Goodge Street Tube Station - Deep-level Air-raid Shelter

Deep-level Air-raid Shelter

Goodge Street is one of eight London Underground stations which has a World War II deep-level air-raid shelter underneath it. From late 1943 until the end of World War II, the Goodge Street shelter was used by SHAEF (/ˈʃeɪf/) the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force. It was from here on 6 June 1944 that General Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe, broadcast the announcement of the invasion of France. The shelter has two entrances - one on Chenies Street (pictured below) and the other on Tottenham Court Road next to the American Church.

In the invasion preparations, the Goodge Street Station was used only as a signals installation by the Signal Corps of the US Army. It was one of a number of signals installations for communications in and around London. Among the installations were SHAEF headquarters at 20 Grosvenor Square and the Basement of Selfridge's Department store on Oxford Street. Both buildings exist today. In addition, General Eisenhower did not make any D Day announcement broadcast from the Goodge Street Station or any commercial radio station. He first sent an encoded dispatch to President Roosevelt and then called Prime Minister Churchill. His decision to launch the invasion was made from his invasion headquarters at Southwick House, near Portsmouth. Check www.historyarticles.com.

After the war the shelters were used as a hostel that could accommodate up to 8000 troops.