Secret Wartime Britain: Hidden Places That Helped Win the Second World War

During the Second World War, thousands of sites across Britain were requisitioned to support the war efforts. Additionally countless others were built from scratch regardless of cost. Often the purpose of these locations was concealed even from those living close by.
The author of Secret Wartime Britain has compiled a fascinating collection of examples that still exist today, albeit often in different usage. They include underground factories, storage sites and headquarters; spy and communication centres; interrogation and POW camps; dummy sites; research facilities such as sinister Porton Down; treasure stores in stately homes and even royal retreats in the event of invasion such as Madresfield Court. Where were these sites and why were they needed? How successfully were they kept secret? What has happened to them since? Were they returned to their owners? Answers to these and other questions make Secret Wartime Britain a riveting and revealing read. AUTHOR: Colin Philpott has a long-standing interest in recent German history and in abandoned buildings and venues. His first book A Place in History, looking at the impact on places where news stories happened in twentieth century Britain, was published in 2012. His drama The Last Match about the last day of peace before World War Two, was first performed in 2014. He is a former Director of the National Media Museum and was a BBC programme-maker and journalist for 25 years. He also works as a non-executive director, a producer on creative and media projects and as a radio and event presenter. He lives in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.
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