Kington Camp

In this gallery you can view short movies developed from the audio and photographs that have been contributed to this project. These have been divided into People and Topics

You can also listen to the 32 minute Audio Documentary that has been made about the camp by Gerry Kennedy, which looks more closely at the British and American use of Kington Camp.

Click on the links below to access the audio slideshows and the documentary

People

Allison Wright grew up at Bredward Farm next to Kington Camp. She remembers the building of the hospitals and visiting the wounded with her brother. Here she talks about her memories of that time. You can listen to Allison speak about different aspects of the hospital by using the search facility in the Collections page.

  

Allison Wright talks about The American Hospitals

      
   

Bob Jenkins lived in Kington as a child and has strong memories of when the Americans were at the hospitals. Many who were children at that time remember the generosity of the Americans and particularly, for those who went to Kington Primary School, the lavish Christmas Party that was put on for the children at one of the hospitals. Here Bob Jenkins recalls the Christmas party at the hospitals in 1944. You can listen to other memories of the Christmas party by using the search facility on the Collections page.

This photo is of the staff Christmas Party at the 107th hospital and was taken by Morris Drogin on 25 December 1944.

Bob Jenkins remembers The Christmas Party 1944

      
   

Herman Riesmeyer was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge and brought for treatment at the 122nd hospital in Kington. Here he talks about his time at the hospital during the Spring of 1945.

       
       

Herman Riesmeyer remembers the 122nd Hospital

       
       

Turner McBay from Arkansas was also wounded at the Battle of the Bulge and brought to the 122nd Hospital for treatment. Here, his grandson, Charles, reads out Turner’s written recollections of that time, as well as his earlier training in America and the UK.

       
       

Turner McBay remembers the 122nd Hospital

       
       

Morris Drogin worked as the supply officer at the 107th US General Hospital. During his stay he wrote frequently to his parents in Bayonne, New Jersey, and took many photographs of the hospital. His letters and photos were sent to us by his daughter, Susan, and they were recorded by his son, Bob. You can read more about Morris Drogin in Gallery Two.

Extracts from the letters of Morris Drogin

       
       

Richard Kunicki was a baby when his father and mother briefly lived at Kington Camp with the Polish Resettlement Corps. The family were then moved to Foxley Camp at Mansel Lacy, although Richard later went to school at Lady Hawkins’ in Kington. Here Richard talks about the journey undertaken by his mother and father to reach Herefordshire.

Richard Kunicki talks about the Polish Resettlement Corps

       
       

Fred Galliers moved to the camp after his family were evicted from a tied cottage after the death of his father. Fred’s mother and her children were therefore made homeless and, having nowhere to go, moved into one of the empty huts in the nurse’s quarters at the camp. They later moved into one of the converted ward buildings.

Fred Galliers talks about living at Hergest Camp

       
       

Irene Jones never lived at the camp, but her mother and the rest of her family lived there for many years. Irene visited frequently and in this piece she talks about the history of the camp and what it was like for those who lived there.

       
       

Irene Jones talks about living at Hergest Camp