A Second World War underground wireless station in Norwich, which was part of a secret communications network set up in 1940 by Churchill in response to the increasing threat of German invasion, has been protected as a scheduled monument by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England.
Historic England reports:
Discovered in 2012 by a retired groundsman in the gardens of a Norwich country house, this wireless station, also known as an IN-Station or Zero Station, is thought to be one of just 32 built in England during the Second World War.
This is one of the most intact examples discovered so far, complete with a fake bookcase to conceal the wireless room and an escape tunnel.
In July 1944 3,500 civilians had been trained and over 125 civilian-run OUT-Stations had been established, often hidden in dugouts or behind dummy walls in houses. In this same month the ‘Special Duties’ branch was closed down, equipment stripped from the stations and their entrances hidden.
Details about their locations and construction were kept secret and very little documentation of the stations exists. Information was protected in case they should be needed again in the future.
Historic England is asking the public to come forward with information about family members who were trained to be a civilian spies, or any clues as to where the remaining 20 IN-stations lay hidden.’
If anyone has any information they can get in touch by emailing communications@HistoricEngland.org.uk
The full HE report
The Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team’s report on the IN-Station when it was discovered
The full entry on the National Heritage List
