The now-demolished former military hospital where WWII casualties were treated

No trace remains of the building where injured soldiers were once taken to recover

Cambridgeshire is typically known for its rich history, particularly with many former RAF and military bases dotted across the county. One site holds the memory of a former military hospital used to treat casualties during the Second World War.

The site in Wimpole had a number of uses, ranging from a World War II casualty hospital known as “Wimpole Park Hospital” to a teacher training college.

In 1943, the British army requisitioned land from the owners of Wimpole Hall in order to build a large hospital. Located to the north east of the Arrington Gates in Wimpole, the hospital site was built to treat casualties from an expected future invasion of Europe, according to Imperial War Museums.

The site was initially planned to be used as a United States general hospital for the casualties expected from the Normandy Beach landings in 1944. It is thought that the hospital was also expected to act as a holding hospital for injured men waiting to be transferred to the United States.

Situated near Bassingbourn airfield and Melbourn railway station, the hospital was ideally located to receive injured soldiers from Europe and allow them to recover over time. This hospital continued to operate until 1946 before closing down.

After its use as a hospital, the buildings were then used for a training college, a school, and for emergency housing. It later returned to use as a hospital in 1952. This time, it was used as a United States Air Force Hospital before the land was finally restored to the Wimpole Estate in 1960.

The Wimpole Estate is managed by the National Trust. The National Trust states: “On the flat ground looking towards the Arrington gates, was the site of an American military hospital built during the Second World War. After the war, it was used for a short time as a teacher training college before it was demolished in the 1950s.”

There is no trace visible today of its former uses other than the flatness of the location compared with the rest of Wimpole park.