Sherwood Pines Forest Park. During WW1, the area then known as Clipstone Shrogges was used as a military training ground by the troops stationed at the nearby Clipstone Army Camp. There is still evidence of the trenches in various parts of the forest.
"Within the first tour days of August 1914, in the wake of a complex web of events, Germany declared war on both Russia and France and invaded neutral Belgium.
The invasion of Belgium was a violation of a treaty which Britain had signed to protect Belgium’s neutrality. At llpm on 4 August, Britain declared war on Germany.
By September l9l4, Germany's plan to defeat France in six weeks had failed. Its troops had to ‘dig in' to hold their position. This was the beginning of trench warfare.
Britain had to act fast and quickly build an army. Voluntary enlistment was introduced and hundreds of thousands of men were recruited for military training.
In 1915, a huge training camp was built at Clipstone, Mansfield, just near Sherwood Pines. The site held up to 30 000 soldiers and a series of replica trenches were built in which recruits could practice thos new form of combat.
British soldiers were nicknamed Tommy Atkins, or Tommy for short, because of a pocket booklet given to all new recruits. The booklet was for recording details like a soldier's name, age and length of service. The example name used in the guidance sheet, a bit like the 'John Smith' of today, was Tommy Atkins. The booklet became known as the ’Tommy Booklet' and the soldier who carried it, 'Tommy’."
SOURCE - Info board
"CLIPSTONE CAMP.
In 1915, six miles east of Mansfield, forest and open heathland gave way to Clipstone Camp, one of the largest military training centres of the First World War. Up to 30,000 soldiers were stationed here at any one time.
Army units come to Clipstone to sharpen their skills for night attacks, use of machine guns and training in trench warfare.
CHANGING LANDSCAPES.
The huge influx of men had a big impact on the local environment. Mansfield’s landscape and the lives of its people changed dramatically.
New businesses sprang up to cater for the troops and local people and schools were heavily involved in the war effort. Mansfield quickly became a garrison town and the men an integral part of the community.
Towards the end of the war members of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps were also trained at Clipstone."
SOURCE - Info board at N 53° 09.898 W 001° 05.244
Parking fees apply -
Up to 1 hour £3.00
Up to 2 hours £5.00
All day £8.00
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