553 AUXILIARY HORSE TRANSPORT COMPANY ASC

[Acknown]

I have several postcard photos of 553 Company ASC in tented accommodation, which were taken between Nov 17 and Mar 18. The address I have is: 'Whitwell Camp, via Mansfield, Derbyshire'. The camp may be either a fixed location or, more likely, a place for field exercises, but my efforts to locate the place so far have been in vain. Nevertheless, I enclose the photos in the hope that they'll prove interesting to someone. The companies were part of the 64th Division divisional train. Correction: 69th divisional train.

I have not researched the soldiers shown except for 2Lt Hugh Alfred Foyster, an Englishmen who emigrated to New Zealand, but returned to England in 1917 to join up and was commissioned in 1917 at the age of 42. He went on to serve in Salonika until the end of the war.

Photo 1: Officers. Foyster on right.

Photo 2: Sergeants' Mess.

Photo 3: Officers, men and horses. Foyster on right.

Photo 4: Most of No. 5 Section with goat.

Photo 5: Ditto without goat.

Photo 6: LCpl Green - head cook, and the goat.

Photo 7: Sgt Harvey, No. 4 Section.

Photo 8: Unknown.

Photo 9: No. 5 Section horse lines.

Photo 10: Two No. 5 Section horses.

Photo 11: The camp.

If anyone would like a higher definition copy, please PM me. If anyone wants to use the photos, feel free, but please credit 'From the collection of Lt H A Foyster RASC'.

Acknown

Edited 19 November , 2021 by Acknown
Correction

[Gardenerbill]

Not of specific interest to me, but great pictures thank you for posting them.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Indeed!

[mancpal]

Excellent shots.

Simon

[jay dubaya]

3 hours ago, Acknown said:

The companies were part of the 64th Division divisional train.

Acknown, you need to change this to 69th Division.

Th 69th (2nd East Anglia) Division Train consisted of the 553rd (No.1, Train, Retford and Doncaster), 554th (No.2 Train, Retford, Darlington and Aldershot), 555th (No.3 Train, Retford, Clipstone and Aldershot)  and 556th (No.4 Train, Retford, Ripon and Aldershot).

Clipstone, Retford and Whitwell are relatively close together and form a triangle with about 10 miles between each. Can't find nowt about Whitwell Camp though, one wonders if this may have been a pre war territorial summer camp?

[Acknown]

Thank you - 69 it is, I clicked the wrong division on LLT. Here is a correct LLT quotation:

During October 1917 the units moved to winter quarters: 206th to Middlesbrough, Barnard Castle, Durham and Stockton; 207th to Clipstone Camp; 208th to Doncaster and [R]edmires. The artillery moved to Doncaster and Darlington (at least one brigade was headquartered at Leadenhall Street); the engineers went to Doncaster, Mablethorpe and Darlington.

Acknown

Addition: The photos were taken between Nov 17 and Mar 18 as that is the only period when Foyster was with them.

Edited 19 November , 2021 by Acknown

[Acknown]

I'm beginning to think that 'Whitwell Camp' (written on back of photos) means 'in a camp near Whitwell'. In other words, they set up camp in some fields near Whitwell temporarily; it was not a fixed location.

Acknown

[FROGSMILE]

42 minutes ago, Acknown said:

I'm beginning to think that 'Whitwell Camp' (written on back of photos) means 'in a camp near Whitwell'. In other words, they set up camp in some fields near Whitwell temporarily; it was not a fixed location.

Acknown

I suspect it was one of the many areas throughout Britain that had arrangements with the War Office to provide “Camping Grounds” for use by the auxiliary forces.  Most were suitable areas of farm pasture, but sometimes provided by private land owners, in both cases for a fee.  They were used in Spring and Summer and some dated back to the days of the Volunteer Force and Militia, whereas others were more recent.  As regards Whitwell, there is a local history society at the following link that invites contact and who might well be interested in helping you: http://www.wlhg.co.uk/index.htm

NB.  They have a page of “Maps” and an archive of digitised photos, the latter available via their Flickr pages.  The camp ground will have been close to a reliant supply of running water.  Perhaps by Walling Brook, Millwood Brook, or the pumping station at Hodthorpe.  There’s a thatched cottage visible as a backdrop to one of the photos that might aid with location.  The officers pictured all have the open, stepped collar on their SD jackets, and the absence of ribbons and other features suggests a camp very early in the war, possibly 1914, when many auxiliary units were at camp when the government formally ordered mobilisation.

Edited 19 November , 2021 by FROGSMILE

[Acknown]

Many thanks. I have emailed the Society, but yet to receive a reply.

Acknown

[FROGSMILE]

2 minutes ago, Acknown said:

Many thanks. I have emailed the Society, but yet to receive a reply.

Acknown

Well as they’re amateur historians with other lives it seems unlikely that they’d be poised ready awaiting such inquiries.  I’m sure that they will probably respond in due course. 

Edited 19 November , 2021 by FROGSMILE

[Acknown]

Indeed!

[FROGSMILE]

37 minutes ago, Acknown said:

Indeed!

They might need a little guidance with regards to the requirements of such camping grounds.  Near running water, within marching distance from railway station, well drained ground, some firm footing for field kitchens, not too steep a slope for tentage, and sufficient space and forage for horse lines.  Those features will help narrow areas down, although I imagine some of the older members of the society will already have sound local knowledge and ideas of where the camping ground was (and sight of your photos will help).

Edited 19 November , 2021 by FROGSMILE

[Acknown]

Again, many thanks.

Acknown