The History Of Wolverley Camp
Aerial Photograph taken of Wolverley Camp in 1948 Courtesy of English Heritage
Wolverley camp was built during the Second World War, in Parkland at the former Lea Castle,
and its surrounding estate at Wolverley, in Worcestershire. The first occupants of the
newly erected brick buildings and nissen huts were Americans. Here the 52 nd General
Hospital, originally from Syracuse, New York, was to establish itself as an award winning
hospital for the US army in the European Theatre of Operations during World WarTwo. The
skill and dedication of the men and women who served in this command contributed to the
pioneering of some innovative medical procedures and playing its full part in the eventual
allied victory in Europe.
At the end of the war the Americans returned to their families back in the states, while units from the British army and German POW's were taking over their former camp at Wolverley. During one particular autumn evening local families, moved into empty huts in one corner of the camp, to become "Squatters". For the next decade families would occupy these huts, many of them living in overcrowded conditions with no running water, while waiting to be rehoused by the local councils.
A few months after the "Squatters" began their illegal occupation at the camp, the Royal Army Pay Corps and ATS established a Regimental Pay Office at the camp. Soon this was to become the second largest in the UK for a number of years to follow.
The men and women from both units established a friendly relationship with the local population, and were soon actively involved in many of the social and fund raising events being held in the village.
In line with the UK's changing military commitments around the world, the Regimental Pay Office at Wolverley closed. The military authorities retained ownership of the camp for a number of years to house the families of soldiers serving at other military camps in the area. Eventually the remaining quarters were closed and the site was sold to the county council.
A small number of buildings were used for a short while for emergency accommodation, while others were used for storage purposes. Eventually most of the buildings were demolished creating a park with numerous football and cricket pitches, facilities for horse riding events were established and a separate area set aside for camping and caravans. This new park passed into the ownership of the local District council and was renamed Brown-Westhead Park, after the local family who had owned and occupied Lea Castle for so many years.
