salientguide Posted 17 October , 2006 Share Posted 17 October , 2006 Been meaning to put this on for a while, finally had the camera with me yesterday whilst walking the dogs, Sutton park Sutton Coldfield W Mids is a huge natural park just north of Birmingham, originally preserved as a royal hunting forest and then given to the people of the Borough of SC for their use by their chief 16th century patron Bishop Vesey. Since then it has been undeveloped. although the Victorians built a railway through it and until recently traffic raced through on the tarmac roads that go through it. Happily traffic is now banned.But in the Great War it was turned to use as a training and accomodation centre. Within the main Town Gate entrance is this plaque. It commemorates the use of the park for training, claims 50.000 troops passed through here and as Terry Carter will confirm, THE expert on the Birmingham battalions, the men of the local Royal Warwicks Kitchener battalions all received their training here. Later in the war it accomodated New Zealand troops awaiting repatriation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salientguide Posted 17 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2006 Closer detail SG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 17 October , 2006 Share Posted 17 October , 2006 I did get a plaque erected by the Council at the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea - in 1914 the site of the recruiting office as it was then the Guildhall. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 22 October , 2006 Share Posted 22 October , 2006 Superb memorial at Hursley (near Winchester) to concentration of 8th Divn. I'll get photos one day and post. It's a cracker! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salientguide Posted 22 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2006 Superb memorial at Hursley (near Winchester) to concentration of 8th Divn. I'll get photos one day and post. It's a cracker! Steve would like to see that as 2nd Northants (below) were part of the 8th Div though I dont think they joined them there, will have to check the 8th Div history. Look forward to that if possible. SG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 22 October , 2006 Share Posted 22 October , 2006 Yep - joined 24th Bde at Hursley park, October 1914. The memorial is in the form of a tree (can't remember what sort), with a stone bench round it, with the names of all constituent units engraved. Hursley park was owned by Sir Joseph Cooper (an industrialist who had the good sense to marry and American millionairess); at the outbreak of war he gave it to the nation. It received the 8th Divn on formation, but the place was so poorly drained that it rapidly becae a sea of mud, and the (I think) 27th Divn, which followed after the 8th went to France moved into billets in Winchester. Hursley latterly became a hospital (American?), and is now owend by IBM. I'll try and get the photos this week - I'm on holiday - quality time (sic) with the kids at half term, so I'll be looking for something to get me out of the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 3 April , 2007 Share Posted 3 April , 2007 Hi, Would the Leeds Pals Memorial Cairn at Colsterdale qualify in this? The 15th West Yorks was trained there and the outline and foundations of the hutted camp may still be seen from the road. No photo's handy, but I'm sure a few GWF pals do. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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