oct07October Re-Creation of WWII life

The Country House Requisitioned
This Re-Creation of WWII Life re-creates life at the Hall at a time when Kentwell was being requisitioned by the Army during WWII to be the permanent Garrison for a Transit Camp which was established in the Park.

Mr & Mrs Starkie Bence, the owners of the Hall, remain in residence (in a small part) and do their best to carry on normally as the army take over most of the House. Many a big House was requisitioned in this way and owners were proud to contribute to the War effort in this manner, even at the expense of losing their home and (in some instances) seeing it damaged (occasionally, beyond repair).

We shall try to show how being requisitioned affected everyday life for the owners and their staff.

What the Visitor May See
The Garrison
The Camp, once established, was managed by a small permanent Garrison of about 8 or 9 under a Colonel. They took over the Main Rooms as offices and some had bedrooms in the Hall. The Hall also acted as the Officers' Mess for Officers stationed on the Park. The Re-Creation seeks to re-create the moment when Garrison started to move in and set things up the Army way. With the Miliitary in control there is a certain tension with those who live and work in the Hall.

Military Business with defaulters' parades, exercises and the like begins to take over. Also Sentries Guard the Hall and check for undesirables.

The Transit Camp
Kentwell Park became a Transit Camp which at busy times (such as immediately before D Day) housed thousands of troops. For this numerous nissen huts were built and all manner of services constructed. At other times the camp might house many fewer and seem almost deserted. Troops on the Park seldom visited the Hall but used some of the outbuildings, such as the Moat House (as an Armoury) and the Stables (as a Vehicle Maintenance Depot).

We cannot even attempt to portray such a massive Transit Camp. We are more interested to show how requisitioning affected the Hall itself. In addition to those manning the Hall, we shall have a small number of infantry present to give an idea of an Army presence. Some of these Troops may be encountered.

Mr & Mrs Starkie Bence
They were permitted to remain at the Hall and have the use of one or two rooms, while the Military occupied the rest. Mrs Starkie Bence has few staff left and her cook has to share the Kitchen with the Army's demands, not always comfortably. Mrs Bence still entertains friends in her Quarters and has some (reduced) staff. There may be several other civilians of one sort or another to be encountered about the Grounds.

The Home Guard
The Home Guard are usually present but not in the same numbers as at our other WWII events. They are on an exercise and not comfortable with the Army about.

Fundraising
More perhaps for morale than effective raising of money, fundraising was encouraged throughout the War to finance Spitfires (the Spitfire fund) or Warships (War Weapons Week). Mrs Bence usually has organized some fundraising activities.

Vehicles
There may be some military vehicles in addition to Mr Starkie Bence's Rolls Royce (his pride and joy) and Mrs Starkie Bence's Lanchester, appropriately adapted for wartime use.

Civil Defence and Civilian Service
There may be Landgirls working on the Farm with the Heavy Horses, the WVS providing endless tea, the Auxiliary Fire Service with their fire engines on practice and likewise ARP wardens insisting on regular practices.