Trentham at War in commemoration of 75 years since VE day

Produced by the Trentham at War Project Trentham in World War Two

A timeline

Arrival of bank staff from London to establish the Central Clearing House for the Bank of England in the ballroom of Trentham Gardens 1939 26 August

Photo Bebbington collection Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain broadcasts to the nation 1939 that: 'This country is at war with Germany' 3 September

Photo – creative commons Trentham Hospital 1939 Supply September Depot set up and to run from The November Priory by Mrs Wenger Trentham residents become ARP wardens 1939 and civil defence volunteers September and boy scouts help to fit gas masks to November

The 1939 Register shows that 124 men and women were designated as ARP wardens. The senior warden was Mr J Stuart Maddock of Albert Road. Their HQ was in the Sunday School Rooms of the Methodist Church.

Dickie Williams [pictured top left] and other civil defence volunteers from Dairyfields practice first aid Photo – family collection

Local scouts helped with the distribution of gas masks and showed residents how to put them on. Bank staff settle into life in the Ballroom and Gardens

1940 ->

Photos – Bebbington collection The Trentham Estate supports the Dig for Victory campaign and areas of the gardens are used for growing vegetables 1940 -> The former North Hunt Kennels become a base for Red Cross Ambulances 1940 -> Arrival of No.505 Field Company, Royal Engineers, under orders to ‘stage a camp’ in the park. 1940 French troops arrived on various dates 17 June Hospitality to Free French officers from the Mayer family on The Fieldway, Dairyfields 1940 June

Back Row - Elijah Mayer Middle Row –Colin Mayer Front Row – Eric Mayer All were ARP wardens Photo –family collection Visit of General Charles de Gaulle to the camp as part of his attempt to rally support for the Free French movement 1940 28 June

Photo – creative commons Artist’s impression of part of the French camp Painting: Alan Myatt 1940 June

Local fundraising for the Red Cross Over 600 French troops leave Trentham for repatriation to North Africa, having decided NOT to join de Gaulle's movement 1940 1 July Arrival of French sailors following the seizure of French warships in British ports 1940 3 July

Washing and cooking in the camp The French troops who decided to join de Gaulle leave for Aldershot 1940 10 July Visit of King George VI to the French camp with de Gaulle

1940 25 August The remaining troops who had NOT rallied to de Gaulle, and were pro Nazi-Vichy French, were relieved of their posts and taken elsewhere for repatriation 1940 23 September

Photo – creative commons On the home front - Trentham Parish Hall opens 1940 10 October The remainder of French troops leave Trentham for repatriation to North Africa 1940 Late November

Photo – creative commons First Trentham casualty Sergeant-Pilot Hugh Sharpley Lost at sea 1940 16 November Requisition of 26.43 acres of land off Eccleshall Road by the Air Ministry for a Maintenance Unit, connected to RAF 1941 Staff of Director of Medical Services, Western Command visit the Park to assess its suitability for the purpose 1942 of a 1700 bed Military Convalescent Unit 21 November

Detail from 1937 rev 1940 25 inch OS Map First staff arrive with equipment and ambulances to establish No.122 Military Convalescent Depot (MCD) 1942 21 December

Photo © IWM H 34130 Painting: Alan Myatt Artist’s impression of Nissen huts in Trentham Park Improved facilities and number of staff increased at No. 122 MCD, to provide 2000 beds 1943 14 October

Similar military convalescent depot at Cheltenham Requisition of additional land off Eccleshall Road and Park Cottages by Air Ministry 1943 2 December

Photo - David Cooke 'D' Day — Operation Overlord, 156,000 Allied troops invade , eventually having implications for convalescent units with increased numbers of casualties 1944 6 June Convalescents begin to arrive locally

1944 16 June

Photo - The Sentinel Crisis expansion situation at No. 122 MCD requiring marquee accommodation, with some patients being transferred to other units 1944 11 August

1945 rev 1948 6 inch OS map of Trentham Park showing camp layout Germans surrender and the end of the war in Europe declared 1945 7 May 1945 'VE' Day — Victory in Europe Day 8 May celebrated nationally and locally No. 122 MCD relocated from Trentham Park to Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire 1945 11 July

Rehabilitation training at Stoneleigh 1943 © IWM D 16614 Prisoners of War were never located at Trentham, but they were brought from the nearest POW camps to provide labour 1941 - 1945

Italian POWs worked on local farms from 1941. They also carried out maintenance of grounds and gardens on the estate.

German POWs did not appear until 1944. They often worked around the convalescent camp and were more closely guarded than the Italians, although often with rifles containing no ammunition. 'VJ' Day — Japanese surrender 1945 15 August Arrival of No. 164 Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU) from Barmouth 1945 November

First passing out parade 5 January 1945 Ten names of local men who died on war service inscribed on Trentham War Memorial

Michael Beswick John Brassington Thomas Deakin Eric Heath Hughes Eric Lakin Hugh Sharpley Albert Wilson 29 June 1944 22 November 1943 11 November 1944 20 March 1945 7 April 1945 16 November 1940 17 January 1945

Donald Chatham Michael O’Ryan Roger Sharpley 25 October 1944 1 June 1944 12 February 1944 Notice of impending return to London given to CCH staff in the Ballroom

1946 20 February

Farewell dance 29 April 1946 Relocation of No. 164 OCTU to Eaton Hall, Chester

1946 October Camp briefly occupied by Unit of Polish Resettlement Corps before its relocation to Blackshaw Moor

1946 July

Tadeusz Wandzel is The man standing is on the left. He was Alf Rybinski. He was originally from Polish and originally Zywiec in southern from Poznan. Some Poland. He came to of the men had England with the been together in 12th Polish Lancers Buchenwald and which he joined after became firm being liberated in friends. Afterwards April 1945, after a many stayed on in year in Buchenwald Stoke-on-Trent. concentration camp. The Rybinski and He went to Paris and Wandzel families then Naples before remain friends arriving in England. today.

Photos – Wandzel family collection Termination of lease of Trentham Gardens Ballroom to CCH

1946 16 August

Farewell event Royal Auxiliary Air Force No 3059 Air Defence Unit set up at The Institute to work systems for air raid reporting and fighter control 1947 - 1950s

The RAF finally left Trentham in the 1950s and the Institute was demolished in 1956 Surrender of all Trentham Estate land requisitioned for military purposes prompts discussions about future use of the Park

1947 9 September National Coal Board use Park camp as a hostel to accommodate miners October 1947 from Poland and other countries – January 1950 Miners’ camp closes and buildings sold or dismantled

1950 Thefts from huts 6 July 1950 19 May 1950

Photo - Bebbington Collection All that remain today are scattered foundations…

2020

Photos – Glyn Bull

Brick from Potteries Brick Company Special thanks to Graham Bebbington for his support for this presentation. Copies of his book Trentham at War : The Story of a Country Estate During World War II is still available for purchase.

Thanks also to Alan Myatt for his artistic impressions, where no photo images were available.

Thank you to others who shared their own or family photos.

News cuttings are from The Sentinel through the British Newspaper Index.

We hope to offer guided walks through Trentham Park including the camp area on Heritage Open Day on Saturday 19 September 2020, but it will be dependent on the COVID-19 restrictions at that time. Thank you for watching!

This is work in progress, if you have local photos, reminiscences or memorabilia from this time, please contact us through the Trentham at War Project website.

trenthamwarmemorial.org.uk/Contact/ We also have a Facebook Group facebook.com/groups/trentham100yearsago/