Sussex Walks: Exploring Worthing's Air raid Shelters

Martin and I are on the trail of War Time Worthing. The sirens are blasting and the bombs are dropping. We need some protection from all the explosions, but where to go. Join us as we seek out some of Worthing's air raid shelters.
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I am Richard Vobes, the Bald Explorer, exploring Britain. Check out my website at: www.Vobes.com and www.BaldExplorer.com.
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[@neilgardiner6405]

another very interesting vid keep them coming richard

[@RichardVobes]

Thank you - glad you liked it. :)

[@davidbooth3285]

That was worth seeing for the old photos alone,never mind the humour!! Great!!

[@RichardVobes]

David Booth Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@destes65]

Another wonderful video. Thanks to you and Martin for showing us some of our not-too-distant past. My mother, who grew up on the Suffolk coast, tells stories of being evacuated inland, having to go to the air raid shelters during the night, and being strafed by German planes while she was walking to school.

[@RichardVobes]

How scary for her and yet what amazing memories. After that has happened to you - you can do anything! :)

[@123keswick]

Great to see the Then and Now photos. Such a shame they knocked down the old town hall.

[@RichardVobes]

Graham Mcmullen Yes indeed. The guildborne centre is no substitute.

[@petercrockford8832]

Very interesting video. There was another underground shelter in West Park near Durrington Station which was still there well into the sixties, though sealed off. It was a source of endless fascination to the local kids. I never did manage to get inside it, alas. Nice to see the pictures of Worthing as it was, too.

[@danabrahams7892]

@@RichardVobes Pill Box just passed Goring Gap as well. And Shoreham have the air-raid shelter there open now and then as well

[@MrGreatplum]

Fascinating video and great before and after photos. The main air raid shelters in Reigate were in the caves that are accessed from the tunnels. Every so often, when I’m on site visits, I come across air raid shelters in people’s back gardens.

[@ramibu239]

Thanks for showing us a bit of history that now is slowly slipping away w/ those that lived through it. Loved the pic of the past to compare w/ the present. So interesting how some shelters just kinda looked like a trailer sitting on the open ground - would have thought the enemy over head would see have seen them too!

[@RichardVobes]

Time is removing all the good old stuff.

[@vintagecreativemedia]

I enjoy these more urban videos as well as your countryside videos. I like seeing all the shops and streets in the background.

[@RichardVobes]

I try to mix and match a bit. Thanks so much for watching.

[@still_guns]

Across the street from my dads house, there's an old air raid shelter that does still exist. Was privately built by whoever was living at that house at the time, was buried for 70 odd years, was uncovered during yard work, and has been left there.

[@RichardVobes]

Great stuff - a classic bit of history!

[@johnbyrne2756]

Scene: modern day Worthing...... Where's the air raid shelter Martin? It's just round here....oh dear it's not here -- the hilarious Martin Snow!! We need more of him.....

[@andysanger7723]

Very interesting 👌

[@FrothNinja]

Fun - was almost expecting the last one you visited to still be there

[@RichardVobes]

Yes, that would have been good!

[@henryvagincourt4502]

Rather interesting I must say, very enjoyable.

[@RichardVobes]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@martinlewis1015]

In Worthing my mother lived above west Worthing station and she remembers a shelter just along the line near gates

[@RichardVobes]

Ah, that's very interesting - thanks, Martin.

[@john07973]

👍 interesting stuff

[@DavidB5501]

I remember when I went to school in Essex in the late 50s/60s there was still an air raid shelter at the side of the playground. It was used for storage. I wonder how many shelters still survive?

[@RichardVobes]

DavidB5501 Probably hundreds if we did but know it.

[@sarahstrong7174]

When I went to infant school in London there were still shelters under the school field. I was very interested in them & used to sit peering down into the darkness.I was only a first year & too small & scared to try climbing down the ladder. Amazing that they had not thought to board up the holes.

[@RichardVobes]

Blimey!

[@lawxxxx9853]

What a superb episode! Loved the air raid siren effects - and the old pics too. Really great effort - your finest hour?

[@RichardVobes]

law xxxx Very kind of you to say so!

[@MrTdr01]

Most interesting. Thanks. Someone told me once they were strathed whilst running down chapel Rd. I’ve dived some great ww1 and 2 wrecks. Mostly victims of u boats. But some bombers, landing craft, mulberry’s and a tank? All off the south coast. I heard that widewater in lancing was used for some sort of DDay training, perhaps you could throw some light on this? Brilliant.

[@RichardVobes]

MrTdr01 Funny you should mention Widewater. Thanks coming on Wednesday. I didn't know about the D Day training but it makes sense.

[@ethanisanelf7511]

The Broadwater green one is still there, on the hill bit there is a drain type thing with a bar and locks on so no one gets in

[@RichardVobes]

I believe the fire brigade have used it for training.

[@ethanisanelf7511]

Yeah it’s what I heard

[@sallylonghurst4414]

They still used it up until a few years ago . Not sure if they do now. I happened to see several firemen in full breathing kit going down through the entrance on top of the little hill. It looked very odd. 🤔

[@philbeckett8620]

Does anyone know about an excavated room created for council records during WW2 up at High Salvington?

[@tooyoungtobeold8756]

When you started your walk you were in the middle of Goring pond, at least, where it was.

[@JuliaHartley]

I think an air raid shelter was found, opened, and restoration was considered, on Lancing Beach green last summer. I'll have to go check my facts though ;)

[@JuliaHartley]

An underground one though

[@RichardVobes]

That would be interesting!

[@butch907]

excellent vid, shoreham saw alot enemy aircraft,a old lady told me she watched a fight in the skys, WW2,

[@RichardVobes]

A frightening time to be on the front line in Sussex, for sure.

[@bigusjimus80]

Great video. I know of a bomb shelter that i see often on my way to work. It is in a back garden on barrington road (the east end where hmrc is) its the house right on the corner of the road that leads up to marlborogh rd. Its a very delapitated house, which i imagine has been occupied by an old person for a very long time. If you walk along the side wall of the house east to west you can see a concrete bunker in the bushes. Its always amazed me but ive never been able to find any imfo about it.

[@RichardVobes]

Lovely to stumble across these relics of the past.

[@UKWMO]

Interesting video. Does the air raid shelter beneath Steyne Gardens still exist or was it filled in? You may be aware, a big wheel/Ferris wheel has been erected over the the very same spot. If the air raid shelter does still exist I hope the roof of it can withstand the wheel’s weight. Presumably the ground has been surveyed before installing?

[@RichardVobes]

UKWMO That is a very good question.

[@UKWMO]

Richard Vobes: Would Martin know? It’s one of those things where time moves on and people forget. I wonder if the management of the wheel should be informed? The thought of the ground giving way and that thing toppling over is not a good one!

[@RichardVobes]

UKWMO He may do. I will have to ask him. Thanks.

[@vintagecreativemedia]

Were there more shelters in the south of England versus the North?

[@RichardVobes]

That I don't know. Maybe - probably great concentration of attack, although manufacturing and docks areas were great targets.

[@Duffy512]

What are your memories of the war Richard?

[@RichardVobes]

I was born in 1963 - so I have no memories of war!

[@pattismythe2769]

Laurel and Hardy eat your hearts out.....😀

[@sarahstrong7174]

Hasn't that church got a crypt?

[@RichardVobes]

Not sure.

[@newspaniard]

Was Martin wearing a homing device for EU bombers?

[@americannotamericant1773]

We always hear bull on bombing civilian centers and the U.S nuking both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but Germany and Japan attacked our civilians first. So fair is fair. The Germans used incendiaries and clusters on Londoners and yet the U.K and U.S are criticized for our use of bombing German population centers.

[@RichardVobes]

It must have been a frighting time to be around.

[@americannotamericant1773]

Richard Vobes I have no idea how my Grandparents dealt with it in their youth. I lost many great uncles in that War and sometimes I wonder if their deaths where in vein since this world is so drastic. Not even 70 years later and this world is going, excuse my French,” Batshit Crazy”

[@RichardVobes]

You would certainly think so. I hanker back to those days pre-war. I feel that standards were higher and morals clearer. The days before globalization too.

[@americannotamericant1773]

Richard Vobes, sad to say but we no longer have minimal standards of Morality, Humanity, and Pro-Western ideals which made us Powerful Empires. If this is a glimpse of the future, well I don’t want to be around when there is mayhem and satanic like rituals. Christ better make his return before there is another World War. Now I must say I’m a Southerner, where we are raised Christian and hold our Morals in learning of the faith, but those Godless Yankees up North will be the demise of my Nation.