I am proposing a major initiative to “ratify” and enhance the military fortification data on OpenStreetMap. This project actually began with a very specific personal goal: identifying and submitting newly discovered nodes for the UKBOTA (UK Bunkers On The Air) scheme.

UKBOTA is a fantastic amateur radio award program that encourages the “activation” of historical bunkers and pillboxes. While searching for sites to submit to their database, I realized that while many valid sites exist in specialized archaeological records, our coverage on OSM is often incomplete, misplaced, or lacks the specific metadata (like precise coordinates and typology) required for schemes like UKBOTA. This led me to a broader vision: cross-referencing our map with high-quality datasets—specifically the Extended Defence of Britain (eDoB) database.

The Vision

I have been in discussion with Matt Aldred, the lead developer of the eDoB Online viewer, about bridging his extensive research with our global map. The eDoB database is an evolution of the original Defence of Britain project, offering corrected coordinates, Lidar verification, and specific structural classifications.

By aligning these datasets, we don’t just help the radio community; we create a professional-grade, ratified record of these historical assets for everyone. With tens of thousands of potential nodes to process, doing this entirely by hand would be a nightmare. Therefore, I am proposing a structured bulk import and data enrichment project, conducted in full compliance with the OSM Import Guidelines.

Integration with Wikidata

A key part of this project involves strengthening the link between OpenStreetMap and Wikidata. Many significant fortifications already have entries in Wikidata, but the “connective tissue” between the two is often missing. * I intend to add wikidata=* tags to OSM nodes where a corresponding entry exists. * Where appropriate, I will look into creating or updating Wikidata items with eDoB references to ensure the semantic web of historical data is as robust as possible.

The Methodology: Import & Verification

I intend to seek formal approval from the OSM community for a bulk data merge. However, a “blind” import is not the goal; the objective is to maintain human oversight using modern mapping tools:

• Bulk Import (with Approval): I plan to draft an import proposal on the OSM Wiki to merge eDoB data into OSM. This would focus on adding missing structures and “ratifying” existing ones by aligning coordinates with Lidar-verified data.
• MapRoulette: To handle the scale of this project, I will create challenges to allow the community to quickly review “matches” between eDoB and OSM nodes, ensuring we don’t create duplicates and that Lidar data matches the aerial imagery.
• StreetComplete: For on-the-ground verification, I want to explore using StreetComplete-style quests. This would allow local surveyors to confirm if a pillbox is “extant” (still standing), which is a vital piece of information that external databases can’t always guarantee.

Proposed Tagging Schema

I am proposing a specific tagging schema based on established OSM military tagging:

Key	Value (Example)	Description
military	bunker	Primary classification.
bunker_type	pillbox	Specific subtype.
pillbox_type	FW3/24	The specific British War Office design type.
ref:edob	12345	A unique reference ID linking back to the eDoB database.
wikidata	Q1234567	Link to the persistent Wikidata item.
source	eDoB;Lidar	Acknowledging the data origin.

Next Steps & UKBOTA Collaboration

My ultimate goal is a “virtuous circle” of data: 1. Import/Ratify: Bring high-quality eDoB data into OSM. 2. Verify: Use MapRoulette and StreetComplete to confirm the sites are still there. 3. Contribute Back: Use this ratified OSM data to identify “new” sites that meet the criteria for the UKBOTA database, providing the amateur radio community with a steady stream of new activation targets.

Next Actions:

1. Community Consultation: I will soon reach out to the UK OSM community and the tagging mailing list to discuss the ref:edob tag and import logic.

2. Licensing Review: Ensuring the eDoB data is fully ODbL-compatible is my top priority.

3. Wiki Proposal: I will be setting up a formal project page on the OSM Wiki to document the process.

4. UKBOTA Outreach: Working with the UKBOTA team to see how verified OSM data can best be formatted for their system updates.

By combining the power of bulk data with the precision of community tools, we can make OpenStreetMap the definitive resource for 20th-century defensive history. I’d love to hear from anyone who has experience with large-scale “ratification” projects or an interest in UK coastal defences.