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South London
First screened 10 February 2008


Helen and Guy at the map table

Blitzkrieg on Shooters Hill

In 1940 the threat of a German invasion of Britain was very real. Time Team's location at Shooters Hill, in south London, was a key strong point in what was known as 'Stop Line Central' – one of several defensive anti-tank lines around the capital, designed to fight off a potential German attack. The road through Shooters Hill runs straight from the Kent coast and down into the heart of London. If the defences here had been breached, the Home Guard would have been pushed back to the banks of the Thames, before making a last ditch stand in the streets of Whitehall.
More about South London »

 

Bunker disguised as a rockery
What they found
There were a number of sites investigated by Time Team at Shooters Hill. These represented a number of different installations that were part of the wartime preparations to resist any German invasion.

Phil and Matt in the Home Guard
The Home Guard
In 1940 Winston Churchill set about changing the Local Defence Volunteers, which had been hurriedly established, into the Home Guard.

Link to South London picture gallery
Gallery
Exclusive pictures from the South London dig, including the Home Guard in action.

Phil Harding
Q & A
'Private' Phil Harding answers our questions.

Tony
Time Trial
Watched the programme, browsed the web pages? Now try our quick quiz to see how you get on.

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