Horsenden Hill, 30th July 1914 - Possible units, training?

[barrieduncan]

Hello

I wonder if anyone can offer some assistance with this hand-sketched map, which is attached to a sketching board.

It shows Horsenden Hill and its surrounding area; I managed to find this on goggle maps. The map appears to be dated 30-7-14; I wonder if anyone knows of any military units that might have been stationed near this area, or if the hill was used for training etc. Under the date is what looks to be a signature; anyone able to hazard a guess what it might be?

Would appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks

Barrie

P.S. I don't even know for sure if it's military, but was found among the regimental collections of The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).

[Norrette]

It might be the plan for the anti-aircraft station?

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C9264724

[barrieduncan]

Thanks for the link; funnily enough when I did a search for Horsenden Hill First World War it brought me back to an old thread on the forum about the anti-aircraft station there - so there may be something in that.

[Moonraker]

If the map really is dated July 1914 the authorities were being remarkably prescient in planning an anti-aircraft station then. Dunno when people became aware of the threat of London being bombed?

Contemporary copies of the local newspaper may shed some light on activities in 1914, though probably not three years later, when censorship was imposed.

Moonraker

[salientguide]

Interesting, as a lad brought up in Northolt Middlesex just a couple of miles from Horsenden Hill. Spent many happy hours cycling there and fishing in the blue line around the base of the hill, which is the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal heading for Regents Parks docks in London. All one can say is the area was open agriculture, mainly Middlesex hay meadows that fed the thousands of horses in London and went on feed thousands of horses in France and Flanders, apparently hay as a horse fodder was the largest single of item of cargo supplied across the channel! So it would have been very suitable as a training and encampment area, but never came across any record of it being used for that purpose. Otherwise may have been a training project to go out and map the place.

Cheers SG

[The Incomer]

As mentioned in the 2006 thread,local opinion said this had been a searchlight site,does anyone know when aviation searchlights came into being.? The proximity to Northolt airfield, a couple of miles or so away which became operational in 1916/17 could have had an influence as the concrete blocks were on that side of the hill. Happy days SG.!!

Les