WW2 History Walk: Beaulieu Road & Yew Tree Heath (New Forest)

[@nwae8812]

Used to drive trains past there for many a year. I knew there was a siding, but not a camp. there was another bit of WW2 relic just west. A place called "Wood Fidley", had some sort of concrete track next to the railway line.

[@TrexplorerUK]

Thank you for the comment, the concrete figure of eight at the Woodfidley Crossing is mistaken for WW2, but instead it's the result of post war experimentation. During the 1950’s & 60’s the Forestry Commission started upgrading the timber extraction tracks in the Forest by making new gravel tracks around the inclosures. The needed to experiment on the mix of sand, gravel and clay so they could find out what was most hard wearing. As such they laid out this concrete circuits which had patches in the central section which could be laid with the experimental mixes. A lorry would then be set to driving over and over the mix again and again with the turning circles at each end to prevent the need for lots of manoeuvring each time they got to the other end.

[@Essexyeoman]

My grandfather was based at Beaulieu for just over a month before the d day invasion embarking from lepe, stanswood bay as you mentioned. Thanks for posting

[@TrexplorerUK]

Hi, great to hear from you and about your grandfather. Over the summer I walked through the woods where many were camped in just outside Beaulieu, and found old NAAFI cups etc. Made me wonder if it was the last cuppas some of these men had before they left from Lepe. Poignant. Did your grandfather pass any memories of this short time in the New Forest to you?

[@Essexyeoman]

@@TrexplorerUK hi, unfortunately not. He didn’t speak much of the war and didn’t like to. He passed in 1997. I’m fortunately left with quite a few bits relating to his time in the war along with his medals/ stars etc.. I know he arrived at Camp B6, Knights Copse at Beaulieu on the 23rd of April and the camp then went into lockdown on the 25th of May. He has been based by the Carlton Hotel, East Cliff for about a month before arriving at Beaulieu. He left Beaulieu on the 2nd of June and embarked from Stanswood Bay, Lepe about 3am the next morning 👍

[@TrexplorerUK]

I know the Knights Copse camp area, how fascinating. I know that hotel too, as I used to live in Bournemouth - thank you for sharing @@Essexyeoman

[@Essexyeoman]

@@TrexplorerUK you are welcome mate. I’m on a little mission in a few weeks visiting lepe and surrounding areas. Sadly Knights Copse I hear has been re-absorbed by the Beaulieu estate and fenced in so there’s no access. Not that there’s anything really left relating to the camp anyway. But would have liked to have had a look..

[@GrahamMiller-ds4xz]

I just turned five years old on 6th June 1944. We lived at 221 Winchester Road Chandler’s ford. My parents house backed onto a large woods. At that time a fairly large contingent of American troops were encamped there. Nissan huts everywhere and lorries. They started arriving in about February/March and I used to go through and talk to them. They were great. They gave me cocoa and biscuits. I sometimes went in their jeeps that delivered petrol to surrounding encampments. It was great fun. They also took over part of Hiltingberry Avenue. There were bomb craters in Mr Noyce’s farm across the main road opposite our house, now a Technical College. Also in an open area south of Hiltingberry Ave. One day I went down to the bottom of the garden and there was nobody there. It was the 6th D-Day. I remember the doodle bugs at night. Clatter chatter clatter then silence! I’m now 84 and remember it like yesterday. Good luck with your podcast Trexplorer. Graham Miller Johannesburg South Africa

[@TrexplorerUK]

Hello Graham, it's lovely to hear from you and your memories. Thank you for watching, and hope you enjoy the walks and things I look into. Best wishes :-)

[@lauracull4449]

Very interesting, I live in the cottages at Beaulieu Road Train Station and there is so much history here! During house renovations we found graffiti of what looks like a spit fire on the old walls. There are some big (and deep) doodlebug bomb craters running from shatterford down to the tree line. We also get the occasional visit from the bomb squad to detonate ordinance that’s found (often by dog walkers!).

[@TrexplorerUK]

That’s incredible Laura, did you take any photos of the graffiti? I’ve found bombs on the heathland over the last year, and actually by chance recorded the moment I stumbled across them, might make that video live one day if it feels like the right thing to do. The bomb guys came out for that one too. I think in 100 years things will still be being found.

[@rancidschannel3206]

Thanks for sharing

[@rancidschannel3206]

Ha ha Beaulieu Road, we often have Horses and Cows on the platform where we run in. You say least used. We stopped there once and picked up 50 walkers and a 5 min delay. Anything can happen at small quite stations! Ah I did wonder why there was so many earthworks and sidings there.

[@TrexplorerUK]

I bet! I am not sure how accurate some of the claims I make about the station are to be honest! Since publishing it, learned I may have made a few errors...

[@DaveFord]

Really interesting walk and well produced Marc. Thanks for posting.

[@TrexplorerUK]

Thanks Dave, but I am not happy with it. I researched the area, walked it a few times, then felt I rushed it Still not quite cracked where to place my mic. Was watching one of your videos last night, and noticed you tend to stand still when you talk - I think I need to do that to get rid of my rustling trouser noise - your audio is always so much better - and your video footage. Will try again as have planned a new route in the next few weeks in another place :-)

[@simonhumby323]

I seem to remember there's a place by the railway line in the New Forest where, during WW1, the army experimented with mixing earth with concrete to solve the mud problem on the western front. That could be an interesting topic for a vid. I think it's somewhere to the east of Brock on the north side of the tracks but can't find any info on it.

[@TrexplorerUK]

That's interesting, I will ask about and see if I know - if I find out, will comment back for you

[@TrexplorerUK]

I put this question out to a few people I know, but none have heard it before. One did wonder if this was related to nfknowledge.org/contributions/transport-tank-loading-area-for-d-day/ - but that's more WW2, so probably not.

[@DaveFord]

Simon. There is something near the railway line to the East of Brockenhurst (on the North of the track) - mentioned in a recent video walk at Denny Wood (about 13 mins in). Not WW1 but was this what you were thinking of? kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4CqanynpKx5i68

[@TrexplorerUK]

@@DaveFord This is what others also thought could be a possible - thanks Dave

[@simonhumby323]

@@TrexplorerUK I think I might have read something about it in 'Mud: A Military History' - I haven't got a copy.

[@Hriuke]

The pads you pointed out are less than twenty years old buddy.

[@TrexplorerUK]

Sorry, but I have to correct you. It's beach hardening mat that was deposited in that area during the Second World War when the side of the road was strengthened due to military activity at the top of that hill, and also evidently fly tipped. You can clearly see it was there far earlier than 20 years ago in this photo I have which you can see on this link: nfhwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/beachmat.jpg - I can understand why you think that though as it does look similar to the concrete pads used in modern times, but it's different. There is similar stuff used on New Forest roads, for example from Hilltop to Dibden Purlieu which is modern which is what I think you are probably thinking of.

[@newforestexplorer]

A shame someone burnt the pony sales down recently wasn’t it. I need my forest aloneness on a regular basis, I hate it when I see other people invading my space lol

[@TrexplorerUK]

The arson attack happened 2 days before I shot this video. I didn't even notice which just goes to show how away with the fairies I must be

[@newforestexplorer]

@@TrexplorerUK I think the type of structure that it is you probably wouldn’t notice unless you got up close. Hey I went on a bomb crater hunt a few years back but mine were from our bombs on the Ashley Walk Bombing Range, still interesting to find though