8 replies to this topic

[Melvin Hurst]

Can anyone tell me from which London terminus most troops passing through London in 1914 would have left for Southampton?

The London & South Western Railway, which ran trains right to the Southampton Docks, had a terminus at Waterloo by 1914, although the present imposing front wasn't built until after the war. The London, Chatham and Dover Railway's terminus was at Victoria, but I'm sure I have seen references to troops leaving from here to Southampton. The Wikipedia article on the station mentions that it was used for this purpose, and to bring back the wounded. The body of the Unknown Warrior also arrived at the station in 1920, but what about in 1914?

[Jonathan Saunders]

Melvin Hurst, on 14 June 2012 - 10:53 AM, said:

The body of the Unknown Warrior also arrived at the station in 1920, but what about in 1914?

Yes but via Dover or Folkestone, not Southampton.

I would have though embarkation from Waterloo but t would be possible to get by train to Clapham Junction from Victoria where I assume trains could find the Waterloo line to Southampton.  Troops crossing from Folkestone would have left via Victoria.

Regards,

Jonathan S

[Steven Broomfield]

I'm not sure, but I think Southampton was used mostly for suplies and for formed bodies of troops. Those returning from leave or on drafts would, I think, have gone via Folkestone (hence Victoria).

[dycer]

From the 8th Royal Scots War Diary(an "Edinburgh" TF Battalion).
2nd November 1914-Between 6 pm & 7.30 pm the Battalion left for Southampton in two special trains.
3rd November 1914-Arrived Southampton between 9 am & 10 am.
Did all "specials" travel via Waterloo/Victoria, to Southampton, in 1914?
George

[bill24chev]

dycer, on 14 June 2012 - 05:15 PM, said:

Did all "specials" travel via Waterloo/Victoria, to Southampton, in 1914?
George

In 1914-18, it was (and still is) possible to reach Southampton from the West, Midlands and North.without going via London.

There is a memorial plaque on Manchster Victoria station to all those who embarked on trains from the "fish" platforms of that station for overseas service.. These platforms where located on the site of the car park on the opposite side pof the station from the MEN arena.

I presume that the special troop trains where bound for the South Coast, presumably Southampton. It was possible to go direct to Folkstone,Dover, or any of the ports on the south coast.

I would think the rout taken to an embarkation port would depend on the location of the unit prior to embarkation. for example a unit based on Sailsbury Plains or Aldershot would not go to Waterloo but direct to Southampton.
A unit based in East Angia could either go by crossing London from LiverpoolSt. Station to Waterloo or be routed direct to Southampton by using the many alternative routes from east to west around North and West london.

[Moonraker]

bill24chev, on 15 June 2012 - 02:26 PM, said:

... I would think the rout taken to an embarkation port would depend on the location of the unit prior to embarkation. for example a unit based on Sailsbury Plains or Aldershot would not go to Waterloo but direct to Southampton.
A unit based in East Angia could either go by crossing London from LiverpoolSt. Station to Waterloo or be routed direct to Southampton by using the many alternative routes from east to west around North and West london.

Yes, most troops based on Salisbury Plain went to Southampton, though when the First Canadian Division left in February 1915 it went to Avonmouth, but this was because of fears that U-boats might be lurking off Southampton (a concern that had led to the Canadians' catching the people of Plymouth by surprise by arriving there instead of at Southampton in October 1914).

Presumably troops arriving at Liverpool Street marched through the streets to Waterloo - though one small Canadian unit took the Tube from Paddington to its new base at Hamsptead.

In the 1980s I was based in a grim building in Stamford Street, very close to Waterloo, that was a hospital in the Great War - it retained some wide doors to its rooms  to allow patients to be wheeled around. There was also a story that a tunnel connected it with the station so that badly-injured soldiers could be taken to the hospital out of the public gaze.


Moonraker

[Melvin Hurst]

Many thanks for all your comments.

Folkestone or Dover may have been used later in the war, but nearly all of the original BEF sailed from Southampton in 1914, except those in Ireland or Scotland.

I have seen a reference to the Irish Guards entraining in 1914 at Nine Elms, which was the L&SWR terminus before the building of Waterloo Station, although by 1914 it was being used as a locomotive depot. However, I imagine that it would have been possible then, as it is now, to go to Southampton from either Waterloo or Victoria. I also can see how it would have been easy to bypass London completely, either by established routes or by unconventional ones, since the whole railway system had been placed under martial law and trains could be routed in any direction as long as there was track for them to run on.

I had always wondered if troops had ever moved across London using the Underground, and was intrigued by the reference to Canadian soldiers doing so. I can just imagine a perplexed ticket collector trying to catch up with the marching soldiers as they quickly exited the station.

[Peter Anderson]

As far as i am aware no Battalions or troops  crossed from Folkestone before the end of March !915.

[Ron Clifton]

Melvin Hurst, on 18 June 2012 - 05:50 AM, said:

Folkestone or Dover may have been used later in the war, but nearly all of the original BEF sailed from Southampton in 1914, except those in Ireland or Scotland.

The Medical Official History lists all the medical units embarked in August and September 1914 with the original BEF. All of these left from Southampton except the three Field Ambulances of 5th Division, Nos. 1 and 3 Stationary Hospitals and No. 1 General Hospital, all of which embarked from Dublin.

Ron