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Originally called Sling Plantation due to the nearby forest, this camp was located beside the Bulford on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. New Zealand troops built wooden huts here after the beginning of the First World War. It was occupied by New Zealand forces in 1916, It was officially called the 4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade Reserve Camp, and trained reinforcements and casualties who were regaining fitness. It was also home to some New Zealand conscientious objectors (such as Baxter brothers, Archibald, Alex and John.

In 1918, there were 4,300 men at Sling. Soon after the camp suffered large casualties as a result of the Spanish influenza.

After the end of the war, there were 4600 New Zealand troops stationed at the camp and the camp became a repatriation centre. There was significant unrest after delays in demobilisation and subsequent attempts to enforce order led to  rioting. After the ringleaders had been arrested and sent home to New Zealand, the rest of the troops were given the task of carving the shape of a large Kiwi in the chalk of the hill that overlooks the camp, known as the Bulford Kiwi, which is still present today.

This postcard comes from the Cleland Photograph Collection and is dated 1915 - this date must be erroneous as the Kiwi was not created until 1918.

Identification

Object type
Postcard
Relation
Cleland Collection S4 B5
Date
circa 1916
Digitisation ID
2018Pa_ClelandS4B5_024967
Format
Postcard

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Creation

Created By
Place
Sling Camp, England

Object rights

Taxonomy

Tags
ww1,
Community Tags

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