Exhibition hails the unsung heroes of Churchill’s war rooms

The men and women who helped Winston Churchill run the Second World War from a smoky bunker underneath Whitehall are being remembered in an exhibition.

Thirty former staff, from secretaries to despatch drivers, have been tracked down and interviewed to bring the secret workings of the Cabinet War Rooms to life.

The exhibition, Undercover: Life in Churchill's Bunker, recalls how the highly sensitive work was done in dark, unhealthy conditions. The research found that even weekly sun-lamp sessions failed to keep staff healthy.

Staff were under the strictest orders not to reveal anything of their work and whereabouts. "It felt as though I was living a double life a bit," said 92-year-old former secretary Muriel Cooper, who lives in Shrewsbury.

Cressida Finch, the war rooms' exhibitions manager, said it was the first time since the rooms opened in 1984 that they had focused on the ordinary people who worked with Churchill.

"The involvement of ordinary people in really important things in the war and their bravery is just fascinating," she said.

Typist Joy Hunter, 83 and living in Guildford, recalled copying the battle orders for the D-Day landings while despatch rider Cyril Rider, 88, of Nuneaton, described Churchill watching the news in his dressing gown.

His colleague Ray Smith, also 88, of Dorset, said the prime minister was "a chatty sort". "Once when I was going up to the loo with him, and the air raid was in good progress, he was saying, Sounds like they are having a good time out there,' or whatever, just gentle chit-chat. So he was obviously a matey sort, in spite of his grand position."

Some of the old staff were returning today to launch the exhibition on the 70th anniversary of the opening of the Cabinet War Rooms.

Among the objects on display is the transcript of Churchill's speech from 11 September 1940 in which he accused Hitler of trying to "terrorise" Britain. The transcript, on loan from the Churchill Archives at Cambridge University, has not been seen in public.

Phil Reed, director of the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms, said it was one of several speeches Churchill made from the war rooms. "The transcript which we are showing is a clear illustration of Churchill's instinct and skill for producing uplifting and memorable rallying calls."

Entry to the exhibition is included in the price of a ticket to the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms.