THE ROYAL NAVAL DIVISION AT BLANDFORD CAMP DURING WW1 , A BRIEF HISTORY
AFTER WAR WAS DECLARED ON AUGUST THE 4th 1914, IT SET PLANS, IN MOTION THAT WOULD HAVE FAR REACHING CONSEQUENSES ,
ONE OF WHICH WAS THE BUILDING OF A DEPOT / TRAINING GROUND FOR THE R.N.D ,
3 MILES NORTH EAST OF BLANDFORD FORUM IN DORSET (U.K),
WHEN THE CAMP WAS FINISHED IT WAS IN EFFECT LIKE A SMALL TOWN, WITH CHURCHES A HOSPITAL ,YMCA BUILDINGS AND ITS OWN RAILWAY LINK TO THE MAIN LINE NETWORK,
AT THE END NOVEMBER 1914 THE FIRST BATTALION TO ARRIVE WAS,
NELSON BATTALION, THE REMAINDER WAS SENT SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. (THE INITIAL FORMATION OF THE R.N.D HAS BEEN COVERED IN EARLIER PAGES )
THE CAMP WAS INITIALLY SET UP FOR THE 19th of FEB --9th of FEBUARY 1916 GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN
BELOW WE HAVE A SERIES OF PERIOD REAL PHOTO POST CARDS
ONES BEEN POSTALLY USED. THEY HAVE BEEN ENLARGED FOR CLARITY.
THE BATTALIONS WERE AS FOLLOWS
1) DRAKE BATTALION
2) HAWKE BATTALION
3) BENBOW BATTALION
4) COLLINGWOOD BATTALION
5) NELSON BATTALION
6) HOWE BATTALION
7) HOOD BATTALION
8) ANSON BATTALION
ALL WERE NAMED AFTER FAMOUS ADMIRALS
ALSO OF NOTE |!
THE FAMOUS POET RUPERT BROOKE,
PENNED HIS FAMOUS WAR SONNETS WHILST WITH HOOD BATTALION IN NOVEMBER 1914
WHICH HAS THE WORDS,IN IT
IF I SHOULD DIE,
THINK ONLY THIS OF ME,
THERE'S SOME CORNER OF A FOREIGN FIELD ,
THAT IS FOREVER ENGLAND.
WHICH WAS QUITE PROPHETIC
AS HE DIED ON A FRENCH HOSPITAL SHIP
OFF THE GREEK COAST ON THE 23rd OF APRIL 1915OF A SEVERELY INFECTED MOSQUITO BITE ,
& GOING AGAINST TRADITION
OF BURIAL AT SEA WAS BURIED INSTEAD IN THE TOWN OF SKYROS GREECE
All the hutted accommodation erected at that time for the Royal Naval Division was demolished in 1920, some of the buildings being sold to nearby villages for use as village halls.
There have been quite a few incarnations over the years and In 1960 the 30th Signal Regiment moved into the Camp, followed in 1967 by the School of Signals. The School (now the Royal School of Signals) was responsible for management and technical courses for Royal Signals Officers and Non-commissioned Officers. Formerly located in Catterick,
THERE ARE SEVERAL REMINDERS OF THE CAMPS PAST ILLUSTRIOUS HERITAGE,
THE "ANSON " CARPARK IS ONE AND THERE ARE ROADS AND AVENUES LIKE ONE NAMED "NELSON" THAT WE COULD SEE ON OUR WAY TO THE MUSEUM
BELOW IS AN IMAGE OF THE MODERN GUARD ROOM
BELOW IS THE ONLY REAL TANGIBLE EVIDENCE,
LOCALLY OF THE R.N.D AND THATS THE COLLINGWOOD BATTALION MEMORIAL
Tarrant Hinton Blandford Forum DT11 8EX
The texts on the memorial read as follows :
IN MEMORY OF
THE COMMANDING OFFICER
OFFICERS AND MEN
OF THE COLLINGWOOD BATTN.
ROYAL NAVAL DIVISION
WHO FELL IN ACTION IN GALLIPOLI,
ON 4TH JUNE 1915, WHEN THE
BATTN. WAS PRACTICALLY DESTROYED.
THE COLLINGWOOD BATTALION COMPLETED ITS TRAINING ON THESE DOWNS.
THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED BY THE SURVIVORS.
