john w. Posted 3 September , 2004 Share Posted 3 September , 2004 Have letters which refer to the Sling Training camp, I have no idea where it is.. who was in it and what they did... Help please John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 3 September , 2004 Share Posted 3 September , 2004 John Sling Camp was near Bulford Camp on Salisbury Plain. It was used by New Zealanders who after the war carved a giant kiwi on Beacon Hill which overlooked the camp. See: http://www.hows.org.uk/personal/hillfigs/bulford/bulford.htm Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 3 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 3 September , 2004 Cheers Dave.... John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Dave Posted 4 September , 2004 Share Posted 4 September , 2004 Sling camp was originally intended for all NZ reinforcement drafts, but it was found to be too small and subsequently used for Infantry only. As per the illistration, the Canterbury, Otago, Wellington and Auckland lines refer to Bn gps for those particular regiments. Each Bn gp was commanded by a Lt Col and conducted it's own trg under the command of the camp HQ. Attempts to standardise the trg early on were unsuccesful and it was found more effective to let the Bns do their own thing. Each Bn gp supplied it's own instructors drawn from the Bns in France. There was meant to be a standard time of instruction, but dep on the situation in France, drafts were sometimes released with soldiers only spending 2 weeks in Sling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 4 September , 2004 Share Posted 4 September , 2004 John W. You might want to try and find a book called "Wiltshire and the Great War" ISBN: 0-9535100-0-X. It gives a good write up on Sling camp. Sling Camp was established in 1903 as a tented Camp site annex to Bulford Barracks. At the out break of War the camp was occupied by the South Western Infantry Bde. (4th, 5th Som LI (TF), 4th Dorsets, and 4th Wilts). New Zealanders that were already enlisted in the UK started building a Hutted camp. However, when the NZ contingent was diverted to Egypt they left too and construction was completed by Canadians. The New Zealanders returned in 1916. It was described in 1915 as being "four miles of mud from Tidworth and two more miles of mud from Bulford" Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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