Memories of the QA Officers Mess, Tedworth House Tidworth

 

Since 1973, my first experience of Tedworth House, I have always found it difficult to pass the Tidworth turn off on the A303 and not take a detour down memory lane. Sadly it is no longer possible to also visit the old Tidworth Military Hospital on a whim. It is firmly ensconced behind the Garrison perimeter and I wonder if it even still stands.

My initial experience of Tedworth House was exactly 50 years ago, my first posting after QARANC Training Centre as a 23 year old lieutenant. As I arrived I was totally in awe when my eyes feasted on this opulent Manor House that was to be my home for the next 12 months. I had grown up on a very large private estate where my father was Head Gardener, so a tied cottage was familiar to me. I had never imagined residing in ‘the big house’. That said, the junior officers rooms were affectionately nick names the servants quarters.

As you look at the photo of Tedworth House the low single story part of the building was our entrance, and the senior officers anti room. Once it becomes double story the ground floor was the junior officers anti room. Both anti rooms had glorious views through the tennis courts to the magnificent grounds as did the front facing bedrooms on the first floor ( for senior officers) not that I was privy to many visits, if any! Meanwhile us lieutenants accommodation was at the rear of the building looking at walls and a small rear entrance. The QA Mess was housed in the left half of the building, the right and more imposing side with grand entrance etc accommodated the Army Officers Club. Although a magnificent looking building it was in desperate need of a considerable amount of remedial work and repair. It was not uncommon on a rainy day to walk the length of our upstairs corridor avoiding the many buckets catching drips, if not mimi torrents of water. This also applied to some of our rooms. The bath rooms, forget on suite, were huge with mega large cast iron baths and extremely cold most of the time.


These minor hardships were minimal in comparison to the treats of being a junior officer.
Our meals were wonderful. In those days the messes had their own cooks and the food scrumptious and traditionally English. The luxury of breakfast in bed delivered to our rooms for both of our two days off - what a joy. In most QA messes at that time, we had the oddity that our so called bar would actually be a cupboard although, if my memory serves me correctly, I believe Tedworth did have a bar of sorts. If not working we would often gather in the anti room half an hour or so before dinner to have a sherry or similar and share the activities/gossip of the day. Surrounded by many military units there were also plenty of parties and entertainment, however men were never allowed further than the entrance hall. We also had the Officers Club next door, fun when a group of us went together but to my young uninitiated eyes could feel a bit crusty.

Although we had been taught uniform dress etiquette at the QATC our first posting was when this was put into practice and where us newbies could get into deep water. Veils off as soon as you entered building, tippets on at all times no matter how hot it got until it was decreed that we would go into summer order. ( Remember girls that the Danish rose on the back of the tippet is not only part of Corps history but is there to assist your sitting deportment and prevent slouching!). Tights to be worn at all times unless working in the tropics - a nightmare during the English summer heat wave of 1976.

Tedworth House was a brisk 10 minute walk from the hospital so we were ferried backwards and forwards throughout the day in a mini bus. The early morning, late evening and night duty trips usually accommodated just us junior officers so could be quite jolly affairs whilst at other times of the day we had to be on our best behaviour travelling with Matron and senior officers. Conversation then revolved around the weather, had Matron had a good weekend or how was her dogs health. All in all our Tedworth House experience was a one off, made even more special by the events that took place in the beautiful grounds. To understand this a little more one probably needs to explore the history of Tedworth House itself.

The first house built on these grounds dates back to well before 1650. From then until 1897 it was owned by various members of the aristocracy who rebuild and refurbished it through the centuries. Horses and hounds were kept in the grounds and a race course, polo field and cricket pitch were established. The military connection starts in1897 when the War Office bought the estate and in 1905 it became the official residence of the General in Command of the Salisbury Plain Military District. At this time the house stood in 500 acres of well wooded park. In the First World War it was used as the Garrison Officers Mess for Tidworth Camp and then military nursing accommodation. During the Second World War it served as a club for American soldiers before reverting back to QA Mess Accommodation.

This varied history meant that the parkland area was well suited for sporting and others events. The highlight would be polo on the polo field. This would be attended by a large number of the aristocracy to include Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips. Bizarrely it seemed that security was not that strict as we were able to discreetly mingle in the crowds capturing perfect views of the assembled dignitaries, not to mention the odd photo. Maybe the events were better policed than we imagined because of course we were living on the inside. The other event that created a lot of interest for us youngsters was the annual ball held in the Officers Club. Again this was another aristocratic social event and the year I was at Tidworth it was attended by a Princess Anne. The main entrance to the Officers Club was below a window in our long upstairs corridor and so we discretely took up our viewing positions to watch the guests arrivals and took enormous interest in the ball gown fashions of the day.

I left Tedworth House in September 1974 only to return in June 1976 for a 6 month posting before heading off to Hong Kong. It had been announced that in March 1977 Tidworth Military Hospital would close along with the QA Mess. There was much sadness in the air as well as great deal of activity sorting out inventories and chattels etc before closure. I was glad not to be there at the end. At that time I could not have imagined that exactly 20 years later I would be Deputy Matron of the Cambridge Military Hospital and heavily involved in that closure!

In June 2017 I was travelling along the A303 and could not resist the lure of Tedworth House just one more time. I understood that it was in the ownership of Help For Hero’s and that it was being used as a Support Recovery Hub. Approaching the house tentatively at first having done a circuit of the outside we entered the Orangery which has been converted into a beautiful cafeteria. Emboldened we ordered coffees and explained that I had lived their many years ago. We were introduced to a lovely administrator who showed us around. It has been beautifully restored and at the same time looks totally appropriate for purpose. I would imagine an ideal environment for well being and recovery. Fantastic to see the old place looking so regal and with its long history of being linked to the military and now be being put to such a worth while purpose.


Lt/Col (Red) Penny Moody 1973 - 1975 1976 -1996