ÿþ<HTML LANG=en-GB> <HEAD> <TITLE>The Derelict Miscellany :: Horsham UKWMO Post</TITLE> <META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="bomb, bunker, nuclear, horsham, ukwmo, roc, underground, cold, war, derelict, abandoned, disused, civil, defence"> <META NAME="description" CONTENT="A concrete bunker built in the 1960s to protect a small team of volunteers whose job it was to monitor fallout and weather conditions in the event of an attack."> <META NAME="author" CONTENT="D.A. Gregory"> <META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="ALL"> <link rel="icon" href="favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"> <script type="text/javascript"> // JK Pop up image viewer script- By JavaScriptKit.com // Visit JavaScript Kit (http://javascriptkit.com) // for free JavaScript tutorials and scripts // This notice must stay intact for use var popbackground="#EEE9E9" //specify backcolor or background image for pop window var windowtitle="Derelict Miscellany: Images" //pop window title function detectexist(obj){ return (typeof obj !="undefined") } function jkpopimage(imgpath, popwidth, popheight, textdescription){ function getpos(){ leftpos=(detectexist(window.screenLeft))? screenLeft+document.body.clientWidth/2-popwidth/2 : detectexist(window.screenX)? screenX+innerWidth/2-popwidth/2 : 0 toppos=(detectexist(window.screenTop))? screenTop+document.body.clientHeight/2-popheight/2 : detectexist(window.screenY)? screenY+innerHeight/2-popheight/2 : 0 if (window.opera){ leftpos-=screenLeft toppos-=screenTop } } getpos() var winattributes='width='+popwidth+',height='+popheight+',resizable=yes,left='+leftpos+',top='+toppos var bodyattribute=(popbackground.indexOf(".")!=-1)? 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Monitoring Post</font></u><br><font size="4"></font> <br> </center><b>What:</B> Monitoring Post <BR> <b>Where:</B> Horsham, West Sussex <BR> <b>Built:</b> 1961 <BR> <b>Architect:</b> Unknown <BR> <b>Abandoned:</b> 1992 <BR> <b>Listed:</b> No <BR><b>Visited:</b> 2005<BR> <b>Last Known Condition:</b> Fair <br><b>Page Updated:</b> February 2011<BR> <p align="justify"> Opened in December 1961 and decommisioned as surplus to requirements on 18th August 1992 following changes to the structure of the UK's civil defence strategy, this bunker was one of hundreds in the British Isles used by the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation (U.K.W.M.O.) and the Royal Observer Corps (R.O.C.), maintained in readiness throughout the Cold War in case of nuclear attack. In such an event, a dedicated staff would use the small bunker as a base to monitor the intensity of the bomb blast, wind (and therefore fallout) direction and atmospheric conditions and to communicate these data to group headquarters (the nearest being behind the Drill Hall in Denne Road, also the Metropolitan Sector HQ). In addition, the observers would be responsible for informing and warning the public of any immediate danger. <br> At decommisioning, the post was locked and as they had become obselete, contents were left largely in situ. The site was sold to the District Council in 1992 and at that time Mr. John Loxley of Horsham District Council's property services division conducted a survey, noting that:<br> "The premises comprise a reinforced concrete underground chamber of 15ft in length and 7 and a half feet in width together with a small store and a narrow access shaft of approx 2ft sq. which is securely padlocked. The premises lie within an area of 300 sq.metres enclosed in part by a double perimeter security fence measuring 2 and 3 metres high respectively." <br><br> In 2005 I wrote to the Council's department of property services and estates, and was able to obtain permission to conduct a brief inspection of the bunker accompanied by the original surveyor and two others. Interestingly, this was apparently the first visit to the site by any council employee since 1992, which certainly explains the overgrown nature of the compound. On clearing a path through the dense overgrowth, it was found that the bunker had been broken into and looted for saleable items. <br> <br> </p><center> <img alt="The fencing of the overgrown compound" src="defence/compoundfence.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <img alt="Ventillation pillar." src="defence/vent.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <img alt="looking back up the shaft." src="defence/bunk.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <br> <img alt="The pump was in excellent condition and presumably in working order." src="defence/bunk7.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <img alt="Overview." src="defence/insidegen.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <img alt="Monitoring shelf and drawers." src="defence/bunk1.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <br> <img alt="Bomb power indicator mount." src="defence/bunk4.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <img alt="A variety of non standard issue equipment including a dartsboard." src="defence/bunk2.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <img alt="Disposable Panties, definitely non-standard issue!" src="defence/pantees.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <br> <img alt="Ventilation regulator." src="defence/bunk5.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <img alt="Instrument table and shelving." src="defence/bunk6.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <img alt="Assortment of supplies." src="defence/stuff.jpg" border="1" height="220"> <br> <br> </center> Internally, the bunker was found to be dry, probably owing to its elevated position (these structures are otherwise somewhat prone to flooding) but its contents were in disarray, and despite looting of more valuable items, much still remained. <br> <br> <center></font><b> <a href="index.html">Home..</a></b><br> <br> </td><td width=13></td></tr></table> </TD></TR><TR><TD bgcolor="#EEE9E9" ALIGN=CENTER> <font size=1>Derelict Miscellany. 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