This investigation has presented a full history of Ludshott Common in the twentieth century. The story of Superior Camp, previously only hinted at by its obscure remains, has been discovered in depth, with the help of those who remember it. The importance of memory in the commemoration of our local history cannot be stressed enough. The investigation has shown how it is possible for an investigator to uncover histories that are only familiar, and not yet fully understood. It is essential for us to investigate and record these important episodes in our history before they are lost from our memory. The investigation has shown that, whilst being essential in preserving the landscape and preventing Superior Camp from becoming a permanent feature on the land, the National Trust has unwittingly obscured its history.

It has shown the impact that such places had on the lives of ordinary people. It should be remembered that, throughout its unique history, Superior Camp has been the site of solidarity as the nation and her allies gathered for war, fellowship as the Canadian soldiers made every effort to endear themselves to the local community and feel more at home, and still further camaraderie as the civilian residents grouped together to form a unique community after the war. These camps represent a unique period in the nation’s history, and as Schofield et al. sum up: ‘These abandoned camps deserve to be remembered and their remaining relics protected as they were once important centres within the military infrastructure while at the same time forming integral parts of local communities’ (2006, 20). At any rate, Superior Camp deserves more than the utter obscurity and anonymity that presently conceals its history.

(c) Matthew Tilley