Portuguese Fireplace
Encyclopedia
The Portuguese Fireplace is a war memorial
in the New Forest
National Park
, near the village of Lyndhurst
, Hampshire
, United Kingdom
. It is located on the road between Bolderwood
and Emery Down
, approximately 2 km from the latter. It is near to Millyford Bridge and is used as a Waymark. Because it was operated by the Canadian Forestry Corps
, it is referred to locally as the Canadian Fireplace.
"This is the site of a hutted camp occupied by a Portuguese army unit during the first World War. This unit assisted the depleted local labour force in producing timber for the war effort. The Forestry Commission have retained the fireplace from the cookhouse as a memorial to the men who lived and worked here and acknowledge the financial assistance of the Portuguese government in its renovation."
In World War I
, local labour was in short supply due to the war effort. In order to help with the timber
production for the war, a Portuguese Army
unit working for the Canadian Timber Corps
helped the local population whilst local foresters were away fighting. The fireplace is what remains of the cookhouse
of the camp of those people who lived, worked and helped out in the area.
forests and woodlands in order to meet the requirements. Of chief concern was finding enough skilled labour, fellers, hauliers and sawyers, and so they requested that a First Battalion of Lumbermen be formed of 1500 Canadian workers to come over to Great Britain
to help out. The Canadian government was quick to respond and sent them over in batches.
To save time, the Canadians brought over their own equipment and modifications were made to adapt to being in Britain. The differences in conditions were so great between Canada and Britain that it required highly expert knowledge to carry out the changes. This was done very quickly and few changes then had to be made again.
The Canadian lumbermen were of unknown quantity as were the conditions in Britain to the Canadians. An initial advance party of 15 Canadians set up in a camp near Lyndhurst. The actual first 400 Canadians set up in the South of England to facilitate organisation with later contingents setting up elsewhere in the UK.
In 1917–1918, the Canadian Forestry Corps received help from Portuguese labourers. A typical encampment was 4 to 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) in size. The camp was surrounded by four fences of various sizes and also included a mess room, canteen, sleeping quarters, wash and bath houses, tailors' and boot shops, laundry, drying room, cookhouse, hospital and non-commissioned officer
's quarters and electricity was included. Guards were positioned at wooden and barbed wire gates as well as strategic points around the camp. There were 25 huts on site for workshops and various other uses.
At the height of the camp's usage there were around 100 Portuguese and 200 Canadian and associated workers on site. Light railways
were built by the Canadians with a single locomotive, and this helped to speed up the timber production. The Canadians moved from a camp in Norley Wood
in the south of the New Forest and were better equipped for the environment than were the Portuguese, who at one point went on strike because they were not even given oilskins. The Canadians were better equipped than the Portuguese. Special arrangements had to be made so that Canadians and Portuguese got abundant food and the food they required as there was a difference in diversity. The Portuguese required a diet of largely fish, bread, potatoes, beans, rice and olive oil as well as green vegetables and onions. Eventually it was decided that Portuguese were better used for other work than timber as the workers found best suited were Finnish
and prisoners of war.
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
in the New Forest
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
National Park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
, near the village of Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst, Hampshire
Lyndhurst is a village and civil parish in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. It is a popular tourist location with many independent shops, art galleries, cafés, restaurants, pubs and hotels. The nearest city is Southampton located around nine miles to the north-east...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is located on the road between Bolderwood
Bolderwood, Hampshire
Bolderwood is an area of the New Forest in Hampshire. Bolderwood hosts a deer sanctuary with a public deer observation platform. As a result, the public car park at Bolderwood is the most visited in the New Forest. From here the Bolderwood Arboretum Ornamental Drive links to the A35 passing close...
and Emery Down
Emery Down
Emery Down is a small village in the New Forest National Park in Hampshire, England. Its nearest town is Lyndhurst, which lies approximately 1.4 miles south-east from the village.-Overview:...
, approximately 2 km from the latter. It is near to Millyford Bridge and is used as a Waymark. Because it was operated by the Canadian Forestry Corps
Canadian Forestry Corps
The Canadian Forestry Corps was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army with its own cap badge, and other insignia and traditions.The Canadian Forestry Corps was created 14 Nov 1916. The crest of the Canadian Forestry Corps consists of a circle, with a beaver on top, superimposed on a pair of...
, it is referred to locally as the Canadian Fireplace.
Plaque
Next to the memorial is a plaque explaining the significance of the fireplace which reads:"This is the site of a hutted camp occupied by a Portuguese army unit during the first World War. This unit assisted the depleted local labour force in producing timber for the war effort. The Forestry Commission have retained the fireplace from the cookhouse as a memorial to the men who lived and worked here and acknowledge the financial assistance of the Portuguese government in its renovation."
In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, local labour was in short supply due to the war effort. In order to help with the timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
production for the war, a Portuguese Army
Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...
unit working for the Canadian Timber Corps
Canadian Forestry Corps
The Canadian Forestry Corps was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army with its own cap badge, and other insignia and traditions.The Canadian Forestry Corps was created 14 Nov 1916. The crest of the Canadian Forestry Corps consists of a circle, with a beaver on top, superimposed on a pair of...
helped the local population whilst local foresters were away fighting. The fireplace is what remains of the cookhouse
Cookhouse
Cookhouse is a small town in Eastern Cape province, South Africa....
of the camp of those people who lived, worked and helped out in the area.
History of the camp
On 15 February 1916, 18 months after the beginning of the First World War, the Colonial Secretary cabled to the then Governor- General of Canada, H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, that Canadian timber could no longer be imported on a large enough scale to meet requirements for the war as there was not enough freight for munitions, food, forage and other essential items due to the scarce number of people available. This required the felling of EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
forests and woodlands in order to meet the requirements. Of chief concern was finding enough skilled labour, fellers, hauliers and sawyers, and so they requested that a First Battalion of Lumbermen be formed of 1500 Canadian workers to come over to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
to help out. The Canadian government was quick to respond and sent them over in batches.
To save time, the Canadians brought over their own equipment and modifications were made to adapt to being in Britain. The differences in conditions were so great between Canada and Britain that it required highly expert knowledge to carry out the changes. This was done very quickly and few changes then had to be made again.
The Canadian lumbermen were of unknown quantity as were the conditions in Britain to the Canadians. An initial advance party of 15 Canadians set up in a camp near Lyndhurst. The actual first 400 Canadians set up in the South of England to facilitate organisation with later contingents setting up elsewhere in the UK.
In 1917–1918, the Canadian Forestry Corps received help from Portuguese labourers. A typical encampment was 4 to 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) in size. The camp was surrounded by four fences of various sizes and also included a mess room, canteen, sleeping quarters, wash and bath houses, tailors' and boot shops, laundry, drying room, cookhouse, hospital and non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
's quarters and electricity was included. Guards were positioned at wooden and barbed wire gates as well as strategic points around the camp. There were 25 huts on site for workshops and various other uses.
At the height of the camp's usage there were around 100 Portuguese and 200 Canadian and associated workers on site. Light railways
Light Railways
Light Railways is a magazine produced by the Light Railway Research Society of Australia . The subtitle is "Australia's Magazine of Industrial and Narrow Gauge Railways"....
were built by the Canadians with a single locomotive, and this helped to speed up the timber production. The Canadians moved from a camp in Norley Wood
Norley Wood
Norley Wood is a village in the New Forest Natioanl Park of Hampshire, England. Its nearest town is Lymington, which lies approximately 3 miles south-west from the village....
in the south of the New Forest and were better equipped for the environment than were the Portuguese, who at one point went on strike because they were not even given oilskins. The Canadians were better equipped than the Portuguese. Special arrangements had to be made so that Canadians and Portuguese got abundant food and the food they required as there was a difference in diversity. The Portuguese required a diet of largely fish, bread, potatoes, beans, rice and olive oil as well as green vegetables and onions. Eventually it was decided that Portuguese were better used for other work than timber as the workers found best suited were Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and prisoners of war.