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The 7th Armoured Division Memorial stands at the entrance to what was once a busy army camp. The memorial is a tribute to the ‘Desert Rats’ who were based here. The Division was only in the UK for five months during its entire existence and most of that time was spent here at High Ash Camp. The camp was a hive of activity being similar in size to a small town, with a cinema, cookhouses, NAAFI, workshops and huts to house all the men.
The Forestry Commission has waymarked a walk that leads round the forest showing the positions of some of the features that remain of the old camp, along with information boards detailing their history and significance.
The main memorial consists of a Cromwell tank mounted on a plinth between two flagpoles on a traffic roundabout at the camp entrance. The plinth carries two plaques; the main one reads:
1939 1945
7th ARMOURED DIVISION
DESERT RATS
FROM EL ALAMEIN TO BERLIN
VIA
NORTH AFRICA - ITALY - THETFORD FOREST - FRANCE -BELGIUM – HOLLAND
THE 7TH ARMOURED DIVISION WAS STATIONED IN THETFORD FOREST BETWEEN JANUARY AND MAY 1944 WHILE THEY PREPARED FOR THE INVASION OF NORMANDY. THIS WAS THE ONLY TIME THE DIVISION WAS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN IT'S [sic] ENTIRE EXISTENCE. THE DIVISION SAILED FROM FELIXSTOWE ON THE 5 JUNE 1944 WITH THE FIRST TANKS LANDING ON GOLD BEACH ON THE EVENING OF 6 JUNE 1944.
MAY YOUR GLORY EVER SHINE, MAY YOUR LAURELS NEVER FADE, MAY THE MEMORY OF THIS GLORIOUS PILGRIMAGE OF WAR YOU HAVE MADE FROM ALAMEIN, VIA THE BALTIC, TO BERLIN NEVER DIE, IT IS A MARCH UNSURPASSED THROUGH ALL THE STORY OF WAR.
MAY THE FATHERS LONG TELL THE CHILDREN ABOUT THIS TALE.
WINSTON CHURCHILL |
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December 2010
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1: Overview, photo by S. McKay
Taken: 5 December 2010
Contributor: Geograph
Location Photo ID: 510
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 135
Has Priority: 0
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June 2008
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2: Tank memorial
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 492
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 136
Has Priority: 20
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3: Overview
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 493
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 138
Has Priority: 0
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4: NavPix image containing GPS/Satnav location information
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 494
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 152
Has Priority: 0
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5: Plaques on plinth
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 495
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 141
Has Priority: 0
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6: Upper plaque
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 496
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 157
Has Priority: 0
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7: Lower plaque
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 497
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 124
Has Priority: 0
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8: Forestry Commission sign
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 498
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 139
Has Priority: 0
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9: NAAFI
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 499
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 138
Has Priority: 0
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10: NAAFI information board
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 500
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 125
Has Priority: 0
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11: Accommodation base
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 501
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 139
Has Priority: 0
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12: Accommodation information board
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 502
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 126
Has Priority: 0
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13: Desert Rats information board
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 503
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 127
Has Priority: 0
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14: Cromwell tank and REME information board
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 504
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 144
Has Priority: 0
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15: Headquarters information board
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 505
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 123
Has Priority: 0
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16: Daily routine information board
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 506
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 137
Has Priority: 0
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17: Cookhouse and mess hut information board
Taken: 26 June 2008
Contributor: T. Larkum
Location Photo ID: 507
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 118
Has Priority: 0
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December 2006
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18: Overview, photo by K. Evans
Taken: 27 December 2006
Contributor: Geograph
Location Photo ID: 508
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 137
Has Priority: 0
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19: Plaques on plinth, photo by K. Evans
Taken: 27 December 2006
Contributor: Geograph
Location Photo ID: 509
Added: 7 August 2011
Views: 144
Has Priority: 0
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