Letter: Origins of the Mulberry harbours' codename

Mr Roger Straker
Friday 10 June 1994 23:02 BST
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Sir: The suggestion in your article 'Mulberry harbours impressive, but doubts over their value' (3 June) that the codename 'Mulberry' was selected at random is probably incorrect.

The Admiralty has long had strong connections with Bath, and after the Bath blitz in 1942 the Department of the Civil-Engineer- in-Chief was relocated to Kingswood School, where the harbours were largely designed. His personal office overlooked the school mulberry tree, which still survives, although it now has to be propped up.

The school has two large drawings, together with a framed dedication, from the Admiralty - one a working document on which the progress of production was recorded, the other a unique cartoon with features illustrated according to their codenames.

Yours sincerely,

ROGER STRAKER

President-Designate

The Kingswood Association

Hove, East Sussex

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