Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Wrotham Camp ( Kent )


Black Maria

Recommended Posts

I have owned this postcard for forty odd years , it says on the back that it was drawn by one of the 'medicals' . I can't see any reference to the camp online 

although there was a camp there in WW2 .

wrotham camp.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure what the postcard is depicting - are the lines roads?

I did find this about Wrotham Heath Golf Course: -

C_J

Edited by CountryJohn
Typo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, CountryJohn said:

Not sure what the postcard is depicting - are the lines roads?

 

 

No, it is a bit strange , It looks like the camp is perched on the top of a mountain but obviously there aren't many mountains around the area :) 

The RAMC wagons are trying to climb to the top and supplies have to be flown in by plane , it's all a bit Heath Robinson . I wonder if it could be 

near or on Windmill Hill which is mentioned in the piece you found , it looks like it was on higher , windswept ground .

Edited by Black Maria
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

I think the drawing is a great artistic exaggeration of the local geography.

If you drive West to East on the A20, from London direction towards Maidstone, the road near Wrotham

is cut out of the steep hillside slope of the North Downs escarpment. The ambulance is driving along this route.

If you turn North at the roundabout onto the A227 towards Gravesend, you ascend a steep hill to the top of the 

Downs. There is/was a pub called the Vigo at the top, and the camp may be near here. As you drive up the hill,

the view Eastwards looks down over Maidstone in the distance, where the suns rays are illustrated. Off the top of 

my head, I think the Downs are about 800ft above sea level at this point, so low flying aeroplanes could feature.

I haven't been drinking, honest!

Regards

Geoff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The current village of Vigo is where the large Second World War Wrotham Camp was situated, and it is very likely that that in some way developed from the Great War version, so I think you've cracked It, sdparker.

C_J

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, sdparker said:

Hi

I think the drawing is a great artistic exaggeration of the local geography.

If you drive West to East on the A20, from London direction towards Maidstone, the road near Wrotham

is cut out of the steep hillside slope of the North Downs escarpment. The ambulance is driving along this route.

If you turn North at the roundabout onto the A227 towards Gravesend, you ascend a steep hill to the top of the 

Downs. There is/was a pub called the Vigo at the top, and the camp may be near here. As you drive up the hill,

the view Eastwards looks down over Maidstone in the distance, where the suns rays are illustrated. Off the top of 

my head, I think the Downs are about 800ft above sea level at this point, so low flying aeroplanes could feature.

I haven't been drinking, honest!

Regards

Geoff

Thanks for that Geoff , i used to be a telegram boy quite a few years ago and Vigo village was the farthest we went but i didn't really take much notice of the 

local scenery at the time and now i live a long way away . 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 27/07/2020 at 22:51, sdparker said:

Hi

I think the drawing is a great artistic exaggeration of the local geography.

If you drive West to East on the A20, from London direction towards Maidstone, the road near Wrotham

is cut out of the steep hillside slope of the North Downs escarpment. The ambulance is driving along this route.

If you turn North at the roundabout onto the A227 towards Gravesend, you ascend a steep hill to the top of the 

Downs. There is/was a pub called the Vigo at the top, and the camp may be near here. As you drive up the hill,

the view Eastwards looks down over Maidstone in the distance, where the suns rays are illustrated. Off the top of 

my head, I think the Downs are about 800ft above sea level at this point, so low flying aeroplanes could feature.

I haven't been drinking, honest!

Regards

Geoff

Great geographical knowledge Geoff, makes good sense, perhaps more water next time :D Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I did some research on placing the Second World War camp into the landscape at Wouldham, hopefully this will help place this for you. However I was unaware of the possible First World War use of the site. Ever, there is a substantial WW1 era trench that was likely dug as part of the Defence of London scheme just around the corner where Badgells Wood camp site is now located. You can walk the 1.5km trench that’s still a substantial depth in places.

spacer.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for posting , it gives a good idea why the original artist depicted it as he did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

A snippet more information, the card was drawn by a Sergeant Major in the R.A.M.C. - I have the same card and the sender has posted this fact on the back - he sent the card from the Y.M.C.A. Leybourne Park camp, West Malling, Kent - not sure if there's a relationship to Wrotham, but its very close by. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Loundis123 said:

A snippet more information, the card was drawn by a Sergeant Major in the R.A.M.C. - I have the same card and the sender has posted this fact on the back - he sent the card from the Y.M.C.A. Leybourne Park camp, West Malling, Kent - not sure if there's a relationship to Wrotham, but its very close by. 

 That's interesting , my card just says it's drawn by one of the 'medicals' and it gives a very good idea of our place and he was just off for guard . It was postmarked 

2nd July 1916 .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was an anti-aircraft gun position at Wrotham in WW1 as part of the south London defences along with others nearby at Ightham and Harvel along with a Night Landing Ground at South Ash.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...