Today we had a return visit to The Great War Huts just outside Hawstead, which we last visited in July 2023 (see here).
This was the invite from Joyce.
"Monday November 10th. Our walking group has been invited to join Gary and Gill on a tour of the Great War Huts at Brook Farm Camp, Bell's Lane, Hawstead, Bury St Edmunds, IP29 5NW. There is parking on site. The event is free but of course they welcome donations and I know from experience that they are very generous with hot drinks and biscuits. Pls be parked and ready to start at 11am. Following our tour, we are then planning on having lunch at The Crown Hartest approx 1pm."
Here are a few photos.
Dawn in the Sentry Hut.
Inside the hut relocated from Ipswich, formerly used by the Ipswich Labour Club.
We were provided with tea and coffee at the start.
They have uniforms for school parties to wear.
A replica of the 1914 Christmas Truce memorial cross.
As before, we were hosted by Taff Gillingham, co-founder of the project. He gave us an excellent illustrated guide to the project.
The original plans for 'Armstrong' huts.
After the talk in the main building we visited several of the huts before a visit to the trenches.
This is the end of the old barn that was already on the site, but has been clad in timber.
The guardroom was restored from a hut that had been converted to a bungalow in Friston, near Aldeburgh.
One of the barrack huts. Evetually they will hold exhibitions.
Taff continued the story in the parade ground.
It was raining now and some took shelter under the roof here.
Inside the guardroom with the commanders desk.
Inside the large corrugated iron-clad hut that had come from Girton.
The next hut has an exhibition about gas.
Taff demonstrated the catapult that pre-dated the modern mortar.
Hired a tin can towards the bridge over the River Lark to the future picnic site.
It landed near here somewhere.
Into the trenches. They were a bit muddy so I came back out after a few yards, but other continued.
Back in the parade ground, these reprobates '
toed the line' outside the guardroom.
Thank-you Gary and Gill for inviting us all along and to Taff for the excellent tour.
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