Paddy

Apologies if this is a little long winded but I have to say that I was quite moved while visiting this site. Photographically, these shots are no works of art, the intention was to record what is a very historic place.

The 7th Armoured Division, commonly known as ‘The Desert Rats’ was first started in Egypt in 1938. Their actions in the deserts of North Africa and in the Italy Campaign is stuff of legend. However, in the whole time the Division was formed, it had never been stationed in the UK until January 1944 when the Desert Rats came home to the damp, cold Forest of Thetford East Anglia where it was spread out into camps. The primary reason for the Division coming back to the UK was to re equip and train on the new Cromwell Tank but, although they would have known nothing about it, they were being readied as part of the invasion force which eventually set off on June 6th 1944.

The only remains of them being in the forest from January to May 1944 are some concrete hut bases and roadways. I doubt if the memorial had been set up that visitors to this part of the forest would have known what the concrete was and the history they held. However, thanks to the dedication of Les Dinning who joined the 4th County of London Yeomanry, part of the 7th Armoured Division, on the 16th February 1944 in what was known as ‘High Ash Wood Camp’, the history has been kept alive and a very impressive memorial constructed comprising of a Cromwell MK IV atop a plinth. The Cromwell tank, named after Les Dinning’s tank ‘Little Audrey’ is typical of the latest tank technology that was being handed over to the Division.



High Ash Wood Camp consisted of two main parts, High Ash Wood and Shakers Wood where these pictures were taken.The whole site was situated lengthways on a roughly north south orientation with Shakers Wood being the southern end and High Ash Wood the northern. In the south west corner of Shakers Wood was the camp for the 5th Royal Tank Regiment and the first remains to be found as you come out of the wood following the well laid out trail is the base of the cookhouse

Cook House, Shakers Wood


To the north of the Cook House is the Mess area where the men would take their food to eat

Mess area Shakers Wood


To the rear of the first base can be seen wide steps to another base

North of these is where the main camp was. Consisting of Nissen Huts made from curved corrugated steal with wooden tongue and groove boards, these must have been cold, damp and miserable places, especially for those who had spent time in North Africa and Italy. The huts, with no insulation, must have dripped with condensation as the the sixteen men they were designed to sleep spent cold nights with only a single cast iron stove for warmth.

Bases of Nissen Huts for the main rank and file as well as the Warrant Officers and Sergeants accommodation





The site of the Sergeants Mess


At the northern edge of the Shakers wood camp was the NAAFI (Navy Army Air Force Institute) which provided some on camp but off duty relief and entertainment for the men. Occasional trips off camp were also organised to Cambridge, Kings Lynn and Norwich as well as local places but for most of the time, the NAAFI was it. On the site of the NAAFI bases a Nissen hut has been constructed but it was locked when I called so I was not able to see if it had been fitted out.

The NAAFI, north edge of Shakers Wood Camp


This next picture shows the view from the edge of Shakers wood looking north towards High Ash Wood camp in the distance. The concrete bed along the right of the shot is where the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) workshops were situated. Deep in the woods to the right is where the Tanks were parked on what is now a caravan site.

Looking north towards High Ash Camp


On the 8 May 1944 the armoured regiments moved to Orwell Park School, Ipswich where the lived in tents working on getting their tanks watertight ready for the landings in France which they still would have no idea of. Finally they moved to Felixstowe from where they sailed. They arrived on Gold Beach on the evening of June 6th, D-Day.

Sitting on a bench in the stillness of the forest, I sipped a cup of coffee and tried to imagine what it must have been like for those men, veterans of the desert and young men like Les Dinning who was 17 years old when he joined his Regiment in the Forest. But of course I cannot. I am one of those very lucky people who have never lived the life of those brave men. I have never been away from my family in such horrendous circumstances that they were and this is due to what they did.

I was however, very moved by the thought that the Desert Rats only stay in the UK was where I was sitting. Just 5 short months which must have seemed a long time to those soldiers not knowing what was coming up. In those 5 short months how many, I wonder, spent their last days on their home soil never to return. We must never forget their sacrifice. God bless them all

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