RAF aerial photographs show Second World War camp in parkland

A Second World War military camp where troops prepared for the D-Day invasion is shown in RAF aerial photographs, as historians share their research into an Essex heritage site.

Historic England has analysed more than 300 photographs of the changing landscape at the Grade II-registered Belhus Park in Thurrock from 1929 to the present day, and has now published some of these.

RAF aerial images taken in April 1944 show a military camp in the park, with tents and temporary buildings.

Known as Marshalling Area S, the park was temporarily home to part of follow-up force ‘L’ which landed on the British beaches in Normandy in the days after D-Day.

They included members of the 51st (Highland) Division who embarked from ports such as Tilbury in the Thames Estuary, reaching Normandy from June 7 1944.

The headquarters of the camp would have been based in the former manor house, Belhus House, which was demolished in 1957.

More than 300 small circular bell tents were used as soldiers’ accommodation, many concealed from aerial view by trees.

Photographs also show small hubs of tents and buildings which may have been used for washing and food facilities or possibly sergeants’ quarters.

A football pitch and another smaller sports pitch can be seen to the north of the parkland.

The east to west path connecting Belhus House to the edge of the parkland, visible on an 1897 Ordnance Survey map, appears to have been hardened and upgraded, possibly to support the volume of military vehicles travelling across the park.

It is not known if the park was used as a training camp before 1944 or how long some of the troops had already been stationed there.

Images taken in July 1944 show many of the small bell tents had gone, but others had been erected, along with some new buildings and oblong tents.

There appears to be a greater number of vehicles on the parkland and some new small ditches located near to the tents, which could be weapons pits.

Bomb craters are visible on aerial photographs of the park, but there is no obvious damage to the roof of the manor house in images from 1944.

Photographs from May 1946 show the layout had changed but marks on the ground indicate up to 400 tents had been erected in the park at one time.

It is not known if this post-war camp was used to house soldiers awaiting demobilisation, or as a displaced persons’ camp or even a prisoner of war camp.

Buildings remained in the park in 1955, although they had all gone by 1961.

Amanda Dickson, aerial investigation and mapping investigator, said: “It’s been fascinating to see the development of the Second World War military camp at Belhus, on the historical RAF photographs, and wonder about the many lives and stories of the military personnel based there during the war.

“I am particularly curious to know about those people who were living and operating within Belhus Park just before an RAF aeroplane flew over and took the photograph on May 1 1946.

“I’m looking forward to members of the public sharing their own stories and hopefully providing that information.”

Christopher Laine, Landscape Architect for Historic England, said research was “helping to fill in gaps in our knowledge, enabling further discussions about how to conserve and sustainably manage this important historic landscape into the future”.

To share images or memories of the Belhus Park estate, email: [email protected]