Hare Hall, Romford

[amb]

Does anyone know if it might be possible to find out which specific units trained here? Any suggestions gratefully received.

Thanks

AMB

[jay dubaya]

Hi AMB, Hare Hall Camp at Gidea Park...28th London Artists' for one and King's Royal Rifle Corps...hope it helps,

cheers, JW

[Esskay]

AMB - you've probably seen these - but coming from the area originally - I was intrigued as I couldn't place Hare Hall - a quick search and I learnt it is now part of Royal Liberty School apparently - and came across these great WW1 pictures

http://www.rlsoldboys.org.uk/library/v3/03...at_war/page.htm

and this little snippet from 'A History of Hare Hall' by Arthur Searle and Colin Brazier published sometime in the early 1960s

http://www.rlsoldboys.org.uk/library/v3/03...owners/page.htm

Cheers

Sue

[Esskay]

A couple of brief mentions in The Times I could find -

On 18th March 1915 it was reported that the 2nd Sportman's Battalion Royal Fusiliers were inspected at Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall before leaving for new quarters at Hare Hall in Essex

and on 10th March 1919 under the heading "Return of the Guards" it reported that the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards on their return to England from four years service abroad - were warmly welcomed by the inhabitants of Romford and marched from the station (where they had arrived from Tilbury) through the town headed by the massed bands of the Brigade of Guards - to Hare Hall Camp - where they were welcomed by their comrades of the depot

Hopefully someone else can give you more specific info - particularly on the Grenadier Guards as a lot of sources seem to suggest they were up the road in Warley (near Brentwood) in 1914 before they went overseas

Cheers

Sue

[amb]

Very many thanks for the photos and other information. My grandmother was a WAAC Forewoman assigned to the Artists Rifles at Hare Hall. Her photo appears under the Women and the War section if you are interested! (Search Lille - my mother said she'd been stationed near there but it appears it couldn't have been with the Artists Rifles). It's all a mystery - sadly she died long before I was born.

[dsowerby]

Well i was Deputy Head Boy of the Royal Liberty School in the late 80's [that long ago already??] and i can confirm the building from the front entrance still looks about 99% the same.

Less wooden huts though if i recall...

Interestingly the owner of Hare Hall at the time, Victor Castellan, was for many years the CO of the 2nd Essex Bty RFA [b/271] and was awarded the OBE and the rank of Lt Colonel.

David

[toto123]

My great Uncle was posted there in Feb 1917 with 2nd Battalion Artists Rifles. He was a teacher in Enfield but my guess is that he wanted to join up as he had been in the cadets at UCL.

Went to France in April 1918 as a second lieutenant in 248 Seige Battery. Was on the front line in the advance in 1918. Wrote letter to his brother which I have. Very moving....

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, toto123 said:

My great Uncle was posted there in Feb 1917 with 2nd Battalion Artists Rifles. He was a teacher in Enfield but my guess is that he wanted to join up as he had been in the cadets at UCL.

Went to France in April 1918 as a second lieutenant in 248 Seige Battery. Was on the front line in the advance in 1918. Wrote letter to his brother which I have. Very moving....

 

Worth publishing in full here?      (Hint..)

[toto123]

Yes most certainly. I have been planning to write a book and have come back to the project again. I have decided to reduce it in scope now. I published one of my grandfather's memoirs

(Its on Amazon and some copies sold in National Archives). The letters aren't vast in number (9) but capture the essence of the final advance and other aspects ...he wrote well. They also have personal touches/interest for me. To make more of them I wanted to develop a larger insight into the life of a second lieutenant and the siege battery etc.

We shall see....