THE New Forest’s role in treating thousands of First World War troops at Tin Town hospital was remembered on Armistice Day.
Community groups were invited to join the New Forest Remembers World War I project, which was launched by the New Forest National Park Authority on November 11.
The project will act as a hub for local groups and historical societies to share memories of World War I for an online archive and temporary exhibition. One of the New Forest’s key roles in the First World War was to care for wounded troops at an improvised hospital at Tile Barn in Brockenhurst.
Nicknamed ‘Tin Town’ by locals, the collection of tented and galvanised hospital units were used in 1915 to treat soldiers from the Indian Army Corps.
By 1916, ‘Tin Town’ formed part of the New Zealand General Hospital where 21,000 casualties were treated.
The graves of 93 New Zealand troops, one Australian and three Indian soldiers can be seen in the cemetery of nearby St Nicholas Church.
Oliver Crosthwaite-Eyre, chairman of the National Park Authority, said: “Although far from the trenches, the New Forest played an important role in caring for wounded soldiers, as well as acting as a training ground and muster point for embarkation.
Contact Gareth Owen at archaeology@newforestnpa.gov.uk or call 01590 646652 for more information.
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