Centenary memorial: Lavingtons, Cheverells, Easterton, Salisbury Plain

[Moonraker]

Yesterday I came across this fine centenary memorial at the top of Lavington Hill and on the edge of the Salisbury Plain Training Area.

Unveiling 2019

EDIT: more unveiling photos here, and the article tells me that the monument is a toposcope

The Market Lavington Museum blog has some good military content for the early 20th century, including for Pond Farm Camp.

Edited 29 August , 2023 by Moonraker

[FROGSMILE]

On 29/08/2023 at 11:51, Moonraker said:

Yesterday I came across this fine centenary memorial at the top of Lavington Hill and on the edge of the Salisbury Plain Training Area.

Unveiling 2019

EDIT: more unveiling photos here, and the article tells me that the monument is a toposcope

The Market Lavington Museum blog has some good military content for the early 20th century, including for Pond Farm Camp.

Very interesting Moonraker, thank you for posting it.  I wish that I’d had a pound for every time I went through the Lavington Vedette taking my support weapons wing class through for a day’s live mortar firing, and subsequently returning empties to the washdown point at Netheravon.  The view from Lavington was quite breathtaking on a clear day.

Edited 30 August , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Moonraker]

Anyone driving (or cycling or walking) up Lavington Hill and nearby Redhorn Hill (on the old Devizes-Salisbury coach road) might spare a thought for soldiers trudging up them with rifle and kit after a long train journey, on their way to their camping-sites.  Some units of the First Canadian Contingent used those routes after coming from Plymouth. The 5th battalion marched up "a truly murderous hill [which] blistered our feet, spoiled our tempers and proved to us in no uncertain manner how stale we had become during our journey overseas ," recalled Sergeant Harold Baldwin, Holding the Line (A C McClury & Co, Chicago 1918).

Early in the 20th century troops de-trained at Lavington Station, then more usually at Patney & Chirton.

[FROGSMILE]

2 minutes ago, Moonraker said:

Anyone driving (or cycling or walking) up Lavington Hill and nearby Redhorn Hill (on the old Devizes-Salisbury coach road) might spare a thought for soldiers trudging up them with rifle and kit after a long train journey, on their way to their camping-sites.  Some units of the First Canadian Contingent used those routes after coming from Plymouth. The 5th battalion marched up "a truly murderous hill [which] blistered our feet, spoiled our tempers and proved to us in no uncertain manner how stale we had become during our journey overseas ," recalled Sergeant Harold Baldwin, Holding the Line (A C McClury & Co, Chicago 1918).

Early in the 20th century troops de-trained at Lavington Station, then more usually at Patney & Chirton.

Hard to imagine I know but we’ve had this exact same conversation, almost word-for-word over a decade ago now. 👍

Edited 30 August , 2023 by FROGSMILE