Posted by Jon on January 19, 2019 at 07:47:44 user Jon.
In Reply to: Re: Miss Lee and Latin posted by Robin Selby on January 18, 2019 at 10:26:27:
But how long after the war were the U-boats still there? The War Years | Harwich & Dovercourt (scroll to "150 U-boats anchored in the river off Harwich.") says that the submarines were removed and/or sold for scrap within about 3 years, so by 1922 at the latest. The only noted exceptions were four which, while under tow to the wrecking yard, broke free and drifted ashore. So even with the most liberal time frame, it's unlikely that there would have been any conspicuous signs of them by the time of WDMTGTS.
Given that the Chain Home station at Bawdsey wasn't built until 1937, yet is mentioned as a landmark, it's clear that Ransome's Harwich area is the one he lived in, not of the nominal time of the story.
Post a followup (Only if you agree to the Terms and Conditions)