A succession of Army units (often with headquarters at the nearby Kent College - see separate entry) made use of Church Wood during the Second World War. In the first half of December 1940 a hard standing was constructed in the wood on behalf of the 112 Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery, who would occupy the said College until February 1941. This was laid by 553 Field Company of the Royal Engineers ‘using brushwood faggots, hardcore and ashes.’ It is not yet clear where exactly it was. In mid 1941 the 6 Cheshire Battalion, having moved into the district earlier that year, concentrated at Kent College for training ‘in machine-gun and field work’; Companies ‘B’ to ‘D’ were camped around Church Wood, which may well have continued in use by subsequent units at Kent College. Later A contributor to the BBC’s ‘People’s War’ Online project recalled: ‘There were church woods surrounding our village which were taken over as an army camp and we were not allowed in them.’ The wood was also of military importance in connection with the defence of Sector ‘E’ of the Dover, Canterbury, Whitstable Stop Line (see separate entry).
Owner : Unknown
Publicly accessible : Unknown
How accessed for survey :
Tourism Potential :
Condition : unknown
Date of visit :

Jeannie Wanstall, ‘A Junior School Child Remembers’ (Digital archive). SKE15232.

Jeannie Wanstall, ‘A Junior School Child Remembers’ (Digital archive). Ske15232.

Michael Walter, Verbal Communication (Verbal communication). SKE15234.

Michael Walter, Verbal Communication (Verbal communication). Ske15234.

90 Field Regiment Royal Artillery, 01/01/40, War Diary 90 Field Regiment Royal Artillery 1940 (Unpublished document). SKE15238.

90 Field Regiment Royal Artillery, 01/01/40, War Diary 90 Field Regiment Royal Artillery 1940 (Unpublished document). Ske15238.

43 Division General Staff, 01/01/41, War Diary 43 Division General Staff (Unpublished document). SKE15236.

43 Division General Staff, 01/01/41, War Diary 43 Division General Staff (Unpublished document). Ske15236.

44 Division General Staff, 01/01/41, War Diary 44 Division General Staff (Unpublished document). SKE15237.

44 Division General Staff, 01/01/41, War Diary 44 Division General Staff (Unpublished document). Ske15237.

553 Field Company Royal Engineers, 01/01/41, War Diary 553 Field Company Royal Engineers 1941 (Unpublished document). SKE15233.

553 Field Company Royal Engineers, 01/01/41, War Diary 553 Field Company Royal Engineers 1941 (Unpublished document). Ske15233.

6 Cheshire Battalion, 01/01/41, War Diary 6 Cheshire Battalion 1941 (Unpublished document). SKE15235.

6 Cheshire Battalion, 01/01/41, War Diary 6 Cheshire Battalion 1941 (Unpublished document). Ske15235.