Info on Camp T2 Canning Town

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by Ramiles, May 17, 2018.

  1. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    The 24th Lancers war diary for 17th May 1944 has:

    17/5/44 Personnel and vehicles to land for operation Overlord on D+1 moved to camp T2 Canning Town, (22 vehicles, 50 OR’s).

    And there is a location map for Camp T2 here: UK embarkation and Normandy map reference 1944

    Links:

    Army Camps / Barracks London (postcode areas)

    Has: "Canning Town, E16 (T2 & T3) WWII D-Day Marshalling Area Camp T2 & T3 at demolished housing estate (camp capacity 4,300 personnel & 1,065 vehicles)"
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2018
  2. redtop

    redtop Well-Known Member

    Parts of 5 RHA were in Canning Town this snippet From Gunner Brewer writing to my father.


    You mentioned the “Concentration camp” at Orwell Park. We were in a similar situation but first in West Ham stadium, and then on a bomb site in Canning Town because we were sailing from London Docks. At least we were able to nip under the wire when the guard was not looking and get home. Plaistow underground station was nearby.

    In the D Day Museum at Portsmouth they have got a display which included a letter from me to my mother having a real “tick“ about not being able to get home from the sealed camp.
     
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  3. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    There is a bit in "None Had Lances" - p61-62

    After talking about the first group, originally scheduled to land on D-Day itself, which went to Hursley Park, nr. Winchester it goes on to say...

    "The next group, to land on D+1, comprised the first assault residue of 50 men with 22 lorries of A Echelon, containing further supplies for the tanks. They motored in convoy up to London and were immured in a wired off area in dockland at Canning Town, a camp from which there was no escape although at least one man could see his home a few yards away."
     
  4. Swiper

    Swiper Resident Sospan

    1 East Lancs and 4 Welch also ended up there in June, with the CANLOANs organising baseball to pass the time.

    Same old adages really apply all such Marshalling Camps, sealed nature etc. Usually plenty of extra gear you could requisition without raising an eyebrow etc, plenty of grub. Some units wired music up to the tannoy systems.
     
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  5. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    Map with the camp marked on it.

    Regards

    Danny

    1.jpg
     
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