Information Sign Morn Hill Camp

Morn Hill Camps
Between 1914 and 1919, Winchester became a major transit location for troops destined for the Western Front and battle fiels. Numerous barrack huts and recreation buildings were built covering large tracts of Morn Hill, Magdalen Hill, Winnal Down and Avrington Park.
In the severe winter of 1914/15, soldiers lived in tents, many coming from the Empire, some still in tropical uniforms, Residents gave hospitality to the soldiers until the huts were built.
In 1917, the United States of America joined the War and sent great numbers of combat and support troops across the Atlantic in convoys of ships/
Morn Hill camps could accommodate more than 80,000 troops at a time when Winchester had a population around 20,000. By the end of the war nearly 2 million soldiers had passed through the Winchester camps. More than 500 Americans were buried in Magdalen Hill Cemetery and all but two were later repatriated

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Sharky Ward/Information boards
• Photos: Anthony (Sharky) Ward
• www.tohonourapromise.co.uk