HMS Forward: The secret WW2 tunnels hidden in South Heighton
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HMS Forward was a shore establishment of the British Royal Navy during World War II. In 1941 a complex of tunnels were constructed 20m (66ft) underground to house the ten radar stations along the Sussex coast which reported to HMS Forward.
Forward liaised by teleprinter to similar centres at Dover and Portsmouth to provide comprehensive intelligence about everything moving on, under or over the English Channel.
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Hide AdThe entrance to the centre was inside the Guinness Trust Holiday Home at the top of the hill. From there a flight of 120 steps led deep inside the earth to a network of tunnels below, which contained the most sophisticated communications devices then available.
After the War, the tunnels were abandoned and largely forgotten except by adventurous local children. A local group of interested residents were trying to obtain funding to turn the tunnels into a tourist attraction, but for legal and financial reasons this did not go ahead.
The tunnels are dangerous to enter as they are lined with the highly toxic metal cadmium, known to cause cancer. There are also grenade pits, steep steps and many twists and turns.
Forward served as the command centre for all Royal Naval establishments in the area and was responsible for: HMS Marlborough, the Electrical Training School at Eastbourne. HMS Forward II (renamed HMS Aggressive in 1942), the Coastal Forces base at Newhaven. The Combined Operations Landing Craft bases of HMS Newt at Newhaven and HMS Lizard at Shoreham and Hove. HMS Vernon (R), the Torpedo, Mining & Electrical Training Establishment at Roedean School, Brighton.
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Hide AdNewhaven played an important role during the Second World War, in particular in the ill-fated Dieppe Raid on 19th August 1942. The Raid was designed to foster German fears of an attack in the west and to compel the enemy to strengthen their channel defences at the expense of other areas of operation. It would also provide an opportunity to test new techniques and equipment, and be the means to gain experience and knowledge for planning a great amphibious assault.