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The Archaeology of Air Raid Shelters

Explore the history and significance of air raid shelters through archaeological research, uncovering their construction, design, and use during times of conflict. Discover how material culture can provide insights into societal fears and responses to threats.

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The Archaeology of Air Raid Shelters

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  1. The Archaeology of Air Raid Shelters Alice Gorman Department of Archaeology Flinders University

  2. Why archaeology? • Not just pyramids and pots • Material culture tells different stories to historical documents • Growing interest in the recent past Remembering the past - air raid shelter mural, UK

  3. The Brisbane Line • First raised in 1908 by Lord Kitchener • 1938: population of Australia at 7 million • Fear of Japanese invasion • Adelaide is a target Air raids and naval encounters

  4. South Australian Defence Society • Founded by Natalia Davies in 1933 • Raise awareness and teach ARP • Membership mostly women • Gender roles on the home front Demonstrating air raid precautions in Adelaide

  5. Official organisation • 1939 - Commissioner for Civil Defence appointed • 1941 - Emergency Powers Act • Jan 1942 - arrangements for air raid warnings “backward” in SA

  6. Conflicting views on ARP • Building morale or creating paranoia? • ARP: Sham or Shelter? 1940. By a group of Australian Scientists for the Research Group of the Left Book Club of Victoria

  7. Personal Public Corporate Military Subterranean Above ground Cellars and basements Caves Tunnels Slit trenches Types of air raid shelter Mackay, Qld

  8. Features of air raid shelters • Shield from flying debris • Entrance features blast-proof • Robust reinforced concrete • Ventilation • Sanitary facilities Entrance - Isle of Sheppey, UK

  9. Subterranean • Air Raid Practice, Australian General Hospital, Sydney, August 1942

  10. Deep trench • Belsize Park, UK • Very expensive • “Shelter mentality” • Not used in Australia

  11. Concrete pipes • Adelaide, March 1942. Air raid shelter in Botanical Gardens.

  12. Dual purpose pillbox • Brisbane City Council public shelters • Design allowed brick walls to be dismantled - used as bus shelters, public toilets, after the war • 16 heritage listed today

  13. Slit trenches • Adelaide 1942 - digging air raid trenches • Whitmore Square • Most commonly used type in Australia

  14. Public air raid shelter • UK - designed to fit 50 people • Many air raid shelter designs resemble public toilets

  15. Anderson shelter • Designed 1938 for use in backyards • 2 million in Britain by 1939 • Manufactured by Lysaght in Australia

  16. Morrison shelter • June 1941 • Sleeps 2-3 people and doubles as a table during the day

  17. Backyard trench • Adelaide 1942 • Air Raid Precautions were a family affair

  18. “Our air raid shelter”Recorded by Jack Davey, April 1942 We’ve got a house down by the sea, We’ve been busy with the ARP, We’ve built a place where we can hide, Now it bulges when we get inside. It’s made of bags filled up with sand, And all the neighbours lent a helping hand, When it was built, we raised a shout, We rushed in and now we can’t get out.

  19. Air raid paraphernalia

  20. The Repat shelters • Three subterranean shelters - 1942 • Up to 300 people • Military - medical • Filled in between 1958 and 1970

  21. The Repat project • 2004 - Repat approaches Department of Archaeology, Flinders University • 2004 - Preliminary excavations uncover a path • 2005 - Oral history collection • October 2006 - Geophysical survey

  22. What will we learn? • Construction: represents level of fear? • Style: what are the influences? • Use: internal floor plan, artefacts • Informal use: is there any evidence? School shelter in Croydon, UK

  23. Contemporary relevance • Social memory • Can material culture mediate fear? • Cold War, nuclear bunkers • Responses to threats in post 9/11 world

  24. What’s next • 2007 - completion of geophysical survey • Excavation to uncover air raid shelters

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