Cannock Chase

Cannock chase: Since the nineteenth century, sightings of Black Dogs, Werewolves, British big cats, UFOs and even Bigfoot have appeared in the local press. However no conclusive evidence has ever been produced verifying these claims and they may best be thought of as forming part of local folklore.

In the autumn of 1914, only months after the start of the First World War, construction of two large camps began on Cannock Chase. The camps (known as Brocton Camp and Rugeley Camp) were constructed with the permission of Lord Lichfield, on whose estate they were being built. The infrastructure for the camps, including the water supply, sewage systems and the roads all had to be created from scratch before work could begin on the huts and other structures.

The camps, when completed, could hold up to 40,000 men at one time and probably trained upwards of 500,000 men. They had all their own amenities including a church, post offices and a bakery as well as amenity huts where the troops could by coffee and cakes, or play billiards. There was even a theatre.

Following the war, the camps became akin to ghost towns, the rows of huts stood empty in an unaccustomed quiet, disturbed only by the sighing breeze swinging a loose door or rattling a window. Gradually, at the request of Lord Lichfield, the huts were sold off and were transported to their new locations by horse and cart, ending Cannock Chase's contribution to military history.

Life in the Camps - A Soldier's perspective

Erskine Williams

Erskine Williams was a soldier during the Great War who spent time training at Brocton Camp. Prior to the war Erskine was an artist and musician and when he enlisted in 1916 he opted for service as an Army Bandsman and joined the band of 11th Division of the British Expeditionary Force, playing the oboe.

Throughout his time in the army Erskine drew numerous sketches of the people he met and the places he spent time. He sent many of these home to his family as postcards, giving them an insight into what his daily routine in the army involved. These postcards today provide us with a better idea of what life was like for soldiers during the Great War, both at home and during their time on the front line. Erskine's sketches detailed all aspects of life at Brocton camp, from catering and cleaning to training as well as leisure time activities.

Erskine Williams was demobilised in February 1919. He returned to his career as a technical illustrator and set up his own sign writing business in Tooting, London in 1924. He died a month prior to his 70th birthday in 1951. Like Ernest Begueley he never mentioned the war to his family and his sketches, both of his training days at Brocton and the later ones of his time in France, are the only record of his experiences of the Great War.

Food & Chores

The soldiers were responsible for the preperation of their own food and for keeping their living quaters clean.