The Queens Westminster Rifles at Leverstock Green

Military

I have just posted extracts from The War Journal of Bernard Joseph Brookes which I recorded in 1994 when I was drafting The London Gunners come to Town. It covers the period from August 1914 to the beginning of November, 1914.

My original notes are shown unchanged (apart form some minor formatting differences) but I have added some brief biographical details and a portrait photograph of Bernard taken later in the War.

One interesting a feature is that in 1994 I added a footnote about Military Firing Ranges which reads:

The firing range used was probably in the grounds of Mr Secretan's house, The Dell, at Bennett's End, presumably a disused brick pit. The main military ranges were at Gorhambury, and at Chalk Hill, Westfield Farm, St Stephens. However work on constructing these ranges only started towards the end of September and the earliest record I have found of them being used in November, after the Queen's Westminster's had left Leverstock Green.

So I had the answer to the question "Where is the Chalk Hill firing range?" all along - but in an obsolete format - which my searches were not recognizing it!

Chalk Hill Rifle Range, WW1, at Sandridge or St Albans?

The Military

As part of the research into the First World War in St Albans Jon has discovered a possible "Chalk Hill" in the parish of St Michael [more information]. If this is correct the question then arises as to whether the firing range in Sandridge was used during the war - as it was an obvious and available training resource.

While on the subject I am still trying to find the location of Briton's Camp, which was clearly in the countryside somewhere near St Albans.

Late News: Jon has contacted me with definite evidence of where the Chalk Hill and Gorhambury Firing Ranges were from the Herts Advertiser of 10 October 1914 and the web page has been updated accordingly.

Hertfordshire Information on the Heritage Gateway

Yesterday Dr Isobel Thompson, of the Historic Environmental Unit at Hertfordshire County Council, gave a very interesting talk on the Hertfordshire Historic Environment Record which holds details of archaeological finds and investigations, and other sites and monuments up to the time of the Second World War. In addition there is a comprehensive collection of air photographs of the county covering the last 40 years. While much of the detailed information is not available online, some is available on the Heritage Gateway web site where a map will show locations of the sites records (and for monuments and some buildings brief information) However you can also see a list of the Hertfordshire records and get a summary of the site record.

Shooting Match on Sandridge Rifle Range in 1907

from Herts Advertiser, Sept 1907

Old News

I have just posted a lengthy news item reporting on a shooting match between some South African (Boer) War veterans and the St Albans Rifle and Revolver Club. It was held on the comparatively newly built Sandridge Rifle Range - which has earlier been discussed at length under the title Chalk Hill Rifle Range,  Sandridge, First World War. The news article names the teams - and the individual scores at 200, 500 and 600 yards.

Chalk Hill Rifle Range, Sandridge, First World War

Bill is researching First World War rifle ranges - and has discovered that there were regulations relating to a Hertfordshire range called Chalk Hill. But where was it?

Location of Range on Hammonds Farm

Such questions can be difficult to answer - for instance I am still trying to locate Briton's Camp at St Albans - but in this case Bill was in luck - as there are two mentions of it in my book, The London Gunners come to Town which clearly indicates that there were two ranges available to the 2nd London Division (Territorial Force) when they were based in St Albans in 1914/5. 

While the original records do not specify the exact location there was a rifle range on part of Hammonds Farm, Sandridge and I have presented the evidence that this was almost certainly the right one in Chalk Hill Rifle Range, Sandridge, First World War.

In fact the range is of specific interest to me as Hammonds Farm has been farmed by my ancestors (with one break) between 1803 and 1939. and this picture of me (aged six months) was taken less than half a mile from the range!.

Bill and I have now exchanged notes - and found more evidence about the rifle range. It would seem that the wood was planted to screen the range and it was used by the 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters in October 1914. It would seem to have been used until the 1950s.