Army Camps / Barracks Somerset

[norwichpaul]

Alfoxton Park, Holford WWII US Army Summer Camp, 40th General Hospital (ST151415)

Ashwick Camp, Dulverton ? WWI Army Camp

Bagborough, Shopnoller WWII camp, unknown use, South of London Cross (ST160327)

Barton Grange, Pitminster WWII Camp (ST229198)

Barwick Park, Yeovil WWII US Army Camp prior to D-Day, 15th Replacement Depot

Bath, Francis Hotel, Bennett Street ? WWI RFC No.7 (Observers') School of Aeronautics (The Francis Hotel has been located in Queen Square since 1728)

Bath WWI Canadian Camp

Bath (AAF-380) WWII US 8th Air Force Service Command

Bath Hospital WWII US Army, 152nd and 160th, 11th Ship Hospital Platoon, 44th & 45th Hospital Train

Beckington WWII US Army, 62nd Medical Battalion, 332nd Ordnance Depot Co

Bishops Lydeard, Asylum Farm, Tone Vale Military camp, Unknown use Romney type hutting (ST173273)

Blackmoor WWII US 137th Army Postal Unit

Blagdon WWII US 3472nd Ordnance MAM Company

Braunton Camp ? WWII US Army Assault Training Centre. Probably in Devon

Bridgwater, 11 Castle Street WWII Somerset Sub-Area. Now Arts Centre

Bridgwater WWII US Army 518th MP Brigade

Bourton ? WWII US 60th Chemical Depot Company (possibly Flax Bourton)

Brockley, nr Nailsea WWII US 14th Chemical Maintenance Company. Later PoW

Bruton, Redlynch Park WWII US 3rd Armoured Division HQ (ST7033)

Brymore House, Cannington WWII US Army, 535th Automatic Weapons Battalion. Initially used by girls from Malvern College as latter requisitioned for possible Government evacuation c.1939. (ST246394)

Brympton (Yeovil) ? Possible Army Camp Site (ST5216)

Box Possible Army Camp Site (ST8568)

Brean, Burnham-on-Sea WWII US 86th Ordnance Battalion, TA Annual Camp (1952)

Burrowbridge Army Stores Depot (1938 - 1965)

Castle Cary WWII US 97th Evacuation Hospital SM

Castle Cary, Dimmer Camp WWII (ST6131) Possibly same as above

Chard, Furnham / Furzehill The following two items may be this location: (ST327092) Chard WWII Army Camp known to have been occupied in 1940 by 12th Army Field Workshop Chard (AAF number n/a) WWII US Army Barracks

Charterhouse Yoxter Ranges Pre WWII Training Area. Camp with ‘permanent’ buildings etc added later. (ST513543)

Cheddar WWII US 24th Evacuation Hospital SM

Chewton (Mendip) WWII US 224th Ordnance Base Group

Chiselborough, The Cottage on the Common WWII Yeovil Garrison HQ. Located in Fair Place

Combe Down, Bath ? WWI Canadian Camp

Combe Hill, Bath ? WWI Army Camp

Compton Bishop, Bourton Farm WWI Army Remount Camp

Crewkerne WWII US 96th Evacuation Hospital SM

Crewkerne, Hinton St George WWII US Army Camp

Cross Keys Camp WWII US Army Camp associated with Ordnance Depot at Norton Fitzwarren also used as a PoW Camp

Crowcombe Station Possible WWII camp of concrete tracks and hut bases. (ST132342)

Cucklington WWII US 143rd Armoured Signal Company, 165th Signals Photo Company (Det)

Dillington House, Whitelackington 1939–40 RASC (Royal Army Services Corps). Pioneer Corp of East European refugees 1944 US Army officers of Merryfield troop carrier units. (ST367156)

Doniford Camp, Watchet WWII ‘A’ Battery, 21st Royal Artillery Regiment

Dunster, Beach Camp WWII US Army Camp, Company 'B', 56th Signal Battalion

Emborough Camp ? WWII US Army Camp, 42nd Replacement Battalion

Failand WWII US 624th Ordnance Ammunition Company

Fairfields Camp & Ransome House, Yeovil ? WWII Reception & Reinforcement Camp used by 3rd Division in September 1941

Frome WWII US Army 38th Signal Construction Battalion, 54th Armoured Field Artillery Battalion

Hallatrow WWII US 202nd Ordnance Depot Company

Haselbury Plucknett ? WWII US Army Camp, 43rd Signal Heavy Construction Battalion

Hatch Park, Hatch Beauchamp WWII camp (ST299205)

Hestercombe Hall, Cheddon Fitzpaine WWII Rear HQ British 8th Corps, US Army 398th General Service Engineer Regiment, US 801st General Hospital (ST2428)

Highbridge ? WWII US Army POL Depot

High Littleton WWII US 3409th Ordnance MM Company

Houndstone WWII US Army 169th General Hospital

Houndstone Camp, Yeovil WWII Permanent camp used extensively by British Army. Also WWII US Army units, 9th Replacement Depot

Ilminster ? (AAF number n/a) WWII US Army Detachment 'A', 315th Station Complement Squadron

Ilton (AAF number n/a) WWII US 61st Field Hospital & 562nd Ambulance Company, aka Merryfield

Isle Abbots (AAF number n/a) WWII US 8th AF Service Command

Langport ? WWII US Army Camp, Disciplinary Training Centre, 21st Platoon Ship Hospital

Lydiard (AAF-540) ? WWII US Army Camp. May be Bishops Lydeard, or Lydiard, Wiltshire

Liddymore, Watchet Volunteer/TF Annual Camp. (ST0842) WWII ‘B’ Battery, 21st Royal Artillery Regiment

Locking RAF Technical Training Camp for 4,0000 recruits (ST3760)

Lufton US Army 121st General Hospital

Lufton Barracks, Yeovil Royal Artillery Training Camp used until late 20th Century. (ST524170)

Marston Magna WWII RASC US Army Ordnance Depot, 50th Ordnance Bomb Disposal Squadron

Marston Park, Marston Bigot, Frome WWII Large US Army Camp, 40th Replacement Battalion and 54th Replacement Battalion

Martock, Marwin Close WWII 1940 Ordnance Field Park (ST463202) 1944 US 582nd and 641st Ordnance Ammo Companies

Merryfield WWII 61st Field Hospital adjacent to airfield (see Ilton)

Midsomer Norton WWI Army Camp

Milborne Port, Limerick Fields WWII US Army camp (ST676188)

Milverton WWII US 519th Ordnance HM Company (Field Artillery)

Minehead, North Hill Military Site from pre WWI to 1946. Extensive use by Army

Misterton WWII 86th Engineer Battalion HP

Montacute WWII Elements of US 97th QM Battalion

Musgrove Park, Taunton WWII US 67th General Hospital

Nailsea WWII US 84th Chemical (Smoke Generator) Company

Norton Fitzwarren WWII US Army Ordnance Depot for D-Day (ST1927)

Orchard Portman WWI Camp, believed used by West Somerset Yeomanry (ST248213)

Pitminster, Forches Corner, nr Culmhead WWII Military training area and rifle range (ST191170)

Pyrland Hall, Cheddon Fitzpaine WWII 8th Corps HQ (ST227276)

Radstock WWII US Army Camp, 9th, 40th, 42nd Replacement Battalions

St Audries, West Quantoxhead 9 Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, 21st Royal Artillery Regiment, C’ Battery, 592 Army Troops Company RE, 137th Company Pioneer Corps. US 187th Field Artillery Group with 186th and 187th FA Btns

Sandhill Park Hospital, Bishop’s Lydeard WWI PoW Camp WWII 41st and 185th General Military Hospitals

Shepton Mallet (G-905) WWII US Army General Stores Depot G-905

Shepton Mallet Prison WWII US Army Prison, Disciplinary Training Centre No.1

South Hill, Somerton WWII US Army Camp, 48th Replacement Battalion

Stapley WWII US Army Camp, 52nd Replacement Battalion

Stanton (Drew?) WWII US 334th Ordnance Depot Company

Street, Farm Road & Purseys Garage Woods Batch – ST477369 WWII US Army Camp, also used by New Zealanders. This may be two separate sites Purseys Garage is now ‘Arnie Levic’

Street, Somerton Road WWII Unknown Use (ST48963660) & (ST49043635)

Taunton Barracks Depot Barracks of Somerset Light Infantry

Taunton (AAF 446) (G-50) Detachment 'O', Supply Division, 1st Base Air Depot, 52nd General Hospital, 8th Hospital Train, V Corps Artillery, 18th Chemical Maintenance Company, 56th Signal Battalion, 46th Armoured Infantry Battalion (5th Armoured Division). 507th MP Battalion (‘A’ Co). D-Day Medical Depot G-50

Taunton, Burnshill, Cross Keys, Musgrove, & Norton Manor Camps WWII US Army Camps & Military Hospitals, including 67th and 101st General Hospitals

Taunton, Nunsfield Camp, Mountway WWII, used until 1980 by Royal Army Pay Corps

Taunton, Sherford Camp, Sherford Built in the late 1930s as a militia camp. (ST220230). HQ SW District and HQ 43 (Wessex) Division in the 1950-60s

Taunton, Blinkhorn Camp, Staplegrove ? WWII Depot of unknown function

Tetton Park, Cushuish WWII US Army Camp, 49th QM Battalion (ST2030)

Thrupe Lane (actual name unknown) WWII possible Quartermasters Depot “The Old Camp Site” (ST605471)

Tyntesfield, Wraxall WWII US Army Camp, 475 MPEG, 2nd & 3rd Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company

Tyntesfield House, Wraxall WWII 74th General American Army Hospital

West Monkton WWII US 202nd Quartermaster Battalion

Wincanton WWII US 3rd Armoured Division Rear HQ

Winscombe WWII US 272nd Ordnance Company AA

Yeovil WWII US Army Accommodation, 14th Replacement Depot, 4th Platoon, 17th Special Service Company

Yeovil WWII US Army 159th General Hospital

[althejazz]

I have some information on Blinkhorn Depot at Taunton. It was actually located close to Norton Fitzwarren near the junction of the A358 and former A361 roads ( the latter is now the B3227), In its latter days it was known as Taunton Trading Estate and until about 3 years ago the buildings were substantially the same as they were when built. It was originally know as Blinkhorn Depot and was served by rail through two connections at Norton Fitzwarren. The complex was built as mainly as victualling depot for US forces based in the Taunton area. It also supplied uniforms as well as bed linen for local military hospitals, one of which was the nearby Musgrove Park Hospital which is still in use today. The old buildings at Musgrove are scheduled for demoliton at sometime in the next three years to make way for a new state of the art building. Blinkhorn is now largely demolished to make way for housing but one of the buildings survives in a modified form as the VOSA commercial vehicle testing station. There is also a PCV/HGV driving test centre based there. Until a couple of years ago I worked there as a driver for Quantock Motor Services who had occupied two separate buildings on the estate since they moved there in 2000/2001. The first building we used was on the lower part of the site which was level with the West of England main railway line and this had connections which allowed access to extensive railway sidings. These were all taken out of use when the depot was closed and the sidings were later removed but I have been unable to confirm a date for either of these events. There were two types of buildings with rail connections and the first one we occupied originally had a pair of railway tracks between two platforms which had road access at each end of the building so that lorries etc could drive alongside the trains for the transfer of goods and equipment. The building to the east of us was similar except that it had one central platform with a track each side and road access for the platform. The current VOSA building is also believed to have had rail access but this has not been confirmed and no traces of it are visible to confirm this. There was another, similar, building which was occupied by 'Booker' Cash and Carry but this was demolished and replaced by a new state of the art warehouse in 2008/2009.The rest of this large complex, which consisted of largely metal framed buildings with brick and glass infill sides, had road access only. Right in the middle of the sight was a large, brick built boiler house which supplied heat and hot water to the various buildings. At least one of the buildings was converted to a giant refrigeration plant which was, apparently, used to store the bodies of dead US servicemen prior to their shipment home for burial. I have, however, had no confirmation that the building was actually used for this purpose. No doubt its original use was as a store for perishable goods. At one time the depot also supplied Red Cross parcels for distribution to British and American PoWs in Germany and these were sent via the Swiss Red Cross organisation. I have no date for when the Depot was handed over to the British authorities but I do know that Musgrove Park Hospital was handed over to them wef from 15th June 1945 so it is possible that Blinkhorn came under British jurisdiction at the same time. Norton Manor Camp is, of course, still in use as the home depot for 40 Commando. The unit has lately had one of the steam locos on the West Somerset Railway re-named in their honour. I am certain that someone had taken an extensive series of photographs of Blinkhorn before demolition of the buildings was commenced and a sketch plan of the whole complex was definitely produced. If I find out anything more I will post it.

[norwichpaul]

Excellent Althejazz and welcome to AiX.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Thanks for the detail althejazz; very useful.

Welcome to AiX; what are your interests?

Yes, it did have extensive rail spurs and sidings as seen in the 1961 OS map:

http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l366/PRACHUAP/TauntonArmyDepot1961OldMaps.jpg

Courtesy of Old-Maps.Co.UK website.

[canberra]

Welcome to the forum. My late brother in law was stationed at Norton Manor with 40 Commando, he was then posted to Yeovilton and he and my sister were in Married Quarters at Houndstone camp.

[Dave Smith]

Just to note that Isle Abbots was the original name given to RAF Merryfield.