Most visitors come to Cannock Chase to enjoy its beautiful heathland, woodland walks and wildlife. But beneath today’s tranquil landscape lies an extraordinary military history stretching back more than a century.
A new booklet, The Chase at War, has been launched to help visitors discover the people, places and stories that shaped Cannock Chase during both World Wars.
Few people realise that more than 500,000 soldiers trained on Cannock Chase during the First World War. By 1915, two vast military camps at Brocton and Rugeley could accommodate around 40,000 men and thousands of horses, supported by their own railway network, power station, hospital and roads.
The booklet guides visitors to surviving military heritage sites across the Chase, including the Commonwealth and German Military Cemeteries and the cemetery’s new History Centre and refurbished buildings. Visit the remains of rifle ranges, RAF Hednesford, military hospital sites and the Great War Hut at Marquis Drive.
Along the way, readers can uncover fascinating stories, from Freda the Great Dane, mascot of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, to the unique Messines Terrain Model used to prepare troops for combat on the Western Front.
Today, much of the military infrastructure has disappeared beneath heathland and woodland, but the stories remain. The Chase at War booklet helps visitors look beyond the landscape and imagine the thousands of servicemen and women who once lived, trained and worked here.
Copies, with a suggested £1 donation, are available from Cannock Chase Visitor Centre and the Great War Hut at Marquis Drive (opening times may vary). So why not pick up a copy and discover a different side of Cannock Chase on your next visit?
Download the Chase at War booklet here.