Museum Housing the Führer’s Desk Temporarily Closed for Roof Repairs
A museum housing the Führer‘s desk, which was taken from the Reichskanzlei in 1945, has had to close to the public because of a leaking roof and other structural issues. The Keep Military Museum collection is housed in a former army barracks fort that was built in 1877 and once a home to the Dorset Regiment. The main barracks located behind were built 10 years before, in the 1860s.
Built of Portland stone and in the style of a Norman castle, the Keep Military Museum is found on Barrack Road, in Dorchester, Dorset. At the time, it cost £14,000!
During the Second World War, the barracks were occupied by the 701st Ordnance Light Maintenance Company of the US Army. As well as items from the conflict, the collection is extensive, with galleries across three floors, telling the chronological story of the local regiments and those who fought with them.
The museum is expected to be closed until the end of the year, due to reports of an unsafe roof. It had always been accessible to the public, who could enjoy excellent panoramic views of the town of Dorchester.
Museum Director Elliot Metcalfe said, “The roof has needed replacing for quite a while. The Ministry of Defence are the landlords, with the Ministry of Justice responsible for the building and its repair. They put the money together and started surveying work for the Grade II listed building when they found that the roof was structurally unsafe. That’s why we’ve had to close. There are no immediate signs of danger that the roof could collapse, but we thought it best for everyone’s safety to make the decision.
“Unfortunately it’s just one of those things that has to happen. It is hoped that the work won’t take as long as a year. The collections will remain on-site and the staff will be on-site every day to make checks and manage security.”
The Führer‘s desk came to the museum through the work of Maj. Gen. Sir William Henry Alexander “Alec” Bishop, who was the chief of information Services and public relations of the Control Commission in Germany from 1945-46.
Bishop was born on June 2o, 1897, at Plymstock, near Plymouth, and attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst (RMC). He was commissioned into the Dorset Regiment and served in India and, later, Mesopotamia. He was deputy chief of staff, and from 1948-50 served as the regional commissioner for North Rhine Westphalia.
He died in 1984 in Hastings. His last role was as the British High Commissioner, in Cyprus.
Bishop had the desk taken from the Reichskanzlei in Berlin and had it donated to his regimental museum, which was the Dorset Regiment.
The 39th Dorsetshire Regiment of Foot was raised in 1702 and served in Ireland, Gibraltar, America and India. It also saw action during the Peninsular War. In 1958, it were amalgamated with the Devonshire Regiment to form the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment. In 2007, they were, again, amalgamated, this time with the Light Infantry; the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment; and the Royal Green Jackets to form the Rifles, with their headquarters in Winchester.
Speaking more about the museum’s temporary closure, Metcalfe said, “The majority of our income comes through admissions, but we do have enough to survive this year.”
More from us: Want Your Name in The Tank Museum’s M4 Sherman Guide? Now’s Your Chance!
The Keep Military Museum’s online shop and research service will remain open during the closure.
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Museum Housing the Führer’s Desk Temporarily Closed for Roof Repairs
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