Immediately after it closed as a training camp it RAFHEDNESFORD was reopened as a resettlement camp for Hungarian refugees fleeing from the Russian Cannock Chase is also associated with the military Invasion of Budapest. After further weekend use history of the Second World War. In 1938 the by the Territorial Army, many of the buildings were building of a training school was begun on Brindley sold off and the site fell into disrepair. In the 1960's Heath, (on the area which is to the south of the and 70's the remains of the camp were demolished modern Visitor Centre). It was opened in 1939 by and the whole site became part of the Country the Secretary of State for Air, Sir Kingsley Wood. Park. All that now remains are the roadways which Its official title was the No.6 School of Technical were in between the dozens of wooden huts. The Training but it is better known as RAF Hednesford. east of the area is now a quiet wildlife sanctuary, the During the War many thousands of men and a rest of the site being used for occasional events smaller number of women received their basic and providing an excellent surface for wheelchairs. training at the camp, before being posted to all parts of the country. The training focused on the Various publications are available from the maintenance of the air frames and engines of the Information Centres, local booksellers and the RAF planes. Cultural and Corporate Services Department, Shire Hall, Market Street, Stafford. STl 6 2LQ. At its height the camp was the size of a small town with its own facilities including a cinema, NMFI, Tel: 01785-277264 YMCA and churches. Later was unique having it in VISIT: Cannock Chase Visitor Centre, Marquis a Jewish Synagogue. Drive. For details of opening times etc.
A railway halt was built at Moors Gorse and the Tel: 01543-871773 recruits had to trudge, with their heavy bags, up the long climb of Marquis Drive. This soon became Location Map known as Kit Bag Hill. At the Visitor Centre there is an Old Comrades Book for service personnel who served at RAF Hednesford to sign.
At the end of the war it became a personnel dispatch centre and service personnel were demobilised. Between 1950 and 1956 it was used for National Service training and 81,500 men received basic training there, including the dreaded "square-bashing". Staffordshire Many thanks to CJ. & CP. Whitehouse CoantyCollcil in the preparation of _this leaflet. 30p Produced by the Cultural & Corporate Services Department. ~&~s-«,a Gorse covers the concrete CANNOCKCHASE &THE GREAT WAR scale model of the liJ CoppiceHill 4. Commonwealth& German Military Cemetery Messine Ridge, , , . 2. At the beginning of the 20th Century Cannock Chase was battle site, Many German, New Zealand and British Servicemen who • ~ j Pr,soner of War Camp. very different from the way it is now. It was a very bleak commemorating "' the succesful battle , 4 Park on D Lines Parade Ground died in the Camp Hospitals were buried in the landscape with none of now familiar Forestry Commission of 191 7. Ironically it Commonwealth Cemetery. was built by • In 1915 about 1,500 pine trees. wooden huts blanketed German POWs. - --. , • In 1967 remains of all German Servicemen who died in •• the lop of Cannock • Chase. It was very Britain in both wars were brought from all over Britain for Between 1914 and 1918 two huge Army Training Camps exposed there , with reburial in the beautiful German Cemetery, which has its own were built. Up to ¼ million British and Commonwealth hardly a tree outside the oak wood. visitor facilities. troops, destined for the trenches, passed through. N Hut Lines. Freda's Crave To the Rifle Range - Last of the five Great War Ranges. Remains of these camps and the railways which supplied The Women's Auxiliary Army them can still be seen, throughout the Chase, if you look Corps lived and closely. trained here Rugeley Camp stretched Power-House, Pumping Station, between Whitehouse, - Engine Pit and Wells. Marquis Drive, and Penkridge Bank. A track marks The railway brought coal for 1. Milford generating electricity and for the line of the pumping water forthe Camp. Camp railway arquisDrive Shugborough Hall, County Museum and The Glacial Boulder stands on the None of these trees were ·torCentre here in 1915 Park Farm. A long concrete base of the huge Reservoir Tower, Lord Lichfield's grandfather base marks the which stored water from the Wells. granted the Chase to the Ordnance Swre. -- -- ...-• • army for the Camps Ammunition, uniforms, horse tack, etc., were 5: Brindley unloaded here at Wor the Station for storage. Village -. I Daily rations were issued from the The car park is n Army Service Corps Stores, Baker, on the site of and Meal S!Ore. The local name The long ' 'Fat Factory' indicates that top corridor and 1 Home Guard dripping was made here 12 wards of the Grenade Range • · fat was scarce! Daily coal and • ,• Great War Hospital Pnvate the trench can be coke rations for • , , can be seen Golf seen in the trees heating and COUf\() Site A , , Hospital Church , cooking were in the issued from the -~ .. ' , - - :,:.--- Hospital • war e _ : • - : _ Sewage Works -¾- JIJ I Coal Store. ~ I The railway I -•~ --- • -~:_ ii :- .-• -.-• -••- • -ff_~.. •- ChaseRoad Corner was high up • 3. here to help • ¼ - • • Oat Hill re • - -•-1 ., -.• . - ·-- .. , unloading. Officers; -- - -, ~ - - •• , Supplies The hopper Quarters • - -- - • • • • hauled up th,s g stood on and mess The tarmac loop was the Tracks and bases N slope to the Cm, those pillars Hospital Reception Area mark the Nursing To Sisters' Home so wagons Pye could drive Green The Hospital received wounded from the trenches. Later it rinary Hospital : Officers, Lines , l underneath. was mainly horse , four hut bases was a Ministry of Pensions Hospital, then colliery workers Mere Valley -·- moved into it to make Brindley Village. N ansport then ,· set away from i ' the men hut lines 1 0 100 Q JOQ I • 1------i 1------l metres KEY melres Anson's Bank Q and P hut lines ••• Walk Route Track i --' ' - Army Camp Remains ~ Car Park metres \ -++++ 1914 - 18 Railway Line (now removed) ~~MILFORD Satnall ~ HIiis (;I To Stafford ...... ,. and M.6. J.13 I ( unchbowl Weetmans Bridge ······· ····· .... Harts ········· Bfoc Hill Hill Haywood Bloct~n Stepping Warren ~ opp,ce Stones
[S] Horse BROCTON Hills To Stafford and M.6. 3 miles J.13 Drsu<.ed ~ 1914 19U ~It,, gt. qJ ~(;I / Lower : : Sherbro6k I Sycamores Hill ··.: Pool : ...... "•:· ...... -~...... _.,...... Oldacre Dry Pits ·. ·. Valley
11~ Glacial Trig ··.. 1\'"Boulder Point '4.\-···--· ········ · "' ··· ... Wom ere ··.. _ ~1··.. ., RAF Hednesford ~~ 8 '~ DfDfJ(J(J, ! o 't!fb& •:
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nson's Bank : 3 ,, """ ::;/\\ : KEY 11.Ua Katvn I .Officers' Mess and quarters ,..,. llnn,. . '/Jn /Vl t: IIIUlldl 3.NAAHs (Navy, Anny and Air Force lns111u1es) 4 .M am gate, Stauon IIQ, Post Office. 5 Dming Halls :-.. 6.Scrgcants' Mess Springslade ...... 7.Astra Cinema 8.Educational lluts. 9.Mam Gym, also used as Church and Concert Hall Lodge .111>·.. IO.llmaid1 mumng sheds 11.Trainmg sheds 12.Tcchmcal sheds 13. Synagogue and J~ish Club. 14.YMCA I S.YWCA W8itehouse ~o~ Aspen ~ . . ace./ ·.. . · ·.
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0 ¼ ½ mile Brindley Heath Rd. Rawnsley Hills
Ill Country Park Tackeroo Railway Route ~ Emergency Phone CC&illil llil@~ lkCC fJD&1 ~ ® Cannock Forest Military firing range ~ Shops O ther public land -Iii Car Park Ill> Cafe Main W alks E Toilet ft Picnic Place Vehicle Tracks D Information (Q Public House ~~~i©~W i~l~l&~W Foot trail •• Self guided trail