FOLKESTONE – THE GREAT WAR AND THE ONE THAT FOLLOWED

THE ROAD OF REMEMBRANCE

The Great War of 1914-1918 saw many thousands of British troops pass through Folkestone, marching down the Road of Remembrance with their heavy boots clanking on the cobbles as they were instructed to “Step Short” – shorten their steps to cope with the steep gradient. They would embark their troopships at the station at the start of what is now The Harbour Arm.

It has been said that the Western Front began at Folkestone, and certainly it was a hub for the departure and arrival of troops, nurses, personnel and supplies including horses, food, clothing and munitions. During the war
10.6 million passengers, including 9.8 million troops departed from here – yet not a single person was lost to enemy action during the crossing to France.

You can follow their route down the steep hill, starting at the top with the Step Short Memorial Arch, built for the centenary commemorations in August 2014. It’s the focus for remembering the men and women whose journey took them down the road, and also symbolic of the town’s status as a key gateway to the Western Front.

Rosemary for remembrance is planted along the road’s southern length and the wrought iron railings are adorned with hand-crafted poppies.

www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/community/stepshort

REST AND REFUGE

The Belgian Royal Family took up residence in Folkestone, along with over 100,000 other refugees.

A particularly noteworthy group were the tens of thousands of Canadian soldiers based here, who had a huge impact on local life. As well as training hard for the battle ahead and running hospitals and convalescent homes, over 1,000 of them married local girls and took them home to Canada!

Shorncliffe Military Cemetery holds the bodies of 305 Canadian soldiers who died during the Great War. Their sacrifice is honoured on July 1st (Canada Day) every year at a special service here which often includes a flypast of Spitfires and Hurricanes.

www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/40120/shorncliffe-military-cemetery

DUNKIRK AND HELLFIRE CORNER

Folkestone was the first port of call for many of those rescued from Dunkirk in May 1940. The sight of familiar shores and the welcome from local people with tea, snacks, sweets, cigarettes and good will and gratitude must have been almost overwhelming for the exhausted troops.

Some six weeks later, and the skies above Folkestone were alive – the Battle of Britain had begun. All Hitler had to do was cross the Channel… he must have thought Folkestone was in touching distance when it was so visible from Boulogne. The Luftwaffe were called into action against the RAF and Fighter Command.

Hawkinge Airfield was the closest to France, and squadrons flew from all over the country to refuel here before their onward journey to France and then back again. The Kent Battle of Britain Museum is based on Hawkinge Airfield, and houses a wealth of artifacts from both the British and German sides. www.kbobm.org

The Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne, just a few miles away, is also a superb commemoration of the brave Few.

Hellfire Corner? Such was the intensity of the aerial bombardment from the Luftwaffe that Folkestone and other Kentish towns were under almost constant attack, with many civilian lives lost on the ground, and military lives in the air. The countryside, villages and towns are dotted with small memorials to those lives lost.