Backfilling of historic New Zealand tunnels

摘要

In 1943 the new zealand government embarked on a remarkable project - the construction of a massive underground fuel reservoir to serve the Royal New Zealand Navy fleet at Devonport, Auckland. New Zealand had been at war with Japan since December 1941 and Japan's navy had demonstrated its capacity at long range attack. Its aircraft carrier forces and submarines had struck at Pearl Harbor, Darwin and the eastern seaboard of Australia. New Zealand needed increased fuel storage capacity, preferably secure from bombardment. An unusual alternative to conventional above-ground steel tanks was available. The British Admiralty had a design for underground fuel storage tunnels, and the decision was made to build such storage tunnels within the 25m-high cliffs behind the Devonport Naval Base.