Category Archives: World War II
Dover’s Home Guard
In the run up to World War II (1939-1945), the United Kingdom was preparing for the eventually of war. In 1938, air raid wardens were being recruited and households were given advice on how to build air-raid shelters in their … Continue reading
Prince of Wales Pier Part II – 1914 to the Present Day
Part I of the story of the Prince of Wales Pier tells that it was constructed as the eastern arm of the Commercial harbour cum Harbour of Refuge, by Dover Harbour Board (DHB) and was formerly opened in 1902. The … Continue reading
Admiralty Pier Part II from 1909
Admiralty Pier is one of the major engineering feats of the late 19th – early twentieth century, and the story of its building was covered in Part I Admiralty Pier. Briefly, the first part of the Pier was started in November … Continue reading
Part 3 Swingate, Radar and the Towers
By the late 1920’s all that remained of the former World War I (1914-1918) Swingate aerodrome, east of Dover, were empty hangars. (see: Marconi, Wireless & Swingate Aerodrome) Since the War, the Regular and Territorial (TA) armies had used the site, … Continue reading
St Margaret’s Bay Windmill
High on the cliff tops of St Margaret’s Bay, to the east of Dover, stands a Windmill but it is no ordinary windmill. It was commissioned by Sir William Beardsell and completed in 1928. Sir William, born in Stockport in … Continue reading