Sherwood Pines Trenches - Nr. Clipstone, Nottinghamshire - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Sherwood Pines Forest Park. During WW1, the area then known as Clipstone Shrogges was used as a military training ground by the troops stationed at the nearby Clipstone Army Camp. There is still evidence of the trenches in various parts of the forest.

"Within the first tour days of August 1914, in the wake of a complex web of events, Germany declared war on both Russia and France and invaded neutral Belgium.

The invasion of Belgium was a violation of a treaty which Britain had signed to protect Belgium’s neutrality. At llpm on 4 August, Britain declared war on Germany.

By September l9l4, Germany's plan to defeat France in six weeks had failed. Its troops had to ‘dig in' to hold their position. This was the beginning of trench warfare.

Britain had to act fast and quickly build an army. Voluntary enlistment was introduced and hundreds of thousands of men were recruited for military training.

In 1915, a huge training camp was built at Clipstone, Mansfield, just near Sherwood Pines. The site held up to 30 000 soldiers and a series of replica trenches were built in which recruits could practice thos new form of combat.

British soldiers were nicknamed Tommy Atkins, or Tommy for short, because of a pocket booklet given to all new recruits. The booklet was for recording details like a soldier's name, age and length of service. The example name used in the guidance sheet, a bit like the 'John Smith' of today, was Tommy Atkins. The booklet became known as the ’Tommy Booklet' and the soldier who carried it, 'Tommy’."

SOURCE - Info board

Type of Historic Marker: Information board Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Forrestry Commission England Give your Rating: Age/Event Date: Not listed Related Website: Not listed

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