tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post788830265869497591..comments2024-03-20T09:24:09.899+00:00Comments on Malvern's Lost Railway: Dutch Troops in Malvern Wells, 1945MalvernRailwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835850217647178084noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-23126246230011810982024-03-20T09:24:09.899+00:002024-03-20T09:24:09.899+00:00My grandparents lived at, 2 pit field cottage Malv...My grandparents lived at, 2 pit field cottage Malvern Wells. As a child i looked over the garden fence on to the remains of the camp, just a row of concrete slabs. my grandfather told me how the camp after D Day filled with Germans and he would sit listening to them sing when home on leave. George Hayes 1886-1964Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-75111614801906172322022-12-03T20:20:44.928+00:002022-12-03T20:20:44.928+00:00Continuation:
I accidentally pressed "publish...Continuation:<br />I accidentally pressed "publish" 😀. <br />... but I have no memory of it. I hope in the nearby future to go to England and visit Malvern Wells again. <br />This site of the Malvernrailway is very nice and gives a good impression life there at that time. <br />Thanks to my father's letters, I was able to reconstruct his footprints via Australia to the Dutch East Indies. <br />If there are any comments, you can email me. <br />Warm regards, <br />Eduard Steevensz <br />E. saab964@protonmail.com <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-81968039612462134412022-12-03T20:04:08.285+00:002022-12-03T20:04:08.285+00:00Hello, my faher, Eddy Steevensz was stationed at T...Hello, my faher, Eddy Steevensz was stationed at Transcit Camp "Woodfarm" from August 8th 1945 till October 3rd 1945, when he left on the Stirling Castle to the Indies, via Australia. He was a volunteer at the GBI of the Dutch Army. He was 24 years of age at that time. <br />In 2020 I came in possession of some letters from him to his mother in Haarlem, the Netherlands. In his first letter he is writing about life at Woodfarm, the exercises, the parade and the abundance of food unlike during the war.<br />He also mentioned going to town, Malvern I suppose, with some buddies, Willy (his brother), Cor Molenaar and Gerard Ferrari. <br />As he writes:"it was raining cats and dogs and as we walked for 15 minutes we were hungry and saw a place at a bus station were we could buy lemonade, tea, chocolate and sandwiches. We were served by three nice little girls, Brenda, Josephine and Bridget, young of age. We told the girls about Holland and also sang Dutch songs. They let us listen to the English music on the radio. They told us that at 8 o'clock in the evening opposite the road there was dancing. That evening we went there. The band consisted of a pianist, a violist and a drummer, playing foxtrot and walls. We made acquaintance with Eileen, Audrey, Rosy and Sheila and danced all evening". <br />My father went there several times. <br />My father passed away in 2010, he had the age of 89. I guess the women, mentioned, also passed away, but maybe the little girls are still present , however at a respectable age. Who knows the names will ring a bell. <br />I wonder if the places he went still exist. I have been to Malvern Wells with my parents in the late 60s when we were for holidays in Wolverhampton, <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-30987303326450261182022-10-10T10:42:55.649+01:002022-10-10T10:42:55.649+01:00Flag of Netherlands<a href="https://www.lawcodev.com/read-blog/217687_flag-of-netherlands.html" rel="nofollow">Flag of Netherlands</a>flags worldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12284635964606690444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-19866867926439224702022-03-23T16:48:28.966+00:002022-03-23T16:48:28.966+00:00Hello MalvernRailway,
A friend from Malvern showe...Hello MalvernRailway,<br /><br />A friend from Malvern showed me this story about the Dutch in Malvern.<br />I did know that Dutch soldiers where trasported to the Dutch Indies trough Southampton but i did not know about the camp in Malvern and that they were there for a few months.<br />I noticed that you as the writer of the article do not know anything about the end of the Dutch use of the camp.<br />Yesterday i looked in the index of the Royal Dutch Archive in The Hague and i noticed that there is a lot of information about Malvern in the records.<br />I saw the names of Wood Farm Camp, Malvern and Malvern Wells.<br /><br />I live an half an hour away from The Hague so it is easy form me pay a visit tho the archive.<br />If you are still interested in the subject i will find a moment in the next weeks or so to visit the archive to look into the documents.<br />please let me know.<br />kind regards,<br />Erik Kooistra, The Netherlands.<br />Erik Kooistrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05219641677145142040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-8833049295764015792021-12-24T21:42:52.615+00:002021-12-24T21:42:52.615+00:00My father was stationed at Wood farm camp. His nam...My father was stationed at Wood farm camp. His name was Johan van Drunick. If anyone knew him my email is mazrouse@hotmail.co.uk Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17117708266023457230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-10603751958088806882020-04-28T12:59:17.946+01:002020-04-28T12:59:17.946+01:00the person who knows the man Willem de Wilde can a...the person who knows the man Willem de Wilde can also notify me on bonnie34@kpnmail.nlANNAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02031156542051028275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-21872668996921017292020-04-28T12:57:59.188+01:002020-04-28T12:57:59.188+01:00Still looking for a man/oficer called Willem de Wi...Still looking for a man/oficer called Willem de Wilde, he was in MWells October 1945>>>direction purpose Dutch Indonesia , he came from haarlem, I do have 2 pictures of him, I'll try to post these.ANNAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02031156542051028275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-31591020271814073822020-01-28T21:16:56.332+00:002020-01-28T21:16:56.332+00:00Hallo Lidy Seysener,
My dad was also working in t...Hallo Lidy Seysener,<br /><br />My dad was also working in the kitchen during that time.Harry boogaers was his name.<br />Kind regards Marco boogaersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-8837402824049485942019-07-06T22:42:52.290+01:002019-07-06T22:42:52.290+01:00Amazing post, Christian, thank you so much!Amazing post, Christian, thank you so much!MalvernRailwaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-36920002994868509012019-07-06T20:59:34.718+01:002019-07-06T20:59:34.718+01:00My mother, Christine Scheffer joined the Netherlan...My mother, Christine Scheffer joined the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration (NICA) in the Hague in October 1945. She was 25 years old and had spent the entire war (including the Hunger Winter) in the occupied Netherlands. On Monday October 22, 1945 she wrote a letter ( in Dutch) to her grandfather back in the Netherlands about her experiences:<br /><br /><br />"Malvern Wells, 22 October 1945,<br />Yesterday I sent a letter from Calais. Our group comprises 3 nurses,1 pharmacist,1 pharmacist technician and myself. In Dover we were treated to a hot meal at 3:30 pm and then in a 'posh' train to Malvern Wells. We get a lot to eat everywhere, especially meat! and rations of chocolate, etc. also packed meals, cakes, sausage rolls on the train. We saw nothing of England because it was dark.<br />We arrived 12-30 a.m. at Malvern, so our journey was 46 hours without sleep. We carried no luggage, it (the kitbag) was sent ahead. Our destination was a big training camp, approx. 50 huts (40 persons per hut). It is an international camp holding 4000 personnel awaiting posting. There are 830 NICA men and also men of the "TARAKAN" which leaves after us. There are also American Marines. Last night, we got a hot meal on arrival, our kit had not arrived so we crawled onto our potato bags (called mattresses!) and slept solidly despite that.<br />At 7;30 reveille, marvellous sunshine and a beautiful view of a mountainous countryside. We explored the camp and discovered canteens, a mess, etc. We are not allowed to leave camp yet. There is little military discipline and we are left free as much as possible, but first we have to to have a medical examination and vaccinations. We are probably here until Saturday, then on to the 'Nieuw Amsterdam', via Algiers where we'll pick up more troops and then direct Australia? Food is marvellous- a lot of meat! Our first English breakfast was fantastic - porridge, bread, sausages, jam and a lot of fat and butter. <br />Tonight we go to the cinema in Worcester, this afternoon there was an official notice that on Saturday we leave for Colombo."<br /><br />"Wednesday 24/10/1945, Malvern Wells, Camp Woodfarm<br /><br />I write a little note when I have time - we are here three days and probably depart tomorrow to Southampton, so we are confined to camp today. We have officer status and are treated very well. The first day many were ill becausee we only had and had to wear tropical clothing, so our Dutch doctors obtained proper soldiers battle dress for us- lovely and warm. We leave 7-0 a.m. tomorrow, two days in Southampton- then "Nieuw Amsterdam".<br />This afternoon we explored Worcester and did some shopping. It is fantastic what one sees here i.e. cycles, shoes, peanut butter, cocoa, coffee and bacon! I sent you two little parcels ...Beautiful countryside here, woods and hills. We are kept busy in camp fetching rations, mess duties and going out. At night we roll in bed dead tired. This morning we had photos of our little groups in battle dress, which I send you... Yesterday we were X-rayed and got a lot of injections - result just a stiff arm, nothing worse. The next letter will come from the boat. Howe are sailing is not yet known. We are 54 people in a barrack hut so not easy to concentrate.<br /><br />Friday 26/10/1945<br /><br />We had reveille yesterday at 4-0 a.m., a large breakfast, packed kit-bags and at 7-0 marched to Worcester station ( half an hour) then train to Southampton. Lovely scenery and autumn colours all the way....<br /><br /><br />Christian Wignallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15184466233748245233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-54221669272640166712018-02-04T09:27:47.636+00:002018-02-04T09:27:47.636+00:00Hello Anna, unfortunately I don't have any inf...Hello Anna, unfortunately I don't have any information on this but if we leave your comment up maybe someone will come along and help!MalvernRailwaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-65976003955886288562018-01-12T23:30:33.975+00:002018-01-12T23:30:33.975+00:00I am looking for Billy De Wilde, who has been the...I am looking for Billy De Wilde, who has been there October 1945, can anybody tell me anything about Billy, he was my moms husband (the married with the glove and Billy was sent out to Indonesia.....ANNAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02031156542051028275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-15632610005585322502017-07-19T13:45:44.823+01:002017-07-19T13:45:44.823+01:00Hello Lidy - if you'd like to get in touch wit...Hello Lidy - if you'd like to get in touch with me at martintheaker1989[AT]gmail.com (you'll need to put the @ sign back in, I remove it to avoid spam), I have a contact for you who would like to help.MalvernRailwaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106314685346794515.post-65557030882522040542017-07-14T12:53:38.671+01:002017-07-14T12:53:38.671+01:00Hi - Great Article. I'm trying to find out som...Hi - Great Article. I'm trying to find out some information about my father. I’m researching my his life for a book and wondering if you can fill in any of the blanks from the details below or steer me in the direction of anyone who may.<br />1. His name was Petrus Theodoor Seysener<br />2. He was a Dutch national who volunteered to join the British army – engaged as ‘warvolunteer’ at Tr.Camp Malvern Wells<br />3. He was stationed, I believe as a chef in the kitchen, in Woodfarm Camp from July 1945 to July 1946 when he was discharged<br />4. He was given the title of Corporal (Temporary) on September 10 1945<br />5. Statement of Account issued by the Ministry of War on 26 January 1950<br />Thanks for any assistance you may be able to give.<br />Regards<br />Lidy Seysener<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com