Second World War Air Raid Precautions, Warden’s Post, Queensway/Dulwich Rd, Holland-on-Sea (EHER 21168)

Second World War air raid precautions, Warden’s Post

WWII Defence of Clacton survey On the North West corner of the Queensway/Dulwich Road junction, standing within a fenced-off Electricity Sub-Station compound, is a World War Two A.R.P. (Air Raid Precautions) Warden’s Post. It is a solid-looking, rectangular, concrete building. In the South wall there is a bricked-up entrance; in the E wall there appears to be a slabbed-up window or loophole. The building, from the outside, is in good condition but it is not known what lies inside. Surviving correspondence from Clacton Urban District Council to an architect at Essex County Council, dated October 1939, shows that the post was completed during that month, by the builder, Wood Wren Ltd, but shows concern for the poor surface finish! It appears to have survived rather better than expected. <1> A plan of the building, with the CUDC correspondence, refers to it as a ‘Pill-Box type A.R.P. Warden’s Post’, 11’6” x 10’0” x 7’ 9” high. It shows, not a window or loophole, but an emergency exit loosely sealed with tapered cement blocks. There is, apparently, a single internal room and, on the plan, a ‘gas curtain’. The entire structure is heavily reinforced with steel rods within all walls and roof. <2> A newspaper report, from 1944, shows that it was the command post for A.R.P. Sector B12 at Holland-on-Sea and was manned 24 hours a day. <3> One photo taken of site during site visit by Fred Nash in August 2006. <4> Site visit by Fred Nash, 2006 At the time of compiling this record it is not known, either locally or nationally, what the survival is of A.R.P. Warden’s Posts. However, this example, in seemingly fine condition, with a comparative wealth of documented provenance, is a part of the history of World War Two Holland-on-Sea and as such every effort should be made to ensure its continued survival, ultimately to Scheduled Monument status. <5>