A medical centre during the Second World War in Chislehurst Caves

Image: © Marathon Taken: 24 Nov 2017

There are 20 miles of caves at Chislehurst cut out of the chalk. On the excellent tour you walk nearly a mile of these. Up to 1985 there was a £5 challenge for anyone who managed to stay down here all night on their own. A policeman managed it by spending the time carving a figure on the cave wall but said he would never repeat the experience for any amount of money as he always had the feeling someone (or something) was behind him. Another man who tried was found unconscious unable to say what had happened. No further attempts have been allowed since 1985. The caves were used as an air raid shelter in the Second World War when up to 15,000 people were down here. The guided tour of an hour is a real bargain for what you get. You carry a paraffin lamp round with you and at one point these are taken away and you are left in the total darkness and then a gong is sounded round the corner which reverberates throughout the caves. This tends to make one jump even when expecting it! By November 1940 special trains were run each evening from Cannon Street to Chislehurst to cope with the crowds. Most people knew of the caves' existence, even Hitler and Lord Haw Haw. The latter announced on the radio that the time would come for the 'rats' sheltering in the caves. This was the medical centre. The lady on the left doesn't look too well but with 15,000 people in the caves the air (with only one fan) tended to get rather fetid. See also https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5633706

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