Secret Bunker North

Tally Ho! Diver! Diver ! Diver!

Take a walk through the hidden history of 13 Group Headquarters. Find where a railing in a turnip field signalled a world below and listen in to what went on in the bunkers.

Credit: EYELEVEL / Urban Design and Conservation, Newcastle City Counci

Explore the bunker

Explore the Operations Room of 13 Group Fighter Command as it likely was during the biggest aerial battle that 13 group saw during the Battle of Britain.

Spitfire of 41 Squadron - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Supermarine_Spitfire_F_Mk_XIIs_of... 1) Crown Copyright Expiration, This artistic work created by the United Kingdom Government is in the public domain. This is because it is one of the following: It is a photograph created by the United Kingdom Government and taken prior to 1 June 1957; or It was commercially published prior to 1963; or It is an artistic work other than a photograph or engraving (e.g. a painting) which was created by the Unit

On This Day: 15.08.1940

What happened and why is it regarded as The Greatest Day of the Battle of Britain? Why did the Luftwaffe call it Black Thursday?

Secret Bunker North

No. 13 Group Fighter Command, HQ
RAF Newcastle, Kenton Bar, Newcastle upon Tyne

A secret bunker, to this day still inaccessible to the public, lay amongst a larger RAF complex at Kenton Bar. It served as part of the air-defence system during World War II and was one of four Fighter Command HQs UK-wide. Its sole purpose was to co-ordinate the air defence of northern Britain and served a key role throughout the Battle of Britain.

Through the Secret Bunker /North art and education project you can now listen to the stories of those who were there and understand the vital role that the bunkers played in the high-tech world of WWII air defence.

Click the logo on the right to play the audio trailer

More about the bunker...

Go On the Listening Trail

What happened in the bunker? What purpose did it serve? Who were the people involved? What was life like? What technologies were used?

Personnel

Learn about some of the people involved from the Officer Commanding to pilots who engaged in aerial battle, from WAAF teleprinter operators and operators to Chain...

Box Of Delights

A school and community group educational resource. A box of goodies to learn from. Items to evoke, provoke and lead learning sessions on the history...

WEBSITE

Nicknamed “Schwarzer Donnerstag” (Black Thursday) by the Luftwaffe and known in Britain as “The Greatest Day”, the 15th August 1940 saw some of the fiercest aerial fighting of the Battle of Britain. For the first time significant and sustained attacks were made on the north of England from German bases in Norway. This day was one of the most decisive points in the Battle of Britain. Group 13 had never had a busier or more important day and the ops room in the Kenton Bunker played out its vital role, plotting enemy raids and directing squadrons under their control to intercept and destroy. Had it not been for 13 Groups overall success of this day, the Battle of Britain could have taken to a very different ending.

Follow the events of the day through an animated story created from original 13 Group logbooks, 1st hand accounts and well researched histories from other organisations

What happened on this day…

footer