The ‘Camp Diary’ provides an insight into the Bedfordshire Training Depot (1914-16) and No.9 Command Depot (1916-1919) that followed. Based on newspaper reports of the time.

March 1918 – News of Ampthill Park recruits at the Front

Starting 1918 with just four Ampthill Camp casualties lulled a false sense of hopefulness. From March 21 a German Offensive in the Somme sector has claimed a mounting number of casualties. This month 30 men of the Ampthill Camp have been killed in action or have died of their wounds.

• Casualties
  17741 Sergeant Walter T. HURL (27) of St. Ives Died of Wounds on March 1
  25556 Private Walter F. STACEY (24) of Bassingbourne Killed in Action on March 1
  23524 Lance Corporal Percy A. KEY (25) of Huntingdon Died of Wounds on March 14
  27399 Private William H. WALKER (35) of Clifton Died of Wounds on March 16
  31533 Private Frederick SHEPPARD (23) of Luton Killed in Action on March 21 40907 Private Edward CAPP (25) of Little Brickhill Killed in Action on March 21 23107 Private Charles CLARKE (30) of Woburn Killed in Action on March 21
  50677 Private Benjamin J. CURTIS (20) of Southill Killed in Action on March 21 23133 Private James HAMMENT (31) of Ramsey Killed in Action on March 21
  19016 Acting Sergeant Albert PORTER (24) of Ewerby Killed in Action on March 21
  2nd Lieutenant Alfred K. SETCHELL (20) of Bedford Wounded in Action on March 21. Died after being taken prisoner – more
  30925 Private Harold W. GEORGE (21) of Southend-on-Sea Killed in Action on March 22
  19173 Corporal William C. GOBBY (37) of Charlton Killed in Action on March 22
  23245 Private Arthur E. KENNELL (24) of Yelden Killed in Action on March 22
  28441 Private Fredrick W. MEEKS (28) of Clifton Killed in Action on March 22
  17692 Lance Corporal Arthur J. WORRALL (26) of Cople Missing in Action on March 22
  30911 Private Tom CHARLISH (26) of Bishops Stortford Killed in Action on March 22
  19064 Acting Sergeant John GOODSON (25) of Luton Killed in Action on March 22
  50698 Private Matthew G. MOULD (26) of Apethorpe Killed in Action on March 23
  20476 Private Leonard J. SAWFORD (20) of Sharnbrook Killed in Action on March 23
  19272 Sergeant Harry GURNEY (37) of Tingrith Killed in Action on March 24
  18625 Private Herbert S. HUMPHRIES of Tempsford Missing, presumed dead on March 24
  23603 Private Edward G. LAWRENCE (20) of Ridgmont Died of Wounds on March 25
  17688 Private Edwin COX (27) of Stevington Killed in Action on March 27
  23538 Private Harry NORRIS (31) of Hatfield Killed in Action on March 27
  23187 Private Bertram W. WILSON (24) of Pirton Killed in Action on March 27
  22933 Private Arthur H. WORBEY (35) of Willian Killed in Action on March 27
  29272 Private Thomas MITCHELL (38) of Snettisham Died of Wounds on March 28
  20310 Private Frederick H. PALMER (21) of Flitwick Killed in Action on March 28 20077 Private Aubrey L. WEBB (39) of Bedford Killed in Action on March 28
  29445 Private Leonard F. KEMPSTER (20) of Hemel Hempstead 29/03/1918 Died of Wounds on March 29

Source: 

The Bedfordshire Standard. The original broadsheet is part of the Bedfordshire & Luton Archive.

Ampthill Parish Magazine
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
RBL Roll of Honour
Ancestry.com
The National Archives
Bedsatwar blog
Bedsathome blog
Red Cross
Ampthill’s Fallen – by John Hele (2014)

Report on the Activities of the 126 Company Canadian Forestry Corps. Ampthill 1917-18 (K.Fadden)
A Review of Activities with the 126th Company Canadian Forestry Corps while stationed at Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Eng. (Sgt H. Porter, 1918)

Www.bedfordshireregiment.co.uk

#IWMSTORIES

Next instalment to be published on 30 April 2018….

Text and images copyright S.Hartley (2015-)

Care is taken to ensure accuracy – please accept my apologies if the content contains any errors.

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BUY: Stencilling Tommy’s Footprints

This 48 page book tells the story of how Tommy’s Footprints came about and notes the many people who have contributed and connected. There are just 150 individually numbered books. A unique gift.

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Proceeds will help to fund a book about the Ampthill Camp ~ profits to benefit the charity Combat Stress which was founded in 1919 to help WWI veterans deal with shell shock.

£6 (inc p&p). Please email hartleyhare135@gmail.com to order by PayPal or BACS transfer. The book is also available from Ampthill Town Council, The Hub and The Stationery Boutique in Ampthill while stocks last.

To remember that amazing day and the memories it went onto craft, here is a free copy of the book “Stencilling Tommy’s Footprints” – click to download.

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