteriores.

Alcañiz y los calatravos

La Orden de Calatrava se fundó en 1158 en Castilla para proteger las fronteras toledanas y en 1179 Alfonso II de Aragón les donó el castillo de Alcañiz, que pasó a ser Encomienda Mayor en Aragón, hecho que explica la calidad artística con que los calatravos dotaron a todo el conjunto. Su función como parador de turismo ha permitido su conservación (con elementos exquisitos como sus frescos medievales), y puede visitarse en recorridos libre y guiados.

 

Fort d'Emines: des guides passionnés se battent pour continuer à faire vivre ce témoin de 14-18
Da trurodaily.com del 16 novembre 2018

Au lendemain des dernières commémorations, les portes du fort d'Emines devaient se refermer. Mais des passionnés se battent pour continuer à faire vivre le fort de 14-18 - © Monika Wachter - RTBF

Au lendemain des dernières festivités de 14-18, les portes du fort d'Emines à La Bruyère devaient se refermer définitivement. Mais des guides passionnés se battent pour continuer à faire vivre cet important lieu de mémoire, un des neuf édifices militaires qui formaient la ceinture de défense de Namur. La Province de Namur avait signé une convention avec les propriétaires pour quatre ans, la durée des commémorations. La Province a payé la sécurisation et l'éclairage des lieux. Le propriétaire a accepté en contrepartie que des visites soient organisées pendant cette période. Mais la convention expire fin du mois et le fort allait à nouveau devenir inaccessible au public. Pour les guides bénévoles passionnés du fort d'Emines, c'était inimaginable. Objectif: Création d'une ASBL pour prolonger les activités historiques Etienne Carpentier, à l'initiative du projet, vient de signer une convention avec le propriétaire du fort. "On a obtenu du propriétaire de pouvoir organiser les activités historiques sur le fort pour autant qu'il ne soit pas vendu à une autre personne... Nous allons créer une association pour la gestion du fort d'Emines. Et nous allons l'ouvrir suivant une modalité encore à définir, sur diverses activités qui auront toujours trait à l'histoire du lieu." Tout ça à condition que personne ne rachète le fort. Il est toujours à vendre pour un million d'euros bien qu'Albert Hublet, le propriétaire, se dit prêt à discuter du prix. La fortification avait accueilli jusqu'à 300 militaires. Il est en bon état de conservation et respire la vie militaire. On a presque l'impression qu'un soldat de 14-18 va surgir derrière le tournant d'un long couloir. Après avoir raconté son histoire maintes fois aux visiteurs, Etienne Carpentier s'est donc passionné pour le fort d'Emines. Sa fermeture le hantait. Il avait peur que ce témoin militaire tombe à nouveau dans l'oubli ou qu'il soit vandalisé. "Pour nous, c'était inimaginable. Nous nous sommes investis tant et plus dans le fort ces dernières années. Je trouverais donc cela terriblement dommageable que ce travail soit rendu inutile". Il se bat ensemble avec les autres guides passionnés pour mettre ce projet sur pied. La dernière visite guidée du fort d'Emines a lieu ce samedi 17 novembre à 14 heures trente. Si ces passionnés finalisent leur projet, alors les portes de ce témoin capital de l'histoire militaire de Namur rouvrira ses portes pour de nouvelles visites guidées début avril. di Monika Wachter

 

Tours of Debert bunker being offered
Da trurodaily.com del 15 novembre 2018

People don’t often have the chance to explore a real life nuclear bunker, but that’s something that can now be done in Debert. Tours of the bunker are being offered, beginning Nov. 24. “I live in Debert, and I used to walk on the roads here and say how cool it would be to get into the bunker,” said Kelly Caddell, who recently began working at the site as a bunker experience representative. “I’ve learned a lot since coming here, and it’s really interesting.”

Tours will include several areas, including the room that’s called ‘the forgotten room,’ because it was forgotten when renovations were done. It still includes a bunk bed, lockers and wall storage boxes. The bunker was used by military and civilian personnel for about 30 years, and includes a large room which held computers. Halon gas stored under the floor could be sent up through vented tiles if a fire broke out in the room. There are areas used by NORAD, and provincial and regional agencies. Visitors can walk through the decontamination area, where people would have been required to shower and strip off clothing if a nuclear attack had occurred. The 63,000-square foot bunker had 49 bedrooms and was designed to house 350 people. It was built with a continuous air flow system that still operates today. “It’s unreal how many rooms there are, and there are a lot of myths about tunnels and rooms that still remain hidden,” said Caddell.

A large cafeteria has been converted into a movie room with a large screen. Spooky movies were shown around Halloween, and Christmas ones are coming up. Seven bunkers were built across Canada during the late 1950s-early1960s. They were called Diefenbunkers because they were part of a national defense strategy ordered by John Diefenbaker while he was serving as prime minister. Tour dates will be available throughout the year, but tickets are being offered for $11 during the month of Nov. Tours take about an hour, and include no more than 15 people.

Tickets can be purchased on the Enter the Bunker website at https://www.enterthebunker.com/bunker_tours/ (https://www.enterthebunker.com/bunker_tours/) lynn.curwin@trurodaily.com

 

Large Pillbox – S0001569
Da mark.stothard.com del 15 novembre 2018

Large pillbox. 2 entrances (now blocked). 4 embrasures on each sea facing side. The top is level with the road, but one area is sunk.[ Possibly small AA gun site]. (Source: Field Visit 1995/12/04) Unique pillbox with embrasures for 3 rifles and a machine- un in each of its two beach-flanking faces, and 3 rifle embrasures in the front face. On its roof is a small horseshoe-shaped LAA position. (Source: Article 1995) A beach defence pillbox survives in good condition. {1}

A large pillbox at the W end of the beach, partly buried. It appears from the protruding bits to be of a non-standard plan – it appears to be large with a semi-hexagonal front. This pillbox is of a very unique bunker-like design. It was positioned built into the bank at the back of the beach probably to defend the near-by station and level-crossing. The structure consisted of a three-sided concrete wall 0.65 m thick, behind which was what appeared to be a covered gallery with a width of 1.18 m.

There were four embrasures in the two side walls and three in the front wall. The two embrasures on the two front corners of the side walls were very large, probably for housing a heavy machine gun. The entrances were at either end of the gallery and were reached by steps leading downwards towards the front of the structure. The pillbox was made from coarse pebbly concrete with small beach pebbles embedded into the roof, possibly as camouflage against aircraft. There is a horseshoe-shaped feature on the roof which could have been a gun position. (Source: SMR ) Photographs © Mark Stothard

 

Kolejny dolnośląski zabytek powstanie z ruin…
Da ziemiasudecka.pl del 15 novembre 2018

Fort Spitzberg- Ostróg w Srebrnej Górze, w czasie II wojny światowej miejsce odosobnienia polskich bohaterów doczekał się pierwszego, historycznego remontu! Dzięki dotacji Dolnośląskiego Wojewódzkiego Konserwatora Zabytków z siedzibą we Wrocławiu, środkom nowego gospodarza- Muzeum Obrony Wybrzeża ze Świnoujścia- oraz zaangażowaniu spółki Twierdza Srebrna Góra, 15 listopada 2018 roku zakończył się remont części muru szyjowego fortu. Prace, które kosztowały blisko 90 000 zł wykonała firma Edwarda Toczyńskiego i był wykonywane pod nadzorem Grzegorza Basińskiego z Twierdzy Srebrna Góra. – Wykonawca miał bardzo trudne zadanie- kamienne fasady wymagały odbudowany w niektórych miejscach na grubości nawet 1 metra- mówi Marcin Ossowski, z muzeum które jest obecnie gospodarzem fortu.- Dzięki wykonanym pracom będzie można kontynuować zagospodarowywanie fortu na cele nowoczesnego muzeum.- dodaje.

Kolejne prace trwają- już za kilka dni rozpocznie się remont wewnętrznych fasad fortu, a nowi gospodarze liczą, że w 2019 roku uda się pozyskać dodatkowe środki finansowe od Ministra Kultury i Dziedzictwa na dokończenie remontu całej fasady zewnętrznej. —- Fort Spitzberg- Ostróg, jedno z samodzielnych dzieł obronnych twierdzy srebnogórskiej, wybudowano w XVIII wieku z inicjatywy i pod nadzorem Fryderyka Wielkiego. Obiekt powstał na szczycie góry Ostróg (627 m.n.p) w Górach Bardzkich. Później obiekt pełnił funkcję największego w Niemczech schroniska młodzieżowego, ośrodka szkolenia dla strzelców górskich i bazy szkoleniowej Hitlerjugend. W czasie II wojny światowej w forcie zlokalizowano pierwszy, niemiecki oflag karany dla polskich oficerów- więziono tu między innym kontradmirała Józefa Unruga, generała Tadeusza Piskora, bohaterów szarży pod Krojantami. Po II wojnie światowej fort pełnił różne funkcje- między innymi bazy harcerskiej. XVIII-to wieczna forteca, położona na szczycie wzgórza nie miała jednak szczęścia do remontów- prace ograniczano do prac porządkowych. Od stycznia 2018 roku fort ma nowego gospodarza- Muzeum Obrony Wybrzeża, które opiekuje się miedzy innymi Fortem Gerharda w Świnoujściu. – Spitzberg, ze swoją wyjątkową historią ma szansę stać się wyjątkowym, nowoczesnym miejscem edukacji historycznej. – mówi Jakub Kasiński, który w mundurze z okresu II Rzeczpospolitej oprowadza po forcie turystów.- .Miejscem gdzie będzie można dotknąć prawdziwej historii ! Obecne prace to pierwszy remont konserwatorski od 1913 roku

 

Nowa turystyczna atrakcja na Sądecczyźnie - poniemiecki bunkier w Barcicach
Da radiokrakow.pl del 12 novembre 2018

Niestety coraz więcej osób zapomina o tych tragicznych wydarzeniach – podkreśla Tomasz Koszkul, z Towarzystwa Historycznego Miłośników Barcic - a każda miejscowość w Polsce ma przypuszczalnie taką "pamiątkę" po nazistach. Tan bunkier łączy się z wieloma wspomnieniami tutejszych rodzin. Takie znaleziska to zaproszenie do rozmów na temat historii najbliższej okolicy. Miłośnicy historii odkopali cały schron i przystosowali do zwiedzania. Takich poniemieckich budynków w naszych regionie jest bardzo dużo – podkreśla Stanisław Pustułka, ze Stowarzyszenia Historyczno – Eksploracyjnego Sądecczyzny - zbierają informacje od mieszkańców, którzy mogą jeszcze pamiętać gdzie się znajdują. Na ścianach niektórych bunkrów wyryte są nawet imiona i nazwiska osób Polaków, które były zmuszona do ich budowy. Bunkry były niewielkie, ale ważyły nawet kilka ton.

W środku mieściło się dwóch żołnierzy, którzy mieli do dyspozycji karabin maszynowy, wyrzutnik granatów oraz miotacz płomieni. W najbliższej okolicy jest jeszcze pięć innych schoronów. Miłośnicy historii chcą je również odkopać, a niektóre, tak jak to było w czasie II wojny światowej połączyć okopami. Do wykonania prac potrzebna są jednak zgody m.in. właścicieli działek na których znajdują się schrony oraz konserwatora zabytków. Bartosz Niemiec/bp

 

Winkel Towers of Zossen
Da atlasobscura.com del 10 novembre 2018

                        

Nicknamed “concrete cigars” or “sugar beet heads,” about 200 of these pointy cone-shaped air raid shelters were built in Germany during World War II. The highest concentration of them was in Zossen, a small town near Berlin where the Nazi supreme command was stationed.

These unique, above-ground bomb shelters were officially called Winkeltürme (Winkel Towers) after their designer, architect Leo Winkel. The idea was that the narrow, pointed structures would be hard to target from the air, and if hit, the bomb would slide down the smooth, sloped sides without detonating. Indeed, only one Winkel Tower was ever destroyed by a direct bomb hit.

The conical concrete bunkers were also much cheaper to construct than underground shelters, and could squeeze in up to 500 people. About 200 towers were built over the course of the war, mainly in industrial areas to protect valuable workers. Nearly 20 Winkel Towers were built in the Wünsdorf-Zossen area alone, where the Supreme High Command of the German Army was headquartered, to protect the Nazi officials who didn’t work out of the famous Zeppelin or Maybach bunkers.

After the war, most of the Winkel Towers were destroyed by the Soviet troops during the demilitarization of Germany. But many of these now-abandoned bunkers still stand. Several can be seen around Zossen, and one of the towers is open to visitors. It is connected with a nearby museum where you can get a ticket.

Know Before You Go

The map coordinates above are for the bunker at 9 Gutenbergstraße in Zossen, which is open to visitors. Tours can be arranged through the Bücherstadt-Tourismus GmbH (museum and visitors center) at Zehrensdorfer Str. 12, a short walk away.

 

Tsar Bomba: The Biggest Blast In Human History
Da warhistoryonline.com del 10 novembre 2018

Craters dot the Russian testing grounds. The Official CTBTO CC BY 2.0

That the world needs the threat of nuclear warfare to maintain a semblance of peace is a contradictory reality most people have come to accept.

When America dropped the bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in Japan at the end of World War II, it briefly seemed that the world understood that these weapons only led to untold destruction in a manner mankind might never recover from.

But shortly thereafter, other nations hurriedly joined the nuclear race by developing their own bombs with the aim of building ones even more powerful than those dropped on Japan.

One country that is, and has been for decades, a keen rival of the United States in many ways but particularly in military technology, is Russia.

Atomic bomb mushroom clouds over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.1945

Political legend has it that Nikita Khrushchev, in 1960, used the expression “Kuzma’s mother,” while speaking to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly about nuclear weapons.

It is a slang expression that means, roughly, “We’ll show you.” Indeed, the Soviets had a clear point to make, aimed specifically at the United States. In 1961, it made good on that promise.

When Russia tested its first, massive nuclear bomb, known variously as “Tsar Bomba,” “Big Ivan,” “Kuzma’s Mother,” or “Joe III” (by the CIA), it was still called the USSR.

The bomb was tested on October 31, 1961, at the cape of Severny Island. Its strength was approximately 1,500 times that of both bombs dropped on Japan.

Model of the “Tsar Bomba” in the Sarov atomic bomb museum.Photo: Croquant CC BY-SA 3.0

The Tsar Bomba is the only one of its size and strength – 50 megatons of TNT – ever detonated. It had a massive “mushroom cloud” (as the byproduct of a nuclear bomb is known) that some experts say would have been visible 40 miles (64 kilometers) away.

The explosion supposedly shattered glass windows in Finland, more than 500 miles (over 804 kilometers) from its detonation site. It ruined everything within a radius of up to 30 miles (48 kilometers).

 

 

Site of the detonation.Photo: Audriusa CC BY-SA 3.0

One problem the Russians faced – besides the potential for massive damage – was how to deliver and detonate such a huge bomb.

It weighed about 60,000 pounds (over 27,000 kilograms), was 26 feet (almost eight meters) long and about seven feet (two meters) wide at one point.

How could a “standard” jet fly it into place, then get out of its reach? And more importantly, how would the pilots who flew that plane get out alive? The answer was they wouldn’t, at least not definitely. The aircraft used had to be a one-of-a-kind design just to handle the Tsar Bomba.

So the Russians modified a TU 95 by taking off its bomb doors and its fuel tanks. The pilots and crew were given a 50/50 chance of surviving the delivery and test.

A Russian Tu-95 Bear ‘H’

Engineers also attached a parachute of sorts to the bomb to slow down the speed at which it fell.

This feature gave the plane time to escape the worst effects of the blast, but nonetheless the aircraft fell about 3,000 feet (over 914 meters) when the bomb detonated. The pilot and crew got approximately 26 miles (almost 42 miles) away before the Tsar Bomba went off. It was detonated “mid-air” rather than on impact with the ground, to help lessen its effects.

The area was, of course, geographically barren. But in spite of such precautions, it had a profound effect on the land over which it was detonated, north of the Arctic Circle.

Castle Romeo nuclear test (yield 11 Mt) on Bikini Atoll. It was the first nuclear test conducted on a barge. The barge was located in the Castle Bravo crater.

There were no reports of injuries or deaths reported in the Western media.

It could have been much, much worse.

The bomb was capable of exploding with a capacity of 100 megatons, but officials knew the results were completely unpredictable, and the pilots would not have survived.

Hence, they opted for the “smaller” version.

Casings were made for more of these bombs and are on display at two museums in Russia: the Russian Nuclear Weapons Museum near Sarov, and the All Russian Research Institute of Technical Physics in Snezhinsk.

 

 

Mark 41 thermonuclear bomb casing at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

The casing of a B-41 thermonuclear bomb.

Russia got what Khrushchev boasted of to the UN that day almost 60 years ago.

That political and military leaders around the globe have chosen not to test another bomb, or an even bigger one, is something to be thankful for.

Given the unstable geopolitical situations we face today, it’s impossible to know for certain whether governments will continue to choose the safer, saner option.

 

Battery of San Leandro, Cartagena
Da fsgfort.com del 10 novembre 2018

Listing type: Coast defence

Location: Europe

In 1799 a three-gun battery is shown here in the Atlas Ordovas. By 1860 a plan shows a fort here with crenulations on the top, facing seawards.

By 1894 3 x 24-cm guns had been mounted in the fort and these were housed in large casemated positions, which remain complete. There is a lower, which was originally accessed by stairs, from which shell and cartridge hoists operated (not able to access).

There is concrete encased Battery Command Post in the centre of the position.

It is apparent that three Quick Fire Guns have been mounted on the fort. The D ring mounts would indicate that these were 12-pdrs for AMTB defence.

(http://fsgfort.com/wp-admin) The Fortress Study Group 2016

 

Dymchurch: Plans to turn historic Martello tower into holiday home
Da kentonline.co.uk del 10 novembre 2018

The historic Martello Tower could be turned into a holiday let

An historic war building situated in a seafront car park could be turned into a holiday let, fresh blueprints have revealed. A planning application has been submitted to Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) to change Martello Tower 25 in Dymchurch into a vacation rental. The 19th century building used for defence was sold at auction last year by Clive Emson.

Dunn Architects on behalf of the applicant Nicola Dealtry have revealed drawings for the disused building which has 6ft thick walls, with the intention of it being let to groups of up to eight people. If approved, the tower would be divided into four storeys, connected with a new spiral staircase. The ground floor would consist of a lobby, storage and a cinema room, to make use of no natural lighting, according to planning documents. The existing stairwell would be retained, however, for occasional access to the top level. A skylight at the top of the new staircase would provide natural light for the whole building, with four double bedrooms across the first and second floors, each with their own en suite. Two new windows would also be installed on the second floor. The third floor plans feature an open plan kitchen and diner, as well as a small, external terrace "providing undisturbed views out to sea". There is also provision for two parking spaces, and a new aluminium roof and double glazing would be installed.

 

Inside the Martello Tower

The well-known feature on Romney Marsh had a guide price of between £70,000 to £75,000 - but instead went for more than double its estimated worth at a staggering £145,000 under the hammer last December. Martello Towers were originally built in the 19th century to protect the British Empire from invasions from across the water.

This tower, built in 1806, was one of 74 towers built in Kent and Sussex in the Napoleonic Wars.

According to the heritage statement on the application, the building was grade II listed in 1985 along with the other two towers in Dymchurch. Listed building consent is being sought in connection with the application.

The car park around it was laid out in 1967, while archive maps show it used to be an area of pasture.

The design and access statement notes that guano - accumulated excrement from seabirds - had built up inside the building at ground level but has recently been removed.

 

Developers have released images of their plan

The interior of a classic British Martello tower typically consists of three storeys: ground, upper floor and the roof.

The small forts were designed to hold between 15 and 25 men and each measure around 40ft in height.

Effectiveness was never tested in combat against a Napoleonic invasion, however, they have proved a useful tool in catching smugglers.

A spokesman for the auctioneer Clive Emson, which sold the building, said last year the sale attracted a lot of interest.

 

Dunn Architects has drawn up plans to transform the site

 

Kevin Gibson said: “I wasn’t surprised it went for that much. “Because unusual and historic buildings like this are becoming harder and harder to find in their original condition, people need to buy them as soon as they come up.

“The Martello Towers do generate a lot of interest.

They are fantastic buildings. “It doesn’t have planning consent and there will be certain constraints on the building, but buyers often have very creative imaginations.

“The building has incredible potential.” Previous owner FHDC sold off the tower following a review of its assets in a bid to help plug a £6 million funding gap.

A council spokesman said a new owner would help “breathe new life into the building”.

 

Research Begins on Fortresses Gorazde and Kosmač
Da total-montenegro-news.com del 7 novembre 2018

November 7, 2018

The Austrian archaeological institute, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, conducted a research project of the Austro-Hungarian fortifications in Montenegro. An expert team of six specialists, coordinated by Lili Zabran, conducted a two-week research of the fortresses Gorazde and Kosmac, which were selected for detailed assessment and preparation of basic documentation. Since further use requires detailed construction surveys, the implemented project has focused on forming documentation and assessing the damage to further planning. The results of the campaign are the basis for the development of a future project, which, in addition to military research, will include research into documentation and realization of the construction of fortifications, maintenance, and establishing communication and supply in times of war and peacetime. Information will also be collected on soldiers stationed in fortresses, as well as their interaction with the civilian population.

The subject of the research will be the use of fortresses during the Second World War as well as during the former Yugoslavia. Experts from the Center for Archeology and Conservation of Montenegro and the Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Property followed the activities carried out on the terrain by the representatives of the Archaeological Institute of Austria. The project is implemented on the basis of the Memorandum of Cooperation with the Archaeological Institute of Austria, signed by the Ministry of Culture in June 2018, which envisages cooperation in the field of education and training of professional staff in the field of protection and preservation of cultural goods as well as the joint action in the field of protection of immovable cultural goods. Support for the realization of this project was provided by the Embassy of Austria in Montenegro, as well as the municipalities of Budva and Kotor. Text by CdM, on November 6th, 2018, you can read more at CdM

 

Rajd w 100-lecie odzyskania niepodległości
Da Kopieckościuszki.pl del 7 novembre 2018

W przeddzień 100. rocznicy odzyskania przez Polskę niepodległości - 10 listopada - na Kopiec Kościuszki w Krakowie zawitają uczestnicy XIX Wojewódzkiego Rajdu im. Jana Grondkowskiego. W tym roku rajd odbywa się pod hasłem "100-lecie Odzyskania Niepodległości - Polaków drogi do wolności".

Organizatorem wydarzenia jest Małopolski Oddział Polskiego Towarzystwa Schronisk Młodzieżowych w Krakowie, a współorganizuje je Komitet Kopca Kościuszki. W programie rajdu znalazły się m.in. gra terenowa "100-lecie Niepodległości Państwa Polskiego", spotkanie przy pomniku poświęconym 152 rocznicy rozstrzelania Przywódców Polskiego Powstania nad Bajkałem z 1866 r. , który znajduje się przy budynku Schroniska Młodzieżowego PTSM na ul. Oleandry w Krakowie, a na Kopcu Kościuszki uczestnicy rajdu zwiedzą muzeum figur woskowych "Polaków drogi do wolności", a także będą śpiewać pieśni patriotyczne. Wieczorem wejdą na szczyt Kopca z pochodniami i wezmą udział w apelu poległych.

Podczas rajdu zostanie uroczyście otwarta wystawa wiceprezesa Oddziału Małopolskiego PTSM Jerzego Bogusława Nowaka zatytułowana "Miejsca polskiej martyrologii na Syberii i otaczające je krajobrazy".

 

Orihuela intervendrá de urgencia para conservar la Torre Taifal en sus murallas
Da diarioinformacion.com del 6 novembre 2018

Orihuela intervendrá de urgencia para conservar la Torre Taifal

El Ayuntamiento de Orihuela está redactando el proyecto para ejecutar obras de consolidación urgentes en la Torre Taifal, que forma parte del lienzo de los restos de la muralla y que es una de las referencias mejor conservadas del sistema defensivo medieval de la sierra oriolana, según confirmaron el concejal Rafael Almagro y el arquitecto municipal Emilio Diz, ayer a INFORMACIÓN. Esta actuación se aborda en el marco de las intervenciones que se requieren a corto plazo y al margen de las futuras previsiones del Plan Director de Conservación y Restauración del Castillo y las Murallas de Orihuela. El Ayuntamiento está completando en estos momentos ese Plan Director con previsiones a medio y largo plazo sobre todo el Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC). Algo que está llevando a cabo con iniciativas como una encuesta a los vecinos -que se anunció ayero la difusión en redes sociales y a través de otras iniciativas -como la edición de folletos informativos- del muchas veces desconocido valor patrimonial de estos restos arqueológicos.

La intervención urgente en la Torre Taifal se llevaría a cabo en los primeros meses del año que viene. Para desarrollar la finalización del documento del Plan Director y esas ejecuciones urgentes sobre el terreno en el presupuesto municipal figura una partida de 300.000 euros, según aseguró Almagro en su comparecencia. La Torre de la Taifa es una de las escasas construcciones que todavía es referencia visual desde la base de la sierra, entre las que destacan todavía parte del lienzo de las murallas, las murallas del albacar y restos arqueológicos que coronan la sierra de San Miguel.

El anuncio sobre esta intervención extraordinaria en los restos del castillo-alcazaba lo hizo el concejal de Patrimonio Histórico, Almagro, y el arquitecto Emilio Diz en una rueda de prensa en la que se informó además sobre la puesta en marcha de una encuesta dentro del marco del Plan Director «a disposición de toda la ciudadanía, tanto online, a través del blog de la Concejalía de Patrimonio Histórico, como en papel, «de manera que cualquier persona pueda participar recogiéndola en el Museo Arqueológico Comarcal en San Juan de Dios y en el Museo de la Muralla», reflejó Almagro.

El concejal explicó que esta encuesta pretende ser una primera toma de contacto para «conocer cuál es la percepción que los oriolanos y oriolanas tienen de las ruinas de nuestro castillo». Es una encuesta que estará abierta hasta el 5 de diciembre a las 12.00 horas, consta de 15 preguntas, se contesta en apenas 5 minutos y «es totalmente anónima».

El arqueólogo municipal, Emilio Diz, destacó que esta encuesta se enmarca dentro del plan de comunicación y participación del Plan Director del Castillo y Murallas de Orihuela. «Una encuesta para hacernos una idea de lo que piensa la ciudadanía sobre el castillo y para saber que visión de futuro se le debe dar. También dejamos un espacio para que la gente ofrezca sus opiniones».

Imagen de los restos de murallas y del castillo de Orihuela

Almagro y Diz también indicaron que a través de esas respuestas se podrá orientar una actuación de conservación y puesta en valor de toda la zona prevista ya a largo plazo, durante casi una década. Lo que exige una inversión muy importante, para las que se solicitarán subvenciones, una vez que se describa en el plan las prioridades a ejecutar.

Restaurar, no reconstruir

Diz aclaró que es lógico que una parte de las opiniones se inclinen por pedir una reconstrucción de las murallas y la alcazaba-castillo: «Algo que legalmente no se puede hacer porque no sabemos cómo eran. La obligación es conservar los restos» no recrearlos, matizó el arqueólogo, aunque sí restaurar los existentes. «Puede haber distintas sensibilidades sobre lo qué hacer en la zona», especificó Diz. El edil de Patrimonio Histórico quiso destacar que un Plan Director es la herramienta que sirve para determinar qué actuaciones hacer en los próximos años y qué se está redactando en base al Plan Nacional de Arquitectura Defensiva.

Con respecto al plan de comunicación que va aparejado al Plan Director, «tenemos que decir que se ha empezado con esa difusión de la importancia del Castillo y Murallas de Orihuela en redes sociales, dónde además hay una serie de vídeos en los que se va explicando algunos de los elementos sobre los que se trabaja así como la labor que está realizando el equipo».Además, se ha editado un folleto informativo en el que se enumeran los elementos más importantes del Castillo y un marcapáginas en el que se incluye una imagen del Cartulario de Orihuela así como el plano del ámbito de actuación del plan y en breve «podremos disfrutar de la edición en papel de la Ruta Andalusí preparada en conjunto por el Museo Arqueológico Comarcal y la Asociación de Amigos del Museo Arqueológico (ADAMACO)», manifestó el edil.

Almagro, desde la Concejalía de Patrimonio histórico y desde el equipo del Plan Director, quiso solicitar la colaboración de todos los ciudadanos «para tener el mayor número de respuestas posible y poder impulsar ese sentir hacia un bien de importantísimo interés para la historia y el patrimonio de Orihuela».

 

China promotes new CM-401 supersonic ballistic anti-ship missile
Da defence-blog.com del 5 novembre 2018

Chinese defense company offers its new CM-401 supersonic ballistic anti-ship missile for the export market.

China’s modern indigenously designed and manufactured supersonic ballistic anti-ship missile will make its maiden public appearance during the AirShow China 2018 exhibition, which is set to take place in Zhuhai from 6–11 November.

The CM-401 missile is a new type of hight supersonic ballistic anti-ship missile, using near space trajectory, and capable of all-course high supersonic maneuverable flight, terminal diving and high-velocity top-attacking, various platform launching firing. It is mainly used to rapidly and exactly attack medium-large sized vessels and ships, formations and port targets.

According to company’s officials, it has the characteristics of multi-ballistic coordinated capability, powerful damage capability, strong penetration ability and system combat.

The new CM-401 missile has an estimated top speed of Mach 6 and a maximum range of 290 km.

 

The startling truth behind the powerful explosion in Birgu
Da unexpectedtraveller.com del 5 novembre 2018

Fortifications – Birgu, Malta

One of Malta’s worst peacetime disasters took place in 1806.

A military gunpowder store exploded in Birgu, across the harbour from Valletta. In 1806 Malta was a British protectorate. While it still was part of the Kingdom of Sicily the British guaranteed Malta’s safety. The Napoleonic wars had started in 1803 and Britain waged war with Napoleon by land and at sea. The Mediterranean was one of these battlegrounds. Malta’s central location made it vital to British interests. The gunpowder stores in Birgu was a small room within the fortifications, known as a casemate . The Knights had built this as a temporary measure. The threat of invasion was low so they didn’t worry about gunpowder inside the city walls. Similar stores were in use in Fort St Angelo and Mdina.

This worried the residents, for obvious reasons. They’d often complained about the risks but nothing had changed. When the British took over in 1800 they tried to find alternative locations. The only alternatives were being used as barracks or hospitals. By 1806, things were still the same.

The disaster

Britain wanted to send ammunition to Sicily to refuel stocks there. The stores in Birgu were full with :

◾ 370 barrels containing 18 000 kg of gunpowder

◾ 1 600 shells

◾ an unknown number of grenades

Early on 18 July 1806 Brigadier Anderson commanded a working party of 13 men to load ships with shells. He used a metal chisel to remove live fuses from the shells. This was against military rules at the time. The metal sparked causing a massive explosion at 06:15 am . The 13 men died immediately. Three British soldiers from the 39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment perished. Twenty-three Maltese soldiers of the 2nd Provincial Battalion also died. 200 civilians died and falling masonry injured 100 more . The explosion reverberated and shocked all the towns in the harbour area. Headless corpses and random body parts littered the area. Part of the casemate’s roof ended up in the neighbouring city of Isla. One of the dead was a local who was shepherding his goats into the city to sell milk to the locals. He shouted out, “The milkman’s here!” when the explosion hit . This caused a massive breach in the fortifications which was never rebuilt. To this day, the walls end about 50 metres from the shoreline. This is the breach caused by the 1806 explosion.

Apart from the city walls, the blast damaged Navy store houses. A large number of civilian houses were either destroyed or damaged. In all 493 people reported property losses which speaks to the density of dwellings in the area . This doesn’t means 493 buildings; given the population density and the tall buildings it is likely that this means 493 apartments.

After effects

British Admiral Alexander Ball was the civil commissioner at the time. The Maltese had loved him enough to ask for his help against the French in 1799 . His public works programmes had helped with employment and public health . This doesn’t mean everyone loved the British and Ball wrote that: those Maltese who had already become disaffected with the Government, fanned the embers and fermented great agitation by magnifying the casualties and working upon the weakness and credibility of the lower ranks . Ball insisted that the government should pay full compensation to victims. The British agreed to pay the poorer people two-thirds the value of their property.

The upper classes got half the value of their property . This negotiation took 5 years which can’t have helped the locals’ attitude towards them. In 1811, Ball distributed GBP 18 066, 5 shillings and 10 pence to those claiming damages . This is approximately GBP 1 417 320 in today’s money . Mr Woodhouse, a wine merchant, received large stores at the former Slaves’ Prison in Valletta as compensation for the large amount of wine lost .

Today, many people get to Birgu using the street running through what used to be Porto Marina. This is the easiest way to get to the waterfront restaurants there. As you walk down, take a look at one of the streets on your right. It’s called Triq il-Vittmi tal-Porvlista (“Polverista Victims’ Street”).

References

1. Do you know how the British took control of Malta? Antoine Borg; The Unexpected Traveller; 2018-10-08[ ]

2. Hospitaller Gunpowder Magazines; Stephen Spiteri; International Journal of Military Architecture and Fortification; 2012-05[ ][ ][ ]

3. Malta Garrison 1806; British Army Medical Service; (Retrieved 2018-10-26) [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

4. Malta bil chzejer tehne u li ghadda min ghaliha: L’euel parti, Volume 1; Pietru Pawl Castagna; 1865[ ][ ]

5. Do you know when the Union Jack first flew over Malta?; Antoine Borg; The Unexpected Traveller; 2017-12-04[ ]

6. The new (old) and improved Msida waterfront; Antoine Borg; The Unexpected Traveller; 2018-07-03[ ]

7. UK inflation calculator; In2013Dollars.com; (Retrieved 2018-10-12) [ ] All references were correct when this article was published. If you notice a link to a referenced item no longer works, or is incorrect, please leave a comment below.

 

Ruinas medievales, rostros crueles y tragedias reales en los históricos castillos de Ciudad Real
Da eldiario.es del 4 novembre 2018

Castillo de la Estrella de Montiel

La provincia de Ciudad Real atesora grandes espacios naturales y patrimoniales, la mayoría de ellos con una historia fascinante, de acceso muy fácil y con estancias muy económicas. Para muchos españoles, sigue siendo una zona desconocida, pero entre sus rincones hay insospechadas sorpresas que nos remontan siglos atrás y nos ayudan a conocer mejor nuestra historia. Pese a su gran extensión, una de las opciones más populares en esta provincia es la de conocer sus viejos castillos. Iniciamos viaje muy cerca de las Lagunas de Ruidera, donde encontramos el Castillo de Alhambra, una construcción ejemplar de estilo montano, es decir, cuya forma se adapta exactamente a la del cerro en que se alza. Una fusión con la tierra en la que su elemento más bello es la puerta principal, abriéndose en un recodo de la muralla, y construido como 'reentrante' en su homogéneo recorrido circular.

Sólo por la magnífica labor de sillería con que fue construido merece la pena la visita, así como por el arco apuntado, entre sus dos fuertes torreones. Erigido por una guarnición musulmana a mediados del siglo XII, fue continuamente conquistado y perdido, y cristianos y árabes se alternaron su posesión muchas veces. Pasó a pertenecer a la Orden de Santiago desde el año 1214, posesión confirmada por una bula papal. Cuando el alfoz de Alhambra se dividió entre las órdenes de Calatrava y San Juan, perdió su importancia estratégica y fue paulatinamente abandonado.

Castillo de Alhambra AYUNTAMIENTO

Lo más relevante del castillo es que por ser montano no tuvo nunca recinto externo ni barbacana, y sí un camino cubierto o protegido en su último tramo por pequeño muro, que permitía su acceso en condiciones de protección. El dato más triste es que en la actualidad el castillo se encuentra en ruina progresiva, aunque se puede acceder a él libremente. Y el más curioso: en el cerro también se han encontrado enterramientos y construcciones de la Edad del Bronce y del Hierro, aunque muy afectadas por la construcción del castillo medieval. Y al pasear por la villa sus habitantes cuentan la leyenda que habla de un túnel que uniría el castillo con algunas casas del pueblo. En el otro extremo de la provincia, entre Ciudad Real capital y Puertollano, se erige, como fortaleza arqueológica, el Castillo de Caracuel de Calatrava, en el que la torre pentagonal, albarrana, de diez metros de altura, con tres pisos interiores, es la parte más impresionante. El Monte Nogales sobre el que está construido tiene evidencias de haber sido un emplazamiento poblado desde los tiempos más remotos de la humanidad, y lo convierte en una estación arqueológica de primer orden.

Bautizado por árabes y cristianos

En tiempos romanos pudo ser la antigua mansión de Carcuvium, mencionada en el itinerario de Antonino y convertida en municipio en época del emperador Augusto. Durante toda la Edad Media fue nombrado como Carquer, Caracoi y Karakuy, por árabes y cristianos. Al hallarse en el importante cruce de caminos reales de Toledo a Córdoba y de Extremadura a Levante, herederos de las calzadas romanas, fue lugar de enfrentamientos continuos y batallas entre musulmanes y cristianos. Una de las encomiendas más antiguas del Campo de Calatrava es la de Caracuel, fundada en 1170 en este castillo. Aunque aún volvió a posesión musulmana, pues no sería definitivamente conquistado hasta 1212 por el rey Alfonso VIII.

Castillo de Caracuel de Calatrava DIPUTACIÓN DE CIUDAD REAL

El castillo es de propiedad privada y, dada su situación de ruina, con los peligros que conlleva su visita, su acceso está prohibido si no es con permiso de la propiedad. Se accede a las ruinas del castillo por un camino que sale por detrás de la Ermita del Santo Cristo de Caracuel de Calatrava.

El camino es de escalones de angosta piedra, justo cuando termina, junto a un árbol se gira a la izquierda para subir por lo alto del monte hasta el castillo. Hasta nuestros días llega la leyenda de la reina árabe Clara, que vivía en este castillo en la época musulmana. La expresión de crueldad de su rostro dio nombre a la fortaleza, Caracuel. Fue perdido y reconquistado varias veces, hasta quedar en manos cristianas tras la batalla de las Navas de Tolosa.

¿Nació Fernando El Santo en Bolaños?

Siguiendo nuestro camino, encontramos en Bolaños de Calatrava el Castillo de Doña Berenguela. Destaca la torre del homenaje de cuatro pisos, una mazmorra en su sótano, y una terraza con almenas piramidal. Alrededor de esta construcción habitó durante siglos un poblado musulmán y dice la tradición, posiblemente legendaria, que aquí nació el rey Fernando El Santo, hijo de Doña Berenguela. Es un ejemplo perfecto de castillo de llanura, erigido para vigilar los caminos.

Castillo de Doña Berenguela TURISMO CASTILLA-LA MANCHA (TCM)

Uno de los aspectos significativos del edificio es su escudo, en el que pueden apreciarse dos partes bien diferenciadas, que son un castillo de oro, en el queaparece representada la vecindad, y una espada que atraviesa el pan,  que representa el impuesto que se pagaba a la orden de la que dependía su defensa. Fue conquistado por los cristianos, perdido tras la batalla de Alarcos, y vuelto a ganar en 1212, definitivamente. La reina Berenguela lo donó a la Orden de Calatrava, para que defendiera su campo de los continuos ataques musulmanes. La Orden se mantuvo allí hasta 1544, momento en que lo abandonó. De planta rectangular, estuvo rodeado de un foso que actualmente está recuperado en dos de las cuatro murallas. Es de acceso libre. Nos movemos de nuevo, y a los pies del Castillo de la Estrella podemos rememorar la llamada ‘Tragedia de Montiel’, cuando pelearon, cuerpo a cuerpo, los aspirantes al trono de Castilla y hermanos, Pedro I el Cruel y Enrique de Trastámara, y se decidió la suerte de una larga guerra civil que asoló el reino castellano en el siglo XIV. Construido en el siglo IX por los árabes, cerraba el paso al reino taifa de Jaén. Tuvo dos recintos, uno exterior, muy deteriorado, usado como barbacana, que conserva restos de algunas torres; otro interior, construido por los cristianos a finales del siglo XIII o principios del XIV, que conserva grandes lienzos de cortinas y algunos torreones. En general se encuentra en mal estado, y amenaza ruina, aunque se puede acceder libremente.

Castillo de la Estrella de Montiel DIPUTACIÓN DE CIUDAD REAL

Tras la batalla librada entre ejército castellano-granadinos (alianza de Pedro I) y castellano-franceses (alianza de Enrique de Trastámara), el rey Pedro se refugió en el castillo después de ser derrotado.

Buscó una escapatoria intentando negociar con el mercenario francés Beltrán Duguesclín, ofreciéndole dinero si seunía a su bando.

Pero este mercenario le contó a Enrique los planes de suhermano.

"Ni quito ni pongo rey"

Finalmente, la noche del 23 al 24 de marzo, ambos monarcas se encontraron en la tienda del vencedor, enzarzándose en una pelea. Duguesclín, que estaba presente, sujetó a Pedro, con la célebre frase: "ni quito ni pongo rey, pero ayudo a mi señor", y gracias a esta ayuda Enrique pudo apuñalar a Pedro, matándolo, y proclamándose rey de Castilla. Desde entonces el fallecido Pedro ha tenido dos motes: el Cruel, que le dieron sus enemigos, y el Justiciero, sus partidarios. Su cuerpo quedó enterrado en Montiel hasta 1374 y desde entonces descansa en Sevilla.

Sacro-Convento de Calatrava La Nueva TCM

En 1974 el pueblo erigió un monolito en su recuerdo. Concluimos recorrido con el Castillo del Sacro-Convento de Calatrava La Nueva, la gran fortaleza de los caballeros calatravos, cuya propiedad defenderían frentea los musulmanes del cercano castillo de Salvatierra.

Aunque fue fortaleza de la edad del bronce, visigoda, y hay noticias de su uso por Nuño de Lara en el siglo XII, tendría su gran apogeo a partir de la batalla de las Navas de Tolosa.Hoy se pueden recorrer sus caminos, las dependencias del castillo -patios, torres, escaleras-, y un aljibe. Además, su convento conserva una gran puerta con rosetón, la de la Estrella, la sala capitular, refectorio y cocinas, además delcementerio. Las zonas auxiliares de artesanos, hospedajes, cuadras y bodegas  completan este magnífico retrato de la vida en la Edad Media.

 

TOW 2A / 2B / Bunker Buster
Da rocket.com 
TOW is the preferred anti-armor weapon system for U.S., NATO, and Coalition forces worldwide produced by Raytheon.

It provides devastating effectiveness against the most modern and heavily protected armored vehicles and fortifications.

Aerojet Rocketdyne manufactures the warheads for all three variants of the missile.

TOW 2A is equipped with a tandem warhead.

A small disrupter charge detonates the reactive armor and allows the main shaped charge to penetrate the main armor.

TOW 2B operates in a 'flyover shoot down' top attack mode with two tantalum explosively formed penetrator (EFP) warheads.

A third Bunker Buster variant is now fielded to defeat field fortifications, bunkers and urban structures.

 

Cave Battery, Old Queens Road, Gibraltar
Da fsgfort.com del 3 novembre 2018

This is what appears to be a World War 2 battery built into the cliff side just off Old Queens Road.

The main entrance runs off the road, and there are two gun positions. These are linked by rear corridor, which has water tanks in it by the entrance.

Adjacent to the entrance is a power plant and workshop.

The position is estimated to have had guns of at least medium calibre, possibly 25-pdr or 5-ins.

There are no mounts in position, so guns may never have been mounted here. There is a long chimney running up to the top of the slope where there is an observation position. It appears that this was reached by ladder.

 

Fort Cigogne… une fortifications d'exception au sein de l'archipel des Glénans
Da fortifications-neuf-brisach.com del 3 novembre 2018

L'archipel des Glénans est formé par six îles principales ainsi que d'une multitude de récifs et îlots.

L’archipel procure un bon abri car la houle du large est brisée par les îles : le principal mouillage, la chambre, s’étend entre les îles Cigogne — presque entièrement recouverte d’un fort — et débarquement a été construite. Cependant de nombreux récifs et hauts fonds rendent difficiles la navigation et l’accès à ce mouillage. À l’est, l'île de Penfret, la plus étendue, comprend à ses extrémités par deux buttes portant l’une un sémaphore, l’autre un phare disposé au milieu d'un fort car elle offre un mouillage plus avantageux pour des navires un peu plus importants.

Fortifier l'archipel des Glénans ?

Les réalisations du 18e siècle.

Dès 1717, il avait été question de fortifier l'archipel des Glénans afin de contrer l'occupation de l'archipel par les corsaires anglais et hollandais. Ce n'est que bien plus tardivement, en 1754, qu'un « Mémoire sur les motifs qui peuvent déterminer à établir un fort sur l'isle Cigogne, l'une des Glénans » est rédigé par Étienne Aguiton (1700?-1764) en 1754. Presque concomitamment, un premier projet est proposé par l'ingénieur Félix-François de La Sauvagère (1707-1782) pour protéger le mouillage de la Chambre. Probablement jugé trop onéreux, il reste sans suite. On lui préfère un projet d'un tracé plus simple et on commence la construction du fort en 1756. Contrairement aux projets, toutes les batteries sont à barbette, aucune embrasure n’ayant été réalisée. Le fort reste en l'état jusque vers le milieu du 19e siècle.

La commission de 1841 et ses avatars : conséquences pour les fortifications de l'archipel des Glénans.

Pendant les guerres de la Révolution et de l’Empire, les Anglais avaient occupé, sans interruption, le mouillage situé au nord-est de l’île de Penfret d’où ils perturbaient considérablement le cabotage. Ils ne prenaient même plus la peine d’empêcher le ravitaillement du fort Cigogne tellement son inutilité était évidente (N. Salat p.304). Si la commission de 1818 demandait la construction de redoutes sur les îles de Penfret, Saint-Nicolas et le Loch, le comité des fortifications de 1825 et la commission de 1836 se bornent à proposer l’entretien du fort Cigogne et la construction d’un fort sur Penfret. La commission de 1841 propose, pour défendre le mouillage de Penfret, la construction d’une batterie de neuf pièces avec une tour n°1 formant réduit.

Les travaux à Penfret.

Plusieurs projets faisaient tous état de difficultés similaires : problème de l'emplacement de la batterie et de la présence du phare de Penfret, sur le mamelon nord-est.

_ L’inspection générale de 1857 décide que la masse des feux doit être dirigée au nordest ;

_ Le phare, à proximité immédiate de la batterie, constituait un repère idéal pour l'artillerie ennemie et, si l’ennemi s’en emparait, la batterie deviendrait intenable. On décide alors de l’inclure dans l’ouvrage en l'entourant d’une enceinte de sûreté comprenant également le réduit de la batterie. L'inspection de 1857, rejete la tour n°1 en raison de la trop grande dépense qu’auraient exigée les travaux d’excavation pour la défiler. Elle se prononce pour un corps de garde défensif n° 1disposé de telle sorte que sa plate-forme supérieure se situe au niveau du rez-de- haussée du phare. Une enceinte crénelée et un profond fossé cernaient l'ensemble. Dans un but d’économie, l’idée avait été caressée un moment de loger les soldats de la garnison du fort dans les logements des employés du phare mais, devant les protestations de ces derniers, l’idée fut écartée (Salat p. 306). Les travaux, marqués par des difficultés à recruter l'indispensable main d'oeuvre, commencent en 1858 et se terminent en 1860.

Fort Cigogne.

On estime qu'il est inutile de l’agrandir, ni même de remédier à ses défauts, dont le plus grave était la faible hauteur des escarpes qui le rendait accessible à l’escalade. En 1843, le fort fut remis en état de recevoir une garnison : on procède à la réfection les chapes surmontant les casemates et, deux ans après, l’étanchéité ayant été vérifiée, les plates-formes d'artillerie sont remises en place. En 1847, on propose de rendre défensifs les deux fronts, simples murailles au nord et à L’inspection de 1857 décide toutefois de quelques travaux d’amélioration : un chemin de ronde constitué par une banquette d’infanterie soutenue par des arceaux surbaissés complète utilement le front sud-est. Pour renforcer la défense de l’accès au fort, une bretèche surmonte désormais le pont-levis de la porte d’entrée; les terre-pleins de l'est sont nivelés et les rampes d’accès achevées. La commission de 1841 avait fixé l’armement du fort Cigogne à quatre canons de 30, servis par vingt canonniers (Salat p. 307) : _ Face ouest : la plus importante, elle couvre la chambre et le chenal des Bluniers : 2 pièces ;

_ Face sud, vers l'île du Loch : 1 pièce;

_ Face est, vers Penfret : 1 pièce.

_ Face nord ne voyait aucune passe : aucun armement. Les travaux furent entrepris en même temps que ceux de Penfret et, comme eux, terminés pour l’été 1860.

Le fort Cigogne — éléments d'architecture.

Forme générale.

Le front principal nord-ouest est constitué d’un mur d’escarpe en granit de sept mètres de haut. En son centre est disposée, en retrait, une porte surmontée d’une bretèche. Elle était précédée d’un pont-levis aujourd’hui disparu. La batterie principale, au nord-ouest, n’a pas été achevée : elle se composait d’un terreplein gazonné de 7,50 m de large et d’un parapet à faible plongée de 4,70 m de large avec un talus intérieur de 1,50 m de hauteur. Ce terre-plein se prolongeait dans les deux bastions : celui de l’ouest est désormais surmonté d'une tour édifiée en 1911 par la Marine nationale pour servir d’alignement à deux bases de vitesse. Le bastion est ne présente qu’un simple parapet permettant det battre le pied de l’escarpe sud-est. Ce front se prolonge au nord et à l’ouest par deux demi-bastions.

La batterie nord-est utilise la butte naturelle qui a été aplanie pour former un terre-plein en avant duquel a été aménagé un parapet à faible plongée de six mètres d’épaisseur. La batterie de l’est a la même forme, mais le rempart s’interrompt brutalement, là où la courbe naturelle du sol s’abaisse et se poursuit par un simple mur de trois mètres d’épaisseur comportant intérieurement des niches à voûtes surbaissées supportant les banquettes de tir d’infanterie. Sur le front est couvert par un fossé creusé dans le roc. Le rempart se poursuit jusqu’à la moitié de la face ouest et englobe une « tour » renfermant les latrines. Le front sud-est est constitué, pour les trois quarts, d’un rempart utilisant la butte naturelle du terrain et, pour le reste, d’un simple mur à contreforts intérieurs.

Aménagements intérieurs. Dix casemates ont été installées en laissant intacte la butte située à l’est de l’île. Ces casemates sont aménagées de part et d’autre de la porte et chaque casemate s’ouvre sur la place d’armes par une porte et une fenêtre ; elles sont voûtées et toutes comportent une cheminée bien visible sur la partie sommitale du rempart. Une boulangerie, dont le four est toujours visible, est établie dans une casemate du rempart de la face ouest. Les bastions du front nord-ouest renferment un cachot pour celui de l’ouest et une citerne, à l’est (celle-ci ne sera terminée qu’au début du 19e siècle lorsqu’on lui ajoute un puisard). De facto, le fort n’aurait guère pu résister à une attaque de vive force, car il laisse, au nord-ouest, une large bande de terrain découvert face au mouillage de la « Chambre ». D’une faible valeur militaire, il est déclassé en 1899. Il se présente aujourd’hui en une bon état tout relatif — il a été retenu pour le loto du patrimoine 2018 — et n’a pas subi de modifications structurelles majeures.

L’île de Penfret.

Situé au nord-est du phare, le mouillage était défendu par une batterie construite au XIXe siècle sur la butte nord de l’île. Le fort comprend un réduit qui inclut le phare dans son enceinte (cf. supra).

Bibliographie

LE POURHIET-SALAT N. - La défense des îles bretonnes de l'Atlantique des origines à 1860. Vincennes, SHM, 1983.

AGUITON, Étienne - Mémoire sur les motifs qui peuvent déterminer à établir un fort sur l'isle Cigogne, l'une des Glénans. Ms., 1754. Note : [4] f. ; in-fol. Vers 1754 d'après la date de la tournée militaire du marquis de Paulmy en Bretagne. - Texte signé : "Le Chev. Des Roches". - Verso du dernier feuillet blanc. — Source : Coll. de la BnF

LA SAUVAGÈRE, Félix-François de - Plan en grand du projet de la forteresse sur lisle Cigogne, l'une des Glénans, avec les logemens proposés a preuve de bombes sous la platte forme la plus élevée. 1754. Ms. aquarellé avec retombe ; 71 x 103 cm. Échelle(s) : Echelle de 25 toises [= 22,5 cm] — Source : Coll. de la BnF

Dr Balliet

 

Update on restoration works on the Victoria Lines
Da tvm.com.mt del 3 novembre 2018

di Ruth Castillo
Work on the first phase of restoration work on the Victoria Lines has been completed. These were built by the British at the end of the 19th Century for defence purposes and stretched across a length of 12 kilometres and divided the island from west to east, from Fomm ir-Riħ to Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. Conservation and Restoration work commenced at the beginning of the year in the Mosta area and will now continue at Għargħur. Restoration workers from the Restoration Directorate have just completed a half kilometre stretch on the side of Mosta’s Ġnien tal-Għarusa. The architect responsible for works, Ivana Farrugia, explained that some parts of the Victoria Lines that were missing have been built anew using the original stonework that had collapsed in fields. Works also involved removing past maintenance interventions that had not used restoration techniques. Ivana Farrugia said that some of the maintenance was glaringly out of place such as when fresh recent stonework was used and these did not correspond to the original dimensions of the stones originally used for the Lines.

These have been removed and replaced by the remnants of stonework that had been originally used. Architect Farrugia said that consolidation works have also been carried out on stretched that had become unstable. She said it was noted from documentation that originally the first layer of stonework had always been plastered and where this plastering had deteriorated it was re-plastered and although the same type plastering could not be used, to the eye the plaster used appears to be the original. Similar techniques will be used on the stretches of the Victoria Lines at Għargħur. The architect said there are some stretches that are totally missing. The difference is that all the original materials used so far were all recovered on site. However, in Għargħur there are many different levels and it will not be possible to use just the original stonework. Together with the work of the Directorate other activities connected to the Victoria Lines are also taking place including a clean-up campaign by the Ramblers’ Association on the east side of the Lines. Jane Caruana, a Member of the Association’s Committee said they had to play their part because besides enjoying the walks and the countryside the Ramblers want to make a contribution to leave a cleaner place over what they had originally found. She said all types of refuse had been gathered in a skip in over three hours including empty crisps bags, lemonade bottles, parts of vehicles and all sorts of things. The Ramblers’ Association is planning similar activities in other parts of the Lines. 

 

Turkey to Start Manufacturing Anti-ship Cruise Missile
Da defenseworld.net del 2 novembre 2018

Atmaca anti-ship missile (source: AA)

Presidency of Defence industries (SSB) of Turkey has signed a deal with two indigenous companies Rokestan and Aselsan to jointly manufacture the country’s first anti-ship missile, a Turkish newspaper reported quoting an SSB statement on Friday. Roketsan is tasked with serial production of ATMACA cruise missiles while Aselsan will work on the launch control systems and other important equipment for the missiles. The two Turkish companies will be making use of local resources for developing both missiles and launch systems, the newspaper added.

The systems will be integrated into the MILGEM (National Ship) project, which was initiated in 2000 to locally design and build a fleet of multipurpose corvettes and frigates that will replace older ships. The ATMACA is similar in capability to the Exocet of France, C-802 of China and Harpoon of the US. It can travel at subsonic speed and can reach a range of up to 200 km. The guidance suite comprises of a INS/GPS system with a terminal-stage active radar-homing (ARH) seeker. The provision of the Kale 3500 powered by ATMACA will enable Turkish industry the means to fullysource its stand-off range missiles.

 

The Cold War bunkers that cover a country
Da bbc.com del 2 novembre 2018

By Stephen Dowling

Fearing invasion during the Cold War, Albania’s leader Enver Hoxha forced his country to build tens of thousands of bunkers. Long after the regime’s collapse,many still remain. It is a spring morning and the sun is already high and hot. I am scrambling
across the ruins of Orikum, a Roman-era settlement that lies at the southern end of the sweeping Bay of Vlore, on Albania’s Adriatic coast. It is a remarkably well-preserved memory of the Roman occupation, complete with a theatre that still retains many of its stone steps. But it is not why I am here. There is another ruin at the foot of Orikum’s crumbling structures, though this one is less than half a century old, and far less celebrated. It was once the barracks for the nearby Pasha Liman naval base, which can be seen on the other side of the causeway road. My guide, Elton Caushi, jokes that we are ignoring a 2,000-year-old ruin in favour of a 40-year-old one. Between the ruins of the naval barracks and the road are a handful of bunkers. They are squat and grey, just tall and wide enough to fit a pair of people in each. The walls are crowned with a rounded cupola. They have been here since the 1970s, when Albania was one of the most isolated countries on Earth.

The bunkers were the brainchild of Enver Hoxha, a former partisan who ruled post-war Albania for 40 years under a regime both brutal and surreal. Convinced that everyone from neighbouring Yugoslavia to Greece, Nato and even his former allies in the Soviet Union wanted to invade his country, Hoxha embarked on a bunker-building programme of titanic proportions. The bunkers gazing out across the Bay of Vlore are the tip of a concrete-andsteel iceberg. From the northern border with Montenegro to the beaches facing the Greek island of Corfu, Albania was covered with bunkers in a frenzy of paranoid construction. They were built not just in their hundreds, or even several thousand – a conservative estimate puts the number of completed bunkers at more than 170,000. Today, they continue to litter the countryside, brooding over mountain valleys, silently guarding crossroads and highways, lined like unearthly statues on deserted beaches. Their legacy goes beyond the physical; each is thought to have cost the equivalent of a two-bedroom apartment, and their construction undoubtedly helped turn Albania into one of the poorest countries in Europe, a legacy which remains to this day.

***
Hoxha had a name for the state of preparedness all Albanians should be in – gjithmone gati, or “always ready”. This state of mind came in part from his experiences in World War Two. Albania’s small, poorly equipped military had been crushed when Fascist Italy invaded in 1939; fighting officially ceased after just five days. But the resistance did not completely end; it just melted away. Albania is a mountainous country, perfect for guerrilla warfare, and its people earned a reputation for fiercely resisting invaders over the centuries. As the war progressed an Albanian partisan movement, helped by comrades in occupied Yugoslavia and their British and Americans allies, began attacking the Italian and German occupiers. Foremost among the resistance movement were communist partisans, led by Hoxha. As the tide swung the Allies’ way, the Albanian resistance grew, gathering strength in mountain hideouts that proved impossible to dislodge. By the time they liberated the capital Tirana in November 1944, this rag-tag army of communists and nationalists was some 70,000 strong. After World War Two ended, Hoxha consolidated power, ruthlessly exterminating rival factions and even some of his fellow resistance leaders. It became a Soviet-aligned communist state. The small country then stumbled from one diplomatic crisis to another. In 1947 Hoxha broke off relations with neighbouring Yugoslavia, ostensibly because the less hard-line Yugoslavs were straying from the true path of socialism. Albania then lurched into another problem in 1961 after Hoxha declaimed Stalin’s reform-minded successor Nikita Khrushchev. The Soviets and the rest of the Warsaw Pact froze Albania out, forcing the isolated state to align itself instead with Mao Zedong’s China. This honeymoon, too, was short-lived. Incensed by Mao’s welcoming of US president Richard Nixon to China in 1972, Hoxha rapidly cooled relations with the Chinese too. By 1978, the Chinese had withdrawn all their advisors, leaving Albania without allies – and the most isolated country in the world. It was against this backdrop that the bunkerisation began. Hoxha’s hard-line socialism had made it vulnerable, he thought, to Nato attacks from Italy or neighbouring Greece. But he had also made enemies of former friends. An invasion could come from the Yugoslavs themselves, or their country could be used as a corridor for a Soviet invasion via Bulgaria.

Many of the bunkers are now overgrown and left alone in the Albanian countryside (Credit: Stephen Dowling)

Albania’s small armed forces would have been no match in a conventional battle against these much larger possible foes. Hoxha instead called on the mobilisation of the general populace – most of whom had to do basic military training each year – to form a resistance in their tens of thousands. In the days of the partisans, this would have been conducted from mountain hideouts, where small units would carry out attacks on the Italian or German outposts on lower ground. But Hoxha wanted to make sure that any potential invader would be put off from mounting an assault in the first place by creating a vast network of bunkers. From here, the people of Albania would contest every beach, village and crossroads. This national resistance would call for a monumental construction project. Albania would become a land covered in bunkers. The most numerous were the QZ (Qender Zjarri or “firing position”). Designed to hold only one or two people, they were built from reinforced concrete. The designer of the QZ was Josif Zagali, an engineer who had been a partisan during World War Two. Zagali mounted a rounded cupola on the top of the bunker so that bullets and shell fragments would rebound off it, giving the QZ its distinctive shape. The QZs would be built in small groups that could defend each other. The parts were designed to be prefabricated in factories and then assembled on site. Larger command/artillery bunkers, known as PZs (Pike Zjarri or “firing point”) were more than 8m (26ft) across. In wartime, these would act as command posts for rows of smaller QZs. Many of the bunkers are now overgrown and left alone in the Albanian countryside (Credit: Stephen Dowling) Even bigger bunkers were constructed to protect civilians in case of attack. Every town or city district would have underground concrete bunkers big enough to house hundreds of people. In 2016, on a previous trip to Albania, I visited one of the old shelters in Gjirokaster, a city of 25,000 some three hours’ drive south of Tirana. It was big enough to easily hold hundreds of people. One of those in charge of the construction of Hoxha’s concrete defences was Pellumb Duraj, a commander in an engineering detachment based in Burell in the north of Albania.

The bunkers were built in a frenzy of construction until the mid-1980s (Credit: Stephen Dowling)

He graduated as a civil engineer in 1973 and was one of the first engineers drafted straight into the army. “I was appointed there – I had no choice,” he tells me over coffee outside a Tirana cafe. “There was a need for more added protection because Albania left the Warsaw Pact, and [we] were alone in our political outlook and we were scared of atomic bombs and the American threat, so that situation pushed the government to ask for the building of bunkers. That was starting in 1968 when we left the Warsaw Pact. “The most intensive process was starting from 1975, so in these seven years we had to do the studies of the projects to pave the way to building the bunkers. Until then the army didn’t have civil engineers, they hired them from time to time.” It was Duraj’s job to make sure the bunker’s parts were not only produced and transported to the right place, but also that there were enough people onsite to put them together. And that was no small task; the army division Duraj was assigned to had 13,000 bunkers of various sizes to build. Constructing the bunkers was such a monumental task that almost every major factory in Albania was put to work. Cement factories churned out prefabricated concrete sections that an army of labourers would assemble in the field. With Chinese help, a huge new steelworks was built in 1974 to produce metal, much of it to reinforce Hoxha’s army of bunkers. Duraj had to negotiate with the collectives who were in charge of the rural settlements, which were organised much like the collective farms in the USSR. “At the beginning we had no experience, so it was the start of a new challenge, a very difficult one. In a way we could say the whole nation was involved in this process. The military managed it, but the people did the work. Public construction companies would produce them, public transportation companies would transport them to the field and then we had to hire local people according to their skills. Then, the unskilled labour was done by soldiers.”

The QZ bunkers were designed for one of two soldiers to delay the advancing enemy (Credit:Stephen Dowling)

The small QZ bunkers were only the tip of the iceberg as far as Duraj’s responsibilities were concerned. “Besides the small bunkers, the firepoints, we had to also build positions for anti-aircraft guns and for artillery, and also the warehouses and storage for the ammunition, we had to build the trenches connecting all the storage buildings and the bunkers. We had to deal with all the communications between them. We dealt also with command points for all the military, tunnels or underground constructions. Ammunition storage was built by us, fuel deposits, food and clothing and chemical storages. Even where the bunkers were to be located meant changes to their design, Duraj says. “In the western part, starting by the sea we built single-element bunkers that were heavy, they weighed about seven tonnes, because we were scared that an invasion would most likely come from the sea. They had a reinforced plate of iron that would protect it from missiles and bullets. “In the mountains the bunkers were lighter because they were designed to be carried by mules and men, and the heaviest element would weigh 100kg. But to build a firepoint bunker of the mountain type would take 70 different elements. The we had to connect them with iron and cement.” The engineers like Duraj were carrying out a task with no comparison in the modern world. As inspiration, they looked at some of the huge fortifications built in Europe before and during World War Two, such as the Maginot Line, which the French constructed amid the fear of a German invasion in the 1930s. “We studied their experience but what we built wasn’t a fortification of a line, but the fortification of the whole country – from the coastline to the top of the mountain.” Duraj says the bunker building took some 80% of the army’s resources during this period. Building bunkers was more important than growing food. The official party line, he says, was that “defence was considered the duty above all duties, while agriculture was considered to be a question for everybody.

The pollution-spewing steelworks in Elbasan produced steel for bunker production (Credit: Getty Images)

“Enver Hoxha would say the fortification of the country is the most efficient investment of our nation’s sweat, and every drop of sweat consumed by the fortifications is a drop of blood saved on the battlefield.” The work had to be carried out in all weathers, the heaviest parts hauled up by tractors or by World War Two-era Soviet Zil trucks and then assembled by hand. “In good weather we could do up to four bunkers a day,” Duraj says, “but in poor conditions… sometimes we’d see the Zil trucks stuck in mud up to the chassis, and then we had to get a tractor to pull the truck out. We also had accidents with cranes falling, killing people accidentally.” The BunkArt museum in Tirana estimated that the bunker building programme cost 100 lives for every year of construction. Duraj claims those numbers are too high, but agrees that there were fatal accidents during the construction of the bunkers. More than 25 years after the fall of the communist regime, Duraj has had plenty of time to consider the strategic worth of Hoxha’s bunker defences. Was Albania really under such grave threat that it needed to build this many? “If you ask me, it was exaggerated. We built bunkers in mountaintops, on the rocks. In places that even goats wouldn’t pass, we had to build bunkers.” *** The bunkers were born in factories like one my guide Caushi and I visit in Gjirokaster. This would have once been a hive of industry, as concrete cupolas were produced around the clock, ready to crown the tops of waiting bunkers. Today it is just a shell. The factory was torn down long ago, leaving little except rubble and the overhead gantries that would once have hauled heavy concrete slabs across the factory. It is a picture of post-communist decay. Near the ruined factory is Adi, who runs a local scrapyard, full of dystopian piles of crushed metal and soot-faced workers burning plastic off wires. When he bought the property, he also inherited the old factory nearby. It’s somewhat ironic – one of Adi’s jobs is to dismantle the bunkers. He and his workers sometimes travel into the mountains that loom over Gjirokaster, four hours’ drive away. It can take 10 of them a whole day to dismantle a bunker. They travel by car – when the construction brigades had to build them, it was often done with little more than the help of mules. The 38-year-old Adi remembers the bunkers from when he was a boy. “We’d play on them, play partisans vs Germans. Now we find the reminders of those days and thank God we had no war.” One of Adi’s workers, Nico, also remembers travelling up to the mountains with his friends and playing in the bunkers, long after the communist regime that built them had faded into history. By then the bunkers had been colonised by snakes, though Nico is convinced that one day he will find one full of treasure. ‘Treasure’ of a different sort turned up in one bunker in 2004. Some 16 tons of mustard gas canisters were found in a bunker only 40km from Tirana – the US had to pay the Albanian government some $20m to safely dispose of the weapons.

Gjirokaster was home to factories which helped produce parts for the bunkers (Credit: Getty Images)

While the likes of Adi are breaking up the bunkers to use the metal and concrete in modern construction projects, Albania doesn’t have the money – or the manpower – to remove them en masse. The QZs and PZs, instead, linger like the remains of some long-vanquished army. Albanians have turned these silent reminders of the country’s communist past to a variety of uses. In rural areas, they have been turned into animal shelters or are used for feed storage. Others, brightly painted, have become parts of inner-city playgrounds. The bunkers that once guarded Albania’s sundrenched coastline have, in some cases, been turned into pizzerias, espresso bars and makeshift bars, though many have also been removed – often using retired tanks as towing vehicles – to make way for new developments. But they are already attracting foreigners, both tourists and artists, compelled to capture them for posterity. David Galjaard is a Dutch photographer who has travelled several times to Albania to shoot the bunkers. “I was working on a series about Cold War bunkers in the Netherlands, when a journalist of the paper we both worked for (NRC Handelsblad) said to me: ‘Hey! If you like bunkers so much, you should go to Albania’,” Galjaard tells me over email. “When I read about the bunkers, and their history I couldn’t wait to go. It was December at that time. So, I waited until the snow melted (in Albania) and got into my Peugeot. “Before I arrived in Albania for the first time, I imagined a country that was full of scars. I felt sorry for the Albanians that they had this constant reminder of the harsh communist period. But when I arrived and asked about them, people shrugged. They often had no problems with it, unless the bunkers, for example, got in the way when ploughing their fields.” Galjaard’s three trips to Albania became the photo project Concresco, which was published as a book in 2012. “The way that the Albanian people deal with the bunkers says a lot about the country,” says Galjaard. “The way that they are ignored, or used for another purpose, or destroyed. This is why I used them as a visual metaphor to not only tell a story about the bunkers, but about the country itself. “In most countries, large parts of the vestiges of the Cold War were never visible for most people.

The cost of each bunker is thought to be the equivalent of a two-bed apartment (Credit: Stephen Dowling)

What’s unique about Albania is that the paranoia and xenophobia from that time always was and is still so clearly visible.” Caushi makes his living, partly, by presenting these relics of the Cold War as part of Albania’s uniqueness. He runs a tourism company, Albanian Trips, that includes visits to some of the most scenic reminders of Hoxha’s paranoia – mixing the country’s rugged, mountainous splendour with stark reminders of its decades of isolation. “Me and my photographer Swiss friend Didier Ruef took a three-week trip around Albania, chasing bunkers,” Caushi says. “We did find several ones being used as houses, animal houses but also plenty being beautifully located near beach or mountain views. Didier had already told me that he thought Albania would become a great tourist destination one day and that bunkers would have played a role in that. But I probably paid little attention to that. “Then the idea became more and more clear after I really focused into travel and tourism, starting around 2007, full time. People didn’t stop asking about them. I started meeting constructers, authors, recyclers, demolishers, scrap gatherers and amount of info started to become more and more important.” Caushi and I spend a couple of days travelling across the country, finding clusters of bunkers on the roads from Tirana down to Gjirokaster. In the past decade he has built up a map of the most photogenic examples. But little by little Hoxha’s bunkers are disappearing. “(There are) not many left if compared to 15 years ago,” he says. “There’s been a huge process of demolishing and getting rid of them. For scrap and because they occupy land. “I believe maybe 45-50% disappeared between 2006 to 2014. Then the government said they’re public property and whoever damages them will be persecuted by the Albanian law.” Despite being protected, Caushi believes many more will be destroyed over the coming decade. He often takes tourists to the bunkers that sit inside Tirana’s main cemetery. Here they seem to blend in amongst the tombs and gravestones. Others can be reached only by boat. Then there are the tunnels, the underground caverns and storage areas forgotten after the Cold War, now being rediscovered as tourism opens up the country. “There’s a huge one in a location which I will not tell: filled with a colony of thousands of bats. Quite odd to go inside. You walk on a thick layer of bat excrement and they fly all around your head and sometimes come touch your hair. While at all entrances you’re surrounded by slogans relating to Stalinist propaganda and technical advice on how to shoot at the enemy that will one day try to invade us!”

The bunkers were assembled out of parts built in plants like this (Credit: Stephen Dowling)

Caushi, who left Albania in the 1990s to study in Switzerland before returning some years later, has mixed feelings about Hoxha’s enduring legacy. “I hate and love them at the same time. They’re odd and if I would have had any power to stop them from happening I would have certainly done so. But since they’re here and we did pay with so much sacrifice for their construction, I believe the best way to punish who forced us to pay and work for making them, is to recycle them into things that satirise the original project: keep the enemy away. Let’s try to attract the ‘enemy’ into them.

“It’s a tragicomic approach and I believe it’s healthy. From the original barrier that they should have eventually been, they can become shelters for the ‘enemy’ to come, have fun, explore and learn from them. Learn from this huge mistake and try not to let it happen again in the future.” For those who built them, the bunkers perhaps represent the years lost to Hoxha’s paranoia. When visiting the derelict factory in Gjirokaster, Caushi begins talking to a group of workmen building a wall nearby.

One of the workmen, Isa, tells him that the iron mould used to cast the bunker cupolas is now a water tank in the garden of his sister’s neighbour. He invites us to come up and take a picture of it. Over a glass of homemade raki, he and his brother-in-law tell us of the summers they built bunkers back in their army days, lugging 40kg slabs of concrete up trails to build bunkers which never fired a shot in anger. “While the rest of the world was building rockets to send men to the Moon, we were building bunkers,” his brother-in-law snorts. “Madness.”   

 

RAF Stenigot Cold War communications dishes 'sold for scrap'
Da bbc.com del 1 novembre 2018

Three of four giant communications dishes which mysteriously disappeared from a World War Two RAF station may have been scrapped, it has emerged.

The 20m-wide long-distance microwave dishes at RAF Stenigot in Lincolnshire were abandoned in the 1980s after the systems became redundant.

The dishes, which appeared recently in the Channel 4 series Hidden Britain by Drone, were a popular local landmark. The MoD said the removal work was undertaken by the current landowners.

According to Lincolnshire Live, the dishes, which were part of an emergency communications network between Nato countries, were "chopped up" by a local firm and sent to a scrapyard.

The site's owners have been contacted by the BBC but are yet to respond. Most of the former RAF station had been previously demolished apart from the Grade II listed radar tower which is still used by the RAF Aerial Selection School for training.

It is not yet known if there were any protection orders in place for the dishes.

A spokesman for the local authority, East Lindsey District Council, said: "We do have an investigation under way looking into this matter.

"This will be to determine whether the removal of the dishes would have required permission."

 

Den Kolde Krig på Kongelundsfortet
Da dragoernyheder.dk del 1 novembre 2018

Uge 44 i den kolde krigs tegn. Tirsdag, onsdag og torsdag er alle udskolingselever i Dragør Kommune til det årlige historieløb, der arrangeres af Museum Amager, Dragør Ungdomsskole og Historisk Arkiv Dragør, og som afvikles i samarbejde med Dragør Bibliotek, Hjemmeværnet, Kongelundens Outdoorcenter og lokale frivillige. Kommunens tre skoler kommer på skift ud på Historieløbet og i løbet af de tre dage er i omegnen af 550 udskolingselever (7.- 9. klasse) igennem heldagsløbet, der i år har Den Kolde Krig som tema og derfor afvikles på Kongelundsfortet.

For at skærpe det faglige grundlag for løbets mange aktiviteter startes dagen ud i Kongelundshallen, hvor museumsinspektør Christian Aagaard fra Museum Amager hver dag giver eleverne et foredrag om Den Kolde Krig. Informationerne fra foredraget skal eleverne bruge i løbet af dagen, når de skal løse de udfordringer og spørgsmål de bliver præsenteret for.

Efter foredraget tager soldater fra Hjemmeværnskompagni København over og gennemfører en omgang streng eksercits, der effektivt slår dagens militære tone an, inden eleverne føres i geled ind på Kongelundsfortet, hvor Christoffer Søe fra Dragør Ungdomsskole, sætter scenen og forklarer eleverne reglerne for dagen og hvad scenariet for historieløbet er.

Og så går selve dagens udfordringer i gang. På 10 poster bliver eleverne udsat for en lang række af de forskellige trusselsscenarier man fra dansk side var underlagt under Den Kolde Krig. Fokus er på samarbejde, kreativ opgaveløsning og faglighed når eleverne blandt andet trænes i gasangreb, konstruktion af flyverskjul, håndgranatkast og identifikation af skibe fra henholdsvis Nato og Warszawa-pagten.

Ved dagens udgang ridses den historiske baggrund op en sidste gang inden der kåres en dagsvinder. Når alle tre skoler har været igennem Historieløbet kåres der en samlet vinder, der har en god og fagrelevant præmie i sigte. Skulle man have lyst til at se løbet live er man velkommen til at slå et smut forbi Kongelundsfortet og se hvordan moderne historieundervisning i de autentiske rammer kan se ud.

 

NANTES : UN BLOCKHAUS SOUS LE CHÂTEAU DES DUCS !
Da bigcitylife.fr del 31 ottobre 2018

Non vous ne rêvez pas ! On a bien écrit un blockhaus sous le Château des Ducs de Bretagne à Nantes.

Pour être totalement transparent avec vous, nous n’avons pas découvert ce lieu insolite par hasard…

C’est tout simplement lors des visites intitulées « Les Interdits du Château » que nous avons découvert qu’un blockhaus était bel et bien caché sous la célèbre cour…

 

Durant la seconde guerre mondiale, les Allemands réquisitionnent le Château des Ducs de Bretagne.

En 1943, ils vont décider d’y construire un Blockhaus qui ne va finalement et heureusement pas servir puisque que le Château ne sera pas bombardé durant la guerre. En 2018, le blockhaus est toujours présent, sous la cour du Château des Ducs.

On y accède par des escaliers qui se sont situés juste à côté du Café Restaurant.

Quand vous êtes en face de la tour et de la terrasse, c’est à droite

L’accès est fermé au public mais vous pouvez tout de même apercevoir l’entrée du blockhaus. Durant les « Interdits du Château » les visiteurs ont la chance de descendre à l’intérieur.

 

Le Blockhaus est intacte et on retrouve même une marque avec la date de 1945…

La prochaine fois que vous vous baladerez du côté du Château des Ducs de Bretagne et notamment dans la cour, n’hésitez pas à jeter un coup d’oeil et monter au dessus du Blockhaus

 

A Castle by Any Other Name
Da jacobsearth.com del 30 ottobre 2018

One of the cool things about having a project that requires searching the whole world and trying to find information about castles and forts in numerous languages, is that I actually get a learn a few words in those numerous languages. I'd like to share the translations of some of the more common words that I deal with every day. While having a full dictionary of fortification-related words would be interesting, words like couvreface aren't exactly applicable to locating relevant sites. The list of words included are: bastion, battery, blockhouse/pillbox, bunker, casemate, castle/chateau, fortress, gatehouse/barbican, palace, star fort, and tower. Most words share identical or very similar spellings (especially among Romance languages), but greater variations do occur and it's always nice to have a handy guide to help out just in case.

 

1. Bastion

A bastion (or bulwark) is a defensive work that protrudes out from a curtain wall.

They can be towers or angular features like in the image. "Bastion" is the same in Dutch, English, French, and German.

In Spanish it's baluarte; Italian is baluardo; Hungarian is bástya; Russian is Бастион; and Turkish is kale burcu.

 

 

Battery Ledyard, Angel Island, California. The two large guns have been removed

2. Battery

A battery is any unit of artillery that is grouped together to help facilitate greater firing power (concentration of power), to defend a specific part of the fort, and to help communication and general functioning.

In Bosnian it's baterija; Danish is batteri; Dutch is batterij; French and German is batterie; Spanish is batería; Polish and Portuguese is bateria; Russian is Батарея; and Turkish is batarya.

 

 

Blockhouse at Fort McClary, Maine, US

3. Blockhouse and Pillbox

A blockhouse is a small stand-alone fortification (built of either wood, stone, or concrete) that is meant to serve as a defensive strong point.

The 14th century Cow Tower in the UK is an early example of blockhouses.

Over time they became shorter in height as artillery became more powerful.

 

A small pillbox in Crimea

Most are squared in design but others are round, hexagonal, and come in other shapes as well.

Smaller blockhouses were built during World War I and because of their familiar shape, they were nicknamed "pillboxes".

During WWII, over 28,000 of these were constructed by the British to help repel the anticipated Nazi invasion.

Pillboxes are generally smaller than typical blockhouses.

In Dutch it's blokhius; German is blockhaus; French is fortin; Polish is blokhauz; Spanish is blocao; and Russian is Блокгауз.

A bunker in Hirtshals, Denmark

4. Bunker

Bunkers are pretty much anything designed to protect people and material from bombs or other forms of attack.

They can be small concrete structures or enormous underground complexes. In Europe, most think of bunkers in relation to World War II, particularly along the Atlantic and West walls, however, Albania has a very interesting (though largely pointless) system of over 170,000 bunkers.

"Bunker" is largely the same in most languages. In French, though, it's casemate. However, in English, bunkers and casemates represent different things with subtle differences. In Polish, it's schron; Portuguese gives it some flourish with búnquer; Russian is Бункер; and in Turkish, sığınak.

An integrated casemate at the 15th century Fort Bkar.

5. Casemate

Like the aforementioned bunker, a casemate is a hardened defensive structure. However, casemates are different in that their main function is firepower.

A bunker can be to hide in or shot from, casemates are fortified gun emplacements.

Until the 19th century, they were integrated parts of larger fortifications.

During the 19th century, free-standing casemates were developed. In Czech it's kasematy; Danish is kazemat; Spanish is casamata; Polish is kazamatta; and Russian is kаземат.

Caerlaverock Castle in Scotland

6. Castle and Chateau

At its most basic definition, a castle is a fortified residence for a noble or other important person (like a bishop or military commander). The French word for castle is chateau, however, chateau is also used to describe any manor house. These include structures built well after "real" castles stopped being constructed (the vast majority of real European castles had been built by the 16th century). Because of this, chateau has come to be strongly identified with 16th-18th century manor houses and estates (that often produced wine) and with French Renaissance architecture. While these can be very impressive structures (like Chateau de Chambord), they are not true castles/chateau in the original meaning of the word. This makes it important to do a little research on each place to know for certain if they are fortified places, or simply extravagant homes.

Castles can also be used to describe tower houses, which were fortified homes that are a simple tower and no attached curtain wall. An example of a "castle tower house" is Kinlochaline Castle in Scotland. Tower houses are most identified with the UK and Ireland, but they exist in other parts of the world as well. As mentioned, "castle" in French is chateau (may also be chateau fort); Bosnian and Croatian is dvorac; Czech is hrad; Danish is borg; German is burg; Spanish is castillo; Italian is castello; Lithuanian is pilis; Hungarian is vár; Dutch is kasteel; Polish is zamek; Portuguese is castelo; Russian is Замок; Turkish is kale. An additional variation on kale that is common among Central Asian nations is qala. In German, a castle that was built completely surrounded by moats (or another source of water) is called a wasserschloss. The Polish zamek can also be used to describe a manor house or palace (see below).

Fortress at Deal, UK

7. Fortress

A fort is a military construction (a single building or larger complex) that is used to defend a particular area.

Forts can be anything from a 3,000 year old hillfort, a castle that no longer serves as a primary residence, a massive star fort, and any number of other things.

They can be relatively small (like Fort de la Conchée) or positively enormous like Pakistan's Ranikot Fort. While soldiers will obviously live at a fort, a fort isn't their primary residence except for their duty tour; whereas castles are primarily a home. In Dutch it's vesting; German is festung; Italian is fortezza; Polish is twierdza; and Spanish is fortaleza.

 

Gatehouse of the 16th century Château de Fleury en Bière

8. Gatehouse and Barbican

 

There are subtle differences between a gatehouse and a barbican, but many times the words are used interchangeably.

A gatehouse is the entrance point into a building (any kind of building, basically) to control the flow of people. It can be simple or well defended.

Gatehouse in French is porterie; German is torhaus; and Spanish is casa del gaurda.

 

 

Warsaw's reconstructed Barbican (destroyed during WWII)

 

A barbican is a strictly defensive work that often protects a city or castle as a fortified gate.

 

 

Barbican in French is barbacane; German is barbakane; Spanish is barbacana; Polish and Croatian is barbakan; and Russian is Барбакан.

 

Palacio Real Aranjuez (Royal Palace of Aranjuez, Spain)

9. Palace

Palaces are large, typically royal, residences. They are an evolution of the castle but one that has lost all of its defensive features (with some exceptions, as always). Palaces are often constructed on the site of a former castle or incorporate older structures, like keeps, into them. In German, the schloss is a related term. They can be manor houses, palaces, or castles that have been expanded and turned into grander residences. To review, chateau, palace, schloss, and zamek all have similarities and are often used interchangeably with "castle". However, there are technical differences between a palace and a castle, as well as distinctions based on time period between a chateau, schloss, and zamek, so the history of the building needs to be taken into account.

In Czech it's palác; Danish is palads; French is palais; German is palast; Hungarian is palota; Italian is palazzo; Latvian is pils; Polish is pałac; Spanish is palacio; and Turkish is saray.

The Citadel of Jaca, Spain.

10. Star Fort

Star forts, aka bastion forts, were developed in Italy in the mid-15th century as a response to the ever growing threat cannons posed to earlier fortifications.

As artillery advanced, these forts evolved into "polygonal" forts which continued to be constructed into the 19th century.

Aerial warfare and super cannons made static fortifications obsolete. Star forts are my favorite type of fortification, and to-date I have been able to locate over 1,600 of them worldwide.

The Italian term for these forts is trace Italienne (which literally means Italian outline); Spanish is traza italiana; Hungarian is Olaszbástya; Dutch is gebastioneerd vestingstelsel; Polish is twierdza gwiazda; Portuguese is fortificação abaluartada; Russian is Бастионная система укреплений; and Turkish is Yıldız kale.

Towers in Strasbourg

11. Tower

Towers have long been an important part of fortifications.

They have been included as part of city walls, castles, and as stand alone structures (such as Martello towers). The tower's height lets defenders see potential dangers at a greater distance, they make it possible to fire arrows or cannons farther, and they provide a projection of force, enabling defenders to fight attackers before they get to the main fortified structure. There is also the related bergfried, which is a "fighting tower" of a castle.

Bergfried's are different from donjon's (or keep) in that they were not meant to have permanent living quarters. Sometimes these towers make up the bulk of the remains of ruined castles. In German you may come across either wehrturm or simply turm; French is tour; Italian and Spanish is torre; Dutch will be either weertoren or toren; Polish is baszta or wieża; and in Russian it's башня.

 

The Secret Nazi Super Fortress in Antarctica – Fact or Fiction?
Da warhistoryonline.com del 28 ottobre 2018

Norway's main research station, Troll, in Queen Maud Land.Photo: Islarsh Islarsh CC BY-SA 3.0

The idea that the Nazis set up a secret base in Antarctica may sound like a crazy conspiracy theory from the darkest recesses of the internet, but this story has actually been around since shortly after the war. The original “theory” was proposed in 1947 by Ladislas Szabo, a Hungarian exile in Argentina. He claimed that Hitler survived the war and that U-boats that docked in Argentina after the war had first dropped him off at a secret Nazi base. He proposed that the Schwabenland, a German ship that sailed to Antarctica in 1938, had set up a base there. British and American military action in the area fed the conspiracy theories, and when the United States detonated three nuclear bombs in the area in the 50s, speculation ran wild. Surprisingly, many of the events described in the story were real, even if the Nazi base was not. Why were Nazis in Antarctica? Before delving into the facts of the situation, it should be noted that there are several versions of the story of an Antarctic Nazi base. In recent years a number of these stories have become popular online, with dozens of sites perpetuating them. The simplest story is that there was a significant Nazibase hidden in Antarctica and that some Nazis held outthere for years after the war. The most extreme theories claim that the Nazis encountered alien life, or at least alien technology, in Antarctica. This prompted them to set up an extensive underground base in a set of caverns. Obviously, this is not the case. Although the Schwabenland did indeed sail to Antarctica in 1938 with the intent of claiming an area now known as Queen Maud Land for the Reich, it did not stay long enough to build any significant structures. Based on estimates from a 2007 study, it would have taken about 20 days to get to the site of the supposed base and back. Given that the Schwabenland was only in Antarctica for around 30 days, this would have left only ten days to build an entire base. This is unfeasible given the weather and the fact the base would have taken a significant amount of time to construct.

The Schwabenland was in Antarctic waters for very simple reasons: German economic and territorial interests. Whaling played a significant role in the German economy in the 1930s, but whales in the North Atlantic had been over-hunted. Therefore, the Germans wanted more information about whale populations in the South Atlantic and figured they’d claim some land while they were at it. The Schwabenland had two seaplanes that it launched several times to survey the area. Although they did land on Antarctica, the Nazis never stayed there for more than a few hours. As for the U-boats that some claim visited the base before heading to Argentina to surrender, none of them actually had the ability to reach any such base. To reach the supposed site, the subs would have needed to stay under the sea ice for around ten days, which they couldn’t do. Why was There so Much British and American Military Activity in the Region? Conspiracy theorists make much out of the British Operation Tabarin, which they describe as a group of elite SAS soldiers heading to Antarctica to stave off the Nazi threat. In reality, the mission was launched for research purposes and to bolster British territorial claims in 1943. The bases they set up would have made for a rather poor military force, as they averaged only around five occupants, none of whom were SAS. These bases also would have been poorly positioned for combat with Nazis on Queen Maud Land, as they were built on the opposite side of the continent – around 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) away.

Territory comprising claimed German territory New Swabia marked in red.Photo: Thomas Blomberg CC BY-SA 2.5

One must also remember that the world did not become calm as soon as the Nazis surrendered. The Soviets and NATO both scrambled for Antarctica at the beginning of the Cold War. In 1946, America conducted Operation Highjump. With over 4,700 men involved, this might seem significant. However, 11 journalists were present to cover the entire mission. This is because the mission was designed to strengthen U.S. claims on the territory, so the government wanted it to be widely reported. The operation also provided American soldiers with training in Arctic conditions in case there was ever a need to fight the Soviets on similar terrain. This operation was conducted on the opposite side of the continent from the supposed base. The Final Bombshell So if there was no base, then why would Americans drop multiple nuclear weapons in that area? The answer to that is: they did not. The bombs were actually dropped over the ocean 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) North of Antarctica and were intentionally detonated at extremely high altitudes. This was carried out as part of an international agreement to test the impact of nuclear weapons detonated at high altitudes. Observers wanted to know if the radiation would fall all the way to the ground (it did not) and what the impact of the detonations would be on electronic equipment. Although these tests, code-named Operation Angus, were originally conducted secretly, they were reported on and publicly acknowledged the following year. They were declassified in 1982. A Real Nazi Arctic Base Those who may be a bit disappointed that reality cannot measure up to the imaginations of some writers might be excited to know that there are some genuine Arctic military bases set up by the Nazis. As recently as 2016, one secret Nazi base was found on the island of Alexandra Land. Russian scientists found reams of well-preserved documents, along with hundreds of artifacts, including bullets and bunkers. The base, named Schatzgraber (Treasure Hunter), was primarily used as a tactical weather station. It had to be evacuated when its inhabitants ate spoiled meat and became sick. Conclusion It is clear, after investigating the evidence available, that the conspiracy theories do not add up, even if the military missions they revolve around did really happen. In addition to the inaccuracies described above, conspiracy theorists failed to address major logistical problems with setting up such a base. For example, how would the base have acquired food until its supposed defeat in the 50s? Why would the Nazis have continued holding on in Antarctica, now that their cause was doomed? If they had a master plan, why wait so long? Overall, it would have made much more sense for the Nazis to use these resources in Europe, rather than fighting for a giant glacier on the other side of the world. 

 

Marseille : la nouvelle vie de la base de sousmarins allemande Martha
Construites par les Allemands en 1943 et 44, les alvéoles en béton armé destinées à accueillir des "U-boot" sont abandonnées depuis près de 75 ans
Da laprovence.com del 29 ottobre 2018

Elle fascinerait les amateurs d'Urbex - ces fous d'exploration urbaine qui se glissent dans les bâtiments abandonnés pour en saisir l'ambiance fantômatique - mais elle leur est interdite.

Martha, la base de sous-marins qui subsiste au milieu du Grand port maritime de Marseille, possède l'atmosphère des lieux qui ont vu passer l'Histoire puis connu l'abandon.

Construite par les Allemands à la fin de la Seconde guerre mondiale, Martha devait accueillir 20, puis 30 sous-marins de la "Kriegsmarine".

Inachevée lors de la Libération, elle aurait ensuite un temps servi de prison.

Avant de sombrer dans l'oubli pendant plus de 75 ans. Indestructible, difficile à reconvertir. Jusqu'à ce qu'Interxion soit autorisé à y installer un de ses data-centers, qui devrait être inauguré fin 2019.

 

Une base jamais achevée

La base, en 1951, est l'un des seuls bâtiments encore debout du port.

Depuis plusieurs mois, grâce à un partenariat avec Interxion, les passionnés de l'association Vauban effectuent des recherches afin de raconter l'histoire de cette base qui, contrairement à ses six autres cousines de la côte Atlantique (Brest, Lorient, Saint-Nazaire, la Rochelle et Bordeaux), n'a jamais été utilisée. "Les plans de la base ont été réalisés au janvier 1942 et les travaux ont démarré en mai 43, détaille Jean-François Gabilla, vice-président de l'association.

Elle devait comporter 13 alvéoles pour 20 sous-marins soit 7 alvéoles doubles et 6 simples. Le projet a ensuite été porté à 30 alvéoles mais seules les 24 premières ont été réalisées." Ce ne sont d'ailleurs pas à proprement parler les "garages à sous-marins" qu'on peut voir actuellement, mais les locaux techniques qui leur étaient dédiés. Les cales à l'eau, plus aisées à construire, auraient dû se trouver en miroir des alvéoles existantes, côté mer, à la place d'un grand mur de béton construit pour protéger la base pendant la durée des travaux.

Des fresques et dessins sur les murs

Fabrice Coquio montre l'une des fresques, un paysage de montagne. La Libération a tout changé. Et pendant un an, les lieux auraient été transformés en prison pour y cantonner la garnison allemande de Marseille.

Aucune certitude quant à cet usage, tempère Jean- François Gabilla, "car en 1944, tout a été géré par les Américains, pas les Français, nous n'en avons donc aucune trace administrative." Mais la présence de fresques artisanale sur certains murs accrédite fortement cette thèse.

"Nous en avons trouvé 17, à l'heure actuelle, et en dévoilons encore", précise Fabrice Coquio. Paysages évoquant le Tyrol autrichien, esquisses des calanques ou croquis d'un marin coiffé de la casquette allemande chevauchant une mine sous-marine... Autant de traces qui témoignent du passé de Martha. Désormais, les murs de béton armé se dressent, vides. Seul les rayons du soleil et quelques figuiers colonisent les lieux en attendant les ouvriers qui ser chargeront de lui donner une nouvelle vie.

Un monstre de béton armé

Malgré les privations de cette fin de guerre, la base Martha, quatrième génération des bases de sousmarins allemandes, a été solidement bâtie afin de résister à une bombe de 10 tonnes. Pour armer le béton du toit (7 m d'épaisseur !), des murs d'enceinte (presque 3 m), de la dalle au sol (1,85 m), et autre composantes, les entreprises supervisées par le Todt, groupe de génie civil et militaire en charge du bâti défensif du Troisième Reich, ont pris tout ce qui leur tombait sous la main. Des rails entiers de chemin de fer ont même été retrouvés par radiographie du béton ! Dans sa taille actuelle, inachevée, elle mesure 251 m de long par 45 m de large, et est composée dans sa majorité de 24 alvéoles, sur les 30 prévues dans la seconde mouture des plans.

La reconversion

Vu du toit, le mur massif qui protégeait Martha pendant le chantier. D'ici un an, la base sous-marine aura changé de visage. Car l'endroit abandonné depuis près de 75 ans sera investi par MRS 3, le troisième data-center marseillais d'Interxion. "Nous avons fait un devis il y a cinq ou six ans. Pour détruire la base, il faudrait compter environ 26 millions d'euros de travaux, à coups d'explosifs et de pelleteuse hydraulique", précise Fabrice Coquio. Et si le PDG d'Interxion France admet qu'installer un data-center dans un bâtiment à ce point spécifique n'était pas la solution idéale ni la plus économique pour l'entreprise - le désamiantage à lui seul a représenté une coûteuse et lourde opération - la localisation stratégique de l'endroit a prévalu : connecté à MRS 2, proche de l'arrivée des câbles marins, la base abandonnée, inutilisable pour bien des usages, a trouvé une nouvelle vocation. Le bail a été signé pour 49 ans, et représente 110 millions d'euros d'investissement. MRS 3 sera livré à la fin de l'année 2019. Autant dire que les travaux devraient démarrer rapidement et de manière intense. La structure générale sera gardée, y seront intégrés, dans des étages de 6 m de plafond des salles blanches informatiques aux parois doublées. Un espace de 5 cm de vide sera créé sur les murs qui comportent une fresque et une vitre renforcée sera installée afin de sauvegarder celles-ci - à  l'initiative de l'entreprise. Mais avant, d'ici la fin de l'année, sera publié un ouvrage réalisé par Alain Chazette, spécialiste des bunkers de la Seconde guerre mondiale et membre de l'association Vauban. "Nous (l'association, Ndlr) avons fourni les textes et l'iconographie avec un contexte, un tissu historique, une traduction en anglais et un intercalaire sur les autres bases allemandes construites en France. Interxion éditera l'ouvrage à destination des utilisateurs du lieu, précise son viceprésident Jean-François Gabilla. L'idée étant d'apporter une dimension sociétale, d'appropriation patrimoniale du lieu et de mettre en valeur son histoire." L'historien amateur passionné confie qu'un projet de colloque au Mucem, qui intégrerait une intervention sur la base Martha, ouvert au public, est aussi à l'étude. Affaire à suivre. di Frederic Speich

 

HC SPÄTTAN - Civilförsvarets ledningscentral
Da fortifikationvast.se del 28 ottobre 2018

Det kalla kriget är isande kallt och kallare bli det den 28 oktober 1981 när U-137 går på grund vid Torhamnaskär i Gåsefjärden, cirka en mil sydost om Karlskrona. Kvällen innan bedrev svenska marinen tester med en ny ubåtsjakttorped utanför Karlskrona skärgård. Ubåten Neptun och två helikoptrar ur 13:e helikopterdivisionen deltog.

Fiskarna Ingvar Svensson och Bertil Sturkman begav sig ut för att vittja nät på morgonen den 28 oktober, de upptäcker att vattenytan var täckt av en tunn oljefilm. Sturkman kör tillbaka Svensson till Sturkö och beger sig själv ut för att dra upp några krokar och det är då Sturkman gör upptäckten, halvvägs uppkörd på grundet vid Torumskär stod en ubåt. Han skyndar sig hem, ringer Svensson som i sin tur ringer till Örlogsbasen i Karlskrona som inte tog hans samtal på allvar. Först två timmar senare fanns personal från marinen på plats.

Med örlogsbasen österut och flygflottiljen norrut ligger den lilla staden inklämd och det insågs tidigt att de båda platserna var tacksamma bombmål för en fiende i öst. Därför behövdes en skyddad plats även för civilpersonal som i händelse av exempelvis krig skulle upprätthålla lag och ordning.

Hc Spättan är byggd med sitt inslag i västlig riktning, detta för att undvika att en tryckvåg från en atombombssprängning i exempelvis Karlskrona som kunde slå ut anläggningen. Uppförandet av anläggningen påbörjades 1963 och stod klart under 1965. Till anläggningen byggdes ingen nödutgång, vilket kom att försvåra för anläggningen längre fram i tiden.

Innanför den enkla trädörren döljer sig en c:a 60 meter lång och sluttande tunnel innan stötvågsdörrarna. Mittemot ingången till anläggningen finns ännu en stötvågsdörr, här innanför finns reservkraftaggregaten som skulle förse anläggningen med ström ifall ordinarie nät slogs ut. En 9 kubikmeter stor dieseltank skulle förse reservkraftaggregaten med bränsle för att kunna serva anläggningen i c:a 2 veckor helt isolerade från omvärlden. I fredstid fungerade reservkraftaggregaten som reservkraft åt brandstationen som ligger intill berget. Inne i anläggningen fanns allt som behövdes för att personalen skulle kunna leva instängda under en längre tid: uppdelade sovsalar för både män och kvinnor, ordersal, toaletter med duschar och matsal som kunde utspisa den arbetande personalen om c:a 60 personer. Anläggningen är byggd i två plan och är 500 kvadratmeter stor till ytan med eget elsystem, färskvattenbrunn och avlopp för att personalen skulle klara en tvåveckorsperiod instängda och helt isolerade från omvärlden.

Hc Spättan har en gång under sin aktiva tid varit i skarpt läge och det var under den ovannämnda ubåtsincidenten i Gåsefjärden 1981, men hur länge och hur mycket personal det involverade förtäljer dock inte historien. Under årens lopp har övningar genomförts i anläggningen fram till 1999 då Spättan inte längre fyllde någon funktion för civilförsvaret. Att anläggningen saknar nödutgång gör att det enbart får vistas 10 personer därinne och att bygga en nödutgång skulle kosta väldigt mycket pengar, vilket gör att anläggningen är svår att hyra ut eller finna någon funktion för. Kommun har flera gånger under 1990-talet presenterat förslag för alternativa användningsområden och i början av 2000-talet sattes driften på sparlåga för att minska kostnaden. Vad som kommer hända med anläggningen i framtiden är oklart, vi på Fortifikation-Väst hoppas Spättan att får ett nytt användningsområde och undgår plombering eftersom det är ett stycke svensk försvarshistoria från det kalla kriget. SVT gör ett reportage från Gåsefjärden där kust- och falskärmsjägare övar på öarna runtom U137, en styrkedemostration av svenska försvaret.

Denna artikeln skrevs av Peter Larsson.

 

Plymouth underground bunkers daubed with satanic graffiti
Da bbc.com del 28 ottobre 2018

A Victorian fort which has been daubed with satanic graffiti is a serious danger to youngsters, police have said.

Fort Austin in Plymouth has a warren of underground bunkers which officers say young people have used for drug taking. Police also said fires were being lit inside which "could lead to serious injury or worse". Plymouth City Council, which owns the site, said it installed blockwork at the entrance to the tunnels in July to try to prevent access. Austin Fort was built in 1863 as part of Plymouth's northern line of defences, stretching from Ernesettle in the west to Laira in the east and were linked by a military road. Graffiti writing and symbols on the walls include references to Satanism. PC Esther Tucker said that "continued use of these tunnels is not only causing damage to historic buildings, but it is putting those involved at risk".

She said that access to the tunnels was "difficult, meaning that exiting the tunnels in an emergency is also difficult". One teenager, who did not want to be named, said: "You have to be quite small, it's quite a squeeze, but you can still get in. "There's graffiti all over the walls with satanic symbols and writing. "There's even a cage in one room where people say a dog was sacrificed." The fort is also thought to be haunted, he said, and is a favourite for ghost hunters.PC Mark Freshwater, who posted a video of the site on Twitter in July, said that local youths had used the tunnel to "smoke bongs" and if there was a fire they could be "death trap". The city council said it would be visiting the site "early next week and will ensure the blockwork remains in place and check there is no other means of access".

 

Visitamos el Castillo de Manzaneque
Da cuadernosmanchegos.com del 27 ottobre 2018

Este original castillo que hemos visitado nos permite ver la situación original del mismo, pues en contra de la mayoría de las ubicaciones de los castillos en zonas de montaña, lomas y cerros aislados, este se encuentra en un llano junto con las casas habitadas, ya que el pueblo se construyó y se fundó al albergue de este castillo que se construyó con carácter defensivo. Manzaneque es una pequeña población de la provincia de Toledo cerca de Los Yébenes, Orgaz y Mora de Toledo. El castillo es algo desconocido por su ubicación que hace que no sea muy visible a larga distancia y estar protegido por las casa del pueblo. Está declarado Bien de Interés Cultural desde el año 1949 y en el siglo XX se procedió a una restauración. Hasta hace poco tiempo se ha venido empleando sus sótanos como cárcel y actualmente es la sede del Ayuntamiento de Manzaneque.

Su construcción data del siglo XV, es de planta cuadrada con dos tubos de bastante altura a los dos lados de la puerta de entrada y dispone de una torre del homenaje y una puerta de acceso en forma de arco apuntado. Se dispone de bastantes datos históricos y según las informaciones obtenidas el castillo se construyó por orden de unos ricos hombres de la zona que dominaban los territorio y que se conocen como el matrimonio formado por María Catalina García de Meneses y Lorenzo Suárez de Zuloaga, pasando posteriormente a manos de los condes de Fuensalida y en 1487 a propiedad del secretario de los Reyes Católicos, Iñigo Álvarez de Toledo que lo mantienen sus herederos hasta que en al año 1782 se abandonó, no teniendo habitantes. El castillo consta de cuerpo de guardia, calabozos, comedor, biblioteca, dormitorios, salón, torre homenaje con calabozo y sala de banderas. Durante las guerras carlistas sirvió de refugio a los ciudadanos de Manzaneque y en el año 1930 pasó a ser la sede del Ayuntamiento y durante la Guerra Civil fue la Sede de Mujeres Antifascistas y terminada la guerra para la sede de la Sección Femenina. En el interior se han realizados distintas modificaciones y como hemos dicho alberga la Sede del Ayuntamiento y el Centro de Información de Castillos Toledanos. En el mismo castillo se celebran bodas completas con dos fórmulas: la tradicional cristiana y la medieval en latín con vestuario de la época y que están totalmente autorizadas.(Castillo del amor) Se puede visitar previa cita.

 

FORT TICONDEROGA ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES MAJOR FEDERAL INVESTMENT AND PLANS FOR FUTURE GROWTH
Da fortticonderoga.org del 26 ottobre 2018

This Fort Ticonderoga announced today plans for a major capital campaign and collection preservation. Aided by federal investment, announced today by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and supported by Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Fort Ticonderoga continues to expand its collections catalog and rediscover more pieces of our nation’s amazing treasures. Fort Ticonderoga was awarded $249,400 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as part of a $619,630 project to inventory, catalog and store more than 30,000 items from its objects collections. This 3- year project will also aid in the updating of the online collections database recently launched by Fort Ticonderoga making its rare museum collections accessible to the world. Additionally, Fort Ticonderoga announced it is beginning the next phase of a $70 million capital campaign to support plans to enhance the visitor experience, which includes the construction of a new state-of-the-art museum to house and display the growing collections of historical importance. The museum will serve as the premier North American military history museum, spanning the early modern era from 1609-1815. This investment shows the strength of the organization, and why Fort Ticonderoga has gained a reputation as a world-class destination important to our nation’s history. This is the most aggressive expansion in the history of Fort Ticonderoga and will be one of the largest economic development projects in the North Country.

“In the last decade, Fort Ticonderoga has experienced significant growth in visitors, economic impact, and educational reach,” said Beth Hill, President & CEO of Fort Ticonderoga. “We continue to offer an unmatched glimpse into the past through our collections, living history programs, and academic programming on the very grounds where freedom was advanced. We’re excited to move forward with these plans to ensure that people can have access to our singular collections and experience all that Fort Ticonderoga has to offer for generations to come.” This investment comes on the heels of a $2.45 million grant awarded to Fort Ticonderoga by New York State for the preservation and adaptive re-use of the Pavilion, the historic home on the Fort Ticonderoga campus. The Pavilion was built in 1826 and is considered one of America’s first summer homes. The restoration project, expected to be complete in 2020, will save a national treasure while expanding Fort Ticonderoga’s capacity as a national cultural destination. The future Pavilion will include expanded visitor amenities, conference center capacity, and new educational and exhibition space. “I’m proud to help secure nearly $250,000 in federal funding through the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ Museums for America Grant program for Fort Ticonderoga’s newly announced expansion,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Our region thrives on the tourism and commerce we generate from our unique historical heritage, and Fort Ticonderoga is a pillar of our area’s culture. As a child, I remember spending many days at Fort Ticonderoga with my brother and parents, exploring the grounds and watching historical reenactments. The expansion announced today is great news not only for our tourism economy but for the countless families like my own that will be enriched through the educational programs at Fort Ticonderoga. I’ll keep working in Congress to ensure our North Country history is shared for generations to come.” “Fort Ticonderoga shaped world history,” said New York State Senator Betty Little. “I’ve been honored to support the fort in many different ways and am very pleased to join in today’s announcement of funding that will help shape Fort Ticonderoga’s future. Preserving the fort and creating a more enriching experience is a true team effort that will benefit our region for decades to come. Kudos to Congresswoman Stefanik, Beth Hill, the dedicated members of the board of trustees and everyone else who is playing a role in making this historic jewel shine even brighter.” “The preservation of this historical collection will allow Fort Ticonderoga the ability to provide a greater understanding of the history and rich tradition the Adirondacks has amassed over the years,” said New York State Assemblyman Dan Stec. “Sharing this piece of history with future generations will enrich the lives of many visitors and ensure the viability of this world-class museum.” “Fort Ticonderoga is one of America’s greatest historic treasures and one of the North Country’s greatest tourist attractions,” said Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce and Co-Chair of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council. “This latest federal support for the fort’s collections and assets is another building block in the continuing enhancement of Fort Ti as an economic asset to the entire region. We thank Congresswoman Stefanik, as well as Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, for their steadfast support for the fort, and we know that great things lie ahead thanks to this kind of federal partnership.” This was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant # MA-30-18-0166-18

About IMLS
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook (link is external) and Twitter (link is external). Fort Ticonderoga: America’s Fort™ Welcoming visitors since 1909, Fort Ticonderoga preserves North America’s largest 18th-century artillery collection, 2,000 acres of historic landscape on Lake Champlain, and Carillon Battlefield, and the largest series of untouched Revolutionary War era earthworks surviving in America. As the premier place to learn more about our nation’s earliest years and America’s military heritage, Fort Ticonderoga engages more than 75,000 visitors each year with an economic impact of more than $12 million annually and offers programs, historic interpretation, boat cruises, tours, demonstrations, and exhibits throughout the year, and is open for daily visitation May through October. Fort Ticonderoga is supported in part through generous donations and with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. America’s Fort is a registered trademark of the Fort Ticonderoga Association. Photo Credit: Copyright Fort Ticonderoga, Photographer Carl Heilman II

 

Diefenbunker Museum Blog - Artifacts and Archives: Behind the Scenes
Da diefenbunker.com del 26 ottobre 2018

This week we introduced a new member to our team: Grant! He’s our new Development Assistant! Here’s a few words about his first week. “My first week at the bunker has been outstanding! Everyone was very welcoming and extremely friendly. I was introduced to the guides, some volunteers, and everyone who works in the office. I was lucky enough to take several tours of the facility. The last time I visited the bunker I was 9 or 10, so I had forgotten just how massive the facility was. My first tour was run by Brian, and it was fantastic. Not only did Brian make the tour fun and funny, but he also taught the group numerous facts about the bunker.

Even though I majored in Canadian History (specifically the 1960s-80s), I learned a lot. There were plenty of fun facts and little bits of information I had never learned before. It was also fascinating seeing a historical site that was set up as if it was still the 1960s-80s. Did you know that the Defienbunker has a second vault? On my fourth day at the bunker Doug, (one of the bunkers founding members!!) showed me around the archives and artifact rooms.

One of these rooms was another vault! It contained items like military uniforms, Cold war era board games, and many others. I’m looking forward to seeing them out on display in the future. I also had the opportunity to visit the archives room. In this room the bunker stores numerous documents related to the Diefenbunker and the Cold war in general. Some highlights include floor plans, building schematics, and nuclear preparedness manuals. There were some amazing items to see. Overall, my first week at the Diefenbunker has been amazing. I’m happy to be here and can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Thanks so much for your guest blog post Grant, and welcome to the team!

 

Underground Air Base Buna
Da balcanwarhistory.com del 26 ottobre 2018

The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had forty military facilities for strategic purposes, including several underground air base.

Such objects were the greatest military secrets.

One of these underground airfields located near Mostar.

Zeljava-Bihac Airport was the most significant and most expensive military facility in the former Yugoslavia.

It was built under the veil of secrets, as well as all the then Yugoslav cold-war objects for special purposes.

 

Recognizing that the Zeljava project (built in 1958-1968) is very demanding and costly, this construction has been going on for a long time, and construction of several smaller subways for underground hangars, air base, so similar objects as in Bihać was built in Split (underground object Cetina built in 1969.-1970), Pristina (Morava building), Podgorica (then Titograd) object Šipčanik and Mostar (the Buna facility was built in 1969-1971. ).

 

 

 

 

The construction of these facilities has been intensified especially after the Israeli-Arab war in 1967, where the Israeli air force destroyed most of the Arab Air Force aircraft.

Since the underground part of the Zeljava facility near Bihac is located on the territory of the Republic of Croatia (only two outer runways are located on the territory of BiH), the underground airfield (the Buna facility) near Mostar is the only object of its kind in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

 

Buna military facility was built in the period from 1969 to 1971 and is located in the vicinity of Mostar Airport, with travel route Mostar - Blagaj.

The building is completely underground, the entrance to this building and the exit from it are connected with a large arc tunnel of three hundred meters long, which could accommodate twenty aircraft.

 

 

 

At both ends of the tunnel are two sliding steel armored door thickness of twenty centimeters, which provide protection against a nuclear attack on the building itself.

By closing these hinged doors, the room is fully hermetically closed, which, with the help of aggregates, filter ventilation devices and the air conditioning chamber, enables operation in the conditions of atomic-chemical biological warfare.

 

 

 

With precision, we can not say that the strength of a nuclear attack would have endured this armored door.

But it is well known that the bulletproof doors at the Zeljava facility near Bihac, which were 60 centimeters thick, could withstand a 20 kiloton nuclear strike. 

 

 

 

 

As part of this Mostar underground facility are rooms for people, a warehouse for ammunition, tank with water, toilets, kitchen and several utility rooms.

There is also a vertical shaft that served as an evacuation exit to the hill above the facility.

 

 

 

 

The concrete entrance or the exit with the surrounding rocks was painted in camouflage colors, and sometimes the masking steel mesh was broken above the entrance to this building.

To which were fixed large irregular pieces of styrofoam painted in gray, which created the impression of the rocky, so the entrance was successfully masked.

The approach from this facility, which led towards the runway, cut off the Mostar - Blagaj road, which was closed during military exercises and crossing the plane through the road, which was tracked by tractors.

 

 

 

On the hill near the evacuation shaft of the air base near Mostar, we found one rare object today.

It is an 8 × 52mm caliber for the Steyr Mannlicher M-1895, which was the standard weapon of the Austro- Hungarian army.

The capsule is in very good condition, and on the bottom, there is the manufacturer's mark and the year of manufacture (1898).

It is not surprising to find a military shotgun in the vicinity of the southern entrance to this underground facility during the Austro- Hungarian Empire.

 

 

Near the underground base, Buna was an aircraft and helicopters factory Soko.

In the red color, the SOKO factory circle is marked on satellite images, a large complex of the barracks with a helipad is marked in green, in which the 1st Guard Regiment of the OS BiH is located today.

Blue is marked road and bridge over the Neretva River to Mostar airport.

This road was used as a transport route for newly manufactured airplanes to a runway.

The manufactured helicopters were only moved from the factory to the barracks and the helipad.

 

Today, this road from the factory to the airport serves for civilian purposes, as well as the belonging bridge over the Neretva.

 

Castillos de Valladolid, un ruta mas chula que la de Juego de Tronos
Da elviajedesofi.com del 26 ottobre 2018

Cuando leas este artículo te va a quedar claro por qué a mi región le llaman Castilla. Aquí empieza una viaje por una de mis provincias favoritas, que no me canso de visitar. En esta ocasión la ruta va a ser muy especial, llena de historia y de lugares mágicos. Coge tu armadura, afila tu espada, golpea tu escudo y a por ellos: ¡nos vamos a conocer los castillos de Valladolid! Pero, ¡ojo!, no solo vas a visitar castillos en este viaje. Tomaremos buen vino y disfrutaremos de ricas viandas. Viajaremos en globo. Sí. En globo. Si me has leído antes, ya sabes que lo de volar me da un poco de miedito (https://www.elviajedesofi.com/travel-bloggers-miedovolar/). Más abajo te lo cuento, pero te anticipo que el “sufrimiento” mereció la pena. También vas a descubrir un lugar histórico como el archivo de Simancas. Que como no podías ser de otra forma está dentro de un castillo. 7 castillos de Valladolid que te van a enamorar

7 castillos pueden parecer muchos, pero te puedo asegurar que a mí este viaje se me hizo corto. Cada uno es diferente con una apasionante historia detrás y unas vistas que conseguirán que solo quieras ver uno más y otro más y otro más… Son 23 los castillos de Valladolid que se pueden visitar. Una oferta turística que se articula en torno al de Fuensaldaña, totalmente reformado después de haber albergado durante muchos años las Cortes de la región. A partir de 2019, él sera el eje de las visitas a las fortalezas de la provincia gracias a la incorporación de una importante zona museística en el interior. Después de haber hecho esta ruta creo que tendré que añadir los castillos de Valladolid a mi artículo de imprescindibles de Castilla y León (https://www.elviajedesofi.com/imprescindibles-de-castilla-y-leon/).

1.- Castillo de Montealegre El Castillo de Montealegre —testigo de las luchas entre nobles y realeza— está hecho en piedra de sillería. Situado en un enclave natural, que lo convirtió en inexpugnable. Su torre pentagonal es un mirador de 360 grados. Desde aquí tendrás las mejores vistas de la Tierra de Campos. Si tienes suerte y el día es claro verás los Montes Torozos y la montaña palentina. Al fondo queda también el Canal de Castilla del que te hablé en el artículo de mi ruta por Palencia (https://www.elviajedesofi.com/ruta-de-dos-dias-por-palenciafromista- las-tuerces-y-ampudia/). Su altura actual es de 20 metros aunque llegó a tener el doble. Fue un excepcional baluarte defensivo que medió en las guerras entre los reinos de Castilla y de León, y sirvió de defensa de los ataques de aragoneses y portugueses. En su parte superior se colocaba un trabuquete para lanzar la munición y destruir las máquinas de guerra de los atacantes. María de Molina —la tres veces reina— es uno de los grandes personajes vinculado a la historia de esta fortaleza. Con habilidad y tenacidad consiguió liderar la defensa del castillo y mantener el trono contra los enemigos de su reino. Isabel de Meneses es otra de las grandes Pero este no es el único recurso del pueblo de Montealegre. De origen neolítico cuenta con numerosas muestras de arquitectura popular de la zona. En tu visita no puedes dejar de incluir el Museo del Pastor —un recurso etnográfico que recoge los orígenes del pastoreo—, la iglesia de San Pedro —que tiene un notable retablo renacentista— y la iglesia de Santa María. Además en esta zona hay varias rutas de senderismo y ornitológicas del proyecto trino. Dirección: Calle Nicolas Rodríguez, 1, 47816 Montealegre de Campos, Valladolid Contacto: 680857148 Horarios: de semana santa hasta octubre. Visitas guiadas los viernes a las 17:30; sábados, domingos y festivos, a las 11:30 y 17:30. Una visita de hora y medio de duración. Precios: 4 y niños y jubilados 3

2.- Castillo de la mota, Medina del Campo Este castillo defensivo es una fortaleza del siglo XV. Aquí ha habido población desde la prehistoria. En la reconquista había una muralla defensiva que evoluciona al actual castillo de la mota. Ha sido un monumento vivo que ha sufrido sucesivas transformaciones. Si te fijas bien verás impactos de artillería en la torre, provocados durante las guerras de sucesión de la casa de los Trastámara. El origen del castillo de Medina del Campo se sitúa en una dudosa leyenda de un labrador que prometió hacer un castillo en el siglo XII. En la portada del arco del centro hay un escudo de los Reyes Católicos, sin la granada, que nos indica que es anterior al 1492. Fue cárcel. Había dos, unas mazmorras, la cárcel de sito— para los presos de baja estopa—, y otra prisión para los políticos. En el patio de armas del castillo se utilizan las instalaciones para dar cursos formativos y suele haber exposiciones. En el salón de honor —incluido en la visita a la torre— se conserva la única cubierta original. El resto es reconstruido en el siglo XX. Allí está el peinador de la reina. Supuestamente era en ese lugar donde Juana la loca se peinaba y peinaba mientras esperaba que llegase Felipe el hermoso. Hay diferentes tipos de visita: visita libre —gratuita—, guiada sin torre, guiada a la torre del homenaje, teatralizada a la torre y con audioguía. Dirección: Centro de recepción de visitantes, avenida del castillo s/n, 47400, Medina del Campo. Contacto: 983810063 Horarios: Invierno: de lunes a sábado, de 11:00 a 14:00 horas, y de 16:00 a 18:00 horas. Domingos y festivos de 11 a 14 horas. Verano: de lunes a sábado, de de 11:00 a 14:00 horas, y de 16:00 a 19:00 horas. Domingos y festivos de 11 a 14 horas. La visita al castillo y la torre dura dos horas. Precios: las visitas guiadas son de martes a domingo con reserva previa. Normalmente suelen ser a las 11, 12, 13, 16 y 17 horas. En verano hay una más a las 18:00. Visita guiada general, 4 €; especial, 3 €; reducida, 2,50 €; y empadronado, 2 €. Visita guiada a la torre, única —solo a la torre; conjunta —con el castillo—, 2 €. Visita teatralizada a la torre, única —solo a la torre— 6 €; torre + guiada general, 8 €. Audioguías, 3,50 €

3.- Castillo de Íscar No es un castillo, es una fortaleza. Su uso era solo defensivo. No es residencial. Pertenece al Ayuntamiento de Íscar. El yacimiento más antiguo es de un pueblo calcolítico. Su origen está en el siglo X. La mayor parte de la piedra original fue robada para hacer cal. Los escudos de la torre son de la familia Miranda del Castañar, de origen salmantino. Tiene foso, puente de acceso y cubos para reforzar su defensa. El patio de armas son 2.000 metros cuadrados en los cuales se pueden encontrar proyectiles abandonados. Tiene un aljibe de 33 metros cuadrados que de momento no es visitable. Cómo particularidad en la torre del homenaje hay un pilar central para soportar el peso de la bóveda debido a los problemas de la mala cimentación. El interior muy interesante tiene una rehabilitación bastante invasiva con la construcción original. Originalmente era cuadrada, pero se modificó a pentagonal para modificar los problemas constructivos. En el patio de armas está la cervecera La loca Juana. Una microcervecera que elabora en el castillo y tiene sala de degustación donde se realizan eventos privados y culturales. La cerveza es un homenaje a la primera reina de España a la que no dejaron gobernar los hombres de su familia. Utiliza elementos naturales sin conservantes. Su carbónico es ligero y en su proceso no hay pasteurización. Dirección: Calle Castillo, s/n, 47420, Íscar, Valladolid. Horarios: sábados de 12 a 15 y de 17 a 20; visita guiada a las 12 y 17. Domingos y festivos de 12 a 15; visita guiada a las 12. Precios: el acceso al recinto monumental es libre y gratuito. El ayuntamiento oferta una visita a colectivos cerrados por 1,60 € por persona para visitar el castillo. Las reservas se hacen en 606688273. La cervecera La Loca Juana (983101511) también hace diferentes tipos de visitas: 1. Tomando la torre del homenaje. Visita guiada a la torre + botellín de 33 cl para llevar. Duración: 35minutos. C 2. Conquistando el castillo. Visita guiada a la torre y a la cervecera + 2 cervezas maridadas con tapas. Duración: 90 minutos.

4.- Castillo de Tiedra Su origen está en un asentamiento romano, el de Amallobriga. Que iba desde el Castillo a la ermita. Este asentamiento resurge con El Cid y el comienzo del cerco de Zamora. En el siglo XII se cambia el enclave de la villa al ser reconocida como tal. Es un castillo de defensa. Esta rehabilitado, durante 100 años fue un palomar. El Ayuntamiento lo compró a una familia privada. Cuenta con una torre del homenaje exenta en el interior. Dentro de este baluarte hay una exposición con armas, cascos y escudos medievales. Hay hasta unas cotas de malla. En verano hacen una recreación del asalto al castillo en la que utilizan un ariete que está durante el resto del año en el exterior. Para 2019 van a preparar contenidos enfocados al público infantil. Dirección: calle del Castillo, 7A, 47870 Tiedra, Valladolid De noviembre a marzo (sábados, domingos y festivos), mañanas a las 13 y a la 17. De abril a octubre (sábados, domingos y festivos), mañanas a las 13 y tardes a las 18 horas. Duración de la visita: 50 minutos. En 2019 abrirán varias horas en horario libre con la incorporación de audio guías. Teléfonos de reserva e información: 983791405 y 667763852

5.- Castillo de Torrelobatón El castillo de Torrelobatón es del siglo XVI. Escuela de Valladolid. Está tematizado y preparado con audiovisuales para explicar la historia de Castilla y sus luchas internas a lo largo de los pisos en los que se divide la torre del homenaje. Este castillo fue preparado para dominar el valle. Es uno delos mejores lugares de la región para observar un atardecer típico castalleno. También tendrás una maravillosa experiencia si el día está con nubes o hay la característica niebla de Valladolid. También se pueden ver los carteles originales de la película de El Cid de varios países y fotos del rodaje —que durante tres días empleó como extras a los habitantes de la localidad— del film protagonizado por Charlton Heston y Sofia Loren. Dirección: Calle Castillo, s/n, 47134 Torrelobatón, Valladolid. Horarios: Verano. Viernes de 17,00 a 19,30 h. Sábados, domingos y festivos de 11 a 14 y de 17 a 19,30 horas. Invierno. Sábados, domingos y festivos de 11 a 14 y de 16 a 18,30 horas. Precios: información de reservas en el teléfono 665 834 753.

6.- Castillo de Peñafiel Fue el Conde de Castilla Sancho García quien le dio el nombre. Al clavar su espada y decir que ésta sería la peña más fiel de Castilla. La familia Girón pusieron su escudo en el castillo ya que fueron ellos los encargados de remodelación en el siglo XV. En el XIX fue abandonado y rehabilitado posteriormente para hacerlo visitable. Desde su torre del homenaje hay unas vistas privilegiadas de la Ribera del Duero, los viñedos y los pinares. Lo que más sorprende de este castillo es su forma de gigantesco navío de más de 200 metros de largo. Su figura impresiona en un día claro como el que tuve yo, pero por lo que me contaron todavía es más sorprendente en un día de niebla. Te recomiendo que no te limites al castillo y visites la hermosa plaza de Peñafiel, una de las más originales de Castilla y Léon. Dirección: Avenida Constitución, 16, 47300, Peñafiel. Valladolid. Contacto: 983881199 / 983880060 Horarios: De octubre a marzo. De martes a domingo y festivos de 10:30 a 14 y de 16 a 18 horas. De abril a septiembre. De martes a domingo y festivos de 10:30 a 14 y de 16 a 20 horas. Última visita al castillo 40 minutos antes de la hora de cierre. Está cerrado los días 1 y 6 de enero, y el 24, 25 y 31 de diciembre. Precios: visita guiada al castillo, 6,60 €. Entrada gratuita para los menores de 12 años acompañados por sus padres. El precio de la entrada incluye la visita guiada al castillo y el acceso libro al Museo provincial del vino situado en el propio castillo de Peñafiel y del que te hablo un poco más abajo.

7.- Visita al Castillo de Villafuerte de Esgueva Los encargados de enseñar el castillos son los miembros de la Asociación histórica Villafuerte. Son recreacionistas. Tiene un convenio con la asociación de amigos de los castillos. Las visitas tienen un objetivo didáctico. Muy enfocadas al público infantil. En cada planta hay un personaje para tematizar el tour por la fortaleza. A mí este es uno de los castillos de Valladolid que más me ha gustado; puro divertimento. Aquí puedes sentirte un auténtico caballero medieval tirando con arco y luchando con espadas. Una experiencia única para toda la familia que disfrutarán especialmente los peques de la casa. El recorrido no sólo habla de la historia del castillo, sino que bucea en la del medievo graciasal amor y al cariño que le ponen estos guías tan especiales. Dirección: Camino Castillo, 2D, 47180 Villafuerte, Valladolid. Horarios: fin de semana. El horario se acuerda bajo reserva previa. Precios: 7 € adultos y 2 € los niños.  

 

Most pro pevnost Terezín
Da hithit.com del 26 ottobre 2018

Pomozte nám vrátit do bastionové pevnosti Terezín původní dřevěný most z 18. století. Opevnění bývalo v minulých staletích plné malebných dřevěných mostů, po kterých se chodívalo na procházky po hradbách. Pojďme společně vrátit část historie do města.

Jak to začalo

Všichni o ní mluví, ale jen málo kdo zná její skutečnou tvář. Ano, řeč je opravdu o pevnosti Terezín. A té se to právě týká ...

Terezín vznikl v 18. století jako jedinečná bastionová pevnost, která měla bránit české království před vpádem pruských vojsk. Tehdy to byl vrchol pevnostního stavitelství, který se dochoval v téměř nezměněné podobě do dnešních dnů. Pojďte s námi i vy poznat tuto jedinečnou památku a vrátit jí opět slávu z dávné historie. Dříve byly jednotlivé hradby spojeny dřevěnými mostky, které se do dnešních dní nedochovaly a pokud ano, tak jsou v značně poškozeném stavu. My by jsme chtěli alespoň jeden z nich opravit a zpřístupnit právě třeba i vám.

Co je náš cíl?

Naším cílem je obnovit původní most z 18. století v Hlavní pevnosti Terezín. Tento most byl dlouhý 6 metrů, jeho šířka byla 2 m a síla byla 80 cm. Jak uznáte i vy, nejedná se o žádného drobečka, ale o celkem slušný díl skládanky v rámci celé pevnosti. 

Detaily

Naším cílem je vrátit do staré bastionové pevnosti Terezín jeden z mnoha mostů, které zde v 18. století byly. Ty se klenuly nad příkopy a spojovaly jednotlivé části hradeb. Podle dochovaných původních historických plánů z…

 

Un livre, un jour… Où il est question de ouvrages traitant des fortifications aux qualités diamétralement opposées !
Da fortifications-neuf-brisach.com del 26 ottobre 2018

Parmi les nombreux ouvrages qui viennent régulièrement agrémenter mes bibliothèques, j’ai retenu deux parutions récentes : le contraste est saisissant sur le plan qualitatif et mérite qu’on s’y arrête ! 

WARMOES I., ORGEIX É. - Atlas militaires manuscrits (XVIIe-XVIIIe siècles). Villes et territoires des ingénieurs du roi. Paris, BnF, Ministère des armées, 2017.

Notice extraite de la postface : « Aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles, tandis que les grands ateliers cartographiques européens s’affairent à l’édition de luxueuses séries d’atlas universels pour leur clientèle la plus fortunée, c’est au plus près du terrain que les ingénieurs militaires façonnent patiemment leur propre conception de l’atlas militaire manuscrit, à bien des égards plus intimiste et secrète. Si leurs ouvrages se définissent toujours comme des “livres reliés de cartes et plans”, ils adoptent des formes infiniment diverses, allant du simple “ramas” de documents utile à l’exercice de la profession à la “visite de places” commandée par l’administration militaire, en passant par le somptueux recueil dédicatoire. Dessinés à la plume et souvent rehaussés de lavis, ces recueils, conçus à des fins stratégiques, dressent le portrait inédit et toujours confondant de précision de provinces, païs, villes fortifiées et ouvrages militaires tour à tour défendus ou convoités par l’État monarchique. Cet ouvrage abondamment illustré, qui réunit une étude historique et un catalogue raisonné complété d’index de lieux et d’auteurs, présente pour la première fois, planche par planche, l’un des gisements cartographiques d’Ancien Régime les plus exceptionnels qui soient conservés dans les fonds d’Île-de-France.

Instrument de recherche inestimable pour l’histoire des villes, de l’architecture et des territoires, il éclaire l’ensemble des processus de réformation orchestrés en France entre les règnes d’Henri IV et de Louis XV, tout en faisant la part belle aux pays européens et aux États du Levant ». Si ce catalogue répond à toutes les attentes au regard de la qualité du travail réalisé — il allie la qualité des textes et des illustrations —, on peut toutefois regretter la politique éditoriale de la BnF : difficile à acquérir et, de surcroit, pour un prix de vente conséquent (180 euros), il ne propose qu’une médiocre reliure puisque l’ouvrage est simplement broché ! Enfin, le propos de la postface rédigée par l’éditeur comprend une erreur : « présente pour la première fois, planche par planche »… Bien évidemment, seule une sélection parmi les très nombreuses planches de l’atlas est proposée. Quoi qu’il en soit, il s’agit d’un ouvrage des plus estimable que je recommande sans réserve. Rédigé par des auteur(e)s aux qualités certaines, il mérite de figurer en bonne place dans les bibliothèques (très) spécialisées. Au pire… Le second ouvrage est cette fois de main anglo-saxonne… Présenté de manière avenante par l’éditeur, il est susceptible de tenter quelques lecteurs et, principalement, les néophytes. BLACK J. - Forts. An illustrated history of building for defence. Londres, Osprey - The National Archives, 2018.

 

"Adriatic Fortresses that Unify" at the Old Fortress from November
Da enimerosi.com del 24 ottobre 2018

A new collaborative project between the Municipality of Corfu, the Inspectorate of Antiquites and the Marco Polo European group from Venice aimed at creating a strong Euro-Mediterranean network with Corfu playing a key role.

Corfu and Venice continue working together in the fields of sustainable tourism and cultural development with projects that contribute to the diversification of tourism through art and international relations. Thanks to the collaboration of the Venetian European Economic Interest Group and the Marco Polo System the project Fortresses that Unify has been set up and aims to create a strong Euro-Mediterranean fortress network.

As was written in Homer's Epics in ancient times, the founder and coordinator of the Marco Polo System Pietrangelo Pettenò says, "Corfu is still a place of hospitality and culture today, which is why we consider it to be an intrinsic part of our efforts to create a strong Euro-Mediterranean fortress network. We visualize that which was built to provide protection against outside forces becoming a place where different worlds can meet and exchange experiences."

Project Manager Alberto Cotrona points out, "With this kind of project Corfu once more plays the role of protector of the Mediterranean, not in a war but as regards dialogue and creativity. The collaboration of the Inspectorate of Antiquities, with Ms Rigakou's extensive knowledge and professionalism is of key importance along with Mayor Nikolouzos and Deputy Mayor Kavadias." The fortresses of the Adriatic and the Ionian are not only outstanding examples of architecture but they are also able to become workshops for culture and the exchange of experiences in the name of so-called 'cultural diplomacy'.

The first step is the photography exhibition which will open at the Old Fortress before the end of November and which was initially launched as part of the CAMAA Programme (Interreg Italia-Slovenia 2007-2013, Centro per le Architetture Militari dell’Alto Adriatico). The exhibition was last seen in Ljubljana (ZRC SAZU), Venice (Palazzo Ferro Fini - headquarters of the Regional Council) and Ferrara and when it comes to Corfu exhibits will be added to show the island's fortification heritage.

 

OUVRAGE DE BAMBESCH : Patrimoine à défendre |
Da lesstrademensuel.fr del 23 ottobre 2018

L’Ouvrage du Bambesch est un ensemble de trois blocs de combat faisant partie de la ligne Maginot, sur le territoire de la commune de Bambiderstroff. Il mobilise une équipe de bénévoles qui jouent aussi bien les guides que les restaurateurs afin d’entretenir et de valoriser cet ouvrage unique, le seul ouvert au public à 80 km alentour. « Pour mener les travaux de réfection, on doit faire des recherches historiques, techniques et se faire un peu bricoleur, précise Cédric Becker, membre de l’association et dont le grand-père fut l’un des tous premiers guides. L’hiver dernier a été consacré à rénover la tourelle : beaucoup de mécanique, de recherche de documents d’époque et de pièces de rechange difficiles à trouver ».

L’ouvrage, destiné à la défense de la Route Nationale 3 reliant Metz à Sarrebruck, était pourvu d’un canon et de mitrailleuses ainsi que de galeries souterraines parcourues aujourd’hui par les visiteurs. Pour se financer, l’association organise sur place des événements festifs, des jeux et une visite avec repas à 20 mètres de profondeur à l’occasion des Journées Européennes du Patrimoine. « Il faut être original pour retenir l’attention du public, les inciter à revenir dans un lieu exceptionnel et pourquoi pas à nous rejoindre, car nous avons besoin de nouveaux guides » indique Cédric Becker.

 

Ukrainian Army to Receive Vilkha Multiple Rocket System
Da defenseworld.net del 22 ottobre 2018

'Vilkha' MLRS System

The Vilkha multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), a clone of the Smerch MLRS from the Soviet era has been accepted into the Ukrainian army and its industrial production will start soon. The new system was developed by Luch, the state design bureau in Kyiv. Experts say that supplies for the troops will start in mid-2019, according to UAWire. Development the Vilkha multiple-launch rocket system RS began in January 2016 and it was completed in May 2018.

The system is based on the old Soviet Smerch MLRS. The Vilkha was successfully tested in April and December 2017. In February 2018, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov announced that industrial production of cruise missiles for Vilkha would start at the end of 2018 or the beginning of 2019. In April 2018, during the regular military exercises, Turchynov stated that the Vilkha outperformed the Russian Smerch in every way.

 

NATOs sidste militære anlæg i Danmark lukker
Da berlingske.dk del 21 ottobre 2018

A NATOs medlemmer byggede på den i næsten otte år. Undervejs mødte demonstranter som Kvinder for Fred op for at protestere, men i november 1985 åbnede NATOs dengang meget avancerede og atomsikrede bunker dybt under jorden ved Finderup vest for Viborg. Næsten præcis fire år senere faldt Muren og den trussel, som bunkeren var bygget til at imødegå. Og i dag lukker NATO så sin sidste militære installation i Danmark. Lukningen markeres med en parade foran »Bunker 7«, der var det officielle navn. Under Den Kolde Krig skulle bunkeren bruges af NATOs militære ledelse i Danmark, der under normale forhold havde hovedkvarter på Flyvestation Karup ikke langt fra bunkeren.

Desuden rummede bunkeren et par hundrede mand, der styrede luftoperationerne over den sydlige del af NATOs nordflanke mod Warszawapagten. Man regnede med, at netop luftkrigen ville blive afgørende i en eventuel krig mellem de to militære blokke.  I alt var der plads til 400 mand, som skulle gå ned ad de 96 trin til operationsrummet 40 meter under jorden. Bunkeren var bygget i tre dæk med egen luftforsyning, vandforsyning, kraftværk og forsyninger til mere end en måned uden kontakt til verden ovenover. Siden afslutningen på Den Kolde Krig har CAOC 1 - Combined Air Operations Center - varetaget en voksende del af NATO-alliancens nordlige luftrum, der her mod afslutningen omfatter luftrummet fra de britiske øer via Island, Norge og Danmark og de baltiske lande.

Denne opgave skal overtages af det tilbageværende luftoperationscenter i NATOs nordlige område, der ligger i Uedem i Tyskland. Op imod et par hundrede ansatte fra en række NATO-lande har med en dansk officer som chef bemandet stolene foran skærmene i operationsrummet. En initiativgruppe bestående af tidligere oberst og folketingsmedlem Jens Christian Lund (S), folketingsmedlem Kristian Pihl Lorentzen (V) og adm. direktør Ove Klock, Hedeselskabet, har etableret projektet »Bunker 7« for at skabe, hvad de betegner som »et oplevelsescenter på Viborg-egnen med international slagkraft«. Flere andre militære anlæg fra den kolde krigs tid er allerede indrettet som museer, heriblandt Langelandsfortet og Stevnsfortet.

 

Cinco castillos con chicha
Da elnortedecastilla.es del 20 ottobre 2018

No choca mucho que un territorio que lleva por nombre «Castilla y León» pueda presumir precisamente de eso, de castillos. Los hubo casi por todas partes y casi desde siempre. Cualquier promontorio con vistas era bueno para alzar una torre, una atalaya, un castro, cualquier cosa hecha con piedras gordas que permitiera descubrir movimientos extraños en la llanura o el valle. De muchas de aquellas construcciones no ha quedado ni noticia pero muchas otras evolucionaron, según circunstancias y procesos históricos, hasta acabar convertidas en auténticas cajas fuerte. El lugar más seguro en el que estar. Castilla y León tiene inventariadas 93 fortalezas. Algunas son solo los restos maltrechos de lo que un día fueron. Muchas, por suerte, todavía mantienen en pie buena parte de su estructura. Y unas cuantas están lo suficientemente enteras como para que adentrarse por ellas siga siendo una aventura apasionante capaz de trasladar a quien lo hace a tiempos tan remotos como los de la Edad Media. Por último, unas pocas de estas fortalezas aportan a la visita el plus de ponernos en contacto con otros mundos, no siempre relacionados con la arquitectura militar o con la Historia. Son las que han acabado convertidas en contenedores culturales brindando sus pasillos, sus mazmorras y estancias para albergar colecciones, museos o centros de interpretación. Suman así, al interés que siempre tiene la visita a un castillo el de disfrutar de montajes expositivos o abrirnos a mundos que nada tienen que ver con vencedores y vencidos. Y gozan también de que el privilegio de ser tenidos en cuenta para nuevos usos les garantiza, al menos, el afianzamiento de sus estructuras durante un tiempo más. Estos son algunos de esos castillos que sorprenden al visitante por la mucha miga que albergan en su interior.

1 Valladolid Castillo de Peñafiel
Su reconversión de ruina respetable en buque insignia de los museos provinciales de Valladolid fue modélica. Una estructura desmontable sustenta en el interior del castillo de Peñafiel la instalación del Museo Provincial del Vino de Valladolid, un moderno montaje expositivo pensado para mostrar la variedad y calidad de la producción vinícola de la provincia, con cinco denominaciones de origen reconocidas: Tierra de León, Ribera del Duero, Cigales, Toro y Rueda. El recorrido por su interior aporta una visión general del largo y laborioso proceso que implica la elaboración de este producto: nueve secciones en las que se habla de la historia, los procedimientos, los tipos de prensas utilizados, las herramientas, los útiles de medida, las botellas o la cata. La visita incluye la posibilidad de disfrutar de las impagables panorámicas que se ofrecen desde las almenas. Unas vistas que hacen comprender de inmediato que la ubicación del castillo no es fruto del capricho o la casualidad. Este castillo, junto al recinto califal de Gormaz, es tenido como uno de los mejores ejemplos de arquitectura militar medieval española. INFORMACIÓN: Tel.: 983 881 199.

2 Valladolid Castillo de Simancas
Es normal que algunas fortalezas hayan ido cambiando de forma y de funciones a lo largo de los siglos. Es el caso de este castillo muy conocido por albergar en su interior muchos de los principales documentos de la Historia de España pero muy poco visitado por el público en general. Y es una pena porque resulta de lo más interesante. La visita guiada, además de ilustrar sobre la importancia y el manejo de documentos, recorre estancias tan interesantes como el cubo del Archivo, el espacio habilitado por Felipe II para reunir en él los documentos más selectos y secretos de Patronato Real. Antes de pasar a manos de la Corona, en 1480, el castillo de Simancas había cumplido su función de fortaleza defensiva en manos de la familia Enríquez, almirantes de Castilla. Después, y dadas sus especiales condiciones de seguridad, fue utilizado, entre otras cosas, como depósito de armas, de dinero o como prisión de Estado. En la actualidad alberga la exposición 'Espías: servicios secretos y escritura cifrada en la monarquía hispánica'. INFORMACIÓN: Visitas guiadas: información y reservas en los teléfonos 983 59 00 03 (laborables) y 902 500 493 (fines de semana y festivos).

3 Salamanca Torreón de Alba de Tormes

Una torre de aspecto inexpugnable y planta cilíndrica es lo único que queda después de que se decidiera la voladura de la fortaleza, durante la Guerra de la Independencia, para evitar que se atrincheraran en ella los franceses. Mucho antes de eso, al menos desde que Gutierre Álvarez de Toledo recibiera la localidad de manos de Juan II, formó parte de un complejo defensivo que Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel acabó transformando, definitivamente, en un suntuoso palacio renacentista. De su mano el edificio se engalana con los mejores mármoles, pinturas y tapices mientras que por sus salas desfilan notables figuras del Siglo de Oro. Ejemplo de ello son los magníficos frescos renacentistas que adornan su sala de la Armería, una de las pocas muestras de este estilo que pueden verse en España. La visita a la torre, que acoge también muestras expositivas, brinda magníficas vistas de la villa y su entorno. INFORMACIÓN: Tel. 923 37 06 46.

4 Ávila Castillo de Arévalo
Fue mandado reconstruir a mediados del siglo XV por don Álvaro de Zúñiga, duque de Béjar, y se asegura que tras la muerte de Juan II sirvió de residencia a su esposa viuda y con ataques de demencia, Isabel de Portugal, y sus dos hijos, la futura reina Isabel la Católica y Alfonso de Castilla. Tras pasar por las manos de Álvaro de Luna regresó a la de los Reyes Católicos utilizándose cada vez más como prisión de reos ilustres. Como tantos otros castillos, en el siglo XX fue salvado de la ruina total al reutilizarse como almacén de grano de toda la comarca. Precisamente, en su torre del homenaje alberga un pequeño Museo del Cereal en el que, además de ilustrar sobre diferentes aspectos relacionados con esta materia, recuerda la función que cumplió en el pasado. INFORMACIÓN: ayuntamientoarevalo.es. Tel. 920 30 00 05. Abre fines de semana y festivos.

5 PalenciaCastillo de Ampudia
Es uno de los castillos señoriales mejor conservados de Castilla y León. Algo que resulta evidente en cualquiera de las dos modalidades de visita que permite (ambas guiadas). La primera nos adentra por algunas de sus principales dependencias, salas en las que, además de ponernos al tanto de los pormenores de la edificación, se disfruta como niños con las variadas y curiosas colecciones que reunió el empresario Eugenio Fontaneda a lo largo de su vida y que aquí encontraron un marco excepcional. Desde las piezas de arqueología, a las de arte sacro o la encantadora sala con juguetes, casas de muñecas y autómatas pasando por una botica medieval o una sala de armas. Todavía más fascinante es la visita 'Rincones secretos' que discurre por las salas que utilizaron y todavía utilizan los señores del castillo. INFORMACIÓN: castillodeampudia.com. Tels.: 699 48 45 55, 979 76 80 23.

 

Malta’s top cultural attraction of 2018 is revealed
Da bay.com.mt del 18 ottobre 2018

Fort Rinella in Kalkara has been crowned the best cultural attraction in the Maltese Islands in 2018.
The living museum was praised by TripAdvisor reviewers as ‘an excellent day out’ and ‘unique’. The coastal battery was built in 1878 by the British Army. It housed the world’s biggest gun to defend Malta against enemy attacks and protect Britain’s interests in the Mediterranean Sea. The fort is now run by volunteers who bring history back to life for the thousands of visitors who tour the historic site every year.


• The fort famously houses one of only two remaining Armstrong 100-ton guns.
• It was developed by Victorian inventor Sir William George Armstrong
• The gun could be fired every 6 minutes
• A one-ton shell travelled up to 8 miles
• The shell could pierce through 65cm of ship armour
• It was the world’s largest muzzle loaded cannon
• Each explosive shot used a quarter ton of black powder, costing on average the daily pay of 2,700 soldiers
• It was so expensive to use, it was only fired for practice every three months


Opening Times
Fort Rinella is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm.
Fort Rinella is managed by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, the Malta Heritage Trust.

 

CDU will aus dem Teufelsberg ein Sportparadies machen
Da tagesspiegel.de del 17 ottobre 2018

A margine Pistolenschüsse, quietschende Motorradreifen, Verfolgungsjagden. Es geht wild zu am Teufelsberg – zumindest in der Serie „You are wanted“ von Matthias Schweighöfer. In der Realität dagegen liegt die frühere US-Abhörstation ziemlich brach. Durch die alten Gebäude zieht der Wind, Fetzen hängen von den Kuppeln, die Wände sind mit Graffiti-Kunstwerken bemalt. Ein paar Dutzend Touristen wandern Tag für Tag auf Berlins höchste Erhebung, doch seit der Bezirk im Mai das Hauptgebäude aus Sicherheitsgründen schließen ließ, werden es immer weniger. Sport am Teufelsberg hat eine gewisse Tradition Geht es nach der CDU, soll es hier bald wieder geschäftiger zugehen.

In einem Antrag, den die Partei am Donnerstag im Abgeordnetenhaus einbringen will, wird der Senat aufgefordert, das Gelände zu einem Sport- und Erholungsareal zu entwickeln. Laufen, Skaten, Rodeln, Klettern, Drachenfliegen, Tennisspielen, Mountainbiking und sogar Schwimmen solle ermöglicht werden, heißt es darin. Und weiter: „Für Sportler und Erholungssuchende ist auf dem Areal ein gastronomisches Sport am Teufelsberg? Eine gewisse Tradition hat das. In den 60er Jahren gab es am Teufelsberg eine 50 Meter lange Skisprungschanze, 1986 richtete der internationale Ski-Verband FIS hier sogar ein Ski-Weltcuprennen aus, an dem Stars wie Markus Wasmeier oder Leonhard Stock teilnahmen. Bekommt die Sportstätte Teufelsberg eine Neuauflage? Rot-rot-grüner Koalitionsvertrag: Den Teufelsberg "als Erinnerungs- und Naturort öffentlich zugänglich machen" Gerade für sportliche Zwecke sei der Ort prädestiniert, sagt der Generalsekretär der Berliner CDU, Stefan Evers. „Der Bedarf ist da.

Wir wollen aber nicht die Türme abreißen und da eine Tennisanlage hinsetzen“, sagt Evers. Sein Konzept sieht auch Raum für Kultur und Erinnerung vor. „Wir wollen keinen Rummelplatz“, sagt Evers. Ihm gehe es darum, das Areal der Öffentlichkeit frei zugänglich zu machen. Im Moment müssen Besucher Eintritt für die Ruinen-Besichtigung bezahlen. Evers sieht seinen Plan auch im Einklang mit dem rot-rot-grünen Koalitionsvertrag. Darin heißt es, die Koalition strebe an, den Teufelsberg „als Erinnerungs- und Naturort öffentlich zugänglich zu machen“.

 

More details about Ukraine’s new tactical ballistic missile revealed
Da defence-blog.com del 16 ottobre 2018

The Grom-2 mobile short-range tactical ballistic missile system is equipped with two short-range ballistic missiles. It is a solid-propellant missile that has a maximum range 280 km and minimal 50 km. The Grom-2 will have several different conventional warheads, including cluster and highexplosive.

New tactical missile system will have a new guidance system with a self-contained inertial navigation complex and optical seeker that enables it to hit targets in day and night with a high level of accuracy. It has a target accuracy of 5m to 15m and operates even in fog or low visibility. The basic version of the missile will carry payload capacity of up to 480 kg of conventional warheads or 54 combat submunitions of 7.5 kg each. The Grom-2 also was designed to overcome air defense systems, a missile can follow an aeroballistic path at altitudes from 11 to 50 km, performing evasive maneuvers in the terminal phase of flight to penetrate missile defense systems. The transport-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle based on the new-developed 10×10 chassis carries two tactical ballistic missiles.

The TEL is powered by a Deutz diesel engine delivering a power output of 600 hp. Full missile system also includes command vehicle, information preparation vehicle, maintenance and repair vehicle and life support vehicle. The first test launch of the new tactical missile is scheduled for the second half of 2019.

 

Sandy Hook Nike Launch Site
Da atlasobscura.com

At first, it looks like the top deck of an aircraft carrier. An old barbed wire fence surrounds a giant slab of concrete, which is hidden in layers of undergrowth. Faded yellow markings on what look like long-rusted bay doors, are embedded into the ground. Old loudspeakers and disused arc lamps mark the perimeter. At one time, this was one of the most highly classified, top secret locations in the United States, a Nike missile base called Fort Hancock. If you were caught anywhere near it in the last 50 or so years, the heavily armed patrols had orders to release their vicious attack dogs and shoot on sight. Now in ruins, these forgotten remnants were New York’s last line of defense against Soviet nuclear attack. Developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories, the Nike missile was a surface-to-air projectile, guided by radar and a tracking computer. The program started in 1945, spurred by two events: the first successful atomic bomb test by the Soviet Union and their development of a long range bomber capable of 10,000-mile distances. The threat of Soviet aircraft carrying atomic weapons suddenly became very real.

The Nike missiles were a solution to prevent another Pearl Harbor. Sandy Hook in New Jersey proved to be an ideal site launch site. Close enough to New York, but remote enough, it had long provided the perfect strategic position for guarding entry into New York harbor due to the deep channel that ran alongside it. Home to America’s oldest lighthouse, the slender spit of land had been fought over since the days of the War of Independence. The original Fort Hancock was improved upon during the Civil War, and in the 1890s vast concrete gun batteries and mortar pits were built to protect Manhattan. At one point over 7,000 soldiers lived here in an army town that included rows of grand yellow brick homes, officer’s quarters, a theater, and ball fields. The full-scale camp was largely vacated after World War II and given over to a Nike launch site given the code name NY-56. Remnants of this site are still there today. The launch site borders one of the beaches at the far end of Sandy Hook. The missiles would have been housed underground in silos about the size of a school gymnasium, from where they would emerge should the threat of a Soviet atomic assault on Manhattan appear on the horizon. About 1,000 yards from the launch site was the radar complex. Today, hidden from view by the forest of the peninsula, the radar guidance systems resemble giant seashells, perched upon rusting squat platforms, looking not unlike they were placed in the forest by the Dharma Initiative. From here the skies were constantly monitored with the official “tactical control” orders in place should the unthinkable happen. A VHF radio message would raise the alarm with the words, “BLAZING SKIES : THIS IS NOT A DRILL” broadcast throughout the base, over the now-silent loudspeakers surrounding the launch site. “Blazing Skies” was the code for “aggressor engagement.” By the 1970s however, the Nikes were rendered obsolete. The advent of the Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile gave way to a new form of terror; a Soviet nuclear attack that didn’t require aircraft. With the ongoing war in Vietnam consuming the bulk of defense expenditure, the Nike program was shelved in 1974s Strategic Arms Limitation Talks agreement.

What, then, happened then to the Nike missile launch sites? Today there are remnants of around 250 bases across the United States in varying levels of ruin. Those built on existing Army bases were simply decommissioned. Due to their proximity to major cities, some were sold to school districts, or turned into municipal yards. Others found their way into private use and became paintball sites. Some were turned into homes. In Virginia, one base even became a prison. Today only a few remain intact. The problem of historic preservation arises due to the relative modernity of the sites. Cold War-era structures aren’t as easily protected on the National Register of Historic Places. With no official efforts made to preserve the sites, it is left to such volunteer groups such as the Cold War Veteran’s Association. With most of the original structures still there, they offer tours of the old radar sites, often given by actual Nike veterans who were stationed there. Visitors have the opportunity to tour inside the radar sites and “find out what it was like to go on full alert.” The launch site in Sandy Hook, however, would greatly benefit from more funding and protection. Today, it silently rusts away, watching the skies over New York for an attack that never comes, and which it can no longer defend against.

 

Plymouth's historic Drake's Island fortress on sale for £6m
Da del 14 ottobre 2018

An historic island fortress has been put up for sale with a guide price of £6 million.
Drake's Island in Devon includes a 16th century barracks, a pier and an underground network of tunnels. The six-acre site, which stands 600m off the coast at Plymouth, has planning permission for a luxury hotel and spa. Aidan McCauley, son of the island's owner Dan McCauley, said: "My dad has long held a vision to see the island brought back into use.

"We are passionate about seeing his vision turned into a reality and are exploring all options to make this happen." The island was named after Sir Francis Drake, who set sail from there in 1577 to circumnavigate the globe.

The fort played a crucial role in the defending the maritime city from French and Spanish invasions in the late 16th century and has been used as a prison, a religious centre, a refuge and, most recently, an adventure training facility, which closed in 1989. The island has remained untouched since then. Mr McCauley, a businessman and former chairman of Plymouth Argyle football club, purchased Drake's Island in the 1990s. In spring 2017, Plymouth City Council granted planning permission to create a luxury hotel complex including the conversion of the existing buildings.

John Kinsey from property agent JLL said: "Drake's Island is a remarkable piece of British history and a much-loved landmark. "With the added attraction of planning permission for a luxury hotel and spa this is a unique opportunity to lead one of the South West's most exciting and unusual developments."

 

Lockheed Martin delivered 300th interceptor for THAAD system
Da defence-blog.com del 11 ottobre 2018

Lockheed Martin delivered the 300th interceptor for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, the only system in the world designed to intercept threats both inside and outside the atmosphere.

The production maturity milestone comes as demand for the company’s hit-to-kill missile defense system and interceptors continues to grow.

“The Missile Defense Agency, industry and Lockheed Martin team of men and women who engineer and produce the THAAD interceptor have remained steadfast in their commitment to excellence as global demand for this system has grown year after year,” said Richard McDaniel, vice president for the THAAD system. “The 300th interceptor delivery is a reflection of that dedication and our continued focus on providing high-quality, reliable system capabilities to maintain overmatch against our adversaries.”

A key element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), THAAD protects America’s military, allied forces, citizen population centers and critical infrastructure from short and medium-range ballistic missile attacks. THAAD is proven, with 100 percent mission success in flight testing, is rapidly deployable, interoperable with other BMDS elements including the PAC-3 Missile, Aegis, forward based sensors and the Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) system.

The U.S. Army activated the seventh THAAD battery in December 2016 and the system is currently forward deployed with U.S. troops in Guam and South Korea. Lockheed Martin delivered the 200th THAAD interceptor in September of 2017. The United Arab Emirates was the first international partner to procure THAAD with a contract awarded in 2011.

The THAAD element provides a globally-transportable, rapidly-deployable capability to intercept ballistic missiles inside or outside the atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight.

THAAD is strictly a defensive weapon system. The system uses hit-to-kill technology where kinetic energy destroys the incoming target.

 

Fortifications de Neuf-Brisach : coupole d'observation d'infanterie allemande « Wachtturm 90 sp. »
Da fortifications-neuf-brisach.blogspot.com del 13 ottobre 2018

Les cuirassements que l'on peut observer dans le périmètre de la place-forte de Neuf-Brisach correspondent à la période allemande.

Ces coupoles ont été installées tardivement, dans les années 1892, et sont disposées au sommet des abris de capitale — Kapitalschutzhohlräume — qui avaient été construits entre 1873-77, puis renforcés entre 1887-1891 par une épaisse couche de ciment spécial.

Ces coupoles rotatives n'offrent qu'un abri tout relatif puisqu'il ne s'agit que d'une protection contre les éclats des projectiles d'artillerie. Par contre, leur disposition permet de couvrir l'ensemble des fronts menacés sans qu'il soit nécessaire de couvrir toute la périphérie de l'enceinte.

On les retrouve au niveau des tours bastionnées 1, 3 & 5. Le treillis métallique offre un appui, mais protège également, le cas échéant, d’une chute au fond du puits de la coupole tout en garantissant l’accès en toutes circonstances puisque le dispositif est aisément démontable, y compris à partir du fond du puits. Ici l'accès utilise une simple échelle métallique.

Le couloir d'accès est par ailleurs interrompu par un épais blindage formant chicane. Clichés actuels (2018) & copie de quelques diapositives d'une conférence données en 2007. Dr Balliet

 

NCI Agency satellite station opens its door to high school
Da ncia.nato.it del 8 ottobre 2018

By Luca Campanile 4/10/2018

Over 40 high school students visited the NCI Agency's refurbished Satellite Communication Ground Station F14 in Lughezzano, Verona, on 10 April 2018. The students, who all attend secondary school A Malignani of Udine, were accompanied by their professors on the day tour, which offered them a glimpse of life at NATO.

F14 Commander LTC Diego Fasoli welcomed the students, showing them the station's four huge new antennas and explaining the role of the Agency in support of NATO's mission to protect nearly 1 billion citizens. Speaking about the station's engagement with local community, Commander Fasoli noted: "We are really pleased to give young students an opportunity to see how a NATO base works, giving them a hint of what their future work environment could look like".

"We are NATO military and civilians, but also parents with sons and daughters just like them. We hope that the visit inspired them to consider a career in science and technology." Site Engineer Csaba Grunda provided a technical briefing to the group, explaining how the satellites are managed 24/7 by NCI Agency and will help connect NATO, Nations and forces when they are fully operational. "It was a great visit with a very detailed technical presentation. We are really interested in seeing the final result when SATCOM Ground Station becomes fully operational," was the overall feedback from the students.

 

Martello Towers
Da geograph.org.uk

Martello Towers, or 'Martellos', were small defensive forts first built in the South East of England during the Napoleonic War between 1805 and 1808. They were built throughout the British Empire, in 5 different continents, during the first half of the 19th Century.

103 in total were built around Britain, after the South East, a large number can be found in Essex, Suffolk and in Ireland.

Martello towers were inspired by a round fortress at Mortella Point in Corsica (completed 1565). In 1794 two British warships for two days unsuccessfully attacked the tower at Mortella Point.

This impressed the British who copied the design for the British Martello Towers.

The round structures followed a standard plan, though varied in size.

A typical South East Martello would be about 45 ft* (13.7m) in diameter at base and up to 40ft* (12m) tall.

The masonry walls were built of brick and rendered with lime mortar externally, and were up to 13ft thick.

Inside there were two main floors, the lower floor housing supplies and a powder store, and the first floor the men's quarters and officer's quarters.

A single Martello housed between 15 and 25 men; a garrison of up to 24 men and 1 officer.

The internal floor area of both floors was 1300 sq ft.

The entrance to the tower was between 10 and 20 feet (3.0 to 6.1m) above ground level to stop easy access by the enemy.

Steps and walkways seen today will have been added for modern use.
 

On the flat parapet roof was mounted a cannon.

The round shape of the building allowed it to rotate 360°, able to defend all directions.

Some Martellos had a rain water collection system using the roof and top of the parapet walls to collect water for drinking, with drains leading to a water tank below the ground floor.

Fire places and chimneys were also built into the walls.
 

A number were moated for extra defence.

A large proportion of Martellos have been converted to dwellings, many of those with an additional roof added on top. A small number have been opened as museums.

 

England - South East Coast - 140 Martellos were built around Britain, over half of which can be found in the South East of England, where there are 74 lining the Kent and East Sussex coast between Seaford and Folkestone.

None were ever used in combat during the Napoleonic War.

Many have now been lost to the sea, or demolished due to being unsafe or to reuse the masonry, some were deliberately destroyed in training practice.

One third still stand to this day, either laying empty or derelict, used as a museum, or converted to a home.

The 74 Martellos of the South East Coast.

England - East Coast - 29 were built between Aldeburgh and St Osyth Stone between 1808 and 1812 to protect Essex and Suffolk. A supporting fort, or Redoubt, was built at Harwich.
Scotland - Three Martellos were built in Scotland.

Ireland - About 50 Martellos were built in Ireland. Some of those that appear on Geograph

 

Wielki, betonowy schron dla 860 osób wyleci w powietrze. Deweloper czyści teren pod inwestycję
Da szczecin.wyborcza.pl del 3 ottobre 2018

Ściany i stropy mają nawet 1,5 metra grubości. Liczący sześć kondygnacji betonowy kolos, schron z czasów drugiej wojny światowej, zostanie wysadzony w powietrze.

To jedna z pamiątek po mrocznej historii Szczecina. W gruzy zamieni się schron stojący przy ul. Kołobrzeskiej, w sąsiedztwie ulicy Druckiego-Lubeckiego i pętli tramwajowo-autobusowej przy ul. Ludowej. Widać go z daleka.

Stoi na niewielkim wzgórzu i liczy aż sześć kondygnacji. Jest wyższy niż typowa, śródmiejska kamienica. Właściciel się nie chwali Cała operacja owiana jest mgiełką tajemnicy.

Chociaż przeprowadzono już pierwsze wybuchy, na miejscu próżno szukać jakiejkolwiek tablicy informacyjnej. Niewiele do powiedzenia ma też inwestor – J.W. Construction Holding. To firma, która jest właścicielem nieruchomości. W Szczecinie znana jest z adaptacji Zakładów Odzieżowych Dana na hotel „Dana” i budowy po sąsiedzku wieżowca.

 

RAYTHEON TO SUPPLY PATRIOT MISSILE SWEEP 9 MODIFICATION KITS TO TAIWAN FOR $35 MILLION
Da defenseworld.net del 2 ottobre 2018

Raytheon PATRIOT missile

Raytheon has won a $35 million contract to procure Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target (PATRIOT) Sweep 9 modification kits for United States Army and Taiwan.

The work is expected to be completed by September 28, 2022. Army Contracting Command - Redstone intends to procure PATRIOT Sweep 9 hardware modification kits, the United States department of defense said in a statement Monday.

The PATRIOT modification kit effort includes the Antenna Support Group (ASG), Radar Weapon Control Interface Unit (RWCIU), and the Search Track Channel (STC) upgrades. Raytheon is the designer, developer, and producer of the PATRIOT System for US and FMS customers to include the development and testing of the Sweep 9 modification kits.

 

Russian Avangard Ballistic Missile to Enter Service in 2019
Da defenseworld.net del 2 ottobre 2018

Avangrad Hypersonic Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)

Russia plans to deploy its first Avangard hypersonic intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and a hypersonic glide vehicle to service by the end of 2019. "The scheduled period for placing the lead regiment on combat duty is the end of 2019. Initially, the regiment will comprise at least two systems but eventually their number will rise to their organic quantity of six units," an unnamed source was quoted as saying by TASS Monday. According to the source, the Avangard system is expected to enter service in late 2018 or early 2019. In compliance with the established procedure, a control launch of the glide vehicle’s carrier, the UR-100N UTTKh missile, is expected to be carried out before the hypersonic system is accepted for service. However, considering the successful previous launches of the glide vehicle itself and the existence of the reliable and already tested missile, possibly no such a launch will be conducted," the source said. The Russian Defence Ministry had signed a contract for the mass production of the Avangard strategic missile system in March this year. Details of the new weapon were first confirmed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in his State of the Nation Address to the Federal Assembly on March 1. The Avangard is a strategic intercontinental ballistic missile system equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle. According to open sources, the ‘breakthrough’ weapon was developed by the Research and Production Association of Machine-Building (the town of Reutov, the Moscow Region) and was tested from 2004. The glide vehicle is capable of flying at hypersonic speed in the dense layers of the atmosphere, maneuvering by its flight path and altitude and breaching any antimissile defense. The Avangard is a strategic intercontinental ballistic missile system equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle. According to open sources, the weapon was developed by the Research and Production Association of Machine-Building (the town of Reutov, the Moscow Region) and was tested from 2004. The glide vehicle is capable of flying at hypersonic speed in the dense layers of the atmosphere, maneuvering by its flight path and its altitude and breaching any anti-missile defense. Currently, Russia’s Strategic Missile Force operates 30 silo-based missiles of this type, according to open sources. The missile has a takeoff weight of about 100 tonnes and a throw weight of around 4.5 tonnes. The deployment is significant after United States President Donald Trump announced that the US planned to pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, or the INF Treaty. Trump has said that because Russia was violating the agreement and China wasn’t a party to it, he saw no reason for the US to continue abiding by the agreement on its own.

 

Extreme Range – New JASSM Cruise Missile Contract Awarded to Lockheed Martin
Da warhistoryonline.com del 2 ottobre 2018

An AGM-86 air-launched cruise missile in flight

The US Department of Defense has announced that it is awarding a $51 million contract to Lockheed Martin to develop a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extreme Range (JASSM-XR).

The contract includes all-up round level systems, engineering, testing, and integrating the JASSM-XR hardware and firmware.

The program includes a new missile control unit as well as the necessary hardware and infrastructure to support the production of the JASSM-XR.

The work will be done inOrlando, Florida, and should be finished by August 2023. $4.9 million from the US Air Force’s fiscal 2017 and 2018 research and development funds were committed to this project when the contract was awarded.

 

A mock-up display of the AGM-158 JASSM next to an F-35 prototype.

The JASSM is a long-range air-launched cruise missile. It is specially built to avoid radar and contains an infrared seeker and GPS guidance which allow it to hit long-range fixed targets with a 1,000-pound penetrating blast payload.

 

 

AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile

A standard JASSM can be mounted on Air Force and Navy fighters and bombers.

The JASSM-ER is deployed on B1B Lancer heavy supersonic bombers.

Work is underway to adapt the JASSM-ER to other aircraft.

The XR (Extreme Range) version is expected to have a range of more than a thousand miles (over 1,600 kilometers).

This version will be deployed by heavy bombers and some strike aircraft. It will be used for stand-off strikes against hardened targets.

 

Soaring over the Pacific ocean- A B-1B Lancer drops back after air refueling training

The JASSM is a subsonic cruise missile.

They fly low, under enemy radar, using GPS that is resistant to jamming and an internal navigation system that guides the missile on a preset route to the target.

Shortly before impacting the target, the missile switches on infrared-seeking technology to identify the target.

Nineteen JASSM missiles were used in Syria during the NATO strike in April 2018, which was in retaliation for the Syrian government’s alleged use of chemical weapons.

 

A Tactical “Tomahawk” Block IV cruise missile, conducts a controlled flight test over the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) western test range complex in southern California.

The original JASSM had a range of 230 miles (about 370 kilometers).

That was improved with the introduction of the JASSM-ER which extended that range to 500 miles (over 804 kilometers). This increase was due to larger fuel tanks and the Williams F107- WR-105 turbofan engine which is more efficient.

Having a longer range on the JASSM-XR will allow the US military to be more flexible with their missions and will also protect US assets.

The XR will be able to strike enemy targets further away or use the extra range to fly around enemy defenses and impact from an unanticipated direction. It also allows ships without stealth capability to fire their weapons without drawing near to the enemy’s position.

 

A Williams Research F107 turbofan engine. By Greg Goebel CC BY-SA 2.0

The JASSM program was almost canceled due to years of reliability issues. In 2005, the Department of Defense threatened to cancel the program after several poor test results.

Throughout 2007, the program fluctuated between being supported and nearly being canceled.

Then, in 2009, the program was almost canceled again. 2010 saw some positive results after a break in production, and the project was back on once more. 

Now, the missile is receiving export orders. Planned orders for the JASSM missiles should keep it in production until 2021 and possibly beyond.

 

A United States Air Force AGM-86 cruise missile. By Pazuzu CC BY-SA 3.0

The AGM-158 JASSM missile currently in production costs approximately $1 million per missile. The Air Force hopes to bring that cost down to $800,000 per missile.

 

Munitionslager Nammer Wald
Da rottenplaces.de del 30 settembre 2018

Die Geschichte des früheren Munitionslagers im Nammer Wald (früher auch Nammen an der Porta) geht bis in das Jahr 1935 zurück, als das Mindener Heeresamt die Genehmigung zum Bau eines Munitionsdepots zur Lagerung von Sprengstoff auf dem Gebiet des Nammer Waldes beantragte. Nach Angaben des Nammer Heimtatvereins sollten hier 380.000 Kilogramm Sprengstoff eingelagert werden. Aufgrund der Nähe zur Wohnbebauung hätte dieses Projekt eigentlich nicht realisiert werden dürfen. Denn anstelle eines Sicherheitsabstands von 1.100 Metern gab es hier nur eine von rund 500 Metern zur nächsten Wohnbebauung.

Das Naziregime drückte dieses Rüstungsprojekt jedoch durch, weil militärische Anlagen zu dieser Zeit uneingeschränkte Priorität hatten. Die Baugenehmigung wurde von der Stadt Minden dann nur etwa einen Monat später erteilt, wen auch nur vorläufig. Zügig errichtete man ein Depot, bestehend aus sieben Bunkern sowie einem Wachunterstand, samt Wachgebäude am Geländeeingang. Nordöstlich errichtete man Baracken. Ein Verbindungsgleis zweigte westlich der Teerstraße Richtung Munitionslager ab. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg zerstörten die Alliierten große Teile der militärischen Anlagen. Auf dem Gelände des Munitionslagers wurde jedoch nur ein Bunker im nördlichen Bereich gesprengt. In das frühere Wachgebäude zog eine Familie ein. Die Bunker wurden größtenteils als Lager zivil genutzt. Die Hammer Bevölkerung verwertete diverse „Überbleibsel“ für den privaten Gebrauch. Noch bis in die 60er Jahre war das Areal mit Granaten und Munition verseucht. Weil das Areal für eine zivile Nutzung mehr als ungünstig lag, umzäunte man Selbiges in den 50er Jahren. Die Bundeswehr zog ein und fortan erfolgte wieder eine militärische Nutzung. Diesem Zweck diente das frühere Munitionslager nur wenige Jahre. Ende der 60er Jahre gab die Bundeswehr das Gelände auf. Einige Jahre war dieses dann für die Öffentlichkeit frei begehbar.

Eine Straße wurde am Gelände vorbei asphaltiert. Ende der 70er Jahre planierte man das gesamte Areal und entfernte die dortigen Bunker – nur um wenig später eine neue Anlage zur errichten, dessen Überbleibsel noch heute sichtbar sind. Die Bundeswehr bezog das Gelände erneut. Mit dem Ende des Kalten Krieges wurde ein Großteil dieser und ähnlicher Areale überflüssig. Man baute bestehende militärische Anlagen zurück, sprengte diese oder überließ sie ihrem Schicksal. Hier holte sich die Natur das zurück, was ihr viele Jahrzehnte zuvor genommen wurde. Die Bundeswehr zog sich Anfang der 90er Jahre von Nammer Areal zurück. Einige bestehende Bunker baute man zurück und füllte die übrigen mit dem Bauschutt. Zusätzlich schuf man Unterschlupf- und Überwinterungsmöglichkeiten für Fledermäuse. Quellen: Heimatverein Nammen, privat Dokument-Information Objekt ID: rp-034405 Kategorie: Militär & Militaria Bundesland: Nordrhein-Westfalen Standort: Nammer Wald, Kreis Minden- übbecke Baujahr: 1935 Denkmalschutz: nein Architekt: keine Angabe Objekt erfasst: 13.07.2017 Objekt erstellt: 29.09.2018 Letzte Änderung: 29.09.2018 Copyright © rottenplaces.de  di André Winternitz

 

The forgotten network of wartime defences buried deep in the woods near Grimsby
Da grimsbytelegraph.co.uk del 29 settembre 2018

Deep in the North East Lincolnshire countryside hides an epic monument to our wartime past. Rising through a mass of trees on the outskirts of Grimsby near Stallingborough, shrub-covered blocks of concrete stand above a network of concealed underground rooms.

No signs mark its existence, on the map it is just four small ink specks and few living can remember its top-secret construction. But this is one of the rarest, most advanced and most significant Second World War gun sites left in the country.

Built in 1944 to counter Luftwaffe bombing raids, this heavy anti-aircraft gun site has survived against the odds - but only just. Seven decades on, the site is severely overgrown and its concrete structures rapidly deteriorating.

Logs and rubble are wedged into openings, underground chambers waterlogged and the site strewn with litter. It survived the Nazis, but it now faces a new battle for its survival. We have taken our Stop The Rot campaign deep into the woods to explore this forgotten site and chronicle its shameful neglect.

Fighting through the trees and down a narrow footpath, twigs and moss quickly turn to scattered chunks of rubble underfoot. This is the only real hint that the otherwise concealed structures are close by. The site's four gun emplacements, more or less identical in structure, form a hemisphere arrangement around a central underground command post.

Embanked with earth for blast protection, each retains its circular metalwork on a raised central drum. The circular emplacements, once home to 5.25 inch anti-aircraft guns, have long been decommissioned and fully stripped of their equipment. But they are otherwise effectively complete and represent one of only six surviving sites of its type known to exist in the UK. Built out of concrete blocks, all four rise from the surrounding land surface like ancient South American temples.

To the side of the structures, rusty iron gates lead to semi-sunken engine rooms. Waterlogged and full of jagged scrap metal, the underground chambers are now dangerous and off limits. Further round this sprawling complex sits a deserted block of toilets and a moss-covered tractor. The site's semi-sunken command post, a multi-roomed network of underground chambers, is only visible by its flat, reinforced concrete roof peaking out of the ground. Its layout is complete, but it has been almost entirely stripped of fittings and access has been sadly blocked by mounds of earth, wedges of twigs and discarded rubble. A non- tandard design feature - the central heating boiler - hints that this site employed female soldiers and marks an important milestone in equality for the sexes. At the end of the war, Stallingborough was one of the gun sites selected for retention as a Battery Headquarters - an armed, fully operational gun site.

It is not known when it was finally decommissioned, but it could have been as late as spring 1955 when use of artillery for anti-aircraft defence was finally abandoned. Looking at the site today, it is clear that this forgotten wartime asset is suffering. The site is littered with an assortment of waste - clumps of metal, mountains of rubble and even a missing shoe eerily sticking out of the mud. Steps up to the emplacements are now in perilous condition and the full glory of the site is sadly obscured by the scourge of vegetation. In the far distance of one emplacement, a glint of bright red gives a warning about another threat looming on the horizon. It is a disposed box of Budweiser hanging off one of the emplacements. Elsewhere, bottles, crisp packets and even a tent signify the vandalism threat posed by unrestricted and unmonitored access.

Heritage England lists this Grade II* structure as in "very bad" condition. Its ownership is unclear and no solution has yet been agreed to stop its decline. Like our other 33 on our watch list, we want this site to gain the recognition and attention it deserves before it is too late. by Keane Duncan

 

Remote Sprint Launcher #3 Missile Site
Da atlasobscura.com settembre 2018

This hidden gem is a must-see for those interested in Cold War history. Located about 30 miles from the North Dakota Pyramid, this Remote Sprint Launcher (RSL) is part of the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex built in the 1970s to shoot down incoming nuclear weapons. The site itself contains 30 old Sprint and Spartan missile silos, and it’s in the process of placing a Sprint replica into one of them. Sprint missiles were developed in the early 1970s specifically to intercept missiles re- ntering the atmosphere, and the Mickelsen complex held 16 of them in total. In mere seconds, these missiles could travel at over 7,600 miles per hour, and they generated temperatures of up to 6,200 degrees Fahrenheit. High production costs and the emergence of the daunting Soviet MIRV missiles, however, meant that Sprints saw a very short period of production. Sprint silos like those at the RSL are thus rare windows into a brief and terrifying moment in American history. The RSL, which also features a large underground bunker designed to survive a near miss from a nuclear missile, is applying to become a registered National Historic Landmark. The tours are small, the staff is friendly and informative, and the site is—luckily for all of us—in good shape.

Know Before You Go Tours run every day. They are free for children five and under and $12 for adults.

 

Hypersonic Missile Test by China Successful: Next Generation Tech
Da warhistoryonline.com del 27 settembre 2018

It looks like the beginning of a new arms race after China has made a bid to leap ahead in weapons technology, trialing a new missile against which the United States would currently have little defense. The Xingkong-2, or Starry Sky 2, is a hypersonic missile that piggybacks on a rocket to an altitude too high for a traditional surface-to-air defense while being too low for ballistic missile defense systems.

On August 6, 2018, the state-run China Daily reported that “China has successfully developed and tested a cutting-edge hypersonic aircraft that rides its own shock waves.”

It has been described as a “wave rider.” The independent flight carried out by China’s Aerospace Aerodynamics Research Institute lasted 400 seconds and reached a max speed of Mach 5.5 to 6 (4,200 to 4,600 miles an hour), at a height of 100,000 feet (30,480 meters). The Starry Sky 2 missile is a Hypersonic Glide Vehicle, (HGV), and it achieves its speed by first being carried from the launch site by a solid propellant missile before separating and using its own propulsion system.

 

The X-51A Waverider, shown here under the wing of a B-52 Stratofortress, is set to demonstrate hypersonic flight. Powered by a Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne SJY61 scramjet engine, it is designed to ride on its own shockwave and accelerate to about Mach 6.

 

Mach 5 is equivalent to more than a mile per second.

By reaching such speeds as this means that any given target may only have two minutes from the missile’s launch to impact.

Detecting such launches may be the bread and butter of the satellite defense systems in orbit to identify incoming ICBMs, but when the enemy missile is also able to change direction, this makes predicting its final trajectory that much more difficult.

As a tactical weapon, it could be used to neutralize ICBM defense installations, rendering an adversary helpless in the face of further launches of ballistic missiles.

The compressed timeline for adversaries to be able to react makes the wave rider missile technology compelling for the big players. It is thought that it would be an especially crucial weapon in antiship warfare, with a crew unable to carry out in time the actions required to neutralize such a rapid attack.

 

A Soviet R-36M (SS-18 Satan), the largest ICBM in history, with a throw weight of 8,800 kg.Photo: Jarekt CC BY 2.5

 

China Daily said the Starry Sky 2 maneuvered during flight, and “The vehicle also tested a host of advanced technologies such as a domestically developed heat-balance thermal protection system.”

While this is the first time that the Chinese state-run media has confirmed that such a test has taken place, it also stated that the system had been in development for the past three years.

Between 2014 and 2016, China carried out at least seven tests of an HGV which were reported by international observers.

These tests were confirmed by the Chinese government at the time, but there were few other details offered.

It wasn’t until October 2017 that Beijing released photographs.

 

 

 

 

A Minuteman III ICBM test launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, US

 

The big selling point and the prize for the developers of these missiles is that these weapons are not just incredibly fast, but they can also change direction while in flight, making them hard to track and even harder to stop.

There is skepticism that such a vehicle could be stable enough to steer at such fast speeds.

However, that has not slowed the rush of ambition for their development. U.S. intelligence expects China’s first hypersonic missiles to be combat-ready around 2020.

One Chinese commentator said that the Starry Sky 2 test “showed that China is advancing shoulder to shoulder with the US and Russia.”

 

 

 

 

Peacekeeper missile after silo launch, Vandenberg AFB, CA.

 

It goes without saying that the US and Russia are also currently developing their own hypersonic missiles.

In March 2018, Vladimir Putin used an annual speech to announce that Russia had developed nuclear hypersonic missile capability in a missile named the Zircon.

Meanwhile, the US has recently committed $1.4 billion in contracts to Lockheed Martin, one of the main companies specializing in defense and weaponry in the US. Reports say that the American Navy has recently tested a hypersonic weapon that could reach Mach 20, and it has come under some domestic criticism for being out of the loop on hypersonics while the rest of the world forges ahead.

 

Komt dat zien! Forten van Boven
Da slotoevenstein.nl del 26 settembre 2018

De beleving van onze omgeving vanaf de grond verschilt volkomen met een blik vanuit de lucht. Het verrassende perspectief op Nederland van bovenaf toont een uniek door de mens ingericht landschap met veel water. En verdedigingswerken in dat oeroude polderlandschap, worden vanaf hoogte pas goed zichtbaar en inzichtelijk. Vanuit een vliegtuig zie je hun bijzondere vormen en hun strategische ligging. Dan pas ontdek je de diversiteit aan geometrische stervormen van 17de-eeuwse vestingsteden en de bladvormige grondvormen van 19de-eeuwse forten. De Stelling van Amsterdam mocht zich in 2016 alweer 20 jaar UNESCO-Werelderfgoed noemen, en de Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie is genomineerd om op deze Werelderfgoedlijst terecht te komen als uitbreiding op de Stelling. Om dit te vieren is er een reizende duotentoonstelling Forten van Boven te zien. Met een vogelvluchtperspectief op de waterrijke Hollandse polders of loodrecht van boven kan je je met enige verbeelding ook de onderwaterzettingen van een waterlinie voorstellen. Let op de hoofdwaterwegen en de sluizen in het waterwegenstelsel. Je ziet de fijnmazige onderliggende polderstructuur met  dijken, kaden, vaarten en sloten waardoor ons land droog wordt gehouden, maar waarmee ook de militaire inundaties gerealiseerd konden worden. Over 85 km verdeelde de inundatieorganisatie van de Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie (1815-1940) van Noord naar Zuid aaneengesloten groepen polders in inundatiekommen. Zo werden van Muiden tot Werkendam, tussen Zuiderzee (nu IJmeer) en Biesbosch, polders tot kniehoogte onder water gezet, 3 tot 5 km breed. Effectief militair watermanagement, gebruik makend van de eeuwenoude waterbeheersings systemen van de waterschappen, bezorgde een vijand een onoverkomelijke waterhindernis. De Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie werd pas in 1951 opgeheven. En in 1963 werd de beschermende Kringenwet ingetrokken, die zorgde voor een open militair landschap. Vervolgens heeft hier en daar de verstedelijking toegeslagen, vooral rondom Utrecht, met nieuwe snelwegen en wijken als Overvecht, Lunetten en de universiteitscampus De Uithof. Maar andere, meer landelijke gebieden tonen nog nagenoeg het ongerepte linielandschap: langs de Vecht, de Diefdijk en in het Land van Altena. Forten van Boven is vanaf 26 september tot en met 30 maart te zien op Slot Loevestein op de vestingwal. Toegang tot de tentoonstelling is gratis. Wil je nog meer weten over de waterlinie? Breng dan zeker een bezoek aan het kasteel en vraag het onze gidsen of luister naar één van de verhalen!

Speurtocht voor kinderen

Ga op zoek naar de verborgen geheimen van de waterlinie en zijn forten, vestingsteden en kastelen. Wandel langs de luchtfoto’s van de Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie, lees de folder Forten van Boven en beantwoord de vragen. Lever je antwoorden in bij de Museumwinkel en ontvang een kleine verrassing (zolang de voorraad strekt). Klik hier voor de speurtocht. Klik hier voor de antwoorden. (natuurlijk pas openen nadat je de speurtocht gedaan hebt!)

 

To catch a Gotha
Da explorabilia.co.uk del 19 settembre 2018

In this era of satellite imaging, drone strikes and stealth bombers, it’s hard to imagine an air war the way it was experienced a century ago.

I remember myself sitting in front of a TV in the comfort of my living room in January 1991, watching explosion flashes in an eerie green hue – the night vision images of Baghdad getting obliterated live by Coalition bombers and Cruise missiles during Desert Storm.

Even before that, I was already familiar with powerful images from the London Blitz, or cities like Dresden or Tokyo, razed by massive Thousand Bomber raids in World War 2.

 

 

Back in 1915, however, the first use of aircraft for aerial bombing was a less effective affair, albeit one without precedent : For Britain in particular, a nation comfortable witha centuries’ old notion of its powerful navy protecting her from danger or invasion, the first German aerial bombing campaigns against its cities came as a complete shock, and prompted the beginning of a military and civic culture of air defense that would carry the day several decades later, during the Battle of Britain.

The first aerial raids over the coast of England and London in 1915 and 1916, were performed by gigantic Zeppelins – the impressive cigar-shaped, engine powered dirigibles of the German Empire.

The attacks were launched during night time, aiming to achieve stealth, and to break the spirit of the civilian population or damage military facilities – in what marked the beginnings of the doctrine of strategic bombing. The airships introduced Britain’s civilian population to death and destruction raining from the skies, a yet unknown, and certainly terrifying danger never experienced before.

In the first terror raid over London in 1915, incendiary bombs from German airships started fires that claimed the lives of seven civilians, among them a 3 year old girl. This incident prompted the general public to give them the contemptuous nick name they carried throughout the war : Baby Killers.

 

The slow airspeed, sensitivity to weather conditions, and overall vulnerability of the highly flammable dirigibles to incendiary bullets yielded questionable results : apart from sporadic casualties and circumstantial damage, the Zeppelins achieved little in the way of a definitive military success over Britain.

At the same time, they suffered considerable casualties by the ever increasing air defenses and interception capabilities of defending aircraft, forcing them to fly higher and higher, reducing their crew’s capabilities for lack of advanced oxygen equipment, and further diminishing their already reduced bombing accuracy – for lack of advanced bombing sights.

Over the course of the Great War, 84 airships participated in 51 bombing raids, killing 557 and injuring 1358, while suffering more than 1/3rd casualties. In military terms, this is still a far cry from the devastating 1250 Allied bomber raid that obliterated Dresden in February 1945, causing 25.000 deaths in the space of 3 days – but in 1917, strategic bombing was a terrifying new reality the civilian population was only just beginning to come to terms with.

And they tried to do so with an appropriate mix of resilience, curiosity and romantic stoicism, as evidenced by a contemporary letter (1915) from the writer D.H. Lawrence to Lady Ottoline Morrell : “Then we saw the Zeppelin above us, just ahead, amid a gleaming of clouds: high up, like a bright golden finger, quite small (…) Then there was flashes near the ground — and the shaking noise. It was like Milton — then there was war in heaven. (…)

I cannot get over it, that the moon is not Queen of the sky by night, and the stars the lesser lights. It seems the Zeppelin is in the zenith of the night, golden like a moon, having taken control of the sky; and the bursting shells are the lesser lights.”

Things got worse in spring 2017, when Germany introduced the fearsome Gotha G.IV , the first ever aircraft created specifically as a strategic bomber, and built in considerable numbers to bear.

Small numbers of earlier models had already seen successful action in the Balkan theater since the previous summer, so the German High Command decided to use them in greater numbers over London, in operation Türkenkreuz (Turk’s Cross) : This is the beginning of daytime raids over Britain, made possible by the superior speed, altitude and maneuverability of the new flying machines versus the cumbersome airships, which increased their effectiveness and survival rate considerably.

To make things worse, Gotha bombers could fly higher than the British interceptors of that period, who struggled to climb after them, resulting in minimal losses for the attackers.

The Germans achieved complete surprise with this new strategy, with each new raid causing hundreds of casualties : Lt. Charles Cabot, a Royal Flying Corps pilot commended on the German daytime strategic bombing successes of that period : “…Raids hadn’t become a very serious thing, and everybody crowded out into the street to watch.

They didn’t take cover or dodge”. It is indicative of the degree of dread caused to the British population by the new flying machines, when the Royal House promptly proclaimed a change of their family name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in July 1917 – one month after the first Gotha raid.

An aerial arms race ensued for the remainder of the war, with the British ramping up their air defenses and air interception capabilities, and the Germans deploying larger and larger Riesenflugzeuge, giant bomber planes of unprecedented size and capacity : The largest of those, the monstrous Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII had 6 engines, was almost 5 times bigger than the twin-engined Gotha G.IV , and at the time of its construction, it was the largest aircraft in the world – and about the same size as the humongous B-29 Superfortress , one of the largest aircraft flown in World War 2 over two decades later.

By the time the hostilities ended, the world had entered what Air Commodore Lionel Charlton described in 1938 as “..the beginning of a new epoch in the history of warfare”.

 

But lessons learned from the strategic air raids of the Great War also prompted an international race for relevant technology during the 20s and the 30s.

The increasing speed and efficiency of early bombers created a need for more effective response, but also importantly, for early detection technology – for all major nations.

With the Zeppelins phased out of air operations, replaced by multi-engined behemoths, and the lack of RADAR technology (that won’t become fully practical until the mid-30s), the quest for an efficient early warning technology focused on the science of acoustics, and of applicable ways of listening to the skies for the roar of oncoming bombers. This resulted in the establishment of civil defense organizations tasked with identifying, tracking and reporting airborne danger (such as the British Royal Observer Corps in 1925), and the rapid development of military grade listening devices during the Interwar period.

Giant listening horns, war tuba arrays, stethoscopes attached to gramophone horns, and other weird acoustic devices were deployed by the military forces of the time – some of which look quite amusing by today’s standards.

One of the applications of the acoustics technology in Britain came in the form of parabolic mirrors, such as the ones that can still be seen at Denge Marsh near Dungeness, built circa 1928 for experimental purposes and participating in air defense exercises to establish the acoustic quality of the various shapes and sizes tested.

These concrete mirrors range from 20ft (6m) to 200ft (60m) wide, and were meant to concentrate the sound of oncoming aircraft from a range of 24 miles (38km) away, collecting it with the use of microphones placed in focal points in front of the mirrors.

Triangulation and Time Difference On Arrival techniques were then used to roughly estimate the angle of attack, elevation and speed of the attackers. Parabolic mirror arrays such as the one in Dungeness are known to have been built in about 14 locations along the British coast, and many of those are still standing.

Some of the earlier versions of those acoustic mirrors existed since late 1917, and they would be able to pick up the engine sound of a formation of incoming Gothas 20 minutes before they reached the English coast – and that’s 10 times faster than the average observer would have spotted the planes over the sea on a clear day !!

This is exactly what happened at the Fan Bay mirror near Dover, when during a raid in October 1917, it is documented to have been able to detect the sound of oncoming aircraft over the Channel at 12 to 15 miles (or 20 to 24km) away.

 

That’s a lot of early warning by Great War standards, more than what Londoners would have hoped for in those early days of terror bombing. By 1935, however, Hitler’s new generation of super fast Schnellbombers – such as the Dornier 17z or the Heinkel 111, who would indeed end up blitzing Britain in 1940 – would already be flying at much higher air speeds, cutting the early warning time down to a mere 5-6 minutes.

And what’s more, rumors of a Death Ray being developed by Nazi Germany are abound, and parabolic mirrors would certainly be useless in defending against such an advanced technological threat.

With the clouds of war gathering over Europe once more, Britain swiftly abandons acoustics and switches their early warning research effort towards Radio Detection And Ranging, known as RADAR .

The development of the Chain Home radar system along the island’s coast begins in 1937, a decision that will prove crucial in deciding the fate of the nation during the Battle of Britain in 1940 : enemy aircraft formations can now be detected as they form up over their airfields in France, and their size, speed and direction can be calculated with unprecedented accuracy.

 

The advent of radar combined with the ever increasing bomber aircraft speeds quickly made acoustic mirrors obsolete by the late 30s, however more advanced, and often mobile military acoustic devices are known to have still been employed by combatants well into the World War 2, before their effectiveness was entirely eclipsed by the advent of the sonic speed jet bombers of the 50s.

Today, the abandoned remains of this forgotten technology have a mysterious appeal, and can still be admired for their ingenuity – as monuments to an obsolete military technology.

 

 

Recently, I discovered that acoustic mirrors can also be enjoyed as a game while on a day out with the family !! Here’s one of a set of parabolic play mirrors I found in a playground – my boys had no idea how to play with those strange looking objects, and largely ignored them in favour of more familiar features, such as swings and play castles (another one of those defunct military applications presently confined to play areas).

But I had a really fun time whispering and growling into the mirrors, looking at the boys bursting with laughter each time the sound of my antics was carried an unbelievable distance away with clarity – while I found myself subconsciously checking the skies above our heads for Gothas…

These miracles of physics will certainly remain with us for the next generations, hopefully to be used exclusively for peacetime applications of the future.   

 

Lockheed Martin Introduces Mission Planning System That Connects Systems And Assets Across Domains
Da defenseworld.net del 18 settembre 2018

Lockheed Martin Introduces Mission Planning System That Connects Systems And Assets Across Domains

Lockheed Martin has introduced the Multi-Domain Synchronized Effects Tool (MDSET), which links traditionally stove-piped resources to create synergistic effects and shorten the “data to decision cycle”. “In planning missions, our troops need the agility to succeed amidst uncertainty,” said Dr. Rob Smith, vice president of C4ISR and Unmanned Aerial Systems. “MDSET provides that agility by removing centricity from operational planning and paving the way for true multi-domain mission effects planning and replanning at speed and at scale.”

MDSET addresses the complexity of the multi-domain battle by transforming command and control into a collaborative cross domain decision-making framework. Assimilating essential information from stove-piped systems into one intuitive system, MDSET creates a comprehensive picture of the integrated plan, allowing decisions to be made based on concurrent (vs. serial) situational awareness of activity in all domains.

To further the development of multi-domain enabled technologies, Lockheed Martin has hosted a series of wargames – most recently this past August – that explore the processes needed to support rapid and continuous operational planning. The MDSET system played a significant role at these wargames, where the system gave participants unified command and control capabilities in the context of a multi-domain battlespace.

 

An open door to the Cold War: Nuclear bunker near Edinburgh big enough for 400 politicians that was Scotland's 'first line of defence against Russia' is to open to the public
Da dailymail.co.uk del 14 settembre 2018

A secret Cold War nuclear bunker which was considered the 'first defence against the Russians and could accommodate 400 politicians underground will open to the public for the first time.

The historic bunker in Barnton Quarry, near Edinburgh, was built in the 1950s in the midst of fear of Soviet power - and remained a secret until the 1980s. deep underground in Corstorphine Hill, four miles from the capital, it served as Sector Operations Centre for cocoordinating RAF fighter jets and protected Scotland from attack by Russian long-range nuclear bombers until around 1960.

It was used as a control centre where information was analysed, and became a base for a radar air defence system.

Later it was reconfigured to become a regional seat of government in the event of a nuclear attack, designed to accommodate 400 politicians and civil servants for up to 30 days. But in the 1990s it fell victim to vandals who torched it and raided the interior for scrap metal. An amateur historian who grew up near the bunker as a child and was fascinated by it became involved in the restoration project when he visited with a friend from Russia. Grant More, 38, volunteered his time to help open the bunker to the public.

Mr More said: 'I grew up in the area and am a bunker nut. I used to play around the site of the Barnton Quarry as a kid.

'One of my friends from Russia was over and we went along to the site where there was Martyn Dawson, who part owns the site and is the site manager. 'He's dedicated his life to restoring the place and put a lot of time and money into it. He even sold his house to help with the funds - he's literally went all in. It's one of the largest nuclear bunkers in the UK.'  It was built over three floors, including an operating room with two storeys. The project began in 2011 and is hoped to be finished by 2021, with a huge telecommunications exchange which could be restored as it once was.

The father-of-two added: 'This sort of building you can't preserve commercially. so there's a kind of symbiotic relationship for the guys running the museum getting the place restored economically and us getting to restore a piece of history. 'During WWII, the British government devised a large scale radar system which later became the ROTOR radar air defence system to deter the Soviet threat during the Cold War. 'The bunkers were part of that with the ten foot thick roofs and walls - there's other in Dunbar in East Lothian, Anstruther in Fife and Inverbervie in Aberdeenshire.

'Back in the day you needed a control operations centre where all the information was brought in and analysed - Barnton Quarry was top of the command and control hierarchy.

'They spent an immense amount of money on the bunkers then by the late 1950s they were redundant. 'About 400 people used to run shifts at Barnton Quarry in 1956, including fighter commanders and plotters. It was the first line of defence against the Russians. 'But by the time the 1960s came along it went from bombers to long range missiles. 'In 1964, Barnton Quarry was reconfigured as Scottish Central Control - a regional seat of government - in the event of a nuclear attack, designed to accommodate 400 politicians and civil servants for up to 30 days. 'There was diesel generators and water and food supplies on site in preparation for nuclear war. 'In the early 1990s vandals set fire and pretty much devastated the building, so much so it took fire crews spent five days putting it out.  'Then in 2011 we started working on it, but the buildings been open to the elements so we actually spent a good couple of years cleaning it out. 'The place was gutted by fire and people looking for scrap metal but we've got a lot of stuff in storage like original fire alarm. Mr More joked that the wives of the eight volunteers were referred to as 'bunker widows' due to the dedication of the team, who turn up every weekend to help out. He added: 'We turn up every week and work on it, we have a guy who specialises in Cold War telecommunications equipment and an amazing array of people with different skills sets. 'We call our wives 'bunker widows' because we work all week then go to work on the bunker each weekend, but no one else will do it.  'It's an important part of our national heritage and I think everyone involved understands that.' The bunker will be open to the public during the weekend of September 29 - 30 as part of Doors Open Day 2018. It has sparked the interest of more than 3,000 people.

 

Fort Campbell
Da militaryarchitecture.com del 14 settembre 2018

One of the most fascinating aspects of the military architectural heritage of the Maltese islands is the fact that it documents, in a comparatively small space, all the salient stages in the evolution and development of gunpowder fortifications. The Hospitaller and British forts and fortifications which were built across the span of some four centuries provide us a with afascinating insight into the manner in which the art and science of defence developed across the centuries in response to new ideas, new technologies and changing methods of warfare – from the early bastioned enceinte ‘alla moderna’ of the sixteenth century down to the polygonal ramparts and concrete bunkers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This brief paper is concerned with the final stages of this long process of fortification, as reflected in Fort Campbell, the last of the British forts to be built in Malta prior to the commencement of the Second World War. At this point in time, static defences had to contend with another major weapon that was then being brought to bear against them – the airplane, or better still, the aerial bomber - a weapon that would ultimately deliver the coup de grace to the whole notion of fixed and permanent defences. Up until the First World War, the main threat to the Maltese Isles came from the sea. The forts and fortifications built in the nineteenth century, and before, were constructed to resist and repel a naval invasion and bombardment. Although called forts, most of the British works were actually little more than coastal batteries with their main armaments pointing out to sea, arranged in a manner so as to prevent enemy warships form approaching and entering the Grand Harbour. By the Second World War, the sea was still the major preoccupation facing the military authorities but now fixed defences also had to counter the threat posed by aircraft. When seen from above, the formal outlines of major works of fortifications, with their polygonal trace and ditches, thick parapets, and fixed emplacements, became obvious and vulnerable targets. The modern fort, as a result, now had to shield itself from aerial bombardment and hide from view to avoid detection. It is here that Fort Campbell becomes interesting. For in their attempts to achieve thist, the British military engineers departed from the rigid manner of fortress construction employed in all the other forts at Malta and created a work of fortification that sought to integrate itself, rather than impose itself, on the landscape The

Anatomy of Fort Campbell Fort Campbell was the last major British fort to be built in Malta. Like many of its sister forts its main function was to protect the island from the sea. As a matter of fact, its specific purpose was that of an ‘Examination Battery, which meant, that it was designed to challenge enemy ships approaching the Grand Harbour from the north. To do this, it was armed with two 6-inch BL (breech-loading) coastal guns. In this aspect there was nothing new. The novelty at Fort Campbell lies not in its armament or function, but in its design - in the manner in which both the defensive perimeter and the interior elements of the fort were laid out to blend in with the natural surroundings in order to escape the attention from the air. This was achieved by means of an irregular plan and the dispersal of the main structures within the enceinte. The perimeter defences, rather than the usual rigid and thick parapets were constructed in the manner of a high boundary wall that
was built in such a way so as to mimic the surrounding rubble walls that characterize most of Mellieħa’s countryside. The trace of perimeter wall, planned out in a large irregular enclosure,
was laid out to blend into the surrounding terrain of terraced fields.

Defensive Features To defend the perimeter against assault, Fort Campbell was given a number of fixed perimeter defence posts, some of which were actually concrete bunkers not much unlike the concrete pillboxes which also began to appear around the bays and beaches at the time. The concrete machine gun bunkers were incorporated within the perimeter wall at irregular intervals dictated by the change in direction of the trace of walls. The majority occupied salient or re-entrant angles but one of these projected outwards from the main wall in the form of a caponier to provide enfilading fire across a relatively long and straight stretch of the perimeter. As stated earlier, the structure of these concrete machine gun bunkers resembles that of the pillboxes and beach posts built from around the time of the Abyssinian Crisis of 1935 onwards. The entrance to most of these concrete machine gun bunkers was through a small, thick metal, two-flap door. Inside the machine gun bunkers, there were the machine gun tables in which the defensive armament was mounted. In other areas of the perimeter, defence was provided by means of a series of rifle loop-holes

The Gun Emplacements The offensive element of Fort Campbell was provided by its battery of two 6-inch coastal guns. These were housed in two concrete barbette gun emplacements. The main advantages of mounting guns above the parapet (i.e., en barbette) was that it provided them with wider fields of fire but this advantage usually came at a price as the gunners were more exposed and thus more vulnerable to enemy fire. To counter this, most such guns were fitted with protective metal turrets or overhead covers, as were the ones at Fort Campbell. Each of the two concrete emplacements had a covered loading chamber just behind the gun pit, an underground magazine, and a partially underground accommodation for the gun crew. The loading chamber basically consisted of a single large room hugging the shallow gun pit. The loading chamber contained various cubicles whereby shells and cartridges where stored separately. Each loading chamber had a fire station close to one of the entrances to the gun emplacement. On the left hand side of the loading chamber, lies the passageway that led to the underground gun crew accommodation. The gun crew accommodation consisted of three separate rooms each with its own doorway and one or two windows. The passageway was also fitted with three windows in order to light up the three submerged rooms. Joining the loading chamber on the right, stood the opening to the large underground magazine. The underground magazine was connected to a number of underground passages that led to the surface via vertical channels fitted with metal rungs. Nowadays due to vandalism and neglect, these vertical channels are filled with rubble and rubbish and thus entry into the magazine is dangerous. The gun emplacement had two entrances. One of these was protected by a thick blast protection wall in front of it whereas the other had a bent entrance in an attempt to contain the blast within the emplacement if an explosion took place. A third gun emplacement in Fort Campbell, apparently built to house another 6-inch BL gun (No.3 emplacement) may have housed a heavy anti-aircraft gun. At its rear, this gun pit was surrounded by a small ammunition magazine containing several cubicles just like those of the 6-inch coastal gun emplacements. Although this emplacement, lacked space for gun crew accommodation, a few metres away the British constructed two underground rooms to serve this purpose.

The Battery Observation Post and Fortress Plotting Room Directing and co-ordinating the fire of the 6-inch guns was the work of the Battery Observation Post (BOP). This structure was roughly situated in the centre of the Fort, immediately to the rear of the gun emplacements and faced northwards out to sea. The BOP was a long stepped building that contained the position finding cell and the gun control room. The gun control room lay above the position finding cell and both of these rooms had a cantilevered flat roof. This building was the nerve centre, or command post, of Fort Campbell. The position finding cell inside the BOP served to detect and record information regarding any enemy sightings, target ranges and bearings, as well as the fall of shots of the coastal guns of the Fort. This information was then transmitted to the Fortress Plotting Room adjacent to the BOP by means of a MAGSLIP arrangement (electrical transmission). In the plotting room, enemy sightings were accurately tracked and recorded on a plotting table. These plots were then relayed to the gun control room in the BOP so as to work out the coordinates required to direct the fort’s coastal guns to fire and possibly hit the enemy targets. In 1943, the BOP was modified in order to support a roof-mounted Coastal Artillery (CA) Number 1 Mark 2 Radar. The Fortress Plotting Room was a rock-hewn chamber located very close to the BOP. Entrance to this underground room was by means of two passages. A few metres away from the Battery Observation Post lies a downward ramp that used to lead to another underground concrete chamber. The floor of this underground chamber had two raised concrete bases onto which the electricity generators were mounted to supply electrical energy to the roof mounted radar on the BOP. Apart from this, the roof also had three large openings for ventilation for the chamber underneath. The downward slope also led to an underground rock-hewn shelter that could have provided some protection to soldiers during air raids.

The Main Gate and the Guard Room Fort Campbell was designed as a purely functional military outpost. Unlike the earlier forts of the Victorian era, no concern was given to any aesthetic architectural considerations. Even the limited architectural decoration that was often applied to the main gateway is missing. Indeed at Fort Campbell the main gate was simply a wide cutting in the perimeter wall which was closed off by means of a metal palisade gate. Accompanying the gate was a nearby guard room.

Underground Water Tank and Generator Room Fort Campbell was equipped with an underground shallow concrete chamber capable of storing 10,000 gallons of water. This shallow chamber was accessible by means of two sets of metal rungs located on either side of the chamber. The pipes that carried water into thisunderground tank were positioned next to the metal rungs. The tank is surrounded by a set of small rectangular shaped openings. Most probably these were used to allow any excess water to overflow as otherwise it could damage the structural integrity of the concrete tank. Next to the water tank, where the pipes entered there are vertical passages fitted with metal rungs as well. Unfortunately, nowadays these passages are filled with rubble and rubbish so their exact function is unknown. Rock-hewn underground shelters were dug up both inside and outside Fort Campbell. These could not have been used by the inhabitants of Mellieħa as this area was closed off and they had no access to it. In fact in order to prevent any strangers from gaining entrance into Fort Campbell, most of the area behind Selmun Palace was closed off to the inhabitants of Mellieħa. Other structures within the fort included an artificers’ workshop and storage area and the Coastal Artillery Searchlight engine room. Fort Campbell had three coastal artillery searchlights placed in fixed protective emplaces (with steel shutter opening) located outside the fort along the coastline overlooking the St Paul’s islands. Other structures within the fort included an artificers’ workshop and storage area and the Coastal Artillery Searchlight engine room. Fort Campbell had three coastal artillery
searchlights placed in fixed protective emplaces (with steel shutter opening) located outside
the fort along the coastline overlooking the St Paul’s islands.

Interior layout With such a small number of buildings inside the perimeter, Fort Campbell’s relatively walled enclosure is rather barren. Furthermore these few buildings were scattered throughout the fort in such a way so as to prevent clusters and identifiable patterns that could be picked up by enemy aircraft flying overhead. Another interesting feature of this fort was the large number of underground passages and chambers. In Fort Campbell only those buildings that were essential to the fighting capability of the fort were built above ground, whereas others such as the generator room, the gun crew accommodations etc where built beneath ground level. Building underground not only helped to protect the British troops from enemy fire, but it also helped to reduce the concentration of buildings inside the fort, thus making Fort Campbell more invisible from the skies. In this manner, Fort Campbell resembles similar arrangements adopted by the British military in the defence of other important outpost around their empire, such as Fort Stanley in Hong King (likewise built in 1936/37), Good Head Battery in New Zealand, and Brownstone Battery in Kingswear, Devon (1940), and Fort South Sutor in Scotland (1939).

Outside the Perimeter Wall Barrack accommodation for the garrison was not located within the defensible perimeter. Instead a long range of blocks situated immediately outside the fort contained the barrack blocks, dining room, cook house, officer’s mess, ablution room and other services. These structures were not built as part of the original fort but were constructed at a later stage during the War (around 1942-43) to house a force of infantry, that was stationed in the area in order to patrol Selmun and its surroundings as well as man the several beach posts and pillboxes. Various areas of the fort and its immediate external perimeter were also fitted with prefabricated Rimney and Nissen huts.

Coast Artillery Search Lights Important adjuncts to Fort Campbell’s night-fighting capabilities were its electrical searchlights. Known as the Coastal Artillery Search Lights (CASL – formerly referred to as Defence Electric Lights -DEL) these fixtures were generally housed outside the fort and placed at strategic points along the coastline. Fort Campbell had three such CASLs. These served to light up the entrance to Mellieħa Bay, St. Paul’s Bay and the channel between Selmun and St. Paul’s Isles. The Fort Campbell search lights were sheltered inside special concrete emplacements. When not in use, the apertures of the concrete emplacement were closed off by means of steel shutters so as to protect the search light inside. The search lights were powered by electrical energy coming from generators inside Fort Campbell. These electric generators and their respective engines were housed in two barrel vaulted rooms unlike all the other structures inside the Fort which had roofs supported by iron beams. The cables that used to serve these Defence Electric Lights were placed and protected in shallow rock-hewn trenches.

A need for restoration and rehabilitation As can be clearly seen from the photographs accompanying this brief descriptive article, Fort Campbell, despite retaining many of its original features, lies in a derelict, neglected and abandoned state. It has been in this state for many, many decades. Sadly, ever since it was decommissioned by the British military, Fort Campbell has lain open to the destructive elements of both nature and man. Some of its features have suffered more than others. Particularly impressive are the efforts that various unknown vandals have gone to in order to remove the iron beams that supported the roof of barrack blocks, many of which have either collapsed or are caving in under their own weight. It is sincerely hoped that this interesting fort will one day, before it is too late, benefit from a thorough restoration and rehabilitation intervention. True, the site is an extensive one and the resources required for such a task cannot but be considerable. Money (or more precisely, a lack of it) is always a critical factor. However, the fort and its surrounding area are highly popular picnic and camping sites with the Maltese public and in this, perhaps, may lie the secret of the Fort Campbell’s salvation – its rehabilitation and sensitive and sympathetic reuse as a soft camping site. Simon MIFSUD (C) 2012                   

Vedi servizio fotografico

 

In Descend Into Great Britain’s Network of Secret Nuclear Bunkers
Da atlasobscura.com del 11 settembre 2018

It’s a terrible pourer, it spills tea everywhere.” Jack Hanlon is holding up an undistinguished brown teapot. Like everything else in this tiny, windowless room —measuring just 13 feet by 16 feet or so—the teapot is not for appearance or entertaining or even utility, but for basic survival. It would, in theory, be able to provide cups of tea for up to three weeks. Jerry cans of water are lined up along one wall, the cupboard is rammed full of cans, and narrow bunk beds, complete with gray blankets that look as though they were made primarily to be itchy, sit in the corner.We’re standing in a room buried 10 feet below the North Yorkshire moors in northeast England, near the village of Castleton.

The wind howls over the hatch above our heads as Hanlon—no expert, just an enthusiast—describes how the room would have been used, as an outpost of English civility and resourcefulness in the face of a nuclear attack. This bunker is one of hundreds just like it, scattered across the country.

They’re no longer in use, having been decommissioned for decades, but they’re a nationwide network of relics of fear—a fear that seems never to have left.

 

 

 

Today the “Doomsday Clock,” maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, is just two minutes from midnight—the closest it’s been to nuclear annihilation since the height of Cold War in 1953. If, as UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared in April 2018, “the Cold War is back with a vengeance,” our old monuments to precaution, paranoia, and practicality take on a new, chilling life.

We’re not privy to our governments’ current top-secret contingency plans, but these bunkers provide a glimpse of the difficult, high-level decisions and calculated sacrifices that were oncemade, and how both officials and regular people corralled existential fear with work and routine. At 23 years old, Hanlon never knew the Cold War first-hand, but he has always been fascinated with the period, and is perhaps a little wistful that he missed it. The quietly unassuming millennial has worked various jobs, most recently as an undertaker, but he is defined by his hobbies—campanology (the art and practice of bell-ringing) and restoring Cold War bunkers.

His gritty determination has earned him the respect of many former military and volunteer officers from the period, some of whom have donated old equipment. Even vandals who took aim at the bunkers have not been an obstacle—he encouraged them to volunteer with the restoration work, and a couple of them are still involved. Today, the fresh coat of khaki green paint on the bunker entrance at Castleton, and the neat post-and-rail fence around the site, just hint at the hard graft, skill, and attention to detail that made this living museum piece.

 

The term “Cold War” is attributed to a 1945 article written by George Orwell to describe a nuclear stalemate between “two or three monstrous super-states, each possessed of a weapon by which millions of people can be wiped out in a few seconds.” Only the United States had the bomb at that point, but Orwell saw where things were going, and by the 1950s his prediction had come to pass. So it was that in 1955, the British Ministry of Defence commissioned a top-secret report (declassified in 2002) to get a sense of what nuclear annihilation might look like. The Strath Report, as it was called, concluded that a Soviet nighttime attack with 10 hydrogen bombs would kill 12 million people (a third of the population at that time) and seriously injure another four million. Food and water would be contaminated, industry shut down, and the National Health Service utterly overwhelmed.

There are, in such a case, bad options and worse options, but doing nothing, it was decided, was no option. So the kingdom invested in bunkers. A network designed to protect as many people as possible was estimated to cost £1.25 billion (equivalent to £30 billion today), and the government decided this was prohibitive. So they prioritized a network of smaller underground facilities that emphasized information, communication, and function after a nuclear attack. Over the next few years, more than 1,500 holes were blasted into the ground, from Cornwall to Shetland, and then a standard concrete bunker was built in each one. These were to be the “eyes and ears” of the country, and the people who manned them tasked with sending data to a network of 29 larger regional headquarters, where they would be collated and used to understand where blasts had occurred, the power of the weapons, and possible fallout patterns.

The information could then be shared with military and civilian authorities to help them plan their responses.

 

These were not, however, military installations to be manned at all times. Rather, the government recruited a network of 10,000 volunteer civilians, known as the Royal Observer Corps (ROC), which gathered weekly for training at their respective bunkers.

During periods of rising tension—such as during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962—volunteers were expected to drop their lives, leave their families, and head to the bunkers, where they would be organized into three-person shifts. If a nuclear strike occurred, the entrance hatch would be sealed and it would more or less stay that way for three weeks. “We knew that psychologically this job would be immensely difficult, particularly in the full knowledge of what our families were likely to be facing, just a few miles away,” says Tim Kitching, who served as an ROC officer during the 1980s. The network was activated in the late 1950s and was in continuous use until 1991, when nuclear tensions eased.

The bunkers, which were built on both public and private land, were released into the wild. Today the majority has been demolished, or simply left to flood and rot. But two of these bunkers—Castleton and another nearby called Chop Gate—escaped this fate, thanks to one Jack Hanlon.

 

The village of Castleton nestles into an alcove in one of England’s bleakest and most remote regions. Above the village an icy wind rips across the landscape, tearing over sturdy heather shrubs and sending the native red grouse scurrying for cover.

This is where, just 20 miles from Fylingdales—a key military target and one of the 30 or so radar stations tasked with watching the skies and providing the country with a four-minute warning of impending missile attack—12 dedicated ROC volunteers trained and met, and where they would have gone had the worst come to pass.

After driving a half-mile up the steep hill out of Castleton, Hanlon pulls over where the moorland plateau begins. In steep glacial valleys off each side of the plateau are marginal pastures enclosed by traditional dry-stone walls. Hanlon and I stomp up a short grassy track to find the timeless view interrupted by something distinctly modern.

A small hummocky enclosure emerges from the heather, with a couple of small, angular concrete structures in the middle.

A black metal tube like a submarine periscope sprouts incongruously from the ground.

 

“I first came across this when I was 14,” Hanlon explains.

“The hatch had been ripped off and the interior was flooded. I realized it was too big a project for me to tackle at that time, but it stuck in my mind.” Some years later he also came across the neighboring Chop Gate bunker and met the owner of the land it was on, a former ROC officer who used to work at it.

With the officer’s blessing, Hanlon started to restore Chop Gate.

Soon after, he returned to Castleton and boldly approached the landowner —it is on the Danby Estate, owned by Richard Henry Dawnay, the 12th Viscount Downe—for permission. His work at Chop Gate convinced the viscount that Hanlon was up to the task. Hanlon undoes three padlocks and heaves open the blast-proof hatch to reveal a dark hole, roughly two feet square. A ladder leads into the gloom. We climb gingerly down and step off 15 feet below the surface.

Claustrophobia sets in quickly, with only a small square of daylight above, but Hanlon’s presence is oddly reassuring. He feels official— clean-shaven and dressed in heavy work boots, a high-vis waterproof jacket, and warm wooly hat—and exudes an unruffled air of capable competence.

 

My flashlight reveals a tiny vestibule off the entrance shaft containing a chemical toilet. To my left is a darkened doorway. Hanlon flicks on a light, casting the room in a dim orange glow. There’s a ticking noise. The lights are on a timer to conserve precious battery power.

Fixing the lights was one of the first jobs Hanlon tackled when he started work on the Castleton bunker in earnest in April 2017. “We had to remove 300 liters of water first, using a bucket and a pulley,” he says. With a team of practical and handy friends, Hanlon prioritized electricity and used fans on full-throttle to get the place dry. He is not the boasting type, but the before-and-after pictures are remarkable, and the wide range of skills and knowledge required to bring this place back to its original state and function is evident. Former ROC officers—many of whom have advised Hanlon on details and shared old photos, documents, and inventory lists—delight in visiting for a trip down memory lane.

Along the long wall to the left of the entrance are two canvas chairs neatly tucked under a plain wooden table. A small mirror is propped on a shelf above—a rare concession to vanity. On the table, neat piles of forms lie ready for the documentation of weather observations, radiation levels, and whatever other details the volunteers could glean about the location of the blast. At the far end of the room, the metalframed bunk beds take up the entire width. A map showing the network of bunkers across the country and charts to aid cloud identification line one wall.

 

Many of the pieces of period equipment have been donated by ex-ROC officers and are testaments to the power of social media. Hanlon’s Facebook page for the bunker has more than 450 followers, and he has another for Chop Gate with 400 as well. Meanwhile, more than 600 showed an interest in his first open day, when the public was invited to visit. “We had to take bookings as there was no way we could manage 600 people in one day!” he says. Discussions on the page have inspired locals to get involved, and resulted in generous donations of both equipment and specialist knowledge. Some bunkers were sited in towns or cities, but Hanlon’s are rather remote. Here, the ROC volunteers were most likely to have been called to duty via phone or radio bulletin. If attack was thought to be imminent, one of their first jobs upon arrival would have been to alert the local population with a hand-cranked siren, just like the ones used during air raids in World War II. The other two volunteers would prep the “Ground Zero Indicator”—an instrument that sat above ground. The device used the same principle as a pinhole camera, only it had four holes, one corresponding to each compass point. The bomb blast would sear an image onto light-sensitive paper, and the location and size of the resulting marks could indicate its height and direction. “The big problem,” says Hanlon, “was that one of the volunteers had to go outside after the blast, potentially exposing themselves to the radiation, to collect the paper.” But this vital information was worth the risk, and the volunteers were expected to communicate it to the regional headquarters at first opportunity. A regional headquarters could then plot a number of ground-zero measurements to determine the power of the weapon, where it detonated, and whether it was an air or ground burst (ground bursts produce far more residual radiation from their fallout). The other essential instrument they operated was the “Bomb Power Indicator,” which consisted of a pipe that connected the surface with the interior of the shelter. Inside, a small set of bellows was attached to the end, which would expand as air rushed in from the blast. The bellows moved a needle, which would indicate the pressure produced by the blast wave—another critical piece of information. The three observers would then be expected to settle into a pattern of regular readings. Exterior radiation levels could be measured safely from inside, using a “Fixed Survey Meter,” a small console on the desk connected to a detector above, but further meteorological measurements required more trips outside, to record the wind speed, direction, and cloud type. The original Fixed Survey Meter from the Castleton bunker disappeared long ago, but Hanlon went to enormous lengths to find a replacement. “I heard about a Fixed Survey Meter in a flooded bunker on a remote Scottish island, so I traveled up there, pumped the bunker out, and went down to retrieve it,” he says. He traveled up and down the country and scoured eBay to find period- orrect equipment, and took care to renovate and repair what he found using the same materials and equipment as would have been used when the bunkers were in service. “I’ve always been interested in history and I’m a determined kind of person,” he says, with characteristic understatement. “When I first came across photos of these bunkers online I just knew I had to go and find out more.”

Thanks to Hanlon’s efforts, it is now possible to imagine how it might have felt to live down here, isolated and afraid, while a nuclear war may or may not have been raging overhead. Deep in the cupboard is a small tin of Tommy’s Cooking Fuel, solid fuel that could be used to heat up the contents of a mess tin. Such a moment of gathering to eat baked beans and share a pot of tea would have served as a vital focal point for the bunker inhabitants, a way of creating a routine and distinguishing the hours in the absence of normal day-night cycles. Despite having somewhat better shelter than most of the general population, the nhabitants of these bunkers knew that their chances of survival would be still relatively slim. As the howling draft coming down the ventilation shaft into the Castleton bunker demonstrates, the protection the bunkers could offer was modest at best. Furthermore, the volunteers were expected to leave for measurements, so longterm safety was clearly not a goal. Despite feeling confined, I am reassured by the organization and purpose I see around me. Even if it didn’t offer the greatest protection, I can imagine that useful activity would feel superior than merely awaiting my fate. Over a steaming coffee in the city of York, former ROC officer Tim Kitching explains the government’s Cold War strategy to me. “The risk of losing observers [due to radiation exposure] was outweighed by the gain in information from the Ground Zero Indicator readings,” he says. Certainly the bunkers were intended to aid survival, and support the continuance of some form of governance after a nuclear exchange, but their primary role was as a passive deterrent. “This warning and monitoring system was designed to support our own forces in surviving a first strike in sufficient numbers to strike back, thereby deterring any aggressor in making first use, knowing that there was a degree of certainty that they would be hit back,” he says.

Kitching, who is smartly turned out in creased slacks, and has an organized and efficient air about him, was motivated to serve in the ROC out of a desire to contribute to the defense of the country. “Being ready to do what we were training to do was simply part of the country’s insurance policy,” he says. Kitching was confident that the system would have worked well. “Within the Corps there was multiple ‘redundancy’ built in throughout,” he explains. “So, for example, posts had a complement of 10, but only three were needed for an operational crew.” The overall simplicity enabled them to live off the grid—without piped-in gas, electricity, or water. There was, however, one link—a weak link—between the bunker and the rest of the world, its overground telephone connection, which was used to transmit information between monitoring posts and to the regional headquarters.

The wooden poles and looping wires that connected bunkers in the early days of the network would almost certainly have been knocked over by a nuclear blast, which would have left the bunkers isolated and the precious observations completely useless. By the 1980s, the British Government lessened this risk by investing in private, underground telephone wires between bunkers. Furthermore, monitoring posts were grouped into clusters of three or four, each about 15 miles apart and linked by telephone. One bunker in each cluster served as a “master post,” equipped with radio communications to back up the telephone system. Castleton was one of the lucky bunkers, and held a radio and antenna. In the Castleton bunker, Hanlon points out the bright yellow “Tele-Talk” loudspeaker telephone on the desk, and the prized VHF radio set on a small shelf above. With luck, Castleton would have been able to communicate its observations, and hopefully those of the other bunkers in its cluster (Hinderwell and Goathland, in this case), to the regional headquarters, 50 miles away in the historic city of Durham.

The Durham regional headquarters no longer exists, so instead I travel south to York to see the only one of the 29 regional headquarters to have been preserved. The York Cold War Bunker is one of the city’s best kept secrets, situated out in the suburbs, on a nondescript street, lined with ordinary houses and neatly mowed lawns.

At the end of a cul-de-sac, however, is a distinctly extraordinary sight. A rectangular grassy mound rears up to around 10 feet above street level.

A flight of concrete steps leads up the mound to a flat-roofed, boxy green building. Locals call it the “Aztec Temple.” When it was in use, this building was hidden in a hollow, surrounded by an orchard, hundreds of yards from a main road. Since 2006, English Heritage has operated it as an unusual tourist attraction.

The visible structure is just the top level of a three-story building hidden in the hill. The lower two levels are further covered in three layers of asphalt, and then at least three feet of earth—all to protect against a blast, heat, and radiation.

 


Twenty steps bring me to the top of the mound and the green concrete box.

A strange cylindrical structure like an outsized chimney pokes out of the flat roof, and a radio aerial bristles to my right. A small wooden noticeboard just inside the door informs me that the “attack state” is “black.” Once inside the door, I pass through an airlock— two rubber-sealed, gas-proof doors—and then descend stairs into the heart of the bunker. It is around 4,000 square feet, containing a kitchen, canteen, dormitories, plant room, generator room, telephone exchange, and officers’ room, with a large gallery overlooking the operations room, another level down.

This bunker is an entirely different beast than the drafty underground cell in Castleton. “One-hundred and twenty volunteers and four paid officers were trained up to use this bunker,” says Jake Tatman, who works behind the scenes there. “If nuclear war was likely you’d have everyone working on shifts with 60 staff manning the bunker at any one time.” If a nuclear strike occurred, the door would be locked and the crew inside would prepare for 30 days of tracking radiation and weather, and collating and plotting measurements from the surrounding posts. And just like at Castleton, one poor sod would have to go outside after the blast to retrieve the light-sensitive paper from the Ground Zero Indicator. He or she, however, would have had the added luxury of a shower, to help wash off some radioactive particles.

 

This bunker also would have had a few specialists.

“During an emergency it was essential that the bunker had at least one engineer, capable of keeping the generator and air conditioning system going,” explains Tatman, outside the diesel generator room.

In the gallery, a team of specialist plotters would have sat at a row of desks, listening for information from outlying bunkers and putting it up on rotating Perspex display boards, which could be swiveled around to be viewed by still more specialists in operations below. Data would be plotted on the triangulation table, and the location of blasts would then be transferred to four large maps on the wall: the current situation, the cumulative situation, the United Kingdom situation, and the European situation. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the gallery, a group of tellers would pass this information to other group headquarters, as well as government and military facilities.

It is through this process, ideally, that the contributions of volunteers at local bunkers like Castleton would make their way into the corridors of power, where the difficult decisions were to be made.

 

At least in theory. In practice, the York bunker might not have survived the first day. “York was the hub of the railway industry and it had four RAF [Royal Air Force] bases, so it would have been a big target,” says Tatman. “The chances are that this bunker wouldn’t exist at all after a nuclear attack.” The volunteers running the more remote observation posts might survive the initial attack, only to have to fend for themselves. With all of this in mind, utility, survival, and maintenance of a functional society were hopeful, secondary goals for the bunkers. The network was, by design, one of Cold War Britain’s worst-kept secrets, at home and abroad. The very existence of these bunkers, and the willingness of thousands of volunteers to train to defend their country, could have played a role in preventing a nuclear strike from occurring in the first place. And today, as tensions rise again, it feels like we need to rediscover something of the calm and stoicism that these bunkers were built to encourage. Perhaps we would be more confident if we knew that our friends and neighbors had our backs.

Throughout the Cold War, this system—of both bunkers and people—played a significant role in boosting morale and containing fear. Neither of these things seems particularly possible today. The restored York and Castleton sites evoke a kind of nostalgia, for when it at least seemed like ordinary citizens had the power to help each other, even if it was rather illusory. Teapots that don’t pour properly and itchy blankets are important comforts when you feel like there’s a greater purpose to them.

 

 

A shortage of bomb shelters
Da cyprus-mail.com del 10 settembre 2018

There are enough bomb shelters for just 30 per cent of the population By Annette Chrysostomou

A shelter in Zurich


There are more than 2,000 bomb shelters in Cyprus, but how many people are aware of where they whether they are enough for the island’s population? I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I had never heard of any shelters until I researched this article.

Apparently, we have 2,223 shelters in basements of buildings. Of these 1,641 have been designated public use.

The rest of them are for the exclusive use of their owners. And, no, there are not nearly enough of them. Existing shelters will cover the needs of just 30 per population.

Whole regions are not covered because there are no suitable buildings in the vicinity, suitable buildings apartment blocks and public spaces with a basement such as supermarkets. “If there is one within 200 metres from your home, it is worth going to,” senior civil protect Paris told the Sunday Mail.

“If not, you should stay at home and follow the instructions of the civil Flyers with instructions exist and will be handed out in case of an emergency, he added. In future there will be an application where you type in your address and which will give you the location the nearest shelter, but this is not ready yet.

 

A shelter in Nicosia

“For now, you have to walk around your neighbourhood and hnd it,” Paris said. Residents are concerned. “Where I live there are only family houses, no apartment blocks or shops,” one said. “I have never building in the area which could be used.” “There is a supermarket which is marked where I live,” another one commented.

“But that is the only and I don’t know what would happen if a few thousand people were trying to use it.” Though the civil defence says the response of the owners who are being asked routinely if they are offer their basements is usually positive, there are some who are not willing to agree, and there is problem that owners also have to make sure there is adequate parking for the people living in the This week, the interior ministry, responsible for the civil defence department, responded in a letter questions by the Green Party which had received complaints about the lack of shelters.

“There are not enough of them,” Alexia Sakkadaki said, speaking for the party. “30 per cent is not an island in a volatile region, we don’t want to scare the population but it is important to be prepared.” In his letter, the interior minister, Constantinos Petrides, explained that people can change their minds offering their basement as a shelter, as they own the place, and use the space to build a jat, or as parking. When they do agree that it can be used as a shelter, they have to make sure it is ready to people within 24 hours of being notihed.

Between 2000 when the programme started and until 2013, the civil defence reinforced the designated shelters with metal structures and doors. Between July 2013 and December 2014 the programme was suspended due to the economic crisis restarted in 2015, but without the reinforcement due to a lack of resources. The buildings are now marked with a sign. The one I saw which had been strengthened with a massive metal door, at the basement of a supermarket really looked as if it could withstand a bombardment. How effective the ones which don’t have specially built doors are is not clear. All basement shelters have access to water and electricity, and while some have toilets, others have ready to accept dry toilets which will only be installed in case the shelters are needed.

 

A shelter in Nicosia

 

The spaces are maintained by civil defence ogcers but cleaned by the owners.

“Though the civil defence are doing a good job, they are understaffed and we must rethink the situation,” Sakkadaki said. Other countries, even potentially safe ones, are better prepared, but then there is also more money In Switzerland and a few other countries, everybody is legally entitled to access a bomb shelter. stipulates that every new building must have one. In 2006, there were 300,000 shelters in Swiss dwellings, institutions and hospitals, as well as 5,100 shelters, providing protection for a total of 8.6 million individuals – a coverage of 114 per cent.

The Swiss are top in Europe when it comes to the construction of shelters. The closest are Sweden and Finland with 7.2 and 3.4 million protected places respectively, representing approximately 81 per cent and 70 per cent coverage.

These are all purpose-built fallout shelters which can withstand a nuclear attack.

 

 

Telgha t’Alla u Ommu road-widening ‘runs through’ Victoria Lines
Da maltatoday.com del 6 settembre 2018

Road widening works at Telgha t’Alla u Ommu which started on Tuesday were approved in February after eight years of planning limbo prolonged by concerns on the area’s archaeological and ecological importance. The works will widen part of the existing road from 4.6 metres to 8.8 metres to introduce another traffic lane. In 2011 the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage acknowledged that the works “run through the Victoria Lines” and will take place “in the vicinity of historical fortifications”.

The site was also deemed to have “archaeological potential”. But the Superintendence did not object to the granting of the permit if the works are monitored by an archaeologist and the presentation of a detailed construction method statement. The development will affect an area of approximately 578sq.m. The Environment Protection Directorate, which has now been replaced by ERA, had expressed concern on the proposed uptake of land, especially in view of the possible spillage into the nearby garigue environment.

The PA’s internal panel on natural heritage issues had also objected, noting that the proposal would take up and destroy about 300 metres of land in a proposed Area of Ecological Importance (level 2) and Area of High Landscape Value. Although proposed for scheduling, this land was never actually granted protection.

The road, which is one of the principal road links between the northern and central parts of Malta, linking St Paul’s Bay, Maghtab and Burmarrad to Mosta and the Birguma area of Naxxar, currently poses difficulties to road users, as they are forced to merge into one lane before the Birguma roundabout.

The project will be widening this narrow part of the carriageway to open up the second lane and improve its approach to the roundabout. The upgrade will include construction of the new lane’s foundation, rebuilding the road’s footpaths, walls to accommodate the two-lane alignment and a new asphalt road surface.

 

 

Inside the 1960s nuclear bunker hidden below a courthouse
Da metro.co.uk del 3 settembre 2018

If the thought of nuclear war or a zombie apocalypse keeps you awake at night, you might want to invest in this underground bunker.

Hidden below a courthouse in Devon, the concrete-lined bunker even has a secret escape exit onto a nearby street – ideal for a post- pocalyptic scenario.

The only problem is that it’s expected to sell for a cool £500,000. It’s a labyrinth of rooms and corridors with heavy doors, and has ventilation and water system. The 1960s bunker also has several living quarters, complete with shelving, as well as its own toilets and two kitchens.

It is nestled below Torquay Magistrates Court, which was vacated and sold last year. Surveyor Kye Daniel, who is handling the sale for JLL, said property developers are interested in converting the bunker into apartments, offices and even a church. He added: ‘

It’s certainly one of the most unusual properties we have come across.’ by Harley Tamplin

 

À Lorient, une forteresse pour sous-marins construite par l’Allemagne nazie
Da ouest-france.fr del 2 settembre 2018

Pendant la Deuxième Guerre mondiale, les Allemands ont construit, à la vitesse de l’éclair, trois énormes bunkers dans la rade. Ils y ont abrité de nombreux U Boote.
Un fier trois-mâts passe devant leurs alvéoles béantes. Des estivants baguenaudent au pied des géants de béton ou se désaltèrent à deux pas, sur un transat au soleil au bar de la Cité de la Voile. Entre les bunkers de la base de sous-marins, la vie va, dans la rade de Lorient.
Ont-ils conscience, ces dizaines de milliers de touristes qui passent chaque année par la presqu’île de Kéroman, qu’ils se trouvent sur ce qui fut, entre 1940 et 1944, « le plus important chantier d’Europe pour l’Allemagne nazie » ? Vingt-six hectares bucoliques qui se transformèrent en « forteresse infranchissable », protégeant les sous-marins allemands des raids britanniques. Daniel Guyader, guide conférencier, fait visiter la base et ses trois bunkers, Kéroman I, II et III, depuis vingt et un ans. Il explique comment l’amiral Doenitz, commandant en chef de l’arme sous-marine allemande, a vu, dès le lendemain de l’armistice avec la France, le 23 juin 1940, l’intérêt d’implanter à Lorient « le centre stratégique de ses forces sous-marines ».

« Base des as »

Un vaste espace collé au premier port de pêche industriel français, les ateliers de l’arsenal non loin, une rade protectrice et, au large, l’île de Groix et Quiberon comme des « bastions avancés pour arrêter une attaque » : les atouts sont nombreux. Plus que Brest, Saint-Nazaire, La Rochelle et Bordeaux, construites à la même époque, Kéroman va devenir « la base des as » pour les Allemands. Les travaux sont dantesques. Des milliers de tonnes de béton sont coulées sur un ferraillage serré. Un toit épais de 3,50 m recouvre les alvéoles. Des portes blindées de 50 tonnes sont acheminées d’Allemagne.

Sur ordre d’Hitler, le ministre Todt, en charge de la construction et de l’armement, mais aussi d’une vaste organisation paramilitaire appelée l’Organisation Todt, gère l’édification de la base de Lorient. C’est l’organisation qui recrute, directement ou à travers d’entreprises françaises sous-traitantes. « 15 000 à 20 000 ouvriers, rémunérés et volontaires, vont travailler, de jour comme de nuit, alternant douze heures de travail et douze heures de repos », raconte Daniel Guyader. Des Français, plus nombreux que les Allemands, mais aussi des Belges, des Hollandais, des Espagnols, des Italiens… Les deux premiers bunkers, KI et KII, sont construits en un an, au-dessus du sol « pour éviter des travaux de terrassement trop longs », note l’écrivain Luc Braeuer dans La base de sous-marins de Lorient. « La nouveauté est là, c’est le sous-marin qui sera sorti de l’eau par un système de slip-way, selon le même principe que celui utilisé au port de pêche. » Le slip-way se présente comme un plan incliné équipé d’un chariot métallique et d’un treuil. Un seul chenal d’entrée, dans le KI, dessert les douze alvéoles des deux bâtiments. Entre le chenal protégé et les alvéoles, les sousmarins restent à découvert une demi-heure, le temps d’être acheminés. Pas le temps d’être bombardés.

La base sort de sa case

Avec le KIII, en 1943, la base passe à la puissance supérieure. Le seul des bunkers que l’on visite aujourd’hui est le plus grand (168m sur 142 m, 24 000 m ). Ses sept alvéoles plongent dans la mer : il a fallu creuser dans le sol pour les construire, après avoir mis le chantier hors d’eau. Contrairement aux deux autres, il peut accueillir tous types de sous-marins. Il dispose d’ateliers de maintenance. Et possède une particularité : un « surtoit » de poutrelles bétonnées destinées à faire éclater les bombes avant qu’elles n’atteignent le toit.

Sur cette base décidément « florissante » avait même été commencé un quatrième bunker dont on voit encore les murs. Destiné à des sous-marins d’un nouveau type, il n’a jamais vu le jour, arrêté dans son élan par la capitulation, en mai 1945. Plus de deux cents sous-marins allemands ont fait escale à Kéroman. Ces U Bootede triste réputation étaient engagés dans la bataille de l’Atlantique, bataille centrale de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale contre la Grande-Bretagne, dernier adversaire des Nazis en Europe de l’Ouest.
Après la guerre, les infrastructures de la base, « en parfait état », ont été utilisées par l’armée française jusqu’en 1998. Puis elles ont été reconverties en chantiers navals (Lorima, Plastimo…) tandis que des hangars ont poussé autour pour la préparation de multicoques de compétition. Cette année, le KII accueillera un studio d’enregistrement, puis une salle de spectacles. La base sort de sa case.

 

Chez Armageddon: The 1970s Cold War Bunker Deep Below Las Vegas
Da flashbak.com del 26 agosto 2018

The 15,200-square-foot basement on Spencer Street, Las Vegas features: twobedrooms, three-bathrooms, a four-hole putting green, matching jacuzzis, one barbecue, a bar, heated swimming pool, fake trees, a stage and kitschy decor. It’s reached via the elevator in a suburban two-story house. Designed for a family in the event of nuclear armageddon, the home replicates the lost world above with murals depicting scenes of bucolic glory and a sky blue ceiling covered in painted clouds.

At night stars in the ceiling light up. Lighting switches are marked ‘Sunset’, ‘Day’, ‘Dusk’ and ‘Night’. This otherworldly pad was built in 1978 by Girard B. “Jerry” Henderson (February 25, 1905 – November 16, 1983), co-founder of the Underground World Home Corp., a company specialising in – yep – underground homes: “The ultimate in true privacy!” “How would you like sunshine every day … when you want it?” asks the company’s brochure. Henderson lived at the home until his death in 1983. Since 2014, the house has been owned by the Society for the Preservation of Near Extinct Species.

You can read Henderson’s views on life in the self-published book Turn the Clock Back Sam, in which he writes: “People prosper when they are free and deteriorate when they surrender to a powerful government. I have watched our country change over the last 70 years.

The unmistakable drift in this country is toward a stronger central government, more and more taxes and above all, less freedom. The sole role of a legitimate democratic government founded upon ‘natural law’ is to provide for common activities, such as defense, police, and court, that individuals cannot easily provide for themselves.” You need to fend for yourself when the bombs have fallen and you’re the only human left alive.

 

 

Tour Report: The Secret Bunker of the "Stasi" [Revisit]
Da arcanumphoto.blogspot.com del 24 agosto 2018

After discovering the abandoned shooting range that was used by the East German police, it was only logical to pay a visit to the nearby abandoned bunker.
The sun was beginning to set anyway, so an underground location was a nice way to finish our explorations for the day.

 

I had been to the bunker twice before, so I already knew about the possible access ways and where to park.

 

 

 

So after parking the car, we began our short walk into the woods until we arrived at the gate.

There is hardly any fence left, so accessing the property was easy. After a few more minutes of walking, we arrived at the location itself.

The way into the bunker was just as I remembered, and my wife and I had ourselves a nice little underground exploration before heading home at the end of a successful day.

 

 

Hautes-Alpes : un bunker de la Seconde Guerre mondiale en réhabilitation
Da francetvinfo.fr del 23 agosto 2018

Ce bunker a été entièrement creusé dans le roc, à la base de la montagne du Lasseron / © France 3 / Fabien Madigou

Abandonné depuis les années 50, l'ouvrage militaire des Aittes est réhabilité par des habitants du village de Cervières. Une plongée dans l'Histoire de la Seconde Guerre mondiale.

L'ouvrage des Aittes comprend 350 mètres de galerie creusés dans la montagne et trois postes de tirs. Construit entre 1932 et 1937 par l'Armée française, ce bunker est situé à Cervières, commune française située dans les Hautes Alpes, juste à côté de la frontière italienne.

Un sous-marin terrestre

"Il y avait une moyenne de 70 personnels qui vivaient là et qui auraient pu être obligés de vivre en autarcie pendant 35 jours, ce qui était prévu dans toute la ligne Maginot," explique Raymond Colomb, membre de l'Association du Fort des Aittes.

Le bunker a été entre les mains des Français, des Italiens puis des Allemands. / © Fabien Migou / France 3

L'équipage (c'est comme cela que l'on appelait le personnel des ouvrages Maginot) disposait d'un groupe électrogène, d'un système mécanique en cas de panne, d'une cuisine, de points d'eau et de dortoirs. Dans le contexte de la guerre, tout était prévu pour vivre dans le confinement total.
Un reportage réalisé par Philippe Fabrègues, Fabien Madigou et Martine Morand: Intervenants:
- Raymond Colomb, Association du Fort des Aittes
- Jean-Paul Albertin, Association du Fort des Aittes

Une seconde vie

Lorsque l'armistice du 22 juin 1940 est signée, le Fort des Aittes passe sous le contrôle de l'Italie, puis de l'Allemagne. La Seconde Guerre mondiale prend fin en 1945 et dans les années 50, le bunker est abandonné.
Mais depuis 2000, des habitants du village de Cervières rééquipent l'ouvrage militaire. Cette réhabilitation a pour objectif de pouvoir le faire visiter.

 

 

Tiquetes para ingresar al Castillo de San Felipe se pueden comprar por Internet
Del 23 agosto 2018

Cartagena de Indias, D.T. y C., miércoles 22 de agosto de 2018– Los visitantes del Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas ya cuentan con la opción de comprar los tiquetes por Internet para ingresar a este monumento nacional. Este nuevo servicio fue habilitado por la Escuela Taller Cartagena de Indias (ETCAR), administradora de las Fortificaciones de la ciudad por encargo del Ministerio de Cultura, en la página web www.fortificacionescartagena.com, en donde, sin ningún costo adicional, se pueden adquirir las entradas para ingresar al Fuerte y hacer el pago con tarjetas débito o crédito. Al finalizar la compra, el sistema genera un número de pedido que el visitante debe presentar en la taquilla del Castillo de San Felipe para reclamar las boletas el día de la visita.

Se debe tener en cuenta que si se adquieren boletas de tarifas con descuento para nacionales o para menores entre 6 y 13 años, se debe presentar en la taquilla el día de la visita, la cédula de ciudadanía o la tarjeta de identidad respectivamente. Una vez reclamados los tiquetes en la taquilla del Castillo de San Felipe, el visitante cuenta con 24 horas para ingresar al Fuerte. (Ver video). El director general encargado de la ETCAR, Álvaro Gómez Poveda, expresó que “con la implementación de la compra en línea de los tiquetes de entrada, el Castillo de San Felipe moderniza su servicio y le brinda a los visitantes la opción de adquirir con anterioridad sus entradas aprovechando las facilidades que brindan las nuevas tecnologías”. Conectados con las fortificaciones En este orden de ideas, desde el 2017 y con el apoyo del Comité Directivo de las Fortificaciones integrado por el Ministerio de Cultura y la Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena de Indias, la ETCAR ha adelantado una serie de proyectos encaminados a aprovechar las herramientas tecnológicas disponibles en la actualidad para modernizar y mejorar el servicio que se le brinda a los visitantes. De esta forma, se implementó un software de taquilla, diseñado específicamente para las necesidades contables de la administración de las Fortificaciones, actualizando todo el proceso de adquisición de los tiquetes de ingreso al Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, tanto para las compras directas en la taquilla del Fuerte, como los créditos otorgados a las Agencias Operadoras de Turismo. La automatización del sistema administrativo de las Fortificaciones, además requirió la adquisición de equipos de última tecnología que son usados por el personal de taquilla y la instalación de talanqueras en el filtro de acceso al Fuerte.

Para la puesta en marcha del software de taquilla, también se requirió del rediseño de la boletería para ingresar a San Felipe, el cual se realizó con la asesoría de la Imprenta Nacional de Colombia. Hoy en día, los tiquetes de ingreso cuentan con mecanismo de seguridad similares a los de los billetes colombianos, además de incluir realidad aumentada con contenidos multimedia a la que se puede acceder a través de un código QR. (Ver video). Los interesados en las Fortificaciones también pueden hacer un tour virtual 360° a través de la página www.fortificaciones.com o descargando en el celular la aplicación (APP) Fortificaciones a través GooglePlay. Adicionalmente, en febrero de 2018, el Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas se conectó a la aldea global con WiFi gratis para sus visitantes. Este servicio fue posible gracias al aporte del Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (MinTIC), en URV un área aproximada de entre 2.500 M2 y 7.800 M2, y cuenta con canal de Internet de 20 Mbps dedicados; soporta en promedio a 200 personas navegando al mismo tiempo y está en funcionamiento las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana. (Ver video) Con estos proyectos materializados, la ETCAR afianza su compromiso y se conecta con la conservación y puesta en valor de nuestro patrimonio fortificado que hace parte de la declaratoria de Patrimonio Histórico y Cultural de la Humanidad otorgada por la UNESCO 

 

Formerly a Fallout Shelter, Beckham Creek Cave Beckons for a New Owner
Da realtor.com del 21 agosto 2018

Fallout shelter. Nightclub. Personal residence. Tourist accommodations. Beckham Creek Cave has undergone several transformations since its inception in the 1980s.

It's now waiting for a new owner who's willing to write the next chapter. Currently listed for $2.75 million, the unique estate carved into the side of a slab of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas has an intriguing backstory.

“The Beckham Creek Cave Lodge was voted in the top 10 most unique places to stay in the world, right up there next to the underwater ocean laboratory that had been converted into a lodge.

The only way you can reach that one is to scuba dive down to it,” says listing agent Rayne Davidson. By Nicole Slaughter Graham

 

A Dieppe, un blockhaus de la Seconde guerre mondiale dévoilé au public
Da france3-regions.fr del 20 agosto 2018

Un blockhaus construit par la marine allemande à Dieppe a été dévoilé au public en parallèle des commémorations du 19 août 1942.

Visite. Par Ludivine AurellePublié le 20/08/2018 à 15:11

Niché sous une falaise, derrière une impasse, le site est à l'abri des regards. En 1943, les soldats Allemands décident de s'y établir. Ils recherchent un endroit à l'abri pour abriter leurs munitions, après avoir subi des pertes causées par un bombardement anglais sur le front de mer. Les militaires trouvent au fond de cette ruelle des galeries creusées depuis l'entre-deux-guerres. Ils décident de les rallonger et de les bétonner. En tout, ce blockhaus compte 4 galeries sur 2 000m², soit un grand espace de stockage pour entreposer des torpilles. Le blockhaus fonctionnait selon une organisation très précise. Des wagons venaient récupérer les armes avant de les acheminer jusqu'au port de Dieppe pour les livrer en mer aux officiers de la marine allemande. Reportage avec François Pesquet. (Montage : Pierre Léonard)

"Les Allemands nous ont demandé de partir"

Parmi les curieux venus voir le blockhaus se trouvait Jacques Bénard. C'est notamment grâce à lui que la visite du site est très documentée. Jacques Bénard était adolescent pendant la Seconde guerre mondiale. A l'époque, il habitait avec sa famille dans l'impasse juste à côté. Sa maison a été réquisitionnée par les soldats allemands à leur arrivée. Les Dieppois n'ont pu réinvestir les lieux qu'en août 1944, après le départ des militaires. Le nonagénaire n'a pu découvrir l'intérieur de l'abri militaire qu'aujourd'hui.

Les Allemands ne voulaient pas que l'on approche du blockhaus. Quand ils sont partis, ils nous avaient dit que la falaise allait s'écrouler sur nos maisons. On les croyait quand même parce qu'on les avait vu entreposer les mines magnétiques et les torpilles.

Jacques Bénard est "content" d'avoir pu visiter ce lieu historique qui a bouleversé sa vie dans les années 1940. Le retraité se réjouit aussi de voir autant de monde s'intéresser à ce blockhaus, pour que la mémoire perdure. Beaucoup de Dieppois ont fait le déplacement. On ne savait pas qu'il y avait un abri militaire ici !

Cette visite était organisée par l'association Archéo Bunker Dieppe. Ses membres font découvrir au public, gratuitement, des sites de la région qui datent de la guerre de 1939-1945. Prochain rendezvous, le 16 septembre, lors des journées du patrimoine à Château-Blanc.

 

Nuclear war bunker in Moray opened to public for first time
Da bbc.co.yk del 17 agosto 2018

A bunker constructed 20ft (6m) underground in the Cabrach hills of Moray has been opened to the public for the first time. Post 32, a caravan-sized facility, was part of a network of hundreds of sites staffed by volunteers of the Royal Observer Corps during the Cold War. It was built in the 1960s to monitor fallout from any future nuclear weapons attack. The bunker, along with the other sites, were closed in the early 1990s. Community group the Cabrach Trust has opened Post 32 to the public from Saturday.

The trust's Andy Fairgrieve, from Dufftown, said the bunker's state today is far different from how it looked when it was in operation. He said it was "stripped out" following its closure, with some of its contents now on display at Alford Heritage Museum. Mr Fairgrieve said: "When the bunker was in use there were bunk beds, instruments on the wall, aircraft and cloud identification charts and tins of food and tins of water." George Anthony was one of the volunteers who ran the post and was among the last officers of the Royal Observer Corps (ROC), which was stood down in 1995. The 59-year-old group officer said two hours of training was done weekly at Post 32. The training included plotting the movement of mushroom clouds from exploded nuclear weapons and detecting for radiation.

Asked if he believed a nuclear strike was ever imminent, Mr Anthony said: "Definitely. From the 1950s onwards, we were expecting a nuclear attack at any given time. "That is something people forget today." By Jackie O'Brien BBC Scotland news

 

BATTLE OF THE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS: S-400 VS PATRIOT AND THAAD
Da defenseworld.net del 16 agosto 2018

S-400 Triumf air defense system (Image: Russian MoD)

A bunker The American-made Patriot and Russian S-400 Triumf air defense systems are currently hogging international orders despite their price tags running into billions of dollars.

While the Patriot has more or less a captive market within United States allies, the S-400 has had to sell on its capabilities alone having won orders from Turkey and China, countries which compete with Russia in the international arms market. Further orders for the S-400 is likely to come from India which has internally approved the acquisition with only a formal signature on the contract awaited to set the procurement process in motion. In addition, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Iraq are said to be in negotiations to buy the system.

Another US-made system, the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile defense system that is designed to intercept ballistic missiles at high altitude is also a competitor for the S-400 regarding some of its features, though not in terms of direct international sales.

Defenseworld.net takes a look at the features of all three systems to determine relative advancement and suitability for various missions. Quantitative analysis of the three missile defense systems:

S-400 vs. Patriot PAC-3

PAC-3 Missile (Image: Lockheed Martin)

According to the table above, the S-400 comes across as the most advanced serially produced air defense missile system in the world. Its closest rival is American Patriot with both systems capable of shooting down both aircraft and ballistic missiles. Here is a comparison of technical parameters: S-400 can shoot down targets moving at a speed of 17 km/hour. (while Patriot/PAC-3 could only shoot down a target moving at 8 km/hour) S-400 can engage with 72 targets simultaneously and track 160 targets at the. Same parameters for Patriot are 36 and 125 targets S-400 locates a target at 600 km distance and can destroy at 400 km range (with the latest 40N6E missile that just has been successfully tested). Patriot can locate a plane at 180 km and an enemy’s missile at 100 km S-400 is able to down targets flying as low as 10 meters and as high as 30 km while Patriot PAC-3 destroys its lowest target at a height of 50 meters with the highest at 25 km The deployment time for S-400 and Patriot PAC-3is 5 minutes and 25minutes respectively. Various informed sources have said that to hit an aircraft with a probability not less than 0.99, one will have to launch 1-2 S-400 missiles or 2-3 Patriot missiles. In case of fighting off a ballistic missile attack the ratio will be 1 / 2 or 3 in favor of S-400. The Patriot system's usage during actual deployment situations has left room for doubt over its performance. For example, after the 1991 Gulf War it was revealed that only a per centage of Iraqi SCUD missiles were actually shot down by Patriot batteries guarding Saudi Arabia and Israel. In case of the Iraqi missile strike against the American military barracks in Dhahran (Saudi Arabia) in February 1991 (https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/06/world/usdetails- flaw-in-patriot-missile.html) the failure of the Patriot intercept left to a tragedy – 27 troops were killed, about 100 wounded. In 2003, also the overall performance was better; there were also cases of failed intercepts of the outdated ballistic missiles launched by Saddam’s army in the first days of the invasion. The effectiveness of Patriot systems proved to be low despite almost ideal conditions: low-speed targets, solitary launches, absence of ECM environment and false targets. After 1991 and 2003 significant upgrades are reported to be made but the Saudi experience of countering the Yemeni missiles (comparable to the ones used by the Iraqis) shows almost the same lack of efficiency – see November 2017 missile attack against Riyadh (https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/us-patriotballistic- missile-defence-system-may-have-failed-over-saudiarabia/ news-story/c2cb4990ae494f5723db3169694e429a). Combat use of the Patriot systems has also highlighted some shortcomings of the system: high sensitivity to sand ingestion and unstable electric supply. There have also been reports of accidental launches.However, the S-400 is yet to be tested in battle so there is no record of it having been fired during actual combat. The system has been deployed in Syria, but didn’t engage any targets yet. There have been reports that the S-400 deployment effectively converted the Russian operating zone over Syria into a ‘No-flyzone.’ Some western media reports that US- ed coalition and Israeli aircraft avoid the area covered by the S-400 (http://observer.com/2016/10/there-is-a-no-fly-zone-in-syria-onerussia- created/). It is interesting to note that China which has its own anti-aircraft and anti-missile air deference system, choose to buy the S-400. It must be remembered that Turkey had first selected then rejected a Chinese proposal (https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2016/02/turkey-china-airdefense- missile/125648/) for an air defense system. Increasing US aircraft activity in the South China Sea is believed to have forced China to buy the S-400 from Russia; in the process acknowledging that its own home-grown air defense system were not sufficient to counter sophisticated US aircraft such as the F-35 and F-22. China, which is the first international customer to receive the S-400 is scheduled to test fire the system (http://www.defenseworld.net/news/23062/China_To_Conduct_First_Test_Of_Russia_made_S_400_Air_Defence_Systems_In_August__in August or September 2018. An ace up the sleeve of the4 S-400 is said to be its ability to detect stealth aircraft such as the F-35 and Chinese J-20 which are characterized by a low radar signature. Exact how effective is this stealth objects detection capability is not known. But suffice to say there is genuine concern among western commentators (https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a8107/russian-madetech- vs-americas-stealth-warplanes-13506974/) that the S-400 could covert the F-35 which took some US$396 billion to develop, into a regular 4th generation aircraft effectively negating its tech and price advantage. The same would apply to the Chinese J-20 if the S-400 were to be purchased by India.

S-400 & THAAD

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

The US-built THAAD is an effective missile defense system whose capabilities of downing ballistic missiles in terms of intercept altitudes and ranges surpass its the rivals. However it is strictly an anti-missile system, which can hit targets only at very high altitudes (minimum 40-50 km) which makes it useless against fighter jets or long range strategic aircraft. It is not an air defense missile like S-400 or Patriot. “Countries seeking effective defense against aircraft andmissiles will have to buy two costly American systems – Patriot and THAAD, while the Russian S-400 can unite their functions. S-400 can also hit difficult ballistic targets at distances up to 60 km, The ability to shoot down the high-speed targets of S-400 almost equals THAAD (around 17 km/hour),” a defense industry source said.

 

An Offer is Coming: ‘Game of Thrones’ Castle now up for Sale in Northern Ireland
Da thevintagenews.com del 10 agosto 2018

Gosford Castle in Northern Ireland, built in the 19th century, has not only seen moments of high drama in its own history but served as the cinematic stronghold of one of the families in Game of Thrones: Riverrun. Like many of the families in George R. R. Martin’s popular series, the Tullys ultimately don’t do too well. The castle, now offering 15 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and 10 reception rooms, is up for sale. The asking price is $656,452 with the real estate agent breaking down the property into six luxury apartments with names like “The Inner Bailey,” “The Round Tower,” and “The Old Keep.” As one headline put it, “’Game of Thrones’ Castle Selling in Northern Ireland for Less Than the Cost of a New York Apartment.” Gosford Castle was built by the 2nd Earl of Gosford, Archibald Acheson, and is a grade A listed building.

“It was designed in the Norman Revival style by London architect Thomas Hopper and was occupied by the Earls of Gosford until 1921,” said the real estate listing. “During the Second World War the Castle was commandeered and used to accommodate troops and a prisoner of war camp was set up in the estate.” After the war, the Achesons, “in dire straits” according to one account, sold Gosford Castle to the Ministry of Agriculture, which established the “590 acre demesne as Gosford Forest Park, which was later designated Northern Ireland’s first conservation forest in 1986. The castle fell back into military use during The Troubles before being run as a hotel from 1983.” (The castle was used as a soldier’s barracks during The Troubles.) Gosford Castle once boasted 150 rooms and was referred to as “Northern Ireland’s largest–and arguably most impractical–castle” by the Belfast Telegraph. The producers of Game of Thrones used the castle as the exterior of Riverrun in Season Three of the HBO series. As described by the Game of Thrones website, “It sits at the point where the Red Fork of the Trident River is joined by its major tributary, the Tumblestone River flowing out of the west. In times of danger, sluice gates can be opened to flood a channel cut to the west of the castle, turning Riverrun into an island.

Its walls rise sheer from the waters and its towers command the opposite shores, making assaulting it almost impossible without huge casualties.” Riverrun was in the possession of House Tully for a thousand years. They are one of the seven kingdoms of Westeros, ruling over the Riverlands, with a motto of “Family, Duty, Honor.” In the series’ early seasons, Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley), the wife of Lord Eddard Stark (Sean Bean), born a Tully, remained deeply involved with her family, in particular, her brother, Edmure, and uncle, Brynden Tully, known as the “Blackfish.” The Tullys joined the Starks in the war against the Lannisters that broke out in Season One of the show. Lord Stark is beheaded in King’s Landing in one of the most shocking episodes of the series. But of course, there was more to come! One of the turning points of the series was the oldest son, Robb Stark, deciding to execute Richard Karstark for treason at Riverrun. These scenes were shot partially at Gosford Castle. Karstark, who was a vassal of the Starks, had executed two Lannister boys. This action of Robb’s alienated some of his supporters and arguably led to the more bitter and vengeance-laced period of the war, culminating in the Red Wedding. Read another story from us: An island off northern Spain with a small churrch perrched on ttop iis tthe llocattiion off tthe drramattiic Drragonsttone iin ““Game off Thrrones”” As the website Winter is Coming put it on the castle sale, “Ever wanted to live like a Tully, able to fall asleep to the lapping sounds of the Trident and peering down from your battlements in disgust at the assembled Lannister forces outside your gates? Now’s your chance.”  di Nanccyy Biillyyeau

 

Drivmedelsanläggningen
Da fortifikationvast.se agosto 2018

Det är den 13:e juni 2018 och högsommarvärmen håller Sverige i ett järngrepp. I en bil på E18 förbereder vi oss för att byta sommarvärmen mot sex graders kyla i det svenska urberget. Den anläggning som vi ska besöka har utgjort en oerhört viktig funktion för militären i händelse av krig och var därför nedsprängd i det svenska berget för att erhålla ett mycket gott skydd. Efter många mil på motorvägen är det slutligen dags att svänga av till en mindre landsväg. Granskogen tätnar runt vägen och avger en känsla av mystik som sakta smyger sig på när vi närmar oss anläggningen. På den väderbitna grinden som möter oss sitter en skylt som påvisar att anläggningen en gång i tiden var ett skyddsobjekt tillhörande Försvarsmakten med både tillträdes- och fotoförbud. 

Vi kliver ur bilen och vandrar upp mot inslaget i berget som utgörs av en grön plåtdörr placerad i bergssidan omgiven av grönmålad betong. Nyckeln vrids om i låset och dörren knuffas upp. Vi möts av den svalkande bergrumskylan och doften av fuktigt urberg. Innanför den yttre plåtdörren sitter en lättare ståldörr monterad och innanför denna dörr finns en rejäl stötvågsbarriär av betong som med hjälp av vajerspel kunde dras ut och blockera ingången. Den vitmålade barriären väger uppskattningsvis cirka 10-15 ton och innanför denna finns en rejäl stötsvågsdörr. På den gröna stötvågsdörren sitter en liten gul skylt som ger en hint om vad anläggningen ursprungligen byggdes för: “brandfarlig vara klass 2B och 3”

Likt en trevägskorsning delar sig tunneln in i berget. Det vitmålade betonggolvet är förvånansvärt torrt och färgen ser inte ut att vara speciellt gammal. Vi valde den vänstra gången och möts av en mindre sluss av portar, innanför dessa finns den elektriska anläggningen samt VVS. Vid uppförandet av anläggningen placerades viss apparatur utanför berget till en början men beslut togs om att denna apparatur skulle flyttas in till samma elektriska anläggning i berget, ett arbete som tog längre tid än beräknat. Efter mycket beräkningar sattes borrarbetet igång, två vågräta hål med c:a 12 centimeter i diameter borrades upp för indragning av kablarna. När borrkronan slutligen bröt igenom bergets hårda yta hamnade man bara några centimeter ifrån markeringen på väggen som idag fortfarande finns att beskåda. Elektriciteten i berget har varit avstängd i drygt fem år vilket sätter sina spår. I lysrörsarmaturen och bakom glasen på de olika mätarna som en gång i tiden var i toppskick gör sig fukten påmind. Den kalla och fuktiga luften gör sig hela tiden påmind i berget som konstant håller sex grader året om. Tystheten som råder i berget är slående, här hörs endast ljudet av vattendroppar som faller från berget ovanför våra huvuden. 

I den högra tunneln möts vi av en stötvågsficka till höger medan tunneln löper vidare i en svag vänstersväng. Mittemot stötvågsfickan finns en nödutgång i form av en stigort som skulle användas ifall huvudingången blivit obrukbar. Nödutgången är placerad bakom rörledningar som diagonalt löper längs väggen, vilket gör den mycket svår att se om man inte vet var den är placerad. Via en stege av stål som reser sig cirka 8-9 meter rakt upp kunde personalen klättra upp och skruva loss den rejäla stålluckan för att sedan ta sig ut ur berget. Samtliga rörledningar i berget installerades av entreprenören Svenska oljeledningar från Stockholm. Berganläggningen var självförsörjande med egen borrad brunn som försåg anläggningen med färskvatten. En egen reservkraftanläggning (KRAGG) fanns också ifall nätströmmen utifrån skulle upphöra.

Efter att vi passerat den svaga vänstersvängen möts vi av en längre korridor med gröna rostiga ståldörrar på varje sida. På den högra sidan finner vi omklädningsrum för anläggningens personal. Det vita kaklet i toalett- och duschutrymmet ser nästan nytt ut. Det närmsta vi kommer en toalett är pissoaren i omklädningsrummet, vilket väcker frågetecken. Hur skulle arbetarna kunna uträtta sina behov efter torsdagens ärtsoppa med pannkaka? Inuti berganläggningen saknas både pentry och logement där personalen kunde sova, dessa förlades utanför på området i baracker, likaså toaletten. De gråa stålskåpen med initialer vittnar om vilka som driftade anläggningen under Kalla Krigets dagar. Mittemot omklädningsrummet finns ett litet  förrådsutrymme. På översta hyllan ligger mängder med glödlampor kvar i sina originalförpackningar som nu sakta vittrar sönder i den fuktiga miljön. Resten av hyllorna och verktygstavlan är tömda på saker, antagligen medtagna när berget rensades ur vid avvecklingen. På en av dörrarna sitter skylten “Etyliseringslokal” och i detta rum genomfördes en väldigt farlig process, nämligen laborering med drivmedel och tillsatser. En sådan tillsats var exempelvis tetraetylbly som tidigare var en vanlig tillsats till bensin för att minska risken för självantändning (på grund av kompressionstryck) och knackning i motorer.

Tunneln mynnar ut i ett öppet “torg” där det stått rejäla pumpar, från “torget” når man de två sista utrymmena i berganläggningen. Tunneln som leder rakt fram passerar ännu en stötvågsport och mynnar ut i tre skepp som tillsammans bildar ett upp och nedvänt “T”. Skeppen är som mest cirka 50 meter långa och sex meter breda. I golvet syns gulmarkerade ytor där pallar med fat en gång stod uppställda. Varje skepp skulle vara fyllt till bredden med fyllda olje- och bensinfat. De vitmålade väggarna i skeppen är sprutade med betong och på vissa ställen kan man se armeringsnät som fick betongen att hålla sig kvar. Hela golvytan är gjuten i betong och även den målad i vit färg. Mellan betonggolvet och bergväggen har man sparat några centimeter där man lagt stenar för dränering av vatten som tränger sig ner i berget. 

Tillbaka på “torget” går vi mot anläggningens hjärta. Två kraftiga portar bildar en cirka två meter tjock sluss. I slussen finns både lampa, telefon med tillhörande telefonlista. Väl inne i skeppet står cisternerna på rad med sin imponerande storlek. Den första cisternen är cirka sju meter hög och sex meter bred, med en volym på nästan 500 kubikmeter. Den andra cisternen har nästan identiska mått, men är cirka 40 meter djup och rymmer imponerande två miljoner liter drivmedel. För att få in dessa stora cisterner i berganläggningen sprängdes ett stort hål upp i sidan av skeppet. De stora delarna transporterades in i berget genom hålet, som sedan göts igen med ett tjockt lager betong. Hålets andra mynning utanför fylldes med sprängsten och slutligen lades schaktmassor över för att dölja hålet. Det är enbart från insidan det syns att det en gång fanns hål där eftersom resten av skeppet har råa bergytor. 

Cisternerna är tömda på dess innehåll sedan länge men än finns det spår kvar i cisternerna som vittnar om vad som lagrats i dem. En tunn mörkbrun sörja ligger som en hinna på plåtgolvet vilket gör det väldigt halt att gå runt i cisternerna. Minsta ljud ekar högt och man får en bra översyn av hur mycket drivmedel som en gång förvarades i berget. Oerhört stora mängder sett till bergrummets storlek som gissningsvis är cirka 2 500-3 000 kvadratmeter stort.

Efter ett bra tag i berget beger vi oss mot inslaget. Väl vid den gröna plåtdörren i inslaget som står på glänt slås vi av den varma och fuktiga luften utifrån, solskenet hade nu övergått i varmt sommarregn och åska. Samtidigt som åskan och de svarta molnen tilltar över anläggningen går tankarna till den tragiska explosionsolyckan som inträffade vid drivmedelsanläggningen i Broddbo 21 maj 2003. På platsen fanns en man från SGU (Sveriges Geologiska Undersökning), tre man från Skanska och en av Skanska inhyrd maskinförare. Två av Skanskas medarbetare omkom i explosionen. I rapporten från MSB går att läsa:

“Åskvädret kom närmare och strax före klockan 13 upplevde personerna i manskapsboden ett kraftigt ljussken, omedelbart följt av en ljudknall. En av personerna noterade ytterligare ett mullrande ljud varvid han begav sig ut genom dörren. På utsidan flög sten och grus (från huvudingången) genom luften och slog ned runt omkring. Han återvände in i boden och upplevde att marken skakade två eller tre gånger med kort mellanrum samt att boden tycktes lyfta från marken. När han tittade ut genom fönstret i riktning mot reservutgången såg han ett moln, direkt följt av en smäll, svepa fram och dra med sig delar av skogen.

SGUs medarbetare på platsen larmade omedelbart efter olyckan SOS-alarm. Räddningstjänsten i Hedåker fick första larmet 13:01. Räddningstjänsten i Sala fick larmet 13:02. Första styrkan var på plats 13:17. Räddningsledaren vid Räddningstjänsten i Sala-Heby anlände till olycksplatsen 13:21. Räddningstjänsten konstaterade snabbt att de två personer som befunnit sig vid reservutgången omkommit. Övriga tre var chockade och togs omhand av ambulanspersonal.

Vid huvudingången trycktes taket över ingångsdörren upp vilket orsakat sättningar i marken ovanför taket. Jordtäcket har rört sig ned mot ingången och dragit med sig delar av vegetationen i rasmassorna. De fyllnadsmassor som användes för täckningen av huvudingången och som vid explosionen slungades mot utlastningsplatsen och förvaltningsbyggnaden orsakade omfattande skador på de bilar och husvagnar som stod uppställda inom området. Väggen mellan ort och provtagningskammare innanför reservutgången demolerades och trycktes ut genom öppningen. Rörledningar och pumputrustning samt installationer för styrning och övervakning i provtagningskammaren har också följt med tryckvågen ut. Ventilationskanaler och rörledningar längre in i orten har rivits ned från sina fästen, tryckts ihop och förvridits. Den yttre ståldörren till reservutgången är fläkt åt sidan med både dörrblad och karm. På vänster sida, ca 20 meter utanför reservutgången, stod en container med utrustning för rening av utgående lakvatten, en s.k. stripperanläggning. Denna har genomborrats av armeringsjärn från väggen i reservutgången samt vänts upp och ned och förflyttats c:a 10 meter, varvid reningsanläggningen helt demolerades. I utblåsningsriktningen och c:a 40-70 meter från reservutgångens öppning har småskog bestående av mindre lövträd och barrträd fällts av tryckvågen.

Kontaktledningen på järnvägen mellan Sala och Avesta, som passerar c:a 150 meter från anläggningen, fick smärre skador. Banverket fick klartecken av Räddningstjänsten att släppa på tågtrafiken igen först vid 6-tiden på morgonen dagen efter olyckan.”

MSB´s rapport i sin helhet: https://www.msb.se/Upload/Forebyggande/brandfarlig_explosiv/broddborapporten.pdf

Efter cirka 20 minuter är åskan och de svarta molnen återigen förbytta mot strålande sol och värme så vi påbörjar vår dokumentering på utsidan. På området finns bland annat ett bostadshus för drift- och vaktpersonal som jobbade vid anläggningen, ett antal mindre plåtförråd för diverse förvaring samt en större förrådsbyggnad. I den stora förrådsbyggnaden låg en av försvarets brandsläckarserviceanläggningar. Där servades, provtrycktes och plomberades brandsläckare som tillhörde försvaret. Från detta förråd utgick även en stor lastbil med komplett släckarverkstad, lunchrum och en övernattningsdel. Runt om på området sitter brandposter placerade för att i händelse av en brand snabbt kunna få kontroll över situationen som fort kan bli katastrofal med all lättantändligt drivmedel både i- och utanför berget. Två mobila brandsprutor fanns att tillhandahålla för anläggningens egna brandstyrka samt en kraftig pump nere vid sjön som kunde förse brandstyrkan med stora mängder vatten vid behov.

Bredvid inslaget i berget leder en brant ståltrappa upp mot hjässan. På hjässan finns avgasutsläpp för reservkraften, utsläpp för ångorna från drivmedlet och övrig ventilation för anläggningen. Som svampar skjuter flertalet plåtrör upp från marken och fortsätter längs med marken till en gjuten betongklump. Från anläggningen ligger ledningar nedgrävda till järnvägen en bit ifrån. Ett stickspår vid bangården gjorde det möjlig för ett tågsätt att köra in för att sedan koppla av- eller på drivmedel som sedan pumpas upp- eller ner till bangården. På detta vis var det svårt för förbipasserande att se vad det var för aktivitet som föregick, speciellt eftersom anläggningen var omgiven av tät skog som gjorde den svår att upptäcka. Under den aktiva tiden patrullerade beväpnade vakter området för att se till att inga obehöriga strök omkring i skogen med omnejd.

Vid norra- och södra infarten till området finns skyddsrum (modell sk10 kupol) för de soldater som hade till uppgift att agera närförsvar till anläggningen. I dessa skyddsrum rymdes tio personer liggandes med sin utrustning eller 20 personer sittandes. Faciliteten i skyddsrummet är sparsmakad med handskött ventilation, en kamin, uttag för fältradio/telefon och en krok i taket för stormlyktan. Det finns även en sk10:a på hjässan av berget, dold med maskeringsnät som gör den svår att urskilja i terrängen.

Runt omkring området håller det väderbitna staketet obehöriga utanför och kvar på hjässan sitter en gammal skylt kvar som upplyser bärplockare och nyfikna om att området är ett militärt skyddsobjekt med fotoförbud.

 

1. Historia och händelser

Armén och Fortifikationsförvaltningen lät under andra världskriget bygga sex stora centrallager för drivmedel i landet, från Boden i norr till Moheda i söder (övriga platser var Brattbyn, Finnerödja, Gällö samt Visby). Den motoriserade krigföring som varit dominerande sedan 1900-talets början vilade tungt på en ständig tillförsel av fossila bränslen. En stridsvagn kunde till exempel bara under de allra mest gynnsamma förhållanden komma under en bränsleförbrukning på 30 liter per mil. Men även det måste räknas som beskedligt jämfört med vad som krävs för att driva fram bepansrade fartyg. Eftersom Sverige hittills hade tvingats importera i stort sett allt drivmedel fanns här en akilleshäl i vår försvarsberedskap. Om importen skulle strypas skulle vi bokstavligen få en stående armé. Den lösning som användes under större delen av 1900-talet var att hålla bränsle i depå, från små lokala lager i närheten av de militära objekten till stora centrallager nedsprängda i de svenska urbergen. Sedan tillkom mindre drivmedelsanläggningar som låg strategiskt utplacerade i landet, allt för att kunna försörja de mekaniserade förbanden med drivmedel i händelse av krig.

Vid ett av det stora centrallager, närmare bestämt Klintaberget i Moheda, inträffade den 23 juli 1958 en våldsam explosion i berget som kom att beskrivas som “den stora smällen i Moheda”. I berget förvarades drivmedel för såväl flygvapnet, marinen och armén, och innehöll den ödesdigra dagen cirka 14 000 kubikmeter drivmedel (bergets kapacitet var 17 000 kubikmeter).

Chefen för anläggningen hade strax innan olyckan påbörjat sin semester då hans vikarie fick Flygförvaltningens order att undersöka om en av cisternerna var förorenad. Efter tömning skulle cisternens gaser vädras ut med fläktar.

Det gjordes, men avbröts vid arbetsdagens slut. När man dagen efter skulle påbörja arbetet på nytt och fläktarna skulle startas uppstod en gnista som orsakade en kraftig explosion. Tre personer omkom omgående i berget, medan en fjärde person som också höll till i berget lyckades ta sig ut svårt chockad och indränkt i bensin. Drivmedel i form av olja och bensin bokstavligen forsade ut ur berget och ner mot det lilla samhället Moheda.

Till platsen kallades två brandkårer, tre ambulanser samt cirka 450 värnpliktiga soldater från I11 Växjö för att assistera vid räddningsarbetet. Mängder med tankbilar rekvirerades som skulle försöka suga upp oljeprodukterna i marken. Pressen beskrev Moheda som en krigszon med omfattande avspärrningar, evakueringar av invånare, stora militära insatser och en ort i chocktillstånd. Med hjälp av invallningar försökte skadeverkningarna begränsas men effekterna på naturen blev påtagliga. Vid flera tillfällen antändes drivmedel, särskilt eldstormen över Dansjön blev en dramatisk händelse under räddningsinsatsen. Länsstyrelsen tog hand om ledningen av katastrofskyddsarbetet. Riktlinjer för detta arbete uppdrogs vid sammanträde inför länsstyrelsen på olycksdagens kväll, och därvid fastställdes även ansvarsfördelningen i stort mellan olika i arbetet deltagande organ.

Ett nytt sammanträde i saken hölls inför länsstyrelsen 25 juli. Sedan man fått läget under kontroll, överlämnades emellertid ledningen av det återstående uppröjningsarbetet åt militära myndigheter. Vid sammanträde inför militärbefälhavaren 1 augusti godkändes en av denne utarbetad plan för detta arbete. Den organisatoriska uppläggningen av katastrofskyddsarbetet under den första och mest kritiska tiden framgår i grova drag av figur 3.

   

2. Nedrustningen

Under 1991 påbörjades proposition 1991/92:102 (försvarsbeslutet 1992) med statsminister Ingvar Carlsson och försvarsminister Roine Carlsson i spetsen, men den 4 oktober 1991 tillträder Carl Bildt som ny statsminister och Anders Björck utses till försvarsminister och får försvarsbeslutet 1992 i knät. Fredag 24 januari 1992 offentliggjorde regeringen sin proposition angående försvaret för perioden 1992-1997. Med proposition ville regeringen att den fredstida grundorganisationen skulle utgöra stomme till krigsorganisationen. Det skulle vidare råda stor överensstämmelse mellan organisationen i fred och krig. Grundorganisationen skulle i fred upprätthålla krigsförbandens krigsduglighet och förbereda deras mobilisering. Vidare skulle grundorgani­sationen medge att anbefalld beredskap kunde upprätthållas med tillräcklig säkerhet. I propositionen angavs bland annat att Svea ingenjörregemente Ing 1 och Västgöta flygflottilj F 6 skulle avvecklas. Drygt en månad senare stod det klart att regeringen inte skulle få någon majoritet i riksdagen för sin proposition. Socialdemokraterna hade lagt fram ett eget förslag som utgick från deras tidigare planer inför försvarsbeslutet. Ny demokrati som innehade vågmästarrollen i riksdagen, lade även de fram en motion gällande försvaret. Dock var denna motion inte lika omfattande som den Socialdemokratiska, utan riktade kritik mot regeringens proposition. Då regeringen främst sökte stöd för sin försvarspolitik hos Ny demokrati, presenterade regeringen 3 juni 1992 för riksdagen en omarbetad proposition. I propositionen hade regeringen gått Ny demokrati till mötes på två av deras huvudpunkter. Avveckling av Västgöta flygflottilj F 6 hade bytts mot att istället avveckla Bråvalla flygflottilj F 13. All spaningsverksamhet vid F 13 i Norrköping skulle istället överföras till Västgöta flygflottilj F 6. Svea ingenjörregemente Ing 1 och FN-skolan FNS skulle kvarstå i Almnäs, Södertälje.

Även drivmedelsanläggningarna blev ett ämne i försvarsbeslutet. Under 1993 påbörjades tömningen av berganläggningen som vi dokumenterat i denna artikel som i cirka 40 år, i största hemlighet varit redo för att förse exempelvis ett framryckande mekaniserat förband med drivmedel i form av diesel och bensin. På området finns en tankningsplats med skärmtak, bensin- och diesel pumpar kvar än idag. En omfattande saneringen påbörjades av de enorma cisternerna vilket tog sin tid och än idag är de inte helt rena från sitt tidigare innehåll. Utrustning som tillhörde militären plockades ut, men än finns spår kvar i berget, mycket andas Kalla Krigets dagar och fukten äter sakta upp materielen som idag står kvar som ett minne av en svunnen tid.

Här kunde historien om drivmedelsanläggningen ha tagit slut, inslaget gjutits igen för att sedan helt glömmas bort, men tack vare en intressent som köpte anläggningen 2003 av Fortifikationsverket förblev berget oplomberat vilket gjort det möjligt för oss att besöka detta tidsdokument och föreviga det i bild. Besöket avslutas med att nyckeln sätts i plåtdörren och låscylindern klickar till, berget står nu tyst och öde medan vi sätter oss i bilen för att avverka många mil hem.

Denna artikeln skrevs av Peter Larsson med hjälp av dokumenten MSB – Broddborapporten, Inrikesdepartementet – Beredskap mot atomenergiolyckor och Smålandsposten. Tack till nyckelansvarig G, Torbjörn för kontaktinformation samt till Mats Levinsson för korrekturläsning.

 

SAIC Wins $596M for Delivery of C4ISR Systems to US Navy
Da defenseworld.net del 10 agosto 2018

C4ISR

Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) has won $596.6 million contract for the production and delivery of integrated command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems, networks and support equipment to the United States Navy.

The work includes procuring, fabricating, assembling, integrating, testing, inspecting and delivering a highly diverse range of systems that include various complex designs provided by Navy program offices in the form of technical data packages, the US department of defense said in a statement Thursday.

Systems vary in complexity, but generally include the integration of engineered cable assemblies, mounting kit assemblies, hardware, and software/security applications necessary to provide the warfighter with the capability to communicate, maintain situational awareness, and achieve information dominance. The contract includes a single five-year ordering period and an additional two-year award term.

The award term, if earned, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $861 million. Work is expected to be complete by August 2023. If the award term is earned, work could continue until August 2025.

 

Army Job: MOS 14J Air Defense C41 Tactical Operations Center Operator
Da thebalancecareers.com del 10 agosto 2018

An Air Defense C4I Tactical Operations Center Enhanced Operator is a member of the Army's air defense artillery team. This team helps to protect soldiers from aerial and missile attacks and shields them from enemy surveillance. It’s categorized as a military occupational specialty (MOS) 14J. Members of the air defense artillery team should be experts in the tactics and procedures of all Army air defense systems. It’s demanding, taxing work and requires soldiers who are disciplined and focused, but these roles are crucial to the success of all of the Army’s aerial missions.

Duties

This particular member of the air defense artillery team deals with manual early warning network (MEWN) functions. They’ll either supervise or be part of the team or platoon that handles operations and intelligence functions for the air defense artillery team. Soldiers who are in MOS 14J detect, track and identify aircraft, both friendly and enemy, and broadcast necessary early warning information. They’ll operate and perform maintenance on team vehicles and other equipment, and perform and support operations and intelligence duties in air defense units. These intelligence duties may vary widely depending on the mission at hand. These soldiers perform map operations,  ich are often critical to mission success. They’ll also supervise lower grade soldiers and provide these subordinates with technical guidance. Another big part of their jobs involves destroying classified material, as well as performing other security functions as necessary.

Training

Job training includes ten weeks of Basic Combat Training plus ten weeks of Advanced Individual Training with on-the-job instruction. Part of this time is spent in the classroom and in the field under simulated combat conditions. Object 3 You’ll learn Army methods of computing target locations, how to handle ammunition properly, the specifics of operating missile and rocket systems, as well as artillery tactics.

Qualifying for Army MOS 14J To be eligible for this important job, soldiers need a 99 in the mechanical maintenance (MM) aptitude area and a 98 in the general technical (GT) aptitude area on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude (ASVAB) test. You'll also need normal color vision (no colorblindness) and have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for MOS 14J. Since these soldiers have access to and handle sensitive information about artillery and air defense operations, a secret security clearance is required. This involves a criminal background check and a review of the soldier's finances.

Similar Civilian Jobs

Since this job is heavily combat-focused, there isn't a direct equivalent in the civilian workforce. But the skills and experience you receive in MOS 14J may prepare you for work in computer operations, business operations, or in fields requiring mechanical knowledge. You're likely also qualified to work as a network or computer systems administrator.

 

Cabrach nuclear bunker will open to the public for the first time
Da pressandjournal.co.uk del 9 agosto 2018

A nuclear bunker built in Moray in order to protect military forces at the height of the Cold War is to be opened to the public for the first time. Built in Cabrach during the 1960s, it was used by the Royal Observer Corps to track and identify aircraft flying over Great Britain. And even after the Cold War thawed, the high-security installation served until 1991. Only then was it abandoned as the RAF modernised its country defence systems. Until that point it had been in constant use and manned 24 hours, with its operational team always including three personnel who trained and rehearsed what would happen if a nuclear bomb were to have hit Moray. Cabrach Trust Heritage Manager Peter Bye-Jensen now wants to throw a spotlight on the bunker which he says has been long-forgotten by the rest of the region. He said: “The reason it hasn’t been opened before is simply that it has been forgotten about. “Although it is hiding in plain sight if you know Cabrach, you wouldn’t be able to identify it if you were just passing through.” The bunker will be open to the public for the first time as part of an open day hosted by the heritage trust on Saturday August 18. Local historian Andy Fairgrieve will be a hosting a tour of the bunker and explaining the history behind it, including how it was once part of a network of listening stations across Scotland,  designed to keep the country safe. Other highlights of the open day include a look at the illegal whisky distilling that used to go on in Cabrach. The heritage trust intends to build a historically accurate distillery, where members can replicate the old methods once used to make whisky as far back as the 1820s.  There will also be a Doric workshop taking place, as the area is one of the lastremaining strongholds of the old Scottish dialect. Mr Bye-Jensen is hoping that the open day will showcase just what the heritage trust are doing for the local community. He said: “I hope the wider community of the Cabrach will turn up to see what we are doing for them and what we are doing for heritage at Cabrach.” The open day kicks off at 10am at the War memorial cairn. by David Walker

 

Visiting a Cold War bunker
Da  ianvisit.co.uk del 7 agosto 2018

Down an unmarked gravel path behind a parish church in a small village in the countryside, can be found a nuclear bunker. It was not built to offer shelter to the local parishioners, but to observe the devastation as it took place, and report back to HQ what had happened as the bombs fell. Just three volunteers could fit into this cramped underground bunker, with a chemical toilet and two bunk beds where they would watch the end of the world.

This was the Cuckfield Royal Observer Corps post, one of over 1,500 that were built in the late 1950s/60s to watch the nuclear holocaust should it happen. Once a secret, it is now occasionally open to the public to climb down inside and see the cramped space that would have offered the observers shelter from the nuclear holocaust above. The Royal Observer Corps can date its origins to the first world war when people were trained to look out for Zeppelin airships on early bombing raids over England. They were massively expanded though during WW2, and would stand watch on high points and buildings for enemy planes, reporting to local command centres what they saw so that the anti-aircraft guns could be activated. They should have been made redundant after WW2 as both the arrival of jet aircraft that fly too fast for visual identification to be of much use, and the expansion of radar rendering lots of observers pointless. But then came the Cold War – and while the Observers couldn’t assist in preventing the nuclear holocaust, they could assist in the aftermath. Whatever scraps of government survived the attack would need to know where to focus its efforts, and what parts of the country to write off as unsalvageable. So observation bunkers were built — all across the country, all 1,563 of them.

They operated right up to 1991, when it was decided that both the risk of nuclear attack receded, and there were other ways of monitoring such a situation should it occur anyway. Many of the bunkers are today derelict, flooded, or vandalised, but a handful have been restored, and one can be found in the picturesque village of Cuckfield, not far from Haywards Heath. It’s not an easy bunker to find, which is to its benefit as that stops random passers by doing random bad things to it, but if you do find the gravel path, on a few days of the year a small sign will point you towards the bunker. Here in a remote field is a fenced off area, still owned by the local parish, and a small patch of military power can be found. A couple of members of Sub Brit, Mark and Ed look after it and open it for visitors. They took over in 2010 after finding it in pretty decent condition, although as with all the bunkers it had been stripped of all its fittings. So what you see is what they’ve bought themselves and put back in the bunker, restoring it to how it would have looked in the 1980s. It’s cramped down below, so take time to look at the displays above ground, of the uniforms, and the replica of the WW2 era observation post that once stood on the same site. That was an elevated concrete platform to give them a good view of the landscape, but with the cold war, it was far safer to hide underground instead. Above ground the only signs that there’s a bunker beneath your feet are the raised manhole cover, and a few odd looking objects. They are pressure and radiation detectors, and a white drum by the manhole cover is a pinhole camera that would have recorded the direction of the flash of a nuclear strike destroying a nearby town. If the nuclear attack used multiple bombs, then someone had to pop their head above ground and swap the photographic paper in the camera for the next wave of attacks, which gives you an indication of just how brave the observers corp had to be. Once there’s enough space down below, you’re invited to climb down the same metal ladder used for decades by volunteers training for the unthinkable. Down here, it’s just one room, with a small block to one side for a chemical toilet.

Two bunk beds for three people — as someone would always be awake and a host of military instructions and observation books. The telecoms kit is marked with the post-privatisation British Telecom logos, reminding us that this was in operation until fairly recently. It’s not some dusty relic of the distant past, but living history. Some of the things piled up seem amusing, tinned food with dubious flavours being the staple they would have had to live on until the all clear was given. Tinned processed cheese, curried chicken, tinned rice — sounds like an American dinner. A newspaper from 1991 when the bunker was decommissioned still shows how tense relations with Russia were even then. Everything is functional down here, none of the comforts of home — instructions, equipment, food, jerry cans of water, all placed here simply to keep a three humans alive for a few days to watch and observe as everything else is blasted away. It’s a tiny cramped space, very claustrophobic, and probably worse if knowing that to go above ground would be to risk death from radiation poisoning. There would be no escape from this concrete bunker, for a while at least. And then to go back above ground, to try and repair what little is left of civilization. What would it have been like to be down here, knowing that above ground, friends and families were being wiped out by the awful power of the nuclear war? Fortunately, we never needed to find out. Visit the bunker, feel the closeness of the space, the tight tunnel up to the surface. Respect the thousands of volunteers who offered to spend their last days watching as their world end in a nuclear fire. Visits are free, with donations appreciated. This was their last open day of 2018, and it’s best to keep an eye on their website for their 2019 open days. If you visit, also take a walk around to Queen’s Hall, and at the back, just visible from the road, a rare survivor on the roof of an air-raid, later 4- minute warning siren.

 

SANCTIONS WAIVER SMOOTHENS INDIA’S PURCHASE OF RUSSIAN S-400 AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM
Da defenseworld.net del 3 agosto 2018

S-400 Air Defence System Illustration

India will be able to purchase the Russian S-400 Air Defence System without fear of United States sanctions following a waiver granted under the US National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA). Further, India may have negotiated an attractive price for the system bringing it below US$5.6 billion (INR38000 crore approx) a price which is lower than the earlier reported price band of INR40,000—INR45000 crore (US$ 5.8 billion-US$6.5 bilion approx). A source familiar with the developments told Defenseworld.net, “under the Intergovernmental Agreement signed in 2016 by Russian President Putin and Indian PM Modi, India will be getting five regiments of the S-400 system and will have its officers trained to operate and maintain the system. A delegation from India visited Russia for trials in 2017 and the field evaluation last summer proved a complete success. The technical negotiations have been settled.

Now the price is also agreed upon. It will be under US$5.6 billion.” The US senate on Wednesday passed the NDAA bill that seeks to waive sanction against India, Vietnam and Indonesia under the Countering American Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) that threatens secondary sanctions against countries which conduct “significant” business with Russia. While Indian defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has refused to acknowledge CAATSA stating that India only follows United Nations sanctions, a problem would have arisen in financial settlements as dollar payments to be made by India to Russia would need to go through the US financial system which could then have blocked the payment. The source said that early signing of the purchase deal would ensure that India gets its S-400 system within a reasonable timeframe. With current production committed for deliveries to China and Turkey and negotiations on with Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Iraq, India may be pushed down the line if any one of the three countries in question signs up before India. India will get the S-400 Triumph mobile multichannel air defense missile system to protect its borders from potential regional threats coming from neighboring countries. According to information from the S-400 manufacurer, Almaz –Antey, the system is designed to engage strategic aircraft with airborne long-range missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, medium-range ballistic missiles, aircraft jammers, early-warning and reconnaissance aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft and other air attack vehicles in a heavy ECM environment. The system is capable of engaging targets both independently and in cooperation with higher command posts or external radar data sources. In terms of engaging and destroying aviation targets S-400 hardly has any comparable analogues around the globe. It can locate targets at 600 km and shoot at a distance of up to 400 km.

 

Chilly reminder of Cold War era
Da straitstimes.com del 31 luglio 2018

This pyramid-shaped Missile Site Control Building stands in the middle of the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex. Built in the 1970s at a cost of US$5.7 billion (S$7.8 billion), the complex near the city of Langdon in North Dakota was the United States' first operational anti-ballistic missile defence site.

It was designed to detect and intercept attacking nuclear warheads from Soviet missiles. The facility was fully operational for only one day in October 1975 before the US Congress voted to shut it down. This photograph is part of an exhibition, Most People Were Silent, which runs until Oct 10 at the Earl Lu Gallery at the Lasalle College of the Arts' Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore. The exhibition comprises a series of images of nuclear sites in North Korea and the US taken by award- inning documentary photographer Sim Chi Yin.

The 39-year-old Singaporean, who is the first Asian Nobel Peace Prize photographer, was asked to do an exhibition on last year's Peace Prize winner, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons civil society group. She decided to approach the topic by taking photos of nuclear sites. The nuclear project is also on show at two solo exhibitions at the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo until end-November and the Cortona On The Move photo festival in Italy until end-September.

 

Boeing unveils design proposal for Minuteman III replacement programme
Da defence-blog.net del 27 luglio 2018

Boeing has unveiled its design concept for a possible replacement for the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), said in apress release on 20 July.

According to the statement, Boeing has presented the U.S. Air Force with design options for America’s next intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD).

The review marks the achievement of a key contract milestone.  “We offered the Air Force cost and performance trades for a deterrent that will address emerging and future threats,” said Frank McCall, vice president, Boeing Strategic Deterrence Systems. “By considering the various capabilities and opportunities for cost savings, the Air Force can prioritize system requirements as we progress toward the program’s next phase.”

The Air Force awarded Boeing a $349 million contract in August to mature the GBSD weapon system design. Boeing completed a system requirements review in November. A system functional review will occur later this year, and Boeing will present its preliminary design review to the Air Force in 2020.

Designed to serve as a reliable deterrent to nuclear threats over the next 50-plus years, the GBSD weapon system will begin to replace the Minuteman III ICBM in the late 2020s. According to the Military.com, the Minuteman is a strategic weapon system using a ballistic missile of intercontinental range. Missiles are dispersed in hardened silos to protect against attack and connected to an underground launch control center through a system of hardened cables. Launch crews, consisting of two officers, perform around-the-clock alert in the launch control center.

 

Inside the Amazing Abandoned Bunkers of the Maginot Line
Da abandonedspaces.com del 27 luglio 2018

After the First World War, what the French feared the most was another German invasion. They sought a sense of security from their neighbor, and in the 1930s a line of fortifications was constructed along the border with Germany. The line was named after André Maginot, the French Minister of War, who was a resolute advocate of the project. Apart from the ouvrages (large underground forts), the Maginot Line also consists of concrete reinforced pillboxes covering gaps between the forts, as well as protective shelters for the soldiers. The shelters were called abri and were typically designed to house 50-200 servicemen. The Maginot Line fortifications were strong and elaborately designed; many rightfully considered them impenetrable. Although expensive, the fortifications proved ultimately to be redundant. They did not protect France from Hitler’s forces as the Germans found their way around them by attacking through Belgium in May 1940. The part of the Maginot line that we are going to explore today is located near the village of Veckring, 10 miles from Thionville in Lorraine. It includes pillboxes, cloches (fortified observation and machine gun domes), and an abri. A big thank you to technolirik for the photographs and information! See more of his work here: technolirik

Lorraine’s calm pastoral landscapes look peaceful and idyllic: Here and there, derelict military structures can be spotted amid the rural landscape of Lorraine.

A typical pillbox of the Maginot Line.

This pillbox secures gaps between large ouvrages.

Hundreds of objects like this were built along the defensive line.

There are two embrasures for two coupled machine guns and an anti-tank 1.8-inch gun (at earlier-built objects a 1.5-inch gun).

This standard combination was used on all objects of the Maginot Line, from small pillboxes to combat blocks of underground forts.

Apart from this weapons “bundle,” each pillbox was equipped with closedefense machine guns put inside embrasures and armored cloches.

A GFM cloche is placed on the roof of the structure. GFM cloches, equipped with a machine gun or a 2-inch mortar, were a distinct feature of the Maginot Line and the most widespread type of armored cloches used in it.

In total, over one thousand GFM cloches were constructed on the line.

Each pillbox was also equipped with a searchlight to illuminate targets at night.

It was placed in an armored cover (as seen in the center of the frame) and controlled remotely from the bunker.

Let’s hop inside one of the two pillboxes located near the village of Veckring.
Interestingly, the pillboxes are connected by an underground passage.
On the left is the door to the pillbox and on the right is the door to the casemate.

Interestingly, the locking mechanism of the casemate door is installed on the exterior side – not inside the casemate.

Shelves for ammunition on the wall opposite the embrasures inside the casemate:
This type of casemate structure is the most common type of combat casemate on the Maginot Line.

It was present on virtually all casemates of the Maginot Line structures – starting from conventional pillboxes and ending with combat blocks of large underground forts.

This reconstruction gives an idea of how the casemate would have looked during the days of combat duty.

If enemy tanks were approaching the object, one of the two coupled machine guns was moved to the side and the anti-tank gun took its place.

This is how the casemate looks from the same angle, but with all equipment removed:
A small air filter and ventilation system are installed next to the casemate.

It only had one filter – in case of a gas attack.

A shaft of observation and machine gun cloche of the pillbox:
This is how the cloche would have looked like originally:
Now, we descend to the bottom level of the pillbox. On the bottom level right next to the staircase is a toilet cubicle.
Opposite the toilet is a water tank which functioned as a water reservoir:
Staff room. Almost all of the space is taken up by a three-story bunk bed designed for 12 people:
This pillbox is connected by an underground passage to a neighboring pillbox – quite a rarity for Maginot Line structures.
The narrow passageway finally leads to the underground level of the neighboring pillbox.
The layout of this second pillbox is identical to the first one.
Ascended to the top floor.

An air filter and ventilation system have been installed here, just like at the first pillbox:

The door, as well as the doorframe of the entrance to the casemate, have been deformed by a shock wave.

Perhaps a shell detonated inside the casemate.

On the left is an embrasure to cover approaches to the pillbox from the front:
Inside the GFM cloche:
View of the GFM cloche of the first pillbox:
Embrasures of the casemate as seen from the outside:

After visiting the two pillbox structures we are going to travel to a different location near Veckring. The structure we are going to see is an abri: an underground shelter for troops engaged in military operations at the front line. There is an observation GFM directly above the roof of the entrance block.

The shelter has two entrance blocks.

They are similar to the pillbox we saw earlier, with similar embrasures for machine guns to defend the entrances to the object.

Around the back of the entrance block is a narrow moat to prevent enemy troops from closing in.

There are signs that this shelter had seen combat: one of the embrasures has been damaged in an explosion. 

GFM cloche shaft:
The entrance block has 2 levels: one with close-defense equipment, and the other with an air filter and ventilation system.

The staircase leads to the next level of the entrance block and the subterranean level of the shelter.

The depth of the object is approximately 65 feet.

Behind a wooden door on the bottom level of the entrance block is an air filter and ventilation system.

The same system is located in the other entrance block.

Each has 3 filters and supplied fresh and clean air to the troops inside.

At the bottom of the staircase is the underground shelter (with nice decorative elements on the walls).
One of 2 corridors that run through the whole shelter from one entrance block to the other:
A barracks rooms for soldiers.

Barracks rooms had bunk beds along one wall and tables for eating along the other.

Water tank:
Remains of an electric water pump:
A manual pump in case electricity was cut off:
A derelict room with a diesel-powered generator:
Two diesel generators of SUPDI type 1SAE, with a capacity of 18 hp each, were responsible for the reserve power supply of the structure:
Well-preserved cooking equipment, with coal-powered stoves (unlike in the forts of the Maginot Line, which used electricity):
Premises with a toilet and washstands:
The room for the commander of the shelter:
Time to return to the surface.
A view of the second entrance block, with ivy growing on its side:
The observation and machine gun GFM cloche of the abri:
The cloche has sustained damage from a shell:

« In pictures: the mysterious underground structures iin Vorronezh

A tour arround an abandoned nuclear armory »

 

Not Everyone Gets a Rocket – Building ICBM’s is Still No Easy Task
Da warhistoryonline.com del 19 luglio 2018

di David Baker

One would think that with the world’s current technical expertise, building Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) should be a relatively easy task but it seems that exactly the opposite is true. In the world, only ten countries have managed to build ICBMs successfully.

So why is this?

Perhaps the place to start is to understand what an ICBM actually is. In it’s purest form it is a missile that once fired will follow a ballistic trajectory. In simpler terms it is like a ball or other object that is thrown, it follows a set path until it is pulled to earth by the force of gravity. The missile is ‘thrown’ into the air by a powerful rocket engine and then follows a set path until it is pulled to earth by gravity.

A little history

Test launch of an LGM-25C Titan II ICBM from an underground silo at Vandenberg AFB, United States, mid-1970s

 

The first country to posit the idea of a rocket that could be sent over great distances was Germany in the Nazi era.

They had an operation, Project America, led by Werner von Braun that intended to create a rocket that could be fired at New York.

While that did not come to fruition, the V2 was a very successful rocket that the German’s developed and launched at England during WWII.

The ‘V’ rockets were the world’s introduction to ballistic missiles.

The engineers that worked on the German rocket program were recruited to the USA and Russia after the war to work on the rocket programs in those countries.

The design philosophy that the German’s used formed the foundation of the ICBM programs in both America and Russia.

 

A V-2 launched from Test Stand VII in summer 1943. Photo: Bundesarchiv, Bild 141-1880 / CC-BY-SA 3.0

The first ICBMs were modified V2 rockets.

The rocket was given wings and called the A9 and the large rocket engine that powered the entire missile was called the A10.

The powerful new engine increased the range of the missile from 300 kilometers to 5,000 kilometers.

Aiming the new missile was done by using a compass to determine the heading that the rocket should follow and firing it at that heading.

The rudimentary internal guidance system consisting of gyroscopes was responsible for keeping the missile on course while the engines were fired.

The range would be managed by adjusting the amount of fuel loaded into the rocket.

Using slide rules and set mathematical calculations they would estimate the amount of fuel required to lift the rocket and give it enough impetus to cover the amount of ground necessary before gravity took over and pulled the missile back to earth.

US test launch of a Bumper V-2.

This means of calculating range was hugely advanced for the time but was a very rough and ready means.

The original V2 was not the most accurate of missiles once it was fired, and there was no means of controlling the rocket during its flight.

This was not an issue for the Germans as London was practically an unmissable target from the launch sites in the Netherlands and no matter the original  calculations the V2 was almost sure to hit some part of London.

Trying to hit a target at ten times the distance required a great deal more technology and a guidance system that was infinitely more manageable and accurate.

 

Von Braun with the F-1 engines of the Saturn V first stage at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center

The initial plans by the Germans for these first ICBMs was, incredibly enough, to have them manned so that they could be accurately aimed.

The intention was for the pilot to sit on top of the warhead and be blasted off into space where the first stage would then separate from the warhead.

When the second stage fuel was exhausted, it would come back through the earth’s atmosphere and glide to its intended target using guidance gleaned from U-boats that would be on the surface to provide radiocommunications and try to find and collect the pilot.

How the designers intended the pilot to survive this is a mystery.

If he wasn’t burned to a crisp by re-entry to the earth’s atmosphere, the air pressure when he tried to eject would have killed him instantly.

 

 

An SM-65 Atlas, the first US ICBM, first launched in 1957

As onboard computers were unknown and at this time the development of a guidance system was almost impossible.

Modern ICBM missiles rely extensively on computer power, along with gyroscopes, terrain mapping, and GPS systems to ensure they know where they are going and get to the right place.

The next issue was the amount of explosives that the warhead could carry.

The German V2 was a huge rocket with, relative to its size, a small payload but this indicates another problem.

The larger the payload, the larger the rocket and the more difficult it is to calculate the range and trajectory.

Putting the first stage onto the rocket multiplies the complexity of the entire problem significantly as well as adding considerably to the cost of the entire missile. Adding a large payload, just made the whole issue so much more complicated that it was not possible at the time.

 

Testing of the Peacekeeper re-entry vehicles at the Kwajalein Atoll. All eight fired from only one missile. Each line, if its warhead were live, represents the potential explosive power of about 300 kilotons of TNT, about nineteen times larger than the detonation of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.

The last problem that would have to be solved is the issue around re-entry.

Re-entry to the earth’s atmosphere is accompanied by a great deal of heat so any payload would either have to be carefully protected from this heat or would have to consist of something not affected by the temperature.

Any protection would add significantly to the weight issue so the German’s used a TNT type of warhead which would not require a great deal of heat protection. So to sum up, building a rocket that is designed to leave the earth’s atmosphere and then re-enter and find its way to a specified target is no simple task. The rocket component is relatively simple to build but designing a payload that is small enough and powerful enough as well as able to withstand the journey is  complicated as is the creation of an accurate and reliable guidance system.

 

North Korea today

Hwasong-15 Transporter erector vehicle. Photo: Heriberto Arribas Abato / CC-BY-SA 4.0

North Korea has made great strides in the production of ICBM technology, but they are still struggling to overcome some of the issues around guidance systems. A film of their testing of the Hwasong-14 missile shows it burning up after re-entry and falling into the sea off the Japanese coast.

North Korea is still unable to create a miniature nuclear bomb that is able to withstand the journey out of and back into the earth’s atmosphere, and as they do not have their own set of global positioning satellites, the guidance systems are also not as accurate as they need to be.

Their close neighbor, China, has a highly sophisticated and precise military GPS infrastructure but it is highly unlikely that China would allow North Korea access to this technology. The world can only hope that current negotiations will gradually lessen the threat of nuclear missiles coming out of North Korea. As their technology develops, it is conceivable that they will reach the point of building a missile that can reach anywhere in the world.

 

Russia reveals new images of Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile
Da defence-blog.net del 19 luglio 2018

On 19 July, the official Facebook account of Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation posted a video showing the newest Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile.

The MoD released video showing the liquid-fueled, MIRV-equipped, superheavy thermonuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missile is developed to replace the old SS-18 Satan missile.

According to the official statement, the program for the deployment of the Sarmat missile system is synchronized in time with the gradual withdrawal of its predecessor, the R-36M2 Voevoda missile system, also known as the SS-18 Satan.

The energy capabilities of the Sarmat missile system make it possible to use an extended range of combat capability on the missile. It can carry combat blocks of small, medium, high or large power classes. President Vladimir Putin early said that delivery of the new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile to Russia’s military is scheduled for 2020. “The systems, which will beef up our strategic forces in the foreseeable future, I mean, first of all, the Sarmat system, which is to be delivered to the troops in 2020, the Avangard system, the delivery of which is scheduled for 2019, and other systems are being tested according to the original schedule,” – said Vladimir Putin during a meeting with top military and defence industry officials in Sochi on 18 May.

The serial production of the Sarmat missile would probably be conducted at the Krasmash factory in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk. Developed by the Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau, the new hypersonic Sarmat missile is capable of striking targets both via the North and the South Poles. “The missile’s uniquely cross-functional combat platform allows the use of all types of individually targeted warheads, including ones which are still on the drawing board,” Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces Commander, Col. Gen. Karatayev. According to the Center’s Missile Defense Project, the Sarmat as being able to carry 10 large warheads, 16 smaller ones, a combination of warheads and countermeasures, or up to 24 YU-74 hypersonic boost-glide vehicles.  That means one Satan 2 ICBM could pack as much as eight megatons of TNT-equivalent explosive power. The Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile is small enough to fit into existing missile silos with minimum modifications to launch area infrastructure.

 

Fulda: Trichtersperren und Nato-Bunker - Unterwegs mit den Wallmeistern
Da focus.de del 18 luglio 2018

Dies ist wohl die am weitesten verbreitete Sperranlage des Kalten Krieges: Trichtersperren. Derzeit gibt es in Deutschland noch 700 davon – und sie sind kaum zu unterscheiden von normalen Kanaldeckeln. Die Wallmeister der Bundeswehr sorgen ein bis zweimal im Jahr dafür, dass diese gewartet werden und somit keine Verkehrsgefährdungen für die Bevölkerung entstehen. Wir haben sie bei ihrer Kontrolle begleitet. Object 2 Die erste Sperranlage befindet sich auf einer Straße zwischen Oberrode und Kleinlüder, eine sogenannte Trichtersperre oder auch "Straßensprengschachtanlage" genannt. Die Sprengladungen waren hier auf sechs Sprengschächte verteilt worden, sodass eine sehr große Wirkung und ein riesiger Krater erzielt worden wäre. "Die meisten Sprengschächte hatten eine Tiefe von circa 5,5 Meter. Die benötigte Sprengladung wurde für jeden Schacht im Vorfeld berechnet.

Bei dieser waren es insgesamt 2.600 Kilogramm TNT", erklärt Hauptfeldwebel Thorsten Stöhr. Alles wurde berechnet Im Ernstfall wären Krater mit einem Durchmesser von ca. 12 Meter in den Boden gerissen worden. Das Ziel der Sprengschächte war es, die Straße unpassierbar zu machen, um Zeit zu gewinnen, sodass der feindliche Angriffsschwung gebremst wurde und die NATO-Truppen sich zur Verteidigung hätten einrichten können. Jeder einzelne Sprengschacht wurde genau berechnet, sodass die Menge des TNT ausreichend war, um den feindlichen Truppen den Weg zu erschweren, aber dennoch keine Infrastruktur in der Umgebung zu gefährden. Die Schachttiefe entsprach in der Regel immer dem zu sprengenden Radius. Geladen wurden die Schächte mit sogenannten "Käseladungen". Dies sind runde, ca. 25 Kilogramm schwere TNT- löcke, die in den Schacht hinabgelassen wurden. Das Beladen einer Sprenganlage, bis hin zum "scharf stellen" hätte rund 90 Minuten gedauert. Das war in so kurzer Zeit möglich, da es in unmittelbarer Nähe sogenannte "Sperrmittelhäuser" gab. Hier wurden die Käseladungen gelagert. Gezündet wurden sie dann aus weiter Entfernung über eine elektrische oder gemischte Zündung. Die nächste Sperranlage befindet sich zwischen Lehnerz und Götzenhof, unter der Brücke der A 7. Dies ist eine andere Form der Sperranlage, eine sogenannte Brückensperre.

Das besondere hierbei war es, dass man im Falle einer Sprengung sowohl den Autoverkehr als auch den Bahnverkehr (durch die herabstürzenden Trümmer) lahmgelegt hätte. Außerdem gab es Grabensperren, Trägerstecksperren, Rampensperren und viele weitere Sperren, um die gegnerischen Truppen aufzuhalten. Nato Bunker Gundhelm Vor 30 Jahren patrouillierten hier in einem Wald im Schlüchterner Stadtteil Gundhelm noch amerikanische Soldaten. Sie bewachten Munition, Fahrzeuge und Treibstoffe. Das Nato-Lager war ein Versorgungslager, welches von der US- Armee von 1982 bis 1990 genutzt wurde. Hier lagerte auf circa 9 Hektar die Munition, die für die umliegenden Sprengschächte genutzt wurde. Neben Gundhelm gab es ein solches Nato-Lager auch in Grebenhain. "Der Bunker war bis 1992 im Besitz der Nato. Bis 2004 war hier noch eine Pilzfarm, da diese in dem dunklen, kalten Bunker besonders gut gezüchtet werden können. Nun gehört das Areal dem Land", so Siegfried Walz von Hessen Forst. In Osthessen gibt es noch einige andere Sperranlagen, etwa bei Giesel oder Schlitz. Diese werden aber, wie viele andere bereits, zurückgebaut und zugeschüttet. Das wichtigste ist die Erhaltung der Relikte für die Nachwelt. So konnten laut dem Heimatforscher Matthias Schweimer zwei Trichtersperren als Bodendenkmal eingetragen werden. Somit schließt sich so langsam ein düsteres Kapitel deutscher Geschichte. (Moritz Pappert)

 

Hidden Wirral – Secret WW2 Tunnels of New Brighton Tours
Da explore-liverpool.com del 13 luglio 2018

The history of the New Brighton Palace Tunnels is an intriguing story that is unveiled when Hidden Wirral Tours Presents.. Secret Underground WW2 Tunnels of New Brighton.

The tunnels are said to date back to over 200 years, to the times of the wreckers and smugglers and were later redeveloped when the Palace was built. Used as a munitions factory during WW2, it later became a nightclub known as The Creep Inn.

Fancy viewing the tunnels yourself? Well now is your chance to take part in a special historic tour and gain exclusive access to visit these old factory rooms.

You will have the opportunity to visit inside the Secret Munitions Tunnels and former Air Raid Shelter, while a local Historian fascinates you with the history behind the tunnels.

 

Visitors will also get to see the Top Secret Munitions room that operated throughout the Second World War that had remained hidden away from public viewing until recently.

This historic tour will learn you about The D-Day Connection, bomb damage to New Brighton, evacuation and shelters, war memorabilia, the air raid bunker & sirens and so much more.

The tour has a capacity of 15 people per tour, with the duration approximately one hour. Tickets are priced at £7.50 per person and is suitable for children.


The experience is for all to enjoy, for further information and tickets visit www.hiddenwirral.org

 

London’s Lost Castles and Fortifications
Da heritagedaily.com del 7 luglio 2018

When we place the words “castle” and “London” in the same context, we generally think of the Tower of London as the only fortress in defence of the London area. The cities evolution has seen its destruction and rebirth, forming the basis of the cities multi-phase defensives in a story that spans thousands of years.

1 Post-Boudican Roman Fort (CE 65-80)

The first post-Boudican fort was built at Fenchurch Street in response to the tribes of Britons revolting against Roman rule. In CE 60 or 61, whilst the Roman governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus was leading a campaign on the island of Anglesey off the northwest coast of Wales, the Iceni Queen Boudica, led a coalition of native tribes in a march across Britannia that led to the total destruction of Londinium.

In response, a fort was built in the Early Roman period (CE 65-80) around the site of 20 Fenchurch Street as a temporary structure.

Excavations by the Museum of London at Plantation Place uncovered the north-east corner of the temporary fort and created a reconstruction plan based on these findings. Possible fort-related features include clay-and-timber buildings, a large timber-lined water tank and a metalworking workshop.

 

2 Roman Fort (CE 120)

In succession to the temporary fort, a stone fort was built around CE 120, just north-west of the main population settlement.

It covered 12 acres and was almost square in size and 200m along each length.

As Londinium grew, the fort was later absorbed into the defensive wall that surrounded the city and could house up to 1000 men with suitable barracks and gated entry. A century later, the site was decommissioned as the military situation in the southern edge of Britannia had become more secure.

Today, the forts northern and western edges still remain visible, along with Saxon fortifications and medieval bastion towers as part of the Barbican and Museum of London complex.

 

3 Roman Wall

The London Wall is a defensive wall that encircled the City of London. The wall was built between 190 and 225 CE, it continued to be developed by the Romans until at least the end of the 4th century, making it among the last major building projects undertaken by the Romans before Britannia looked to its own defences in CE 410. Along with Hadrian’s Wall and the road network, the London Wall was one of the largest construction projects carried out in Roman Britain. Once built, the wall was 2 miles long and about 6m high, encircling the entire Roman city. Despite Londinium being abandoned and left to ruin, the wall remained in active use as a fortification for more than another 1,000 years.

It was repaired when Anglo Saxon rule was returned to London by Afred the Great during a period of Viking sieges and raids, where he carried out building projects to rebuild crumbling defences, recut the defensive ditch (Roman fossa that encircled the walls of Londinium) and founded the resettlement of Lundenburg within the walls. The wall was further modified in the medieval period, with the addition of crenellations, gates and bastion towers. This formed part of a defensive line that incorporated The Tower of London, Baynard’s Castle and Montfichet’s Tower. It was not until as late as the 18th and 19th centuries that the wall underwent substantial demolition, although even then large portions of it survived by being incorporated into other structures. Amid the devastation of the Blitz in WW2, some of the tallest ruins in the bomb-damaged city centre were actually remnants of the Roman wall.

4 Montfichet’s Tower

Montfichet’s Tower was a Norman fortress on Ludgate Hill in London, between where St Paul’s Cathedral and City Thameslink railway station now stand. Little is known about the construction of Montfichet’s Tower. The first documentary evidence is a reference to the lord of Montfichet’s Tower in a charter of c1136 in relation to river rights. The tower was probably built in the late 11th century, the name appears to derive from the Montfichet family from Stansted Mountfitchet in Essex, who occupied the tower in the 12th century.

A William Mountfichet lived during the reign (1100–1135) of Henry I and witnessed a charter for the sheriffs of London. The last mention of the tower as a place of military significance comes in Jordan Fantosme’s chronicle of the revolt of 1173–1174 against Henry II.

The tower was eventually in ruin by 1278, according to a deed drawn up between the Bishop of London, where Montfichet’s Tower was included in the land sale with Baynard’s Castle to form the precinct of the great priory of Blackfriars. Modern redevelopment gave the Department of Urban Archaeology of the Museum of London the opportunity to excavate the site between 1986 and 1990. Archaeologists found ditches marking the outer defences, pits and a well that was interpreted as the bailey of the castle.

5 Baynard’s Castle

Baynard’s Castle refers to two buildings that existed on the same site between St Pauls Cathedral, where the old Roman walls and River Fleet met the River Thames, just east of what is now Blackfriars station. The first was a Norman castle, constructed by Ralph Baynard (Sheriff of Essex) that incorporated an earlier Saxon fortification. The castle was inherited by Ralph’s son Geoffrey and his grandson William Baynard, but the latter forfeited his lands early in the reign of Henry I (1100–1135) for supporting Henry’s brother Robert Curthose in his claim to the throne. John Stow gives 1111 as the date of forfeiture. Later in Henry’s reign, the lordship of Dunmow and honour or soke of Baynard’s Castle were granted to the king’s steward, Robert Fitz Richard. The Norman castle stood for over a century before being demolished by King John in 1213. It appears to have been rebuilt after the barons’ revolt, but the site was sold in 1276 to form the precinct of the great priory of Blackfriars. About a century later, a new fortified mansion was constructed on land that had been reclaimed from the Thames, southeast of the first castle.

The castle was rebuilt after 1428, and became the London headquarters of the House of York during the Wars of the Roses. Both King Edward IV and Queen Mary I of England were recorded being crowned at the castle. By the end of the 15th century, the castle was reconstructed again as a royal palace by Henry VII, which Henry VIII gave Catherine of Aragon as a gift on the eve of their wedding. Baynard’s Castle was left in ruins after the Great Fire of London in 1666, although fragments survived into the 19th century.

6 Ruislip Castle

Ruislip Castle is an 11th-century motte and bailey castle located in Ruislip in Greater London.

A timber castle would have stood on the raised motte (mound), beyond would have been a bailey (fortified enclosure) containing a cluster of huts that was introduced by the Normans as a means to subdue and administrate local populations.

Both would have been surrounded by a palisade and moat, part of the moat still survives today.

The castle was probably occupied for a very short period as there’s no record of Ruislip Castle in the Domesday book, however, groundwork on the site has been dated to the 9th century.

7 Lines of Communication

The Lines of Communication were English Civil War fortifications commissioned by Parliament in 1643 for intrenching and fortifying the City of London from attack by the Royalist armies of Charles I.

Much of the work was done by volunteer labour, organised by the trained bands and the livery companies. Up to 20,000 people are thought to be involved, and the works were completed in under two months.

These works principally consisted of a strong earthen rampart reinforced with a series of 23 fortifications of various types surrounding the whole City, and its liberties (including Southwark), at a distance of one and a half to two miles from the city centre.

 

7 London Stop Lines/Outer London Defence

Ring The Outer London Defence Ring was a defensive ring built around London during the early part of the Second World War.

It was intended as a defence against a German invasion, and was part of a national network of similar “Stop Lines”. In June 1940 under the direction of General Edmund Ironside, concentric rings of anti-tank defences and pillboxes were constructed in and around London.

They comprised: The London Inner Keep, London Stop Line Inner (Line C), London Stop Line Central (Line B) and London Stop Line Outer (Line A). The ring used a mixture of natural rivers and artificial ditches up to 20 feet (6 m) wide and 12 feet (4 m) deep, encircling London completely.

 

FINLAND EXTENDS SURVEILLANCE RADAR MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH THALES
Da defenseworld.net del 6 luglio 2018

Finland Air Force Ground Master GM-403 Long Range Surveillance Radar (Image: ChainHomeHigh)

The Finnish ministry of defense has extended an agreement on the maintenance of Long-Range Surveillance Radar and Medium-Range Surveillance Radar systems with Thales for 2018-2023. Based on a proposal of the Defence Forces Logistics Command, Minister of Defence Jussi Niinistö mandated the Defence Forces to conclude an extension agreement on the maintenance of LRSR and MRSR with Thales LAS France S.A.S for 2018 –2023, the defense ministry said in a statement Monday.

Originally purchased in 1988, the Long-Range Surveillance Radar is a ground-based air surveillance radar system capable of detecting objects in distant and high altitudes. Purchased from Thales in 2009, the Medium-Range Surveillance Radar forms the core of the Air Force’s transportable air surveillance radar system. Also Estonia uses the Medium-Range Surveillance Radar. The agreement supports the Defence Forces in maintaining air defence capacity. The overall value of the framework agreement on maintenance for the years 2018-2023 is at its maximum EUR 20 million.

 

Derelict Coastal Battery in Absolutely Outstanding Condition
Da abandonedspaces.com del 6 luglio 2018

There are many interesting abandoned objects in the Russian far East. This region carries huge strategical significance because of its proximity to Japan, Pacific Ocean and borders with China and North Korea. So it is no wonder that in the times of the USSR there was significant military presence and many military facilities (as it is the case now as well). But some of those soviet structures now stand derelict, like coastal battery no. 26. Battery No. 26 is located on the southern part of the island of Askold in the Russian Primorskiy region.

It was built in the Shkotovsky fortified area in order to protect the entrance of Ussuri Bay and approaches to the Strelok Bay and the Vostok Bay. The battery has four 180-mm cannons in two turret tower units MB- - 80. The exact position of the battery was decided in 1936 and construction began. Even though the battery was not yet fully completed, it went into operation at the end of October 1938. Throughout 1939, completion works were carried out.

A power station was added and finishing touches completed. The battery itself was a large-scale project. It consists of two reinforced concrete tower blocks, a power station, a command post, underground posterns, land defense structures and a barracks town. Each tower block was fitted with a two-gun turret artillery unit MB-2-180.

The vertical armor of the blocks is 203 mm thick, while the roofs are 152 mm thick. The tower blocks are located 169 meters away from each other. The MB-2-180 tower unit consists of four compartments one above the other. The upper compartment was the combat compartment, where the turrets were positioned. Next down was the working compartment, which rotated with the tower. This was further divided into 18 sections, which shelves to store projectiles onand gun pointing mechanisms.

Then there was the reloading facility, with mechanisms to supply ammunition to the turrets, and the lowest level was a technical space filled with wires and pipes of compressed air. The projectiles that were used in the tower had a range up to 50 miles and weighted almost 220 pound. The command post and power station were located in separate blocks. The rotating armored cabin of the stereoscopic rangefinder DM-6 was placed in a separate reinforced concrete block connected to the command post by a covered passageway. All the main facilities of the battery were connected with each other by an underground postern. The total length of this underground passage was close to 1 km.

The reinforced concrete tower blocks, command post and power station were designed to be able to withstand a hit from a 8 inch shell. At the top floors of the facility protective clothing made of steel with iron inserts was placed so as to provide protection in case of incoming projectiles.

The battery’s barracks town was fairly large. It was designed to house 28 commanding officers, 20 junior commanding officers and 228 Red Fleet marines. There town also had premises for storing 3-months’ food supplies, as well as fuel enough for 100 hours of operation of the tower blocks. Additionally, because the area has frequent fogs, a special low-ground observation post was constructed on a small rocky toe between cape Yelagin and cape Palchy.

Because Askold island is not easily accessible, not many have paid a visit to the battery. As a result, it is is a fairly good condition. Amazingly, the rangefinder, although it has been stripped of many details and optics, can still rotate. However, “metal hunters” still managed to dismantle many metal elements of the structure.

Nature has taken its course, and the battery slowly deteriorates. In fact, it is fairly dangerous to visit this site as there are many camouflaged holes and in some places the roofs of the blocks are fragile and can fall under your feet. Thank you KFSS for information and amazing photos and more here KFSS. « The Ship Graveyard – Some Have Been Waiting Siince The 1960s Beauttiiffull & Mystterriious Sttrructturres IIn tthe Russiian Kurrsk Obllastt » 

 

Azerbaijan Buys SOM Cruise Missile from Turkey's ROKETSAN
Da defenseworld.net del 26 giugno 2018

SOM cruise missile made by ROKETSAN

The Azerbaijan Air Force (AAF) has displayed SOM cruise missile purchased from the Turkish firm ROKETSAN. The SOM missile was demonstrated in the 100th anniversary parade of Azerbaijan Army for the first time which makes it clear that Azerbaijan has got SOM-B1 modified version making it the first foreign user of SOM missile, AzeriDefence reported. SOM-B1 missile is used for land and sea targets and allows fighter jets of AAF to destroy the targets that is located behind the frontline with high precision without catching by Anti-aircraft warfare.

SOM is an air-to-surface missile to be used against heavily defended, high-value anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and land targets such as surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites, exposed aircraft, strategic assets, command and control centers, and naval vessels. It is operable under all weather conditions, and also in hostile environment. The ministry favors buying the equipment from domestic sources whenever possible and would consider buying from foreign suppliers only if local firms are unable to produce the weapons.

 

A Victorian fort in Pembroke Dock is up for sale for £1.2m and could be transformed
Da walesonline.co.uk del 20 giugno 2018

The imposing site that's for sale

The Defensible Barracks are partially converted but a new owner is needed to complete the renovation.

A former fort in Pembroke Dock, known as The Defensible Barracks, has just come on to the market for offers in the region of £1.2m.

The Grade II- isted 20-sided stone fort is partially renovated, with one section of the building already converted into a number of apartments, which are included in the sale.

The remaining vast and predominantly derelict Pembrokeshire structure has the potential to be converted into residential or commercial use, subject to achieving the relevant planning permission.

According to Ross McKenzie from Purplebricks, the estate agent selling the property, there is current planning permission in place to develop a 56-bedroom hotel. In addition, the building on the north-east battlement has planning permission for conversion into a coffee shop.

Much scope for future uses

The fort is entered through a north gatehouse, complete with holes for muskets and winches for the former sliding drawbridge. Once into the 140 foot central parade ground, the size, scope and potential of this historic building becomes clear.

This central courtyard is totally surrounded by a quad shaped two-storey building. These remaining unconverted sections of the fort were once the barrack rooms. Most of the barrack's battlements remain, as do a number of outbuildings.

These external structures that sit within the outer wall include a former detention room, cellblock and a fire engine shed. There is also a basement under the main fort building, formerly used for equipment and ammunition storage, which also has scope for development. The fort occupies approximately 4.45 acres of land, including a 5-metre deep dry moat. As with the main building, parts of the outside space have been renovated and landscaped, but much of the outside space still requires attention. Considered to be one of the most unusual barrack buildings in Britain, it is thought The Defensible Barracks could even be the last example of a 'square Bastian trace ' fortification in Europe, which is based on a 'star' fort design initially created in 16th century Italy. According to the website British Listed Buildings, construction on the fort began in 1841 and was completed by 1846, with an estimated build cost of £75,000.

Defensive wall featuring musket holes

Located on Barrack Hill overlooking the Royal Dockyard, at the time the fort was built it was used to house the Royal Marines. In 1882 it became the headquarters of the ninth Welsh Garrison Artillery Brigade. After the Second World War, the fort was used for training territorial artillery and was later sold to South Pembrokeshire council, who sold it on in 1987.

The fort, a scheduled ancient monument , was declared the second most endangered Victorian or Edwardian building in England and Wales in 2009, before it went on the market for £350,000 in 2010, reflecting its totally derelict state. A section of the fort has been restored as apartments, but now the historic structure needs a new owner to complete the renovations, so the site can achieve its full potential. The Defensible Barracks is on the market for £1.2m. Viewing is strictly by appointment only.

Contact the estate agent Ross McKenzie on 07415 130106 or book an appointment via the website purplebricks.co.uk

 

The Knights Hospitaller and the Great Siege of Malta
Da warhistoryonline.com del 7 giugno 2018

Mdina, Malta

1530, the Knights Hospitaller were given control of the island of Malta.

35 years later, in 1565, the Ottoman Empire invaded the island.

The Hospitallers drove them off during a siege that lasted over three months. Crucial to the Hospitallers’ success were the defenses they had built on the island.

So what did they do to fortify it?

Reinforcing the Existing Defenses

The first thing the knights did after gaining the island was to reinforce the defenses built by the previous owners. The fort of St Angelo sat on the southern side of the Grand Harbor, the most important landing point on the island. They enlarged the fort’s defenses so that it could better fend off an attack from sea or land. They also strengthened the walls of Mdina, the old capital city of Malta. This gave them a better chance of holding this crucial strongpoint and population center.

Strozzi’s Survey

After this initial burst of activity, the defenses lay largely untouched for 20 years. Then, in 1522, Leo Strozzi, one of the order’s commanders, surveyed the defenses. He identified the points of weakness and drew them to the attention of the ruling council. Following Strozzi’s survey, the council and the Grand Master appointed a commission to plan improvements to the defenses. Work would now begin in earnest.

New Forts

Fort St. Angelo, Malta. By Felix König – CC BY 3.0

One of the most impressive pieces of work undertaken by the Hospitallers was the creation of several new forts. First came Fort St Michael, quickly constructed at the end of the Senglea peninsula. Designed by Spanish engineer Pedro Pardo, it used a star-shaped design common in the 16th century. This gave the defenders better fields of fire against anyone approaching the walls, as well as helping to deflect projectiles meant to knock holes in the defenses.

The next fort was built on more difficult terrain on the rocky Mount Sciberras headland. There had long been a watchtower at this position, but now the knights wanted something more substantial. Another of Pardo’s forts, this one was called St Elmo. It commanded the entrance to two significant harbors – the Great Harbor and Marsamuscetto. St Elmo was an interesting construction both for its strengths and its weaknesses. It took the shape of a four-pointed star and was built of solid stone, meaning that it could not be undermined. The sandstone and limestone walls were tall to keep out attackers, and deep ditches added extra protection on the landward side.

But the haste of its construction meant that it was built of inferior quality stone. It lacked causeways and dikes to protect the defenders once a bombardment began. Three smaller defensive positions outside the main walls of St Elmo would hold up an enemy approach while the defenders got ready. Of all the forts on the island, it was the most impressive reflection of 16thcentury defensive engineering.

Rebuilding Birgu

The order had set up its main base in the small fishing village of Birgu, which was completely transformed by their presence. Arsenals, magazines, and a hospital sprang up alongside a large grain store. Tunnels dug deep into solid rock became home to galley slaves, while chapels and a new church for the Hospitallers appeared in the streets. Defensive walls were built all around Birgu, totaling three kilometers in length. On the landward side, these included a tall rampart wall. In this wall were two bastions, protruding strongpoints that gave the defenders better fields of fire against anyone trying to storm the walls. Two smaller demibastions defended the ends of the ramparts. Outside the walls, a ditch was carved from the solid rock to block the approach.

Signal Fires and Watchtowers

View of the Senglea Land Front in c. 1725, with Fort St. Michael in the centre. By M-A. Benoist – CC BY 4.0

It was important to spot when the enemy was coming and to spread the word when that happened. To this end, coastal watchtowers which had stood for hundreds of years were restored and brought back into working order. These towers were equipped with warning beacons. It was a simple system to tell others about a coming attack. A pile of brushwood and faggots was kept at the tower. If an enemy was seen, this fire would be lit. Other towers would pick up the signal and light their own beacons, spreading the news across the island. Similar warning beacons were constructed at the top of the castle at Gozo, at the city of Mdina, and atop the forts of St Angelo and St Elmo. If an attack came, thewarning would spread fast.

Provisioning

By the spring of 1565, the Hospitallers knew that an attack on Malta was imminent. Members of the order came in from across Europe, ready to defend their home. Provisions were also imported and stockpiled, to ensure that the men could endure through an extended siege. Storehouses were filled with supplies to support a growing army.

Arming Up

Map of Fort St. Elmo in Valleta, Malta – The fort held out for 28 days during the siege. Only 9 soldiers survived. – Xwejnusgozo CC BY-SA 4.0

As the danger increased, the Hospitallers also prepared the weapons they would need to hold off the invaders. This was the early days of firearms. Gunpowder weapons, though potentially powerful, were also quite primitive. Larger cannons were installed at the fort of St Michael.

With their extra range and power, these increased the fort’s ability to defend itself and to threaten forces heading for other targets. They had enough range to reach the nearby heights of Corradino as well as to sweep the open ground that lay at the base of Mount Sciberras.

Powdermills were kept busy creating the gunpowder the defenders would need. Some of this would be used in cannons and handguns. Some went into incendiary bombs and anti-personnel fireworks, weapons designed to cause fear as well as carnage.

Meanwhile, armorers’ workshops filled with the ringing of hammers on steel as armor was refurbished and blades sharpened.

Ready for War

As the invasion approached, the commanders inspected the defenses again and prepared the men. War was coming. It would be tough, but they were ready to hold Malta and they did.

 

NORTHROP GRUMMAN WINS $866 MILLION RADAR SENSOR MODIFICATION CONTRACT
Da defenseworld.net del 2 giugno 2018

PAVE Phased Array Warning system radars (Image: Radartutorials.eu)

Northrop Grumman has been awarded $866 million contract for the sustainment and modification of radar sensors, providing depot-level sustainment services and modification projects for the Ballistic Missile Early Warning systems and PAVE Phased Array Warning system radars, and the Parameter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization system.

Work is expected to be complete by May 31, 2023, the US department of defense said in a statement Friday. AN/FPS-115 “Pave Paws” is a long-range UHF Early Warning Radar for Sea-launched Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) detection and warning and satellite tracking system. It is a solid-state active aperture phased array radar that was built for the Electronic Systems Pave Paws consists of a pair of circular planar phased-arrays about 30 m in diameter.

The arrays are inclined from the vertical by 20º and mounted in adjacent sides of a building measuring about 32 m high, forming sloping walls on the seaward side of the structure. Combined coverage of the electronic beams of the two arrays is 85º in elevation and 240º in azimuth, according to radartutorial.eu (http://www.radartutorial.eu/19.kartei/01.oth/karte004.en.html).

 

Amazing Austro-Hungarian Forts of Montenegro
Da total-montenegro-news.com del 1 giugno 2018
Austro-Hungary was one of the largest and most influential empires in Europe, naturally as such their geopolitical reach was massive and it touched Southern-European countries as Montenegro.

Also, Europe was very warlike and turbulent in the times of Austro-Hungary, and this is why many forts  were built on the outer banks of the empire.

This is a report that was made by Montenegrin user Jasko1111 on Reddit compiled of LiveJournal blogger photos by Aleksej Koim.

We must admit, most of these are pretty amazing.

 

Westfort Crkvice

Austro Hungarian fortifications in Montenegro - the forgotten architectural heritage.

For tourists they are a revelation, their access roads are very attractive hiking paths, their locations provide excellent views.

Military experts still admire the expertise of their planners.

 

Sveti Andrija Fortress

In addition to the 83 fortifications which I visited all, I guess there's more, plus additional: roads, infrastructure, barracks, officers clubs, bakeries, clinics, hospitals, cemeteries, shooting ranges, hotels, shops,  workshops and even theaters that were built on some of us completely  strange  places - so the entire system "Sea fortress Boka" can function in the right way..

There is actually so much done that when you get into a little more detail in this issue, you simply get a headache," emphasizes Radojica  Pavicevic, retired colonel author of book "Werk - Austro-Hungarian forts in Montenegro."

 

Fort Sanik

The residential part of the letter "G", a semicircular courtyard and two semicircular combat squads looking towards Montenegro.

The southernmost the Austro-Hungarian Empire included the area of the Bay of Kotor, which was used by the empire as a major naval base centered on the town of Kotor  (known then as Cattaro).

However, Austrian control of the area was not secure.

Two serious rebellions were mounted by the powerful Krivosije clan who lived on the eastern flanks of Mount Orjen above Risan. In 1869 the clan defeated an Austro-Hungarian  force sent to quell their rebellion, while their local allies attacked Fort Kosmac. A second rebellion in 1882 was eventually put down by the Austrians.

 

Fort Kom or Ostfort Crkvice

Montenegro suffered severely in World War I. Shortly after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia (28 July 1914), Montenegro lost little time in declaring war on the Central Powers - on Austria-Hungary in the first  instance - on 6 August 1914, despite Austrian diplomacy promising to cede Shkoder (Albania) to Montenegro if it remained neutral.

The specificity of these fortifications is also that they are all built in a time when there was no radio communication, so there was a special signal department that was part of the Austro-Hungarian troops in Boka.

 

 

Fort Gorazde

The current fort was built between 1884-86 and replaced an earlier structure on the same site; its most notable feature is a 100-ton Gruson rotating turret on its roof, the  last remaining example of its type. The fortress was heavily attacked by the Montenegrins from positions on Mount Lovcen, prompting the  Austro-Hungarians to add the two concrete infantry positions on the roof in 1915 to guard  against close-range attacks.

Although it was bombarded with artillery weapons of up to 24 cm (9.4 in) caliber, they did little damage and in 1916 an Austrian offensive pushed  Montenegrin forces out of artillery range. The fortress was repaired and stripped of its guns, which were used to support the Austrian field army. It was taken over by the Yugoslav Army following the war and continued to be  used as an army depot until as recently as the early 1990s. It is now abandoned and  is freely accessible by the public. However, its accessibility and lack of protection by the state has meant that it has been extensively targeted by metal thieves, who have stolen many of the fort's interior fittings.

Fort Kosmac

Fort Kosmac was the southernmost fortress in the  Austro-Hungarian Empire, guarding the southern extremity of the border between the empire and  Montenegro. It is situated on a hilltop overlooking the road between Budva on the coast and Cetinje, the Montenegrin capital at the time. After passing to the newly established Yugoslavia, it was garrisoned again by Italian troops for a  period in the Second World War. The building is now abandoned and in a ruinous condition. The construction of Fort Kosmac probably began shortly after the border was demarcated in 1841; it was completed around 1850. It was garrisoned by 6 officers and 248 soldiers of various specialties and was armed with 240 mm cannons.

During the Krivosije rebellion in 1869, the fort was attacked by a local clan. Its commander Friedrich Merz was shot and killed by Vukale Perov Stojanovic from nearby Brajici, who subsequently became something of a local hero and is commemorated in Brajici's church. Merz's death was attributed by the press to his "own imprudence", as he had chosen to take a walk outside the fort while it was under siege from the insurgents. It was not captured and in 1875 it hosted a visit from the Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria.

Fort Punta Ostro (Croatia)

 

 

 

 

Fort Lustica

 

 

 

 

Fort Arza

 

 

 

 

Gospa Island

 

 

 

Fort Traste

To the south-west of Kotor is the flat plain of Tivatsko polje, on  which Tivat Airport now stands, with a range of low hills lying between the plain and the sea. The fort is situated on the hill of Grabovac overlooking the Bay of Traste on one side and Tivatsko polje on the other. The main road through the region, now the Adriatic Highway, was of vital strategic importance to the Austro-Hungarians as it connected their southernmost possessions - Budva and the surrounding area - with the naval base at Kotor and the port at Tivat. At the start of the 20th century, its defenses comprised a series of temporary fortifications established up to 40 years previously. Montenegro's 1905 acquisition of powerful new long-range artillery guns, which put the entire coastal strip within range of shellfire, made the existing  fortifications obsolete.

This prompted the Austrians to set up in 1906 a "Commission to Secure the Naval Base of Cattaro". It was decided to establish a powerful new fortress on Grabovac hill which would be a combined artillery fort and a forward infantry stronghold. It would form part of an integrated defense system to counter the Montenegrin batteries on Mount Lovcen and prevent sea attack.

Fort Mamula

The island has a fort, built in 1853 by Austro-Hungarian general Lazar Mamula.

The fort takes up about 90% of the island's surface area.

Along with the fortification on Prevlaka's Cape Ostro as well as Arza fortification on Lustica's Cape Miriste, both of which were erected at the same time also on the suggestion by general Lazar Mamula, fort Mamula was part of the Austro-Hungarian Army's contingency plans of preventing the enemy entrance into  Boka Kotorska.

 

Fort Vrmac

Established in 1860, the present structure was built between 1894-7 and saw action during the First World War when it was heavily bombarded by the Montenegrins.

It was repaired and disarmed before the end of the war and was abandoned after a period of occupation by Yugoslav troops.

Today it is one of the best preserved Austro-Hungarian fortifications in the Bay of Kotor area.

 

Fort Dvrsnik

On August 10, 1914, the Montenegrin infantry delivered a strong attack against the Austrian garrison, but not they dided succeed in making good the advantage they first gained.

They successfully resisted teh Austrians in the second invasion of Serbia (September 1914) and almost succeeded in liberating Sarajevo.

 

 

 

Fort Verige

With the beginning of the third Austro-Hungarian invasion, however, the Montenegrin army had to retire before greatly superior numbers, and Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian and German armies finally overran Serbia (December 1915). However, the Serbian army survived, and led by King Peter I of Serbia, started retreating across Albania. In order to support the Serbian retreat, the Montenegrin army, led by Janko Vukotic, engaged in the Thermopylae style Battle of Mojkovac (6-7 January 1916). Montenegro also suffered a large scale invasion (January 1916) and for the remainder of the war remained in the possession of the Central Powers.

Thanks to by Aleksej Koimsidi for these wonderful images! 

Source: Slavorum

 

Bevaringsværdig koldkrigsbunker er den sidste af sin slags - nu er den til salg
Da tv2east.dk del 1 giugno 2018

Det gør ondt i de gamle koldkrigere på Lolland-Falster at se deres bunker sat til salg. Samtidig risikerer vigtig kulturarv at forsvinde.

PETER KRYGER

Midt i et industrikvarter i Nykøbing Falster ligger en besynderlig bygning. Udefra ligner den de andre i området. Men den har ingen vinduer, og selvom man ikke kan se det, består taget af 80-90 centimeter tykt, armeret beton.
Den har også egen dieselgenerator, vandforsyning og luftfiltreringssystem. Til gengæld vil den som den eneste bygning i området stå tilbage, hvis der skulle blive kastet en bombe.

Første gang, Lene Hansen gik ind gennem den tunge jerndør, var i 1978. I dag er det, hun betragter som sit andet hjem, sat til salg.
- Efter alle de år, vi har været herude, så er det bare slut. Det er trist, siger hun og propper endnu en termokande ned i den i forvejen fyldte flyttekasse.

Bygning fuld af minder

På den sidste aften i bunkeren er hun sammen med en håndfuld andre hjemmeværnsfolk ved at pakke computere, telefoner, mapper og minder i kasser. Det har de fået 14 dage til af Forsvaret, der har opsagt lejekontrakten med ejeren. En privat mand, der nu har sat bunkeren til salg.

Men bunkeren er mere end bare gode minder for gamle koldkrigere. Den er også den eneste tilbageværende lavvarslingscentral fra den kolde krig og med på en liste over bygninger, der bør bevares. En liste, historiker og koldkrigsforsker, Thomas Tram Pedersen, var med til at udarbejde for Slots- og Kulturstyrelsen for nogle år siden.

- Behovet for at få kortlagt og valgt de mest bevaringsværdige bygninger fra den kolde krig opstod, netop fordi at den kolde krig sluttede, og Forsvaret begyndte at sælge ud af og rive de gamle bygninger ned. Så for at nå at fange de bedste og mest repræsentative bygninger fra perioden, startede det her arbejde, fortæller Thomas Tram Pedersen.

Bevaringsværdig men ikke fredet

Ud af de mere end 60.000 bygninger, der er opført under den kolde krig, blev der udvalgt 57, der burde bevares for eftertiden.
Med på listen er lavvarslingscentralen i Nykøbing Falster. Men kun to af de 57 bygninger er i dag fredet, nemlig Stevns Fortet og Regan Vest i Rold Skov. De andre er ikke beskyttet på nogen måde.
I dag er det op til de lokale myndigheder at bevare de udpegede bygninger.

Lavvarslingscentral

Under den kolde krig var Danmark inddelt i syv distrikter, hvor Luftmeldekorpset, som en del af Flyverhjemmeværnet, støttede Flyvevåbnets operationer i luften og på jorden. Luftmeldekorpset bemandede 400 observationsposter landet over, hvorfra de skulle indtelefonere bombenedslag og fjendtlige fly til distriktets lavvarslingscentral. Her sad de såkaldte plottere og skubbede spillebrikker ind på et stort danmarkskort. Brikker, der repræsenterede fjenderne. Og fra balkonen i lavvarslingscentralen kunne de forskellige værns officerer så holde øje med kortet og tage deres forholdsregler. For eksempel var flyvevåbnets mand i direkte kontakt med de danske F16 fly, som han kunne dirigere hen imod fjenden.

Læs mere om Luftmeldekorpset her: Luftmeldekorpset.dk Lavvarslingscentralen i Nykøbing Falster er en af oprindeligt syv centraler og den bedst bevarede. Ud over bunkeren indeholder den 250 kvadratmeter kontorlokaler og bliver sat til salg for 2,8 millioner kroner. Det er forventet, at bunkeren bliver sat til salg i løbet af juni.

 

The Untold Story of Japan's Secret Spy Agency
Da theintercept.com del 19 maggio 2018

Photo: NHK

Every week in Tokyo’s Ichigaya district, about three miles northeast of the bright neon lights and swarming crowds in the heart of Shibuya, a driver quietly parks a black sedan-style car outside a gray office building. Before setting off on a short, 10-minute drive south, he picks up a passenger who is carrying an important package: top-secret intelligence reports, destined for the desks of the prime minister’s closest advisers. Known only as “C1,” the office building is located inside a high-security compound that houses Japan’s Ministry of Defense. But it is not an ordinary military facility – it is a secret spy agency headquarters for the Directorate for Signals Intelligence, Japan’s version of the National Security Agency. The directorate has a history that dates back to the 1950s; its role is to eavesdrop on communications. But its operations remain so highly classified that the Japanese government has disclosed little about its work – even the location of its headquarters. Most Japanese officials, except for a select few of the prime minister’s inner circle, are kept in the dark about the directorate’s activities, which are regulated by a limited legal framework and not subject to any independent oversight. Now, a new investigation by the Japanese broadcaster NHK — produced in collaboration with The Intercept — reveals, for the first time, details about the inner workings of Japan’s opaque spy community. Based on classified documents and interviews with current and former officials familiar with the agency’s intelligence work, the investigation shines light on a previously undisclosed internet surveillance program and a spy hub in the south of Japan that is used to monitor phone calls and emails passing across communications satellites. According to the current and former officials, the Directorate for Signals Intelligence, or DFS, employs about 1,700 people and has at least six surveillance facilities that eavesdrop around the clock on phone calls, emails, and other communications. (The NSA, in comparison, has said it has a workforce of more than 30,000 and Britain’s signals intelligence agency claims more than 6,000 staff.) The communications collected at the spy facilities are sent back to analysts who work inside the C1 building, which has four underground floors and eight above ground. “Very few people know what the DFS is doing and can enter the building,” according to an active-duty official with knowledge of the directorate’s operations, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. The official agreed to share details about the directorate after The Intercept and NHK last year revealed that the spy agency had obtained a mass surveillance system called XKEYSCORE, which is used to sift through copies of people’s emails, online chats, internet browsing histories, and information about social media activity. The official said that they believed the directorate’s use of XKEYSCORE was “not permissible” under the Japanese Constitution, which protects people’s right to privacy. The directorate – known in Japanese as the “Denpa-Bu,” meaning “electromagnetic wave section” – currently has 11 different departments, each focused on a different subject, such as information analysis, public safety and security, and cryptography. However, the departments are kept separate from each other and there is limited communication between them, the active-duty official said. Each department in the C1 building has a different lock installed on the rooms it uses, and these can only be accessed by a select group of people who have the appropriate security clearance, access codes, and identification. The directorate operates as the largest arm of Japan’s Defense Intelligence Agency, which has other divisions focused on, for example, analyzing satellite imagery, sources said. Atsushi Miyata, who between 1987 and 2005 worked with the directorate and the Ministry of Defense, said that his work for the spy agency had involved monitoring neighboring countries, such as North Korea, and their military activities. But the agency’s culture of intense secrecy meant that it was reluctant to share information it collected with other elements of the Japanese government. “They did not share the data inside of [the] Defense Ministry properly,” said Miyata. “Even inside of the Defense Ministry, the report was not put on the table. So the people did not understand what we were doing.”

Night view of the C1 building, inside Japan’s Ministry of Defense compound in Ichigaya. Photo: NHK

The directorate is accomplished at conducting surveillance, but has a tendency to be excessively secretive about its work, according to classified documents The Intercept disclosed last year. A 2008 NSA memo described its Japanese counterparts as being “still caught in a Cold War way of doing business” and “rather stove-piped.” The U.S. continues to work closely with Japan’s intelligence community, however, and collaborates with the country to monitor the communications of countries across Asia. About 700 miles southwest of Tokyo, there are two small towns called Tachiarai and Chikuzen, which have a combined population of about 44,000 people. Japan’s military, known as the Self-Defense Forces, has a base situated on a patch of grassy farmland in between the towns. But the base is not used to train soldiers. It is one of the country’s most important spy hubs. For years, the large antennae inside the secure compound, which are concealed underneath what look like giant golf balls, attracted concerns from local residents who were worried that the powerful radio waves they emitted might damage their health or interfere with their televisions. The Japanese government sent senior officials to reassure the locals that there would be no problems, and the government began paying the Chikuzen council an annual fee of about $100,000 as compensation for the disturbance caused by the base. But the function of the antennae was never revealed. A top-secret document from the directorate offers unprecedented insight into some of the Tachiarai base’s activities. The document – an English-language PowerPoint presentation – appears to have been shared with the NSA during a meeting in February 2013, at which the Japanese spy agency’s then-deputy director was scheduled to discuss intelligence- athering issues with his American counterparts. The presentation was contained in the archive of classified files provided to The Intercept by Edward Snowden. No internal documents from Japan’s surveillance agency have ever been publicly disclosed before. According to the presentation, Japan has used Tachiarai for a covert internet surveillance program code-named MALLARD. As of mid-2012, the base was using its antennae to monitor communications passing across satellites. Each week, it collected records about some 200,000 internet sessions, which were then being stored and analyzed for a period of two months. Between December 2012 and January 2013, Tachiarai began using the surveillance technology to collect information about potential cyberattacks. As a result, its data collection rapidly increased, and it began sweeping up information about 500,000 internet sessions every hour – 12 million every day. Despite this, the directorate indicated that it was only able to detect a single email that was linked to an apparent cyberattack. It struggled to cope with the amount of data it was harvesting and asked the NSA for help. “We would like to see processing procedure which the U.S. side employs in order not to affect traditional SIGINT collection,” the directorate told the NSA, “and would appreciate your technical assistance.” Chris Augustine, a spokesperson for the NSA, declined to answer questions about the agency’s cooperation with Japan, saying in a statement that he would “neither confirm nor deny information concerning potential relationships with foreign intelligence services.” He added: “Any cooperation among intelligence services is conducted lawfully, in a manner that mutually strengthens national security.” The directorate’s work at Tachiarai appears to focus on monitoring the activities of foreign countries in the region. It is unclear whether it collects Japanese citizens’ communications, either deliberately or incidentally, through dragnet programs like MALLARD. The law in Japan prohibits wiretapping landlines without a court order, but monitoring communications as they are being transmitted wirelessly across satellites is a gray area, Japanese legal experts say, because there are no legal precedents in the country that place limitations upon that kind of surveillance, though there is a general right to privacy outlined in the constitution. According to Richard Tanter, a professor at the University of Melbourne who specializes in researching government surveillance capabilities, more than 200 satellites are “visible” from Tachiarai, meaning the base can intercept communications and data passing between them using its surveillance systems. Of the 200-plus satellites, said Tanter, at least 30 are Chinese and potential targets for ongoing surveillance. Moreover, he added, “satellites owned or operated by Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, and even the United States or European states may be targeted” by the Tachiarai facility. Snowden, who worked at a U.S. military base in Japan as an NSA contractor between 2009 and 2012, told The Intercept that Japanese spies appeared to have targeted “entire internet service providers, not just any one customer.” Referencing the MALLARD program, he said that there   ere not “500,000 terrorist communications happening in one year, much less one hour. … Is this authorized in law in a way that’s wellunderstood, that’s well-regulated, to make sure they are only targeting bad guys and not simply everything that they see? 

A spokesperson for Japan’s Ministry of Defense refused to discuss MALLARD, but said that the country’s “informationgathering activities” are necessary for national security and “done in compliance with laws and regulations.” The spokesperson acknowledged that Japan has “offices throughout the country” that are intercepting communications; however, he insisted that the surveillance is focused on military activities and “cyberthreats” and is “not collecting the general public’s information.” When pressed to explain how the country’s spy systems distinguish ordinary people’s communications from those related to threats, the spokesperson would not provide details on the grounds that doing so “may be a hindrance to effective future information activities.” In October 2013, the Directorate for Signals Intelligence was planning to launch an operation aimed at what it described as the “Anonymous internet,” according to the 2013 presentation. This suggests that the directorate wanted to collect data about people’s usage of privacy tools such as Tor, which allows people to mask their computer’s IP address while they browse the internet. Tor is often used by journalists and dissidents to evade government surveillance; however, it is also used by child abusers and other criminals to plan or carry out illegal acts. In April 2013, it was reported that Japanese police were urging internet service providers to find ways to block people who were using Tor to commit crimes. In 2012, the country’s police investigators were repeatedly thwarted by a hacker known as the “Demon Killer,” who posted a series of death threats online. The hacker used Tor to successfully evade detection for seven months, which was a major source of embarrassment for Japanese police — and likely fueled demand for new surveillance capabilities. The directorate’s activities at Tachiarai and elsewhere are aided by an organization called J6, which is a specialist technical unit connected to Japan’s Ministry of Defense, according to sources familiar with its operations. However, the cooperation between the directorate and J6 has been inhibited by the extreme secrecy that is pervasive within the Japanese government, with each agency apparently reluctant to open up to the other about its respective capabilities. In the 2013 presentation, Japanese officials from the directorate described J6’s role to the NSA, but admitted that they had relied on “assumptions” to do so, because “J6 function is not disclosed to us.” According to the presentation, the directorate’s role is to carry out surveillance and analyze intelligence. The role of J6 includes analyzing malware and developing countermeasures – such as firewalls – to prevent hacks of Japanese computer systems. A third organization, called the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Organization, or CIRO, is the ultimate beneficiary of intelligence that is collected. Headed by a powerful figure named Shigeru Kitamura, it oversees the work of both the directorate and J6 and is connected to theprime minister’s office, based out of a building known as  “H20,” a short walk from the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo’s Chiyoda district. Between 2000 and 2005, prior to development of the MALLARD internet surveillance program, expansion work took place at the Tachiarai facility. At that time, the thentown council chair, Hitoshi Miyahara, was shown a map of the construction plans, which revealed that a tunnel was being built below the base. Miyahara was allowed to visit the construction site, he said, but was prevented from entering the underground area. The current town council chair, Tsutomu Yano, had a similar experience. He visited the facility about four years ago and was shown around a gymnasium, a cafeteria, and a conference room. He was prevented from accessing the underground tunnel and a space he was told was used for “communications.” Yano said he repeatedly questioned the Self-Defense Forces about the Tachiarai facility’s function. But he never received any answers.

Ed Noguchi contributed reporting and translation.

Documents published with this article:

• DFS briefing Feb 2013

• Cyber paper Japan DFS

• DFS and NSA partnership

 

Fort McHenry: The birthplace of the National Anthem of the USA
Da abandonedspaces.com del 13 maggio 2018

Fort McHenry is known as the fort that inspired 35-year-old lawyer Francis Scott Key to write a poem on September 14, 1814 entitled Defence of Fort M’Henry.

The poem would later be set to a tune, and today it is known worldwide as The Star-Spangled Banner, the national anthem of the United States of America.

Francis Scott Key witnessed firsthand the bombardment of Fort McHenry and the brutality of the British Royal Navy and its ships.

It was this event that led him to write the poem.

The tale of Fort McHenry begins at the end of the 18th century.

The fort circa 1861.

The fort was set on a site that once before belonged to Fort Whetstone, a fortification that had defended Baltimore for 21 years.

The time came for Fort McHenry to be built in its place, and a man by the name of Jean Foncin was chosen to design it.

He came up with the design in 1798, and construction was completed two years later.

The purpose of the fort was to defend the Port of Baltimore, a port which was growing rapidly in popularity.

The fort was designed as a bastioned pentagon, encircled by a dry moat.

Some of the fort’s cannons. Author: Lorax – CC BY-SA 3.0

 

The purpose of the moat is to protect the fortification from a possible land attack by forcing enemies to take lower ground.

If the enemy got close to the fort’s walls, the bastions would assist with crossfire.

The fort is named after James McHenry, an Irish-American military surgeon and statesman.

Among many other roles, he was also the third United States Secretary of War, under George Washington and later John Adams.

Part of the fort’s interior. Author: Bohemian Baltimore – CC BY-SA 4.0

Turmoil arrived for Fort McHenry in the morning hours of September 13, 1814.

A number of British ships started to bombard the fort and continued to do so for 25 hours.

The British were well equipped for the attack and had ships with cannons able to fire at a distance of two miles.

Despite their resources, the British never managed to take over the fort nor penetrate the harbor.

Though their weapons were able to attack from a staggering distance, the canons of the British had poor accuracy. They ran out of ammunition and the bombardment ceased.

The Bombardment of Fort McHenry.

The bombardment caused the wounding of one British soldier and 24 American. Four American troops were killed, among whom was a woman who was split in half when a bomb exploded near her, and William Williams, an African-American soldier. Francis Scott Key was in Baltimore at the time and witnessed the whole event from a nearby ship. A giant American flag that flew over the fort caught Key’s eye, and it is said that this flag was the initial inspiration for his poem when it rose unscathed the following dawn.

During the American Civil War, the fort was used as a military prison where a number of important Confederate soldiers and sympathizers were locked. Among the prisoners was Francis Key Howard, Francis Scott Key’s grandson. During World War I, the fort took the role of an army hospital and was used to treat a huge number of troops as they returned from the battlefields of Europe. When World War II came, the fort was converted to a base for the Coast Guard. Today, it serves as a national park and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Great numbers of tourists visit this place every year and celebrate it as the birthplace of the National Anthem. Niikolla Pettrrovskii

 

Las 6.000 fortificaciones sin estrenar de Franco
Da  elpais.com del 4 maggio 2018

Desde lo alto del puerto de Otxondo, al norte de Navarra, se ve Francia ahí abajo, a menos de 10 kilómetros, y un mensaje en el móvil avisa de que en ese punto la cobertura telefónica ya es la del país vecino. En esos Pirineos de postal -entre ovejas latxas de las que sale el queso Idiazabal y ponis pottokas, muy cerca de un lugar mitológico para el mundo abertzale como el castillo de Amaiur- se esconde parte de un capítulo muy poco conocido de la historia militar reciente de España. Es la Línea P, un conjunto de unas 6.000 fortificaciones defensivas que Franco mandó construir desde Guipúzcoa a Cataluña en los años cuarenta y cincuenta por miedo a una invasión extranjera o de la resistencia antifranquista, y que nunca llegó a utilizar. Excavadas a mano en una roca, al pie de una carretera comarcal o camufladas sobre una loma, estas construcciones de hormigón impresionan a quienes se atreven a entrar en ellas. La mayoría no tiene un tamaño  excesivo, suficiente para que dentro se apostaran entre cinco y 30 militares, según el tipo, dispuestos a repeler con artillería o fusiles un hipotético ataque. Otras impactan todavía más por sus dimensiones y diseño. En la cuneta derecha del final del puerto de Otxondo, casi imperceptible para el conductor, se oculta en el interior de la montaña una de dos plantas, como un dúplex, unidas por nada menos que 42 escalones, con un amplio espacio para colocar literas y que los soldados pudieran hacer guardias el tiempo necesario. "Es la única de este estilo que hay en Navarra", apunta el sargento Quirós, que hace de guía en medio de túneles estrechos, oscuros y embarrados. Su regimiento, América 66, ha catalogado en los últimos tres años más de 200 en la comunidad foral. Un poco más arriba, al lado del trazado del Camino de Santiago, se abre también dentro de la montaña un búnker con tres entradas y dos pasillos de 50 metros de largo por los que hay que andar encorvado. "En verano esto está imposible de mosquitos", advierte el militar a los más intrépidos. Y casi enfrente, subiendo por una pista de difícil acceso, la gran joya de la zona, Alkurruntz, 150 metros de longitud y varios pasadizos laterales excavados a mano en la roca. "Esta fue una respuesta del régimen a su aislamiento internacional y al miedo a una posible invasión de las democracias aliadas", explica el historiador Diego Gaspar. "De hecho, ya se habían producido incursiones de elementos antifranquistas, sobre todo en el valle de Arán". La planificación comenzó en 1939 bajo el nombre oficial de "Organización Defensiva de la Frontera Pirenaica" (la referencia coloquial de "Línea P" vino después), el grueso de las obras empezó en 1943 y duraron tres lustros, hasta que España salió de su aislamiento y el dictador perdió el miedo a un ataque exterior. Francia había creado una década antes su equivalente, la línea Maginot, para protegerse de Italia y Alemania. Franco proyectó unas 10.000 fortificaciones en los 500 kilómetros del límite con Francia, sin embargo, la cifra final se quedó en alrededor de 6.000 (el número exacto se desconoce porque muchas siguen ocultas por la vegetación). Nunca se usaron para lo que se construyeron, ya que no se produjo la temida invasión, pero el plan continuó activo en el Ejército bien entrada la democracia. "Hasta finales de los ochenta era un tema tabú a nivel militar", reconoce un portavoz de América 66. De la ejecución se encargaron miles de militares. También hubo algunos  prisioneros, pero, al tratarse de obras secretas, fueron relegados a labores auxiliares, como carreteras de acceso.

 

Las condiciones de trabajo resultaron especialmente duras en invierno. "Nos trajeron camiones Fiat de la guerra de Etiopía que se helaban y, para arrancarlos, a veces teníamos que prender una hoguera debajo de ellos", relataba uno de los soldados que trabajó en 1945 en el Pirineo oscense, Manuel Esteban Marco, en el libro Cuando Franco fortificó los Pirineos, de José Manuel Clúa, experto de la Línea P y creador de tres rutas  turísticas en Aragón. La base de operaciones en esta comunidad se instaló en la estación de tren de Canfranc. Allí llegaba el material y dormían los obreros en hangares. Desde ese lugar se desplazaban en vehículos hasta los "nidos" (así llamaban a las fortificaciones), en mulos cuando la carretera se acababa y andando si era necesario. "Algunos emplazamientos eran complicados de alcanzar. Solo daba tiempo a hacer un viaje al día, lo que da una idea de la distancia que había que recorrer, y en muchas ocasiones con una gran pendiente", señala. "El toque de diana lo daban a las siete u ocho de la mañana", continuaba Esteban Marco, que cobraba 1,50 pesetas al día más 50 céntimos para aseo. "Desayunábamos un café a la intemperie y, si queríamos un bocadillo, nos costaba 1 peseta. Parábamos una hora para comer y regresábamos a la base sobre las seis de la tarde. Tengo que admitir que la comida era buena. En invierno, dormíamos cuatro o más compañeros juntos para pasar el menor frío posible. La vida era tan dura que muchos desertaron a Francia y otros se rompían el calzado para no ir a trabajar". Se desconoce el dinero que pudo costar la Línea P, o al menos no se ha hecho público, pero sí existen algunos datos que ayudan a tener una idea del desembolso. "Una memoria de 1956 contemplaba en una zona de Aragón 11 obras por 689.000 pesetas, y solo una de ellas valía 165.000 más 20.000 pesetas en imprevistos y redondeo", detalla José Manuel Clúa, que hace años tuvo acceso a multitud de fichas oficiales en la Capitanía de Barcelona. "El precio variaba según la ubicación, el terreno o la altitud. Las había desde 5.000 pesetas". La gran mayoría ha resistido este más de medio siglo sin apenas daños. "Si tuviéramos que usarlas por necesidad de la defensa nacional, tardaríamos una hora en limpiarlas y ocuparlas", asegura el sargento Quirós. Sin embargo, todo el dinero invertido, los miles de hombres empleados y el esfuerzo por mantener en secreto el plan no se tradujeron en nada efectivo. Al menos, para lo que se construyó. Con el paso del tiempo, los lugareños han reciclado algunas en sitios tan peculiares como picaderos o almacén de urnas funerarias. di LORENZO CALONGE

 

 

How the Manhattan Project’s Nuclear Suburb Stayed Secret
Da atlasobscura.com del 3 maggio 2018

At the sprawling K-25 complex in Oak Ridge, employees worked with enriched uranium. National Archives and Records Administration

Oak Ridge, Tennessee, once home to 75,000, went up fast and under the radar. But it was built to last, too. In 1942, under the instructions of Leslie R. Groves, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officer directing the Manhattan Project, the government approached the families that lived there—some of whom had owned their farmsteads for generations—and “summarily evicted” them, says Martin Moeller Jr., senior curator at the National Building Museum and organizer of the new exhibition Secret Cities: The Architecture and Planning of the Manhattan Project. A few people filed lawsuits, but by and large, Moeller says, the plan worked. Moeller chalks this up to one of the ruses the organizers devised: They described the project as a “demolition range,” so any possible holdouts could be scared off with the threat of near-constant explosions. The lie was “a relatively successful one that people didn’t question,” Moeller says—after all, how could they have even imagined what the government had in mind? “That generally got people the hell out.” ill Wilcox was proud of his town. He’d been there since the beginning—before farmland gave way to dormitories and houses and lawns, before the ribbons of roads and sidewalks were laid down, before a single ball had rolled down a lane at the bowling alley. Before it even had a name. When Wilcox arrived in this part of East Tennessee in 1943, soon after graduating from college with a degree in chemistry, he was among the first residents of the place that would eventually be called Oak Ridge. Wilcox lived and worked there for decades, and he later became the town’s historian. “Can’t image a better place to live,” he told an interviewer in 2013. But Oak Ridge isn’t like most of the country’s other suburbs.

The town was conceived and built by the United States government in the early 1940s as base for uranium and plutonium work, as part of the Manhattan Project. As the nuclear effort marched along, the town grew, too. By 1945, a dense suburb had taken shape, home to roughly 75,000 people. At war’s end, Oak Ridge was the fifthlargest city in the state—and all along, it was supposed to be a secret. Object 1 A government in search of a site for a secret enclave could do worse than Oak Ridge. The Clinch River ran nearby, local topography provided a natural buffer, and East Tennessee offered an abundance of electrical power for engineers, since it had just been electrified by the New Deal. The location, roughly 20 miles from Knoxville, was relatively remote, and close to train lines without being right on top of them. Before the federal government acquired 59,000 acres, the existing town, such as it was, consisted mostly of a patchwork of farmland nestled in valleys. By scattering work sites, the engineers reasoned, they could hedge their bets against catastrophe. If something went terribly wrong at one site, perhaps the hills could contain a fire or explosion. By the time Wilcox arrived, in October 1943, things were humming along. “It was farmland, you could tell that, but there was construction going on everywhere you looked,” he recalled. His first day left a crick in his neck, he remembered, “from shaking my head all day long.” Streams of trucks and people, the clanging and banging of tools, a smattering of signs that looked, to the uninitiated, like cryptograms. The roads weren’t yet paved, and plank boardwalks stood in for sidewalks. For a little while at least. The town scaled up fast. The laboratories took up most of the space, but rather than constructing basic dormitories for employees, the architects and designers settled on a suburban vision, a cluster of single family homes on a part of the property about one mile wide and six miles long. “It was considered vital that these very sophisticated scientists and engineers should feel very comfortable right way,” Moeller says.

Some residents decorated their government-issued trailers with trellises and flowers

Their work—including producing enriched uranium—was difficult, he adds, and it was determined that “they should have all of the comforts of a real town in order to work as effectively as possible.” To pull this off quickly and without attracting too much attention, the architects relied on prefabricated and semi-prefabricated housing. In some cases, a house might come in two halves, on the back of a truck, to be assembled on-site. Oak Ridge also included many “cemesto houses,” made from panels of cement and asbestos. These were also called “alphabet houses,” because of the way their various iterations were named. (“A” houses were fairly modest, for instance, while “D” houses included dining rooms.) Housing choice was generally associated with seniority, though allowances were sometimes made for large families. None of these dwellings were exactly luxurious, but—even at the height of anxiety about the demise of Western civilization, Moeller says —architects were prioritizing “nice, basic, comfortable American suburban houses.” At least for some. While white employees lived in relatively cushy digs, their black counterparts were more likely to be placed in structures known as “hutments,” little more than plywood frames without indoor plumbing. “Segregation was actually designed in from the start,” Moeller says. The demand for new homes continued to boom, and people were temporarily housed in apartments, dorms, and trailers. At the height of the building frenzy, a contractor turned over the keys to a new home every 30 minutes. The pace of building there was stunning enough, but doing it all under the radar required a little willful blindness. The town didn’t appear on any official maps, and visitors were screened by guards posted at the entrances. Still, at that scale, it couldn’t be truly clandestine. “People saw stuff, certainly,” Moeller says, but probably chose not to wonder too deeply about what was happening there out of a combination of patriotism and ignorance. Moeller speculates that those who saw workers and supplies streaming into the site may have sensed that asking too many questions would have been un- merican. The idea was, “it’s not my business; it’s for the war effort,” he says. “There was a much greater spirit of national unity than we could even fathom now.” Oak Ridge is no secret anymore. Its streets opened to the public in 1949. The Atomic Energy Commission helped get a city council off the ground, and the town incorporated a decade later.

Now, it shows up on maps and census records (29,000 people) just like any other American town. But even today, with no secrecy at all, the Department of Energy remains the main employer, and in 2012, a gaggle of peace activists—including an elderly nun—breached and vandalized a facility there that stores some of the most dangerous nuclear material in the world. For all the speed with which they went up, many of Oak Ridge’s homes turned out to be built to last. Drive around the east end of town today and you’ll see many cemesto houses still standing, says Ray Smith, who became the town historian around three years ago, after Wilcox passed away. When the town was incorporated, he says, many of the homes were sold to the people who had, up to that point, been renting them from the government. They may have been transformed with a little new brickwork or siding, but the old alphabet system is alive and well. “Oak Ridgers can say, ‘Oh, that’s a ‘B’ house. My grandmother lives in a ‘D’ house,’” Moeller says. “They don’t think anything is unusual about that.” Those intimidating billboards about betraying your country with loose lips are long gone, and the town now proudly broadcasts its past. One of its major summer events is the Secret City Festival—a weekend of parades, concerts, and tours of the federal facilities. “It’s the only time during the year that the public can gain access,” Smith says. Some secrets continue to fascinate, even when they’re out in the open.

 

The History Of Tyrol Castle In South Tyrol, Northern Italy
Da thedockyarda.com del 14 aprile 2018

Tyrol Castle is one of most illustrative and well preserved medieval landmarks of Central Europe. Situated in the small municipality of Tirol from the autonomous province of South Tyrol (also known in Italian as ‘Alto Adige’), present day northern Italy, the castle has a long standing history as the seat of the Counts of Tyrol.

During the High Middle Ages, the castle belonged to the historical County of Tyrol in the Holy Roman Empire, and continued to remain as such until the early 20th century.

It is not known exactly when the initial stronghold was constructed, but it was most likely before the beginning of the 12th century.

Aerial panorama of the Tyrol Castle and of the surroundings (including Tirol village). Image source: www.commons.wikimedia.org

The second phase of construction took place between 1139 to 1140, when an additional keep was attached to the main fortification.

A further third construction phase was undertaken during the second part of the 13th century.

Through extensive archaeological research, there have equally been discovered numerous medieval artefacts and several clear remains of a church which was built on the site of the castle at some point during the early Middle Ages.

Architecturally, Tyrol Castle features prominent elements of the Romanesque style meddled with Gothic frescoes.

In terms of its regional importance, it must be mentioned that Tyrol Castle actually gave the name to the entire region of South Tyrol back during the Middle Ages. Last but not least, nowadays this historical landmark in northern Italy houses the South Tyrolean Museum of Culture and Provincial History.

Closer view of the Tyrol Castle. Image source: www.pixabay.com

Documentation sources and external links:

Tyrol Castle on www.wikipedia.org (in English)

Tyrol Castle in Tirolo on www.merano-suedtirol.it (in English)

Schloss Tirol (the official website of the castle) on www.schlosstiral.it (in German, Italian, and English)

 

Russian MoD released footage of their ‘satellite killer’ weapon system
Da defence-blog.com del 3 aprile 2018

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation conducted a test of an upgraded anti-ballistic missile designed to protect Moscow and the Kremlin from enemy missile attack, with the capability to obliterate NATO spies in orbit.

According to the announced by press service of Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD), A team of the ASF Air Defence and Missile Defence Forces has successfully conducted a test launch of the ABM new modernised missile at the Sary-Shagan training ground (the Republic of Kazakhstan). Russia’s MoD also released terrifying footage of advanced Russian missile test.

More:Top Russian general reveals secrets of new Kinzhal hypersonic complex

Deputy Commander of the air defence and missile defence army Major General Andrey Prikhodko said during the event that “the new modernised ABM of the Missile Defence System successfully accomplished the task and engaged the simulated target at the assigned time.”

More:Chief Designer unveils details of Russian next-generation air-defence systems

The Missile Defence System is in service of the Aerospace Force and is designed to protect the city of Moscow against aerospace attacks, as well as to support the missile attack warning systems and outer space control. Some experts noted that the versatile mobile system can also shoot down aircraft and missiles, as well as ICBM’s with multiple warheads.

 

Russia’s New RS-28 Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile To Be Operational In 2021: TASS
Da defence-blog.com del 29 marzo 2018

Russia’s New RS-28 Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile To Be Operational In 2021: TASS

Russia’s newest silo-based inter-continental ballistic missile Sarmat, or RS-28, is expected to go operational in the Uzhur-based strategic missile force division in 2021, a source in the defenseindustrial complex told TASS. "Under the government-run program for armaments extending till 2027, Sarmat is to be produced serially starting from 2020.

The first regiment armed with this missile is to enter duty in the Uzhurbased division," the agency’s source said. At first, the regiment will consist of a command center and two missiles in silos, which will later be increased to six silos. Earlier, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said the Russian army will get the new ICBM Sarmat by the moment the life cycle of the current heavy missile R-36M2 Voyevoda expires. Strategic Missile Force commander Sergey Karakayev said the Voyevodas will stay in service at least till 2024, but their service life may be extended up to 2027.

RS-28 is Russia’s new generation silo-based heavy liquid propellant inter- ontinental ballistic missile. Work on it has been underway since the 2000s with the aim to produce a substitute for the R-36M2 Voyevoda. It has a mass of about 200 tonnes and payload of about 10 tonnes. The first successful popup test took place in December 2017.

 

WWII Bunkers are Found Under The Hague
Da warhistoryonline.com del 19 marzo 2018

Photo: Christiaan Kuun / CC-BY-SA 2.0

Almost everyone has heard of Hadrian’s Wall, or the Great Wall of China or the Berlin Wall but not many people are familiar with the Atlantikwall, built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944. For 1,670 miles from the uppermost part of Finland to the border between France and Spain, Hitler built a series of tunnels, underground bunkers, gun batteries and hidden mined obstacles. Most of the fortifications needed to be manned creating barracks, offices, kitchen and dining facilities, ammunition storage and toilet facilities. One underground bunker, located under The Hague in the Netherlands even had saunas for its 3,000 military inhabitants. In 1942 Scheveningen, a fishing village just a few miles from The Hague city was made a restricted area by the Germans resulting in over 135,000 residents being forcibly evacuated. Using Dutch civilians and prisoners of war along with German troops and engineers over 35,000 tons of concrete was used to create what was virtually a small underground town. Most of the buildings nearest the coast have fallen into the sea or have fallen apart, but many of the inland sites remain untouched. One small bunker was even incorporated into a private home when it was built. Many of the entrances were filled with rocks and sand after the war as the Dutch wanted to put the years of occupation and war behind them.

Old German bunkers near Hague

Slowly, the European Atlantikwall Heritage Foundation has been digging out and discovering new bunkers and tunnels. Many found on private property have gone up for sale, some have been left alone to shelter wildlife and others are being restored and have become the Atlantikwall Museum. The Foundation has cleaned up the tunnels and bunkers and has been adding items to make them look as they did when they were occupied by the Germans. The artwork on the walls, furniture rebuilt to specifications and artifacts such as helmets, bottles of German ale and reproduction phones, typewriters and Nazi propaganda fill the tunnels and rooms. Mannequins have been dressed and placed in positions where the Germans did their work.

Wartime graffiti and signs carved into or painted on the walls have been preserved. They are open to the public one day a year in June on Bunker Day when The Hague welcomes tourists to walk through the restored bunkers. When Bunker Day was launched in 2014, there were only a few bunkers along the tour, but now there are open bunkers along the coast of The Netherlands and a few in Belgium. Before and after pictures of one of the restored bunkers can be seen at 40 Before and After Pictures from the WW2 Atlantic Wall Museum.

Bunker 622. Photo: Bunkerkoning / CC-BY-SA 3.0

People in the countries which contain parts of the Atlantikwall have mixed reactions on its preservation. Some want it destroyed and forgotten; others think it should be allowed to tell its history. As more and more sites emerge, it will soon be necessary to make a determination. In 2011 Rene-Georges Lubat was sent by the Mayor of his town to work on the original Atlantikwall. He was interviewed about his experiences and had this to say: “There was no choice about it. We had to go. Naturally, we weren’t enthusiastic, but it is not as if we had any choice.

The conditions were not terrible. We weren’t beaten or anything and we got a basic wage. At the start, we could go home on Sundays but after Stalingrad, they put up barbed wire and we were stuck inside the work camp. Of course, we knew we were building defenses for the Germans and it felt bad. I remember at the end of the war my two brothers came home. One had been a prisoner, the other a deportee. I felt so bad I did not want to go to the party celebrating their return. But I do think the wall should be preserved now. It is important to remember what happened – the ignominy of it all, the cataclysm that we had to endure.”

George Winston

 

S-500 Prometheus 55R6M Triumfator-M air defense missile system
Da armyrecognition.com del 16 marzo 2018

Description
The S-500 "Prometheus" (Russian name 55R6M Triumfator-M) is the latest generation of Russian-made surface-to-air defense missile system, currently under development by the Russian Defense Company Almaz-Antey company. According to Russian sources, the S-500 is an advanced version of S-400 with dedicated components designed to intercept ballistic missiles at a height of up to 200 km. The S-500 is designed for intercepting intercontinental ballistic missiles and for air defense against Airborne Early Warning and Control and jamming aircraft. The first development of the S-500 was started in 2009 with first prototype completed in 2012. In 2011, Almaz-Antey has announced that the first production system of the S-500 will be completed in 2014. In December 2015, the newspaper website Spunik has released that the Russian Armed Forces could receive the first preproduction prototypes of the next-generation S-500 air defense system in 2016. The S-500 is expected to have an extended range of up to 600 km (over 370 miles) and simultaneously engage up to 10 targets. The system will be capable of destroying hypersonic and ballistic targets. The S-500’s interceptors will operate at an altitude higher than 185km. The system will have a response time of about three to four seconds, which is considerably shorter than the S-400 which is rated at nine to ten seconds. It also has an extended radar range compared to S-400.

Technical Data

Missile launcher unit
The 77P6 Self Propelled Transporter Erector Launcher of S-500 Prometheus appears to be based on the proposed 9A82MK TELAR for the S-300VMK 9M82M Giant missile. According to the first drawing releases on the Almaz-Antey 2015 Calendar, the S-500 TEL is equipped with two Missile Launch Tube / Transport Container mounted at the rear of the truck chassis. In firing position, two hydraulic jacks are lowered to the ground on each side of the truck chassis and the missiles containers are placed at the vertical to the rear side.

Missiles
The S-500 Prometheus uses two new types of missile the 77N6-N and 77N6-N1, the first Russian missiles with inert warheads, which can destroy nuclear warheads by force of impact, i.e., by hitting them with precision at great speed. No explosives are needed: Russian engineers’ estimates show that a collision at a speed of 7km/s would be sure to destroy just about any flying object.

Mobility
All battery components of the S-500 Prometheus are carried on hardened BZKT BAZ-6909 family vehicles, in 6 x 6, 8 x 8, 10 x 10 configurations. The BAZ-6909 is a family of all-terrain truck chassis produced and manufactured by the Russian Company Bryansk Motor Vehicle Plant. This family includes 6x6, 8x8, 10x10 heavy high mobility trucks, prime movers, artillery tractors, with a payload capacity of 13-21 t. The mobile launcher unit TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) is based on the chassis of BAZ-69096 trucks in 10x10 configuration. The BAZ-6909 can run at a maximum speed of 70 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 500 km.

Command and control vehicles
The S-500 Prometheus is expected to use the following radars: the 91N6A(M) acquisition and battle management radar, the revised 96L6-TsP acquisition radar, and the new 76T6 multimode engagement and 77T6 ABM engagement radars. The 96L6- sP Acquisition Radar is a direct derivative of the 96L6-1 series used an a battery acquisition radar in the S-400. Battle management and ABM acquisition will be performed by the 91N6A(M) Big Bird Acquisition and Battle Management Radar, an evolution of the 64N6E series, typically used to support multiple S-300P/S-400 batteries. Two battery command post types are listed, the 55K6MA which is clearly an evolution of the S-400 55K6E battery command post, and the 85Zh6-2, which may refer to a command post for an extended battery.

Specifications

 
Type Armament
Long range surface-to-air missile systems Two missiles in individual container
Country users Range missile
Russia 77N6-N : 600 km ballistic missile, 400 km air targets
77N6-N1 :
Designer Company Guidance system
Almaz Central Design Bureau Command and active radar
Deployment time Radar and command station
To deploy system from traveling position to set
system assets : 5 - 10 min
At ready from deployed position : 3 min
Command posts 55K6MA and 85Zh6-2 on BAZ- 69092-12 6x6; the acquisition and battle management radar 91N6A(M), a modification of the 91N6 (Big Bird) towed by the BAZ-6403.01 8x8 tractor; the 96L6-TsP acquisition radar, an upgraded version of the 96L6 (Cheese Board) on BAZ-69096 10x10; the multimode engagement radar 76T6 on BAZ-6909-022 8x8; the ABM engagement radar 77T6 on BAZ-69096 10x10;


Details View

 

Sondermunitionslager Alten-Buseck
Da rottenplaces.de del 15 marzo 2018

Das als Munitionslager Daubringen bezeichnete Sondermunitionslager Alten-Buseck (Hessen), war ein Depot der NATO für Nuklearwaffen. Selbiges wurde Anfang der 1960er Jahre angelegt und befand sich in der Gemarkung des Ortsteils Alten-Buseck in der Gemeinde Buseck (Landkreis Gießen). Der Komplex bestand aus einem Munitionsdepot der Bundeswehr (Korpsdepot 354) mit 45 Munitionslagerhäusern und einem Atomwaffenlager der NATO mit zwei Bunkern im inneren Bereich. Die Mannschaften waren in der Steubenkaserne Gießen untergebracht. Das Lager und die Kaserne wurden 1993 aufgegeben.

Dokument-InformationObjekt ID: rp-032120
Kategorie: Militär & Militaria
Bundesland: Hessen
Standort: Alten-Buseck
Baujahr: 1960er
Denkmalschutz: n.n. bekannt Bauherr: n.n. bekannt
Fotograf: sdo216
Objekt erfasst: 14.03.2018
Objekt erstellt: 14.03.2018
Letzte Änderung: 14.03.2018
Copyright © rottenplaces.de  di André Winternitz

 

'Museum of government folly' and Cold War fear sits on Montana prairie
Da  eu.greatfallstribune.com del 20 febbraio 2018

A 1970 construction a missile site radar building. The slab would be 46 feet below the surface of the building, which would extend 77 feet above ground as well, according to the caption. Work on the Perimeter Acquisition Radar site, which was never Inished, also included moving hundreds of yards of earth for construction of a power plant and missile site control building. TRIBUNE ARCHIVE LEDGER — Generations will rise and fall in the Golden Triangle, and what's leF of the Safeguard Montana Complex will remain. That's what $64 million buys you ($386 million adjusted for inRation). FiFy years ago — the year of the Tet OUensive in Vietnam and Richard Nixon's election — Conrad and Shelby were anticipating a Rood of new arrivals to build a Montana Safeguard Antiballistic Missile System with a perimeter acquisition radar (PAR) site, part of the Safeguard System that was designed to protect Malmstrom Air Force Base and its nuclear missile \elds from incoming missiles. The PAR site, between Conrad and Chester near Tiber Reservoir, was going to have 9,000 people on hand in 1972 and then 4,000 military and civilian personnel going forward. Later that \gure was revised down, but the plan was always for a relatively small, self-contained Army post. A 1970 outline of the missile Ield development was "ABM means growth for Montana." The radar site was going to be a "largely selfcontained small Army post."

TRIBUNE ARCHIVE An Army Corps of Engineers o`cer told Conrad, "We're going to double the size of this town in three or four years." Communities split on whether this would be a blessing or a bane. Contractors built the slabs of the PAR building with 10 feet thick walls. The structure was going to have 8.5 million pounds of steel. Elevators would run up and down the 130-foot building, which would have a northward slope of 25 degrees with a radar screen to detect missiles. Construction wasn't smooth. The project saw a cost overrun and labor problems. A lone picketer shut it down once. Snow did another time. In September 1970, workers walked oU a project site and one  Operating Engineers Local 400 o`cial said, "We've had so many things go wrong, I can't even understand why we keep people there at all." Though construction stopped on the Montana version, building continued on the Perimeter Acquisition Radar site in Concrete, N.D., now known as Cavalier Air Force Station. It's used for tracking satellites. EPARCS is operated by the 10th Space Warning Squadron, 21st Space Wing, and maintained by Summit Technical Solutions, with NORAD military personnel assigned to the site.

WIKIMEDIA The PAR site and Sprint missile sites needed 610 acres (plus 870 acres of easements). Some farmers objected to the appraisal for land the federal government wanted for the PAR site. In March 1972, the Tribune printed: "Several wheat farmers in the Conrad missile site area are furious at the Army Corps of Engineers and one of them likened their experience to 'getting in the ring with Joe Frazier with one hand tied behind your back.'" Orlo Underdahl was oUered $2,000 for 30 acres in the middle of his farm. He found more fair a telephone company's price of $833 for the 3.6 acres of his land it needed. Within two months, the point was moot. In 1972, the United States signed the SALT I ABM treaty, which only allowed one ABM site.  By then, Montana's Safeguard sites were about 10 percent \nished. North Dakota's PAR was further along, so work stopped on Montana's site. Local civic leaders tried to come up with another use for the site, which was mostly underground and in rural Montana. Instead, hundreds of thousands of dollars more were spent scrapping, tearing out and burying elements at the site, which had 11,500 feet of fence alone. Roads, parking lots, curbs, gutters,  trailer sites, heat sinks, waste water ponds and missile holes were "ripped up or \lled in." In 1973, House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Robert Leggett, D-Calif., described the complex near Conrad as "one of the champion taxpayer-Reecers of all time." "My guess is $19.98 would probably take it," he said. "Perhaps some public spirited soul will pick up the property and develop it into a titanium-plated museum of government folly." When he learned from the Army that the land was being turned over for disposal as excess real estate, he said, "Thus an inglorious program comes to a \ttingly inglorious end." The United States had by then spent $8 billion on anti-ballistic missile systems and had another $2 billion allotted to \nish the site in North Dakota. "We will do it simply because we are permitted to do so by the ABM Treaty and because the administration apparently operates on the principle that no opportunity for military spending should go neglected," he said. It's still seeing action outside Concrete, N.D., not far from the Canadian border. The government was going to shut it down in the 1990s but upgraded it instead. It's the Cavalier Air Force Station now.

 

COLD WAR TOURIST: Visiting the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard ABM Complex. While in North Dakota, check out the PAR “backscatter radar” site nearby, the $6-billion Pyramid of Nekoma. A web of iron remained on the prairie until reclamation efforts after construction stopped on the Perimeter Acquisition Radar site near Ledger.

TRIBUNE ARCHIVE In Montana, the hum of construction turned back into the howl of prairie wind. The money that would have come into the community with continued construction and the $10 million annual operating cost didn't materialize. Some people who had bet on growth faced \nancial losses, but Pondera and Toole county folks could count positive eUects, too. Roads were better; sewer/water systems were better. Conrad was built up and capable of accommodating 7,700 people, making it was ready for industrial development (current population: 2,570).

Maybe, people conjectured, we were closer to world peace. The boom-town folks and "fast money" leF, but the original cast of northcentral Montana was still in place. See for yourself: The PAR building is on private land but visible from the road. Take Highway 366 east of Interstate-15 toward Tiber Reservoir and continue about 27 miles to Hauser Road. by Kristen Inbody

 

Warsaw Fortress, series of abandoned forts in Warsaw
Da abandonedspaces.com del 12 febbraio 2018

 

By Pettarr Djjajjkovskii

Warsaw Fortress was is a group name given to a system of fortifications built in and around the Polish capital.

They were all constructed during the time when the city was part of the Russian Empire. In the 19th century, Warsaw was part of what was known as Congress Poland, or Russian Poland.

Most of the fortifications were inside the territory of Congress Poland, but there were also a few slightly outside of it’s borders.

 

Barracks in fort P Bema/ Author: Jakub Góral pl:Kuba G – CC BY 2.5

The first piece of the Warsaw Fortress was constructed shortly after the November Uprising, also known as the Polish-Russian War (1830-1831), which was a rebellion against the Russian Empire. The uprising started off well and had local success that lasted a short while, until the Imperial Russian Army arrived and crushed it.

The aftermath resulted in a decree signed by the Russian Tsar, Nicholas I, that declared Poland as an integral part of the Russian Empire. And so the first piece of the fortification puzzle was placed; the Warsaw Citadel, built between 1832 and 1834.

For the following forty years the Russian Empire continued to build big castles, barracks, and more forts around Warsaw to reinforce its claim on the Polish territory.

One of the outer fortifications of Warsaw Fortress after bombardment by German aircraft in 1939/ Author: Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-S53297 – CC BY-SA3.0 de

Model of Warsaw Citadel/ Author: Marek and Ewa Wojciechowscy / Trips over Poland – CC BY-SA 3.0

In 1874 the puzzle seemed finished and the Russian Empire gave a rest to it’s builders in Warsaw that lasted for 3 years. The machine was started once more in 1879 with a new, much bigger operation. This project would lay out a system of large forts surrounding the city of Warsaw. Thus, 20 more forts circling the city and guarding vital entrances and other strategic points were constructed in a very short period of time, between 1883 and 1890.

The craziest idea in this obsessive megalomania was probably the plan to combine and connect the Warsaw Fortress with the Modlin Fortress, which is around 31 miles north of Warsaw.

But both of the main fortresses were on the banks of the Wisla River, so the idea, in theory, seemed really good. However, in practice, it proved impossible, or plain undoable at the time.

Park Fosa and remains of the Warsaw Citadel/ Author: Adrian Grycuk – CC BY-SA 3.0 pl

Modlin Fortress/ Author: Wojsyl – CC BY-SA 3.0

Only a small part of this plan was carried out and a few of the chain fortresses were constructed. The rest of the resources and labor were put into continual strengthening of the many already existing fortresses. With artillery knowledge and siege instruments gaining rapid progress in the military world, the walls had to be reinforced.

By the end of this phase, at the very beginning of the 20th century, the fortress counted 29 forts and other major buildings such as the original citadel, command center, and barracks.

The tide shifted after the Russian Empire was defeated in the war against Japan (1904-1905).

Remains of a Warsaw Fort wall/ Author: Adam Foster – CC BY 2.0

Defensive work in Fort XV/ Author: Zbigniew Strucki – CC BY 2.5

This was a period when the Russian Empire had to compensate for the hole in the military purse after the loss. As a result of major calculations in military strategy and reevaluation of it’s strategic deployments, it was decided to cut the budget for operating the Warsaw Fortress. So began the era of deconstruction and demolition of the forts.

The work proceeded slowly and by 1913, just before the outbreak of World War I, the decision to demolish the Warsaw Fortress was reversed.

All of a sudden the army was swiftly trying to repair and reinforce all of the damage they themselves had done, in order to make the fortress strong once again and ready to defend the city of Warsaw.

After the First World War, Poland regained it’s independence, and with it the dismantling of the forts resumed.

Some of them were completely stripped while others were put to use by the Polish Army as barracks or as a storage site. Over the years all of them were slowly abandoned, and much of what remained of the fortifications was further demolished during the siege of Warsaw in September 1939.

Fort Bema/ Author: Guillaume Baviere – CC BY 2.0

Today many of the forts still stand shaped by time and history. Some are lost, completely dismantled or built over.

Most of the remaining ones have no public use, and are closed for visitors, left slowly to decay until they are needed again.

Only one fort breaks out of the norm. It was abandoned, and still is in some way, but it is used as an open art gallery. Artists are invited to come and put their mark inside the walls of the old fort.

 

North Korea Debuts Latest Intercontinental Ballistic Missile ‘Hwasong-15’ At Military Parade
Da  defenseworld.net del 9 febbraio 2018

North Korea Debuts Latest Intercontinental Ballistic Missile ‘Hwasong-15’ At Military Parade

North Korea’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Hwasong-15 has been featured for the first time in a military parade on Thursday that marked 70th anniversary of the founding of its military.

The North Korean military demonstrated at least four launchers with Hwasong-15 ICBMs at the parade, according to the edited clips broadcasted by the North’s state-run Korean Central Television. The Hwasong-15 missile launched last year in November is a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile which can fly over 13,000 km (8,080 miles).

Pyongyang says this 2-stage ballistic missile is capable of striking anywhere in the US mainland. The parade also showed off a range of ballistic missiles, such as the Pukguksong-2 -- a remodeled ground-based version of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, in addition to the intermediaterange Hwasong-12, which Pyongyang claims could reach Hawaii and Alaska, as well as the ICBMgrade Hwasong-14.

 

A quick guide to nuclear weapons
Da printfriendly.com  del 8 febbraio 2018

Paul Rogers 8 February 2018

The what, when, where of nuclear danger – and the good news about dispelling it. In the past couple of weeks, the details of the new United States nuclear posture have been published, Trump has delivered a belligerent state-of-the-union address and, most significant of all, the authoritative Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has moved the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock to two minutes to midnight.

This is the closest the clock has been to “doomsday” since the US and Soviet Union started testing immensely destructive H-bombs in the early 1950s. Now, after thirty years of an apparent easing of nuclear tensions since the end of the cold war, fear of nuclear war is real and pressing.

In recent months I’ve written some specific pieces on the nuclear issue for openDemocracy, mostly related to North Korea (see, for example, "Trump vs Kim Jong-un: nuclear war by 2019?" [12 October 2017], and "What are the chances of a nuclear nightmare?" [11 January 2018]); and for Oxford Research Group, mostly on UK weapons, US developments and first use (see Limited Nuclear Wars – Myth and Reality [29 August 2017], and Nuclear Posture Review: Sliding Towards Nuclear War? [30 January 2018]).

But what of the larger, yet immediate, context? In light of these publications, several people have suggested that a short guide to current nuclear arsenals would be useful. So here it is, in four parts. It starts with a quick scan of nuclear history; lists today's nuclear arsenals; outlines the good news (there really is some) and the bad; and ends with where to go next for reliable information (there’s plenty around). And to underline: notwithstanding all the worries, there is still room for optimism.

A quick history

The atom bomb was developed in the United States-led Manhattan Project which peaked with the first test in July 1945 followed by the dropping of bombs on Hiroshima (6 August) and Nagasaki (9 August). By later standards these were small bombs exploding with a force below 20 kilotons, but together they killed more than 200,000 people. A kiloton equals 1,000 tons of TNT – but current weapons may be a megaton or more in destructive force (1,000,000 tons of TNT). After Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the US soon set up a nuclear production-line. American planes could have destroyed two Japanese cities each month (though many were already flattened by intense conventional bombardment). In the event, Japan surrendered on 15 August. But a production-line was established anyway as the cold war loomed. As early as 1948, the US had a nuclear arsenal of fifty weapons. This is the closest the clock has been to “doomsday” since the US and Soviet Union started testing immensely destructive H-bombs in the early 1950s. The Soviet Union meanwhile developed its own atom bomb, testing its first in 1949. Both states went on to develop and test the H-bomb (aka thermonuclear or fusion bomb). There followed an extraordinary nuclear arms race involving free-fall bombs, land-based and submarinelaunched ballistic-missiles, nuclear-armed torpedoes, anti-aircraft missiles, air-to-air missiles, artillery-shells, and even miniature backpack nuclear landmines. Other countries got in on the act: the United Kingdom built its first bomb in 1952, France followed in 1960, China in 1964, and Israel later that decade. India tested what it tastefully called a “peaceful nuclear device” in 1974, Pakistan’s first test was in 1998, and North Korea’s in 2006. The east-west nuclear arms race lasted from the early 1950s to the end of the 1980s, and was almost unbelievable in its intensity. In most areas of weaponry the US led the way, with the Soviet Union subsequently catching up. By the mid-1980s world nuclear arsenals peaked at over 60,000, the vast majority American and Soviet. Most were far more powerful than the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs. But the extraordinary range of tactical weapons refutes the idea that nuclear policy was all about deterrence through mutually-assured destruction (MAD) using massively powerful strategic weapons. In reality, actually fighitng a nuclear war has a history that dates from Hiroshima and continues strongly to today.

Where are we now?

There was a substantial scaling down in the 1990s, some of it by agreement but much more done unilaterally. Most of the US and Russian (ex-Soviet) nuclear stockpiles were allowed to wither during the decade, although that still left many thousands. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) says there are currently about 15,000 warheads in the worldwide nuclear arsenals, with individual states as follows:

• * United States, 6,800
• * Russia, 7,000
• * United Kingdom, 215
• * France, 300 • * China, 270
• * Israel, 80
• * India, 130
• * Pakistan, 140
• * North Korea, 15

Some of these weapons are in reserve and others are in storage, waiting to be dismantled. The United States, for example, has 1,393 warheads on strategic-delivery systems, made up of intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and long-range bombers; 4,018 stockpiled, many of them tactical nuclear weapons readily available for use, and 2,880 “retired” nuclear warheads pending disassembly. The proportions for Russia are broadly similar. If nuclear strategy was all about the ability to destroy the major cities of a country then twenty or thirty would be more than enough. So "overkill” remains the order of the day.

Most analysts believe the US systems are more accurate and reliable. But they also recognise that because Russia's conventional forces are relatively weak, it would be tempted to use nuclear weapons early if a conflict with Nato broke out. This was certainly the policy within in the 1970s-80s when the Soviet Union had much larger conventional forces in Europe.

The good news

With around 10,000 nuclear warheads deployed or stockpiled for use, and more talk of “limited nuclear wars”, it is worth remembering that there are positives too. After all, only eight United Nations member-states have nuclear weapons, while 185 don’t. Moreover, a number of states decided against developing nuclear weapons in the past after thinking seriously about it. They include Sweden, Switzerland, Brazil and Argentina. South Africa had nuclear weapons but dismantled its small stock at the end of the apartheid era (see "A nuclear world: eight-and-a-half rogue states", 13 January 2017). In the 1980s, many analysts (including me) thought that there would have been more nuclear-armed states by now.

It is also worth remembering that many states are members of nuclear-free zones, including signatories to four international treaties covering large parts of the world:

• * Treaty of Tlatelolco (Latin America and the Caribbean), 1967
• * Treaty of Rarotonga (south Pacific), 1985
• * Treaty of Bangkok (southeast Asia), 1995
• * Treaty of Pelindaba (Africa), 1996

In view of this it is hardly surprising that over fifty states have signed up to the new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a UN initiative which was adopted in July 2017 and opened for signature only in September.

The bad news

A recap: why is it even necessary to write articles like this, nearly thirty years after the end of the cold war and in light of the good news just cited? Here are three reasons. There is a need for much more discussion about and opposition to the belief that having the ability to kill tens of millions of people makes for a sane “defence” policy.

First, all the eight nuclear-weapons states are intent on keeping their nuclear arsenals and are involved in modernising them or their delivery systems. None has even the slightest intention of signing up to, or even vaguely supporting, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – although that document has widespread international support.

Second, tensions between Nato and Russia are increasing, and there is real fear of a nuclear confrontation between North Korea and the United States, especially under the latter’s present leadership.

Third, and perhaps most important of all, is the serious talk of small-scale use of nuclear weapons. Such a catastrophic step would break a nuclear taboo that has held, despite many crises, mistakes and false alarms, since 9 August 1945.

That is why the issue is so important – and why there is a need for much more discussion about and opposition to the belief that having the ability to kill tens of millions of people makes for a sane “defence” policy. But in raising the issue, it's always useful to remember the good news too. There are other ways forward, out of the nuclear danger and into a safer world, and plenty of people believe in them.


Further information

If you want to know more about things nuclear, then here is a brief personal selection of sources - from a much larger range:

* SIPRI is an excellent resource, not least its Yearbook: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security
* Probably the best informed sources on nuclear weapons are Hans Kristensen and Robert Norris, both at the Federation of American Scientists with frequent articles in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
* Patricia Lewis, research director for international security at Chatham House, is with her team doing some interesting work on issues of nuclear safety and crisis instability
* Nuclear Information Service is a well-informed source, particularly on UK nuclear matters
* British American Security Information Council (Basic), is also useful on UK nuclear weapons, not least the US connection
* Rebecca Johnson’s Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy has valuable information on nuclear arms control -
* There are all too few independent academic analysts in the UK, but Nick Ritchie at the University of York is always worth reading
* Finally, and if you are a real glutton for punishment, see if you can dig out a copy of a book that Malcolm Dando and I wrote for CND nearly in 1984: The Death of Deterrence: Consequences of the New Nuclear Arms Race. It cost £1.95 then and should be even cheaper now!

About the author

Paul Rogers is professor in the department of peace studies at Bradford University, northern England. He is openDemocracy's international security adviser, and has been writing a weekly column on global security since 28 September 2001; he also writes a monthly briefing for the Oxford Research Group. His latest book is Irregular War: ISIS and the New Threat from the Margins (IB Tauris, 2016), which follows Why We’re Losing the War on Terror (Polity, 2007), and Losing Control: Global Security in the 21st Century (Pluto Press, 3rd edition, 2010). He is on Twitter at: @ProfPRogers

A lecture by Paul Rogers, delivered to the Food Systems Academy in late 2014, provides an overview of the analysis that underpins his openDemocracy column. The lecture - "The crucial century, 1945-2045: transforming food systems in a global context" - focuses on the central place of food systems in human security worldwide. Paul argues that food is the pivot of humanity's next great transition. It can be accessed here

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Paul Rogers

 

The World War II Classic Movie That Still Thrills Fifty Years Later
Da warhistorionline.com del 20 gennaio 2018

Hohenwerfen Castle near Salzburg, Austria, was the setting for the fictional Adler Schloss Castle in "Where Eagles Dare" Memorator - CC BY-SA 2.5

Fifty years ago, Scottish born writer Alistair MacLean, author of nearly twenty books including The Guns of Navarone, published in 1961, and Ice Station Zebra, published in 1968, was approached by American producer Elliott Kastner to write a suspenseful and action- acked World War II escapade. The two got together at MacLean’s residence in Surrey, England to discuss particulars. Usually, writers sell rights to convert their novels to screenplays, but in this situation, MacLean retained the rights to convert his screenplay into a novel. In March of 1966, MacLean presented a draft he had called Adler Schloss, which translates into Eagle Castle, the castle where much of the action takes place. Kastner renamed the screenplay Where Eagles Dare, taken from a line from Shakespeare’s Richard III – “Where eagles dare to perch” (Act 1, Scene 3, Pg 4). Actor and director Brian G. Hutton was chosen to direct, and he and MacLean completed the screenplay. The movie starred Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood as the primary characters of British Major John Smith and American assassin Lieutenant Schaffer. Their mission was to infiltrate the German castle of Adler Schloss to rescue an American General, held after being shot down by the Nazis before he is forced to reveal the plans for D-Day. The supporting cast included Mary Ure as Mary Ellison, an agent assisting in the rescue operation. Burton had insisted that Ure play the part of the agent when Hutton suggested Leslie Caron. The two had appeared together in Look Back in Anger, released in 1959. Burton and Ure had had a romantic relationship in the past, and it is possible that Burton’s wife at the time, Elizabeth Taylor, knew of the relationship and that could be why she repeatedly visited Burton on the set. It was at this time that Burton and Taylor’s marriage was on the rocks and the already hard drinking Burton was drunk during most of the filming. He was also seeing his career take a downturn by failed movies and Where Eagles Dare was his last truly successful movie. Burton’s heavy smoking and bad physical health made the use of mechanical equipment to support him in certain scenes necessary as well. At one time Burton’s pals, Peter O’Toole and Richard Harris – both hard-drinking Irish actors, came to the set and the group disappeared for three days. Nevertheless, the film is full of adversarial Nazis, machine guns, explosives, mayhem and mystery with several surprising plot twists along the way. There are so many dangerous scenes in the movie that were done by stunt actors, that Eastwood called the movie, “Where Doubles Dared” and Hutton joked that Burton’s stunt double, Alf Joint, should receive top billing and make Burton’s role somewhat of a cameo. In the movie, the Nazi hideout castle of Adler Schloss was actually Hohenwerfen Castle near Salzburg, Austria. The castle Adler Schloss was only accessible by cable car over a huge ravine and up the mountain on which the castle stood. The cable car was used in several important shots, including an explosion, but Hohenwerfen Castle does not have a cable car system. The scenes were filmed at a nearby resort in Ebensee, which ironically was the site of the notorious Nazi concentration camp and crematorium. Other cable car scenes were filmed at sets built at MGM in Borehamwood in England. The icy castle walls were scaled by Burton and Eastwood no less than twice and traveling atop cable cars and parachuting out of airplanes are standard modes of transportation during the movie. Where Eagles Dare turned out to be a successful moneymaker, grossing twenty-one million dollars with a budget of less than eight million. Directors Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino both claim the film as one of their favorites and British film critic Barry Norman, claimed it was “the best film of its kind ever made”. di George Winston

 

Study and Explore Top Secret Underground Bunkers in New CNS Article and Minecraft Game
Da nti.org del 18 gennaio 2018

The U.S. and Russia maintain top-secret underground bunkers designed to protect government leaders during a nuclear attack. Now you can tour two of them.
To accompany a new article by CNS expert Jeffrey Lewis, the Center for Nonproliferation  Studies (CNS) has modelled the U.S. Raven Rock Mountain  Complex and Russia’s Kosvinsky Bunker in the video game Minecraft, creating a virtual world for players to interact with and explore.

In his article, Lewis evaluates the enormous scale and cost to sustain these elaborate facilities, and he raises important questions about each country’s attachment to nuclear deterrence. Lewis’ article also contains two 3D models of the facilities for readers to examine, right on NTI’s website.

 

Raven Rock Mountain Complex
Da atlasobscura.com del 7 gennaio 2018

Officially referred to by a handful of monikers including the Raven Rock Mountain Complex, Site R, and the Alternate Joint Communication Center, the facility was best described by the local press half a century ago:the “Underground Pentagon.” Blasted out of solid greenstone from 1951 to 1953, the sprawling subterranean hideaway was designed to give the Department of Defense a place to regroup in the event that a nuclear weapon destroyed their Pentagon headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Raven Rock is hypothetically a self- ufficient community, with two underground reservoirs, a power plant, food reserves, and its own fully stocked bar. The tunnels also house several three-story freestanding buildings that would have accommodated a few hundred high ranking Cold Warriors. The idea of an “alternate seat of government” was first proposed by the National Security Council in 1949, and work was soon underway beneath the Blue Ridge Mountains that ring the east coast of the United States. Construction was contracted out to the Parsons Brinkerhoff firm because of their past performance expanding the New York subway system. The initial cost of an estimated $35 million equates to more than $350 million in 2018 dollars. A DOD study obtained by George Washington University notes that “The plan was that the Battle Staffs of the service headquarters would evacuate the Pentagon as soon as an attack was confirmed, go to [Raven Rock], and there assume control.” Raven Rock was very much a product of its times and reflects an obsession with all things decentralized, redundant, and underground. Access beyond the perimeter fence is highly restricted, but many are surprised to learn that there is nothing secretive about the facility itself. Local press covered the construction project extensively in the 1950s, and the Department of Defense regularly posts new contractor solicitations on their FedBizOpps database. Raven Rock has only seen emergency use one time in its history, when Vice President Dick Cheney was evacuated there on September 11th, 2001. The bunker may seem anachronistic in an era of asymmetric warfare, but it is still fully staffed and operational… a white elephantine relic of the Cold War.

 

FRENCH-ITALIAN CONSORTIUM EUROSAM SIGNS MISSILES DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT WITH TURKISH FIRMS
Da defenseworld.net del 6 gennaio 2018

French-Italian Consortium Eurosam Signs Missiles Development Contract With Turkish Firms

Turkey has signed joint missiles development contract with French and Italian firms during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to France on Friday. The deal for a long-range air missile system development and production project has been awarded to French-Italian consortium Eurosam and its Turkish partners Aselsan and Roketsan, Daily Sabah reports. On the sidelines of a meeting in Paris between Erdoğan and French President Emmanuel Macron, Eurosam announced that it will lay the ground for a development and production contract. The three-country missile program is expected to be ready by the middle of the next decade to safeguard against threats from stealth aircraft, drones and missiles, according to the report. In a statement, Eurosam said: "The joint development activity is expected to support Turkey's domestic air and missile development program in addition to opening up prospects for exports and longer-term cooperation between Turkey, Italy and France." Speaking at the joint press conference, President Erdoğan said: "The Eurosam agreement is a very significant step.

As two members of NATO, we are determined to broaden our cooperation," the president said, adding NATO member Italy is also a member of the agreement. Elaborating on the Turkish-French military partnership to fight against terrorism, Erdoğan said that the agreement to jointly develop a missile system will further enhance defense cooperation. "The missile development agreement that was signed today will further broaden the Turkish-French defense partnership". The Eurosam consortium is made up of European missile maker MBDA, itself a joint venture between Airbus and Italy’s Leonardo and Britain’s BAE Systems, and French defence contractor Thales, whose main shareholders are the French state and fighter jet maker Dassault Aviation.