How long in Churchill War Rooms?.
The Churchill War Rooms, located beneath the Churchill Museum in London, contain the underground bunker where the British government and Prime Minister Winston Churchill conducted operations for the duration of World War II. From February 1940 to May 1945 **, the Churchill War Room was the site of frantic activity, serving as
The Origins of Operations
The idea of bunker construction began in 1931, but it wasn’s until 1939 as the threat of war crept closer that the proposal gained momentum. In September 1939
, the Air Raid Crisis Committee, consisting of
• Rear – Admiral Tom Phillips, then Commander-in-Chief Admiralty
• Winston Churchill, First Lord
of the Admiralty*
• Major General (later General) Iva,
Assistant Chiefof Staff (Intelligence Air Ministry)
• Lloyd George,
begged the Government to speed up the construction of secure underground facilities for the Prime Minister, Sir Neville Chamberlain.
Table: Timeline of Construction *
| Date | Event/Critical Milestone |
September 1939 | Plans approved |
September 1939 | Cabinet approves |
February–March 1940
| Construction Begins |
Late 1940
December 1940 | Original Bunker |
The Original Bunion
The bunker, sometimes referred to as the Mansion House Air Raid Public Shelter, was a vast underground complex covering over ten acres. Construction began in response to the
• High risk of invasion and terror bombing
• German airborne attacks
• Possible assassination attempts
**Main Features**- 55 rooms
- 39 feet below street level (approximately 12 meters height)
- Strong external walls and a ceiling above
- Original entrance near the Ministry of Health (~ 10 miles (~8.5 km from HMS Belfast)
The Churchill Residence
The residence consisted originally of:
- A master bedroom
- Bathroom *
- Dining area
An office
The private balcony
Later Enhacements
As the war drags on and Churchill’ s importance as a major leader grew, additional accommodation was added. In fact, the rooms have over 40 new offices , a conference room ,, and a radio communication space *
Duration of Primary Operations
Churchill and numerous government officials were active continuously in the War Rooms; from *February 30, 1940
to May 1995, covering most time spent in London.
Here are some specific time lapses:
- February | 1940 –May 1945 (mainly Churchill residence and main room usage)
- November-May 1941| January 1944
(period of the "Lambeth Raid")
October 1941-Apr1 1944 (preparation for and immediate subsequent to the "Atlantic Charter")
(Churchill stays away periodically)
Legacy
It is difficult to fully consider the significance of Churchill without acknowledging the War Ministry and his stay at Churchill War Rooms . For an essential part of Britain’s effort during World War II will be forever preserved.
Additional Sources and Works
• Winston Churchill Personal Papers
• Ian Fleming Archives ( Ian Fleming, later the iconic author of the James Bond novels)
Ian Fleming’s intelligence experience provided valuable insights in developing aspects of the Churchill War
• War Museum*
• Royal Institute Research**
• The War Files
• National Archives Britain
