World War 2 tunnels and bunkers discovered in Mbare

Underground tunnels and bunkers believed to have been built during the Second World War have been discovered in Mbare at a place known as Beatrice cottages.

Beatrice cottages were resident to a group of Italian prisoners of war who had been captured by the allied troops during World War 2.

During the second world war 1939 to 1945, Rhodesia was host to more than 12 000 prisoners of war captured by the allied troops.


The whole exercise was shrouded in secrecy but Rhodesia kept German, Austrian, Polish, Italian and Iraqi prisoners of war on behalf of the British empire.

Now more than 70 years later, the tunnels are still there and reportedly stretch up to Houghton Park.

Geroge Karemba, Tobias Musemburi and Dorothy Musemburi and Raymond Mazoredze all concurred that the discovery of the tunnels and bunkers should be taken seriously as they could become a tourist sites.

A voluntary researcher, Mazorodze challenged historians to search more on the subject as not much has been revealed.

According to the Mbare elders, the Beatrice Cottages were a no go area where Italian prisoners of war were kept while the bunkers were the safe place where they would hide in anticipation of any attack.

What is now known as the Blue Bar was an Italian prisoners of war restaurant while the art culture centre used to be their clinic.