EPW062535 ENGLAND (1939). Army campsites around Whitecliff Bay Country Club, Bembridge, from the north-west, 1939

Details

Title	[EPW062535] Army campsites around Whitecliff Bay Country Club, Bembridge, from the north-west, 1939
Reference	EPW062535
Date	11-August-1939
Link
Place name	BEMBRIDGE
Parish	BEMBRIDGE
District
Country	ENGLAND
Easting / Northing	463834, 86455
Longitude / Latitude	-1.096517937851, 50.673675400599
National Grid Reference	SZ638865

Pins

It appears the bell tents are having kit inspection with the bedding lined up outside! Report as Inappropriate	Maurice	Thursday 5th of September 2013 08:45:05 AM
These look like 'standing camps', i.e. camps where the tents were put up for the summer and than occupied by a session of scouts, guides or whatever organisation ran the site. It saved a lot of money on every troop or company having to have there own kit, but lost some of the interest in that putting up and taking down the tent was not part of the camping experience. The big tents would be the 'cook house', dining and communal areas. No doubt great fun was had by many! Report as Inappropriate	Maurice	Thursday 5th of September 2013 08:43:34 AM

User Comment Contributions

I agree with Maurice that this appears to be a standing camp, probably just for the summer and most likely scouts or guides but not an Army camp.

Taken in August 1939 and the storm clouds or war were already in place with regular and territorial units already being mobilised. These tents would show out too well to be military and the Isle of Wight was not traditionally used by military units for training.

flubber

Friday 1st of November 2013 06:34:13 PM