Stobs Military Camp facts for kids
Stobs Camp is a really important historical site located near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. It was a military training camp and later became a place where people were held during wartime. What makes it special is how well-preserved it is, making it the best example of a World War 1 camp in Britain that you can still see today.
Contents
Location and Landscape
The Stobs area is surrounded by hills, which made it a great spot for a camp, especially for holding prisoners. It was hard for anyone to escape because of the hilly land. Even though some people tried to escape, most were caught quickly. Old postcards from when it was a training camp often mention how "very hilly" the country was. The camp included several farms like Barns, Newton, and Acreknowe, along with the main Stobs Home Farm and Stobs Castle.
Camp History
Before World War 1
The land for Stobs Camp was bought by the British Government in 1902. Newspapers at the time reported that the War Office planned to build army barracks and have soldiers stationed there permanently.
In its early days, soldiers at Stobs Camp lived in tents, with officers staying closer to Stobs Castle. Many old postcards show rows of these bell tents. There weren't many permanent buildings, except for a railway station and a YMCA hut, which was a place for soldiers to relax.
Local people in Hawick were a bit worried about so many soldiers coming to the area. They were concerned about the town's water supply and how the camp might change their local traditions. They even discussed calling it "Hawick Military Camp," but decided against it to avoid confusion, so it became "Stobs Camp."
The first regular soldiers, the First Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, arrived in June 1903. Postcards from that time talk about how huge the camp was, with some saying it could hold 20,000 to 30,000 men. Many soldiers arrived by train, and the railway company even built special sidings and platforms at Stobs.
While many army groups trained at Stobs Camp, there were times when it wasn't used much. For example, in 1908, only one main army group was there. However, in 1912, the Highland Light Infantry and Royal Scots trained there, and in 1914, it was used for officer training. Stobs Camp had a permanent staff from 1903 until 1912. When World War 1 started, all the soldiers were sent back to their main bases.
Daily Life Before the War
We can learn a lot about the soldiers' lives from the many postcards they sent home. These cards show pictures of them dancing, visiting YMCA huts, attending church, and doing various camp tasks. Soldiers wrote about sports days and occasional concerts. Some mentioned going into Hawick for fun. Many said they were having a great time.
However, not everyone felt that way. Some postcards show soldiers feeling homesick or having a tough time. Camp life was also hard work. Postcards show engineers building defenses, soldiers marching, and washing dishes. One soldier wrote about a 10-mile march, saying their feet hurt a lot. Training included practice fights and bayonet practice. Another soldier wrote, "We were out all night last week we walked about 22 miles then had a sham fight." All this training was to get soldiers ready for battle, but as one person noted, "little did they think that the next war would be fought in trenches."
During World War 1
At the start of 1914, Stobs became an important training camp again. After training officers, it changed into a camp for "aliens" (people from enemy countries living in Britain) and then a prisoner of war camp. It became the main camp for all prisoner of war camps in Scotland. In November 1914, it was announced that many German prisoners would be held there. Civilian prisoners were later moved to another camp, and from July 1916 until the end of the war, Stobs was only a military prisoner of war camp.
People were brought to Stobs from all over the UK. Some volunteered to be held there, while others were interned for their own safety. Many Germans and Austrians were held for their safety, though the official reason was to protect the country from spies. It was a civilian camp until spring 1915, then it held both civilians and military prisoners until July 1916.
Life at Camp During WW1
In November 1914, plans were announced to build 100 huts for prisoners, aiming to house 6,000 men. The camp ended up with four main areas, holding 80 huts for about 4,500 men. It had many buildings, including a hospital, a bakery, post offices, kitchens, bathhouses, workshops, and a canteen. There was a small delay in building when joiners went on strike in April 1915, but the government quickly sent Royal Engineers to finish the work.
A prisoner wrote in the Stobsiade, the camp newspaper, that activities like lectures, concerts, plays, and competitions were very important for their well-being. They set up a school where 3,500 students learned, held lectures on many topics, had a gymnastics team, and other activities. These activities helped them feel less like prisoners.
The Stobsiade newspaper had puzzles and ads for services within the camp. It was checked by officials, but the money from it helped buy tools for workshops, books for the library, and other camp projects. Prisoners also made their own artwork, which they could sell in Hawick. Some soldiers even kept gardens. One soldier wrote in 1916 that his primrose plant was still blooming in his garden there. Overall, it seems the prisoners were quite cheerful despite being held at the camp.
Sadly, some prisoners died from injuries, illness, or by taking their own lives. The authorities allowed them to build their own cemetery outside the camp. In total, 46 prisoners and civilians were buried at Stobs. The first prisoner of war who died at Stobs was buried in Wilton Cemetery.
Even though prisoners had many freedoms, all their letters were checked by interpreters. Most letters were to or from home. One prisoner noted that letters often didn't say what they really wanted to know.
After the prisoners left in late 1919, local people looked after the graveyard. One local woman remembered a man who visited his son's grave every year until he passed away. In the 1960s, the German War Grave Commission moved the bodies to the German Cemetery at Cannock Chase in England.
Between the World Wars
After World War One, Stobs Camp was used less and less as a training camp, except for a few busy years like 1924. In 1921, many buildings were sold or taken down. The railway also started to make its sidings smaller in 1926 and 1928. A fire in 1936 destroyed one of the Royal Engineer buildings. In 1937, there was a plan to use the camp for boys from poorer families, but this didn't happen again. The Black Watch regiment trained there in 1934, and the Ayrshire Yeomanry in 1938. In July 1939, it was a temporary training center for new soldiers. After these short bursts of activity, the camp continued to decline.
World War 2
During World War II, Stobs Camp's role was kept very secret. There are few pictures or much information about it. It became a training camp when the war started. Many different army groups trained there, including the Cameronians and the Royal Scots Fusiliers. Soldiers practiced searchlight operations and D-Day training. It's also possible that tank training happened nearby. Some new buildings, like Nissen huts, were also built at the camp.
After World War 2 (1945–1962)
After World War II, the camp's use changed again. In 1947, it became a resettlement camp for Polish troops. Polish groups like the 2nd Corps stayed there until 1950.
In the 1950s, Stobs Camp was expanded, and more land was bought. There was a lot of activity there for the Territorial Army, especially during the Korean War. The last recorded military activity was in 1955, but it wasn't until 1957 that the camp was officially announced to close. By 1959, most of the camp had been taken apart.
Special Historic Site
In April 2023, Historic Environment Scotland announced that Stobs Camp had been named a scheduled monument. This means it's a very important historical site that is protected by law. This decision came after many people supported the idea.
Images for kids
-
Hut at Stobs Camp near Hawick
