Updates on Sandling Camp Resource and Post

DISCOVERY Of First World War Practice Trenches: TOLSFORD HILL – SALTWOOD, KENT

A previous post outlined in some detail the excellent work of Michael and Paula Dugdale of Saltwood, Kent, England. The article entitled West Sandling Camp and the Trenches of Tolsford Hill relates the work done with a perspective in regards to how it relates to the 18th Battalion’s experience as it trained at West Sandling and would be familiar with the ground.
In relation the work of the Dugdales a person now had two choices to access this informative and engaging work. One can download and access the PDF file or they can access a web page created specifically for this information. Both are excellent and painstakingly created resources and it is always good to have a soft-copy of the data for old-school people that like to convert the PDF to paper and have it for handy reference. The web page is more flexible and has more details than the PDF and has additional details about other aspects of the Canadian military experience in the area.

Location Finding Aid to Site

The site uses Ordnance Survey (OS) codes for reference points (i.e. TR 15823 38342). Use the UK Grid Reference Finder to enter in a grid coordinate and the site will to get a map or satellite view of the grid reference. Using the grid reference previous the following result is found:

Using this web site in conjunction with the coordinates given with the text will give one a good idea of the ground.

The Voyage to West Sandling

Below is a Google Map extrapolation of the rail route taken by the 18th Battalion upon its arrival in Avonmouth on the west coast of England where it entrained and traveled to its final destination after the Atlantic crossing on the S.S. Grampian.

Note the supposition by the author that the train passed through London and may have required a change to effect the next stage of their journey. Luck would have it that we know the actual circumstances of the 18th’s arrival and transport arrangements:

“So careful had the arrangements been made for transportation, that within two hours of landing every member of the 18th Battalion was speeding inland on the Great Western Railway. About three in the afternoon, the trains were unloaded at Westenhanger Station, and a march of a mile and a half brought the unit to its new quarters – West Sandling Camp – two miles from Shorncliffe.”

Antal, Sandy, and Kevin R. Shackleton. Duty Nobly Done: The Official History of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment. Windsor, ON: Walkerville Pub., 2006. pg. 171

It would make sense to have such organization and logistics made for the Canadian troops. After being on board ship on April 18, 1915 (the troops were boarded before their actual departure to prevent issues with soldiers who had second thoughts about their terms of military service) and arriving on April 29, 1915. The quote above does not give a specific timetable but it is sufficient to note that the transportation by rail as most likely direct and without the need to change trains.

The passage makes one wonder what thoughts went through the minds of the soldiers as they passed through England on their way to the next stage of their military experience.