YMCA letters

[simon2]

Good afternoon,

Can anyone tell me (maybe Gloucs experts) anything about Herston Camp, Swanage.

I have an undated YMCA letter from my GG to his wife whilst staying at this camp. The reply address is

Bugler F.E.Dew

6th Batt Gloucs Regt.

Worcester and Gloucester Brigade

Herston Camp,

Near Swanage.

As it is undated I am trying to fing out when it was written. He was in the 2/6th Gloucs during the war and I thought it was from him prior to going overseas. But he joined the Gloucs as a TF in 1911 so I was under the impression he would have already undergone basic training so that ruled that out. Unless they had additional training. So I thought it was from an embarkation camp but cannot be sure. Has anyone heard of this camp or have photos of same.

Any thoughts most welcome.

Simon.

[Moonraker]

Simon

My interest was aroused in your query because earlier this year I was trying to discover what an Australian officer was doing at Swanage in 1916 when his battalion was in France. I've yet to find out, and there seems to be no record of a camp there in WWI. But Swanage was a regular base for prewar Territorial camps under canvas.

Perhaps as you have done, I've Googled for Herston Camp and come up with nothing (apart from a number of hits relating to a modern holiday camp), whereas nearly all "my" Wiltshire camps produce hits. Likewise I found nothing for Herston Camp in The Times archive between 1900 and 1920, whereas most of my camps usually appear at some time or another. But I did enter Worcester AND Gloucester AND Swanage and got this hit (and one other):

http://web3.infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/inf...?sw_aep=read_tr

Ironically this reports the Worcester & Gloucester Brigade training on Salisbury Plain in August 1912, with a separate article referring to a Territorial camp at Swanage! (So one might infer your letter was not posted that year.)

Hopefully a Pal with access to E R James "British Regiments 1914-1918" will be able to check the whereabouts of the 6th throughout the war - not that this source is infallible. My guess is that Herston Camp was a prewar camping site, perhaps that regularly used by Territorials when "at Swanage". Incidentally the town was a popular place for a summer camp, in contrast to Salisbury Plain, because it was by the sea and the soldiers could strut around impressing the locals when off-duty. Nearly all such camps had a YMCA tent where soldiers could buy refreshments, write home and enjoy a concert.

Moonraker

[simon2]

Moonraker,

Just the type of reply I needed.

It does point towards a summer camp as he was a bugler when he first joined and when he went to France in 1916 he was an acting corporal. It also mentions about 'not being around for the holidays' so that also suggests at a summer camp. I do have two photos of him in a tent camp but unfortunately neither can be identified as to the whereabouts or what time but suggest an embarkation camp as he has already got his stripes.

Thanks again.

Simon.

[Moonraker]

Simon

My pleasure; but I see that my link didn't work (I'm using a library terminal, bveing away from home), though I had tested it satisfactorily in A Place to Play (where it's attracted 15 replies, some of which explain what I was at). Being PC-thick, I'm guessing it worked there because in the same session that I was replying to you (on my own PC) I had logged onto the site using my reader's number.

Moonraker

[simon2]

Moonraker,

Don't worry about the link I'll try my link to my library and go from there.

Thanks again for your help.

Simon.