Army Camp Hursley info wanted

[bulsara]

Thanks for all the info David.
My father was in the Devon Regiment and was also at Aldershot.I have no idea why he was at Hursley though.At some time during the war he was in North Africa,also in Malta and Italy.
bulsara

[HursleyPark]

I'm going to guess that if he was in the Devonshire Regiment he was in the 2nd Battalion. Does that make any sense?

The 2nd Btn Devonshire Rgt. along with 1st Btn Hampshires and 1st Btn Dorsets made up the 231st Brigade of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division (don't ask me why Hants, Dorset & Devon = Northumbria !!!!)

So him being stationed in Hursley would be entirely logical. The units moved around quite a bit but most of the 50th was around the Hursley to Romsey area in the lead-up to the landing on Gold Beach on D-Day. If you have his regimental details that would help confirm, or completely trash, the theory.

If you have any recollections or info on his time in Hursley (however small)  I'd be very interested as I'm working on an update to the history of the estate.

Glad it was of some use.

Cheers
Dave

[bulsara]

Hi Dave,

On the only papers that I have seen it says 4 Devon hope that makes sense to you.It doesn't to me.
bulsara

[BerkshireYeoman]

Hi  both
I came across this post while googling Hursley in connection with DDay

145 (Berkshire Yeomanry) Field Regt RA ran three camps during the summer of 1944 C16 C17 and C18. The postal addresses of these was Hursley. 

My paperwork is not with my so I cannot give the full address. Our regimental history states that they processed troops of the 50th Div with C18 having Durham Light Infantry and Seaforth Highlanders go through. Also C18 accommodated Americans & ATS either side of the camp. At night the our men used to mount a guard between the two and whack any American soldier with a pickhelve who was trying to sneak under the wire to the girls' billets

C17 although postally Hursley was located where the M27 services are now.

I will add some more when I have my papers to hand

Rgds
Andrew

[HursleyPark]

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the information.

I have seen a map of the embarkation area with C16 & C17, slightly to the north of the M27, and C18, grouped with C19-C21, closer to Basset on the outskirts of Southampton. I'm curious why they were using Hursley as the postal address but I believe it was the Divisional HQ so that might explain things.

I'd be very interested to hear any other information you find.

Thanks again
Dave

[BerkshireYeoman]

Hi Dave
The addresses for RHQ and each Bty from the war diary are as follows

145 (Berks Yeo) Fd. Regt R.A.
Camp 016
C/O GPO Hursley
Hants

395 (Berks Yeo) Fd. Bty R.A.
Camp 016
APO
England

396 (Berks Yeo) Fd. Bty R.A.
Camp 017
APO
England

509 (Berks Yeo) Fd. Bty R.A.
Camp 022
APO
England

So the camps are C16 C17 and C22 not C18 - my bad memory. Do you have a copy of the map you can post ?

Also I found this on the web
Nightingale Wood, Romsey (C16 & C17) WWII D-Day Marshalling Area Camps C16 & C17 (camp capacity 3,250 personnel & 465 vehicles)
Southampton Common (C18, C19, C20 & C21) WWII D-Day Marshalling Area Camp C18, C19, C20 & C21 (8,500 personnel & 1,000 vehicles).12th Hospital Train, 12th Medical Dispensary
Toothill (C22) WWII D-Day Marshalling Area Camp C22 (camp capacity 2,000 personnel & 285 vehicles)
http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?6828-Army-Camps-Barracks-Hampshire

I have two tapes with memories about the camps of which I will transcribe and will post them for you after my summer hols. (off tomorrow
Cheers
Andrew