Black Maria Posted 26 July , 2020 Share Posted 26 July , 2020 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 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CountryJohn Posted 26 July , 2020 Share Posted 26 July , 2020 (edited) Not sure what the postcard is depicting - are the lines roads? I did find this about Wrotham Heath Golf Course: - C_J Edited 26 July , 2020 by CountryJohn Typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 27 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 27 July , 2020 (edited) 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 27 July , 2020 by Black Maria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdparker Posted 27 July , 2020 Share Posted 27 July , 2020 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 More sharing options...
CountryJohn Posted 28 July , 2020 Share Posted 28 July , 2020 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 More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 28 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 28 July , 2020 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 More sharing options...
RegHannay Posted 30 July , 2020 Share Posted 30 July , 2020 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 Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 5 October , 2020 Share Posted 5 October , 2020 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 5 October , 2020 Author Share Posted 5 October , 2020 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 More sharing options...
Trav Posted 5 October , 2020 Share Posted 5 October , 2020 With reference to that trench, see my earlier post here: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 1 December , 2020 Share Posted 1 December , 2020 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 More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 1 December , 2020 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2020 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 More sharing options...
Fovant Posted 2 December , 2020 Share Posted 2 December , 2020 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 More sharing options...
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