A fascinating exhibition currently open to the public at Surrey Heath Museum explores how French soldiers who were evacuated from France in 1940 trained and lived in Camberley, a relatively quiet corner of Surrey.
The exhibition, which opened on 3rd July and will run until 18th September, 2021, shows visitors how the first camp for what became known as the Free French Forces in Britain was established on Old Dean Common to the north of Camberley, and was completed in October, 1940.
At first, the camp was only comprised of tents for the Free French soldiers, but these were gradually replaced by Nissen huts and a better range of facilities. There was also some wooden buildings and a huge parade ground at the centre of the camp. Additional Free French soldiers were stationed at nearby camps at Cove, Yateley and Odiham.
The British War Office took responsibility for supplying the Free French Forces with uniforms, armaments and military vehicles. The British NAAFI (National Armies and Air Force Institute) supplied food, drinks and even French cigarettes, while a greengrocer from nearby Aldershot, J. Colyer and Co., provided fresh vegetables. The Old Dean camp also became French soil for the duration of their occupation of the site, creating a kind of French outpost in Surrey, where only the French language was spoken and all the signs at the camp were in French. Weapons training and other tactical preparation activities for the Free French soldiers took place in the surrounding Surrey countryside.
When not on duty, of course, members of the Free French Forces were able to spend their free time in Camberley and other local areas, and relations between the men and local English people were friendly and harmonious. As the exhibition points out, there was a good range of shops, dance halls, cinemas and pubs in Camberley.
Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970) had been a very strong advocate of mobile warfare in the interwar period, ironically something that the gGermans themselves used so devastatingly in their invasion of France in May, 1940. De Gaulle had led an armoured division during the fighting, which saw some success in temporarily counterattacking the invading German forces. He was quickly appointed as Under-secretary of War, but refused to accept the French government’s armistice with the Nazis, and fled to England.
He exhorted his fellow French escapees to continue the fight against Germany, and soon emerged as the leader of the Free French Forces in this country, a highly effective symbol of the spirit of resistance.
Unsurprisingly, General Charles de Gaulle visited his troops at the Old Dean site and also spent some time strolling through Camberley town centre. The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, also visited on regular occasions to inspect the Free French Forces and often brought along his wife, Lady Churchill, who could speak perfect French, much to the delight of the men based at Old Dean. There were also some Royal visits.
Interestingly, although many of the soldiers had left to join the fighting in Europe after the Allies had mounted the D-Day invasion of France in June, 1944, the main Old Dean camp remained in French hands until May, 1945, and became an internment camp for captured German prisoners.
If you have an interest in the local aspects of military history, the Home Front in the Second World War, or in wartime history more generally, then this exhibition is well worth a visit. The exhibition, Forces Francaises Libre Free French Forces, will run until 18th September at Surrey Heath Museum, 33, the Square, Obelisk Way Camberley, Tuesday-Saturday, 11.00am-4.30pm.
Dr. Steven Woodbridge is Senior Lecturer in History, Kingston University, Surrey.
(Images: Wikimedia Commons)
Note: I would like to thank Nick Clifton for drawing my attention to the exhibition and an accompanying booklet published by the Museum.