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Original Text (Annotation: EAW001916 / 892953)
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Exchange Buildings.
During World War II the building housed the Western Approaches Command for the North Atlantic
German aircraft and U-boats (submarines) based on the French coast were attacking ships travelling to Britain from the USA. To try and avoid the attacks, ships were re-directed around the north of Ireland. Western Approaches Command HQ was therefore moved from Portsmouth to Liverpool on 7 February 1941.
The complex housed the operations room in the basement and due to the extensive reinforced-concrete protection was known locally as the "Fortress" or "Citadel". It was designed to be both bomb and gas proof, with a 7-foot thick roof and 3-foot thick walls. It had 100 rooms covering an area of 50,000 square feet.
The Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Royal Marines worked jointly there to monitor German convoys and "wolf packs" of U-Boats, which were threatening to bring Britain to her knees in the early stages of the war.
The complex was mothballed after the war but is now open as a museum with many of the original features still in place. '