Shropshire Routes to Roots

With the advent of the First World War, Major Wynne Corrie moved into Shrewsbury, and handed over the Hall to the military as their local headquarters. The first Oswestry knew of this was a small paragraph in the Border Counties Advertiser in November 1914, when it was announced that 14,000 troops would soon be arriving. Within a fortnight, the estimate had risen to 21,000 troops with 4-500 officers. Whilst this was welcomed in many quarters, the local burghers of Oswestry warned of the possible moral danger to the young ladies of the area!

Although it had been a wet and miserable winter, by Spring of 1915, over 900 labourers were busy constructing the camp in the grounds of the old Hall.

In July 1915, the first 4,000 troops of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and the Cheshire regiment arrived at the Hall. They disembarked at Whittington Station and marched to the camp with the Fusilier's mascot, the goat, talking the lead.

The camp was in constant use throughout the war, training and dispatching troops to the Front. This training was not, however, without its share of tragedy and humour.

The carnage may have been horrific in Europe, but the trainees had a sense of humour. This postcard, showing life at the Camp, was sent by Private Williams to his parents in South Wales.

Although the main emphasis was on training troops for war, there were those soldiers who never went to the front, but were of vital importance to the men - the cookhouse staff! Private Ted Parker was proud to send a photograph to his mother, of himself and the other staff in 1917. Pte. Parker is sat on the left of the front row.