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D-Day and the Meon Valley Trail, Droxford

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D-Day and the Meon Valley Trail, Droxford The Meon Valley Trail — where history was made in 1944 In June 1944, some of the most important decisions of World War 2 were made on a railway train in Droxford. 70 years later, the site where the war cabinet for D-Day met over four days is on the fully accessible Meon Valley Trail, a ten mile long right of way for pedestrians, cyclists and During 2014-15 a project to improve the Meon D-Day and the Meon Valley equestrian users, running from Wickham with Valley Trail is being carried out involving: West Meon. Coppicing dangerous trees Trail, Droxford Cutting back overgrown vegetation This leaflet was put together by South Downs June 2014 Re-surfacing works including drainage im- National Park Authority and Hampshire County provements Council to coincide with the Friends of Drox- Provision of signage ford Church’s D-Day commemoration in 2014. Development of interpretation Explore where history was made in 1944 Follow us on Twitter: @TheMVT Meon Valley Trail Upgrade Project 2014-15 Queen Elizabeth Country Park Gravel Hill Horndean Phone: 02392 572672 St Mary & All Saints Church, Waterlooville Droxford E-mail: [email protected] The Former Railway Arguably the railway’s finest moment came during The Meon Valley Trail runs along a ten mile four days of June 1944, in Droxford, prior to the section of a former railway that originally con- Allied Normandy invasion on D-Day. nected Alton to Fareham. Built by the London and South Western Railway, the line opened in 1903 and closed in 1955. D-Day Droxford was located close to General Eisenhow- er’s Headquarters in Portsmouth. The railway at Droxford also had the advantage of having a deep The picture above (Crown copyright) was cutting that could be used for cover in the event of probably taken at Droxford. Dignitary's pic- an air raid. These were some of the reasons that tured are Mr Mackenzie King (Canada’s Prime lead to it being chosen as the secret location for Minister), Mr Winston Churchill, Mr Peter Fra- the war cabinet, aboard the Royal Train from 2nd ser (New Zealand’s Prime Minister), General June 1944. Commercially the railway was unsuccessful Eisenhower, Sir Godfrey Huggins (Southern and was little used through its short life. As It is thought that here in Droxford, the decision to Rhodesia’s Prime Minister and Field-Marshall with most railway’s in the UK, this changed delay D-day by a day was made. It is remarkable to Smuts (South Africa’s Prime Minister). during both world wars, when traffic increased think that such decisions that would have such Also present over the four days from 2nd June dramatically. massive global consequences were made here in 1944 were Mr Ernest Bevin, General Ismay, Mr Droxford, on what is now the Meon Valley Trail. Running through rural communities, the line Anthony Eden and General de Gaulle. was used by evacuees escaping London. Due to Although the meeting was secret, it did not take it being so scenic, the railway was the route of long until the whole village knew about it! Locally it choice for Officers accessing the Royal Navy is still well known. The 70th Anniversary commem- Port’s of Portsmouth and Gosport. Unfortu- oration events of 2014 are very fitting. Please take nately due to its strategic importance, the the time to walk to the Meon Valley Trail and see railway became a target for enemy bombers. the site for yourself. Note, picture on left was taken at local heritage railway, the Watercress Line .
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