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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Hazeley Down Camp Winchester


blandford dave

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Guest Ronnie101

My Grandfather William C Newbound (featured in the text and photos in Steven Fuller's book on the 1st Bedfordshires ("Soldier Lads" series, ISBN 978-0-9562696-5-2)) transferred to the Tank Regiment towards the end of the War and was in the 24th OCB at Hazeley Down in Dec 1918.

He is somewhere in the attached photos (sorry that they are reduced to 25% and cropped, but I only have a 100k upload limit in this Forum).

Regards,

Ron

post-55332-0-24506800-1328773970.jpg

post-55332-0-14920100-1328774011.jpg

post-55332-0-28114500-1328774019.jpg

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  • 4 years later...
Guest Alan Baker

Sorry to be late coming to this one. I have recently acquired a postcard to a Portuguese artillery officer at Hazeley Down, posted in October 1917. I knew there were Portuguese troops in France, but this is the first I have seen about them being in Britain. Any info would be apprecited

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Hi Alan

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Your question has been asked a couple of times here in the GWF over the years but not much information has been forthcoming, and that relates mainly to labour units. I'm not sure how militarised these were.

 

There was a Portuguese camp on Woodbury Common, near Exeter, where they were employed on agricultural or forestry work, but were not happy with their living conditions. Portuguese labourers or soldiers built walls and roads in the Gomeldon area, north east of  Salisbury, perhaps reflecting the need to improve them after an increase in military traffic following the opening of the experimental ground at Porton.

In April 1918 fifty Portuguese labourers were transferred from Worthy Down airfield near Winchester to Savernake Forest (presumably for forestry work) after disturbances had led to guards from the Royal Defence Corps being deployed. The men did not like sleeping in tents. (National Archives file AIR 1/613/16/15/302)


In the New Forest can be found the "Portuguese Fireplace", map reference SU265077, next to the Lyndhurst to Boldrewood road. A plaque explains:

"This is the site of a hutted camp occupied by a Portuguese army [?] unit during the First World War. This unit assisted the depleted local labour force in producing timber for the war effort.

The Forestry Commission have retained this fireplace from the cookhouse as a memorial to the men who lived and worked here and acknowledge the financial assistance of the Portuguese Government in its renovation."

 

At least one book of walks wrongly refers to the camp as being for Portuguese PoWs.

 

No doubt Portuguese soldiers and airmen were in England to receive training.

 

Moonraker

 

Edited by Moonraker
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  • 3 months later...
On 09/04/2009 at 12:59, blandford dave said:

Hi thanks for the info re the Misses Perks and i will research them when I next go up to Winchester.

Dave

It is more than three years since Dave visited the Forum, but others may be interested in

 

Things are Different Now

 

an account of Miss Perks' homes in Bulford and Winchester and the sisters' activities elsewhere.

 

Moonraker

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  • 4 months later...

from September 1917 up to August 1918 had been Portuguese Arty. Personnel training to use in France, British Equipment

of Heavy Field Arty.

I can attach an small article (written in Portuguese) with postcards and photos. If you like I can try to translate into English,

but later.

I would like very much to receive any photos of any monument in Horsham, Roffey Camp, Hazeley-Down-Camp, with references

to the presence of Portuguese Army Men.

 

1 - 1917 Art. Portuguesa em Inglaterra.jpg

2 - 1917 Art. Portuguesa em Inglaterra.jpg

3 - 1917 Art. Portuguesa em Inglaterra.jpg

4 - 1917 Art. Portuguesa em Inglaterra.jpg

5 -  1917 Art. Portuguesa em Inglaterra.jpg

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Welcome to the GWF, Antonio.

 

Your post is very interesting.

 

I have a very little Brazilian Portuguese, so was able to understand some of the article.

 

From time to time, we have briefly mentioned the Portuguese in the Great War

 

see here

 

and it is good to have more information. Thank you.

 

Moonraker

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Thank Moonraker for your very kind reception to my post. I will try to put the article in English in order to be  understood by everyone, asap. Antonio

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A short synopsis of attached article: <with the organisation of Portuguese Expedition Corps (CEP) to France up into an Army Corp, it was necessary to organized an Heavy Arty, Corp (CAP = Corpo de Artilharia Pesada), with two Groups of 5 Batteries, with 123 officers and 2446 men. The constitution of C.A.P. was approved by British Government on Fev1917

As the guns would be from the British Army the training of this Units was decided to be done in England (and not in France).

The Mission went in May1917 to France and was sent to England divided as:

- Staff Officers and Officers of Heavy Howitzer or Counter Batteries (1st Group)went to Roffey Camp, near Horsham;

- Officers of Field Heavy Guns (2nd Group) (sorry if the names are not correct) went to Avington Park / Hazeley-Down- Camp, near Winchester.

The men arrived in France on August 1917 and in England by September1917.

 

When the 1st Group finished Instruction at Roffey Camp on the 15th Dec1917, start moving by railway to the Fire School at Lydd.

When the 2nd Group finished instruction at Hazeley-Down-Camp on the 20th Jan1918, also was moved by train to Lydd.

 

On Jan1918, as finishing the Fire Training the men started to move to France.

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The legends of the photos::

Photo 1 - from Horsham, 1st Oct17, from CAP Cmd. to Sintra (Portugal);

Photo 2 - from Lisbon 31st May17, to liaison Officer at Portuguese Legation in London;

Photo 3 - from  Monte Brasil, A.H., Azores, 17th Sep17 to Portuguese Legation in London;

Photo 4 - East Street, Horsham;

Photo 5 - A Road at Roffey;

Photo 6 - C.A.P. Officers at Roffey Camp;

Photo 7 - Portuguese Arty. men of C.A.P. in England;

Photo 8 - from Lisbon 20th Jan18 to Cmdt. of 4th Bat. of 2nd Gr CAP, at Hazeley-Down, Winchester;

Photo 9 - President of Portugal visiting ARTY. School in Winchester (Nov17);

Photo 10 - idem;

Photo 11 - An Officer explaining the use of anti-gaz mask;

Photo 12 - Signalling training at Roffey Camp

.

Sorry for my mistakes in English.

I expect to provide some useful information about Portuguese Army presence in England during Great War Time.

I will be pleased to give any more information if required.

 

Antonio Abreu, Lieutenant Colonel, Retired

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On 20/09/2016 at 21:00, Alan Baker said:

Sorry to be late coming to this one. I have recently acquired a postcard to a Portuguese artillery officer at Hazeley Down, posted in October 1917. I knew there were Portuguese troops in France, but this is the first I have seen about them being in Britain. Any info would be apprecited

 

Hello,

If you syill looking for more information about Portuguese troops in England during Great War, you may look

to my comments and the attached article to one of the comments, as well as to the english synopsis of the article and the english legends of the photos.

 

Antonio Abreu

 

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  • 3 months later...

Royal Garrison Artillery were there in late 1917.  My grandfather ( Bdr P J Harris, 2/1 Kent Heavy Battery RGA) spent 18 months at Mundesley on Sea in Norfolk.  His last postcard from there was in November 1917, and the next place he served was, apparently, No 4 Battery RGA, C Lines, Hazeley Downs Camp, Winchester.

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  • 3 years later...

I have a C Co 15th (R) Batt London Regt PWO Civil Service Rifles Photograph, Hazeley Down Camp Aug 10th 1917 written in white marker pen on it.

Andy

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16 hours ago, grenadierguardsman said:

I have a C Co 15th (R) Batt London Regt PWO Civil Service Rifles Photograph, Hazeley Down Camp Aug 10th 1917 written in white marker pen on it.

Andy

 

Sounds interesting. Would you be able to share, please?

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Its a large photo mounted on my wall, it wouldn't be worth taking a photo of as it the quality would be very bad. My relation served with them as is identified on the photo.

Andy

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  • 1 year later...
On 21/04/2009 at 22:43, Charles Fair said:

The 3/19th Londons were at Morn Hill Camp from early January 1916 to mid December 1917.

I've been wondering why the 18th and 19th (Reserve) Battalions do not feature on the Memorial at Hazeley Down.

I've seen several postcard/photos of soldiers from these units taken at Winchester studios. 

Perhaps Charles has the answer here? 

Whilst not doubting what Charles has said here, just wondering if there is there any evidence to show that these two units were at Morn Hill rather than Hazeley Down?

 

no18 19.JPG

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