Ampthill during WW1 & WW2 - SPECIAL EDITION PODCAST

About this episode

This episode discusses Ampthill's role during WW1 and WW2, featuring insights from John Hele.

This special edition podcast - links the sculpture "If The Oaks Could Speak" that has been entered into the Ampthill Eco-Sculpt competition 2025 - focuses on Ampthill during WW1 and WW2. John Hele talks about the training camps and prisoner of war camps Ampthill hosted in the 20th century. Ampthill Past Memories is a podcast series from the Ampthill and District Preservation Society. Long-standing residents of Ampthill and around, have recorded their memories of Ampthill Past giving a unique insight into their personal and working lives of several decades ago. The interviews conjure up a fabulous picture of how Ampthill used to be and highlights some of the interesting goings on and colourful characters that used to reside in the area.If you would like to be involved and help us continue to preserve Ampthill’s historic past, email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ampthillpastmemories@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the Ampthill and District Preservation Society website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for further information.

People in this episode

Host: Ampthill Past Memories

Guest: John Hele

Topics covered

• Ampthill history
• World War 1
• World War 2
• prisoner of war camps
• training camps
• local memories

Keywords

• Ampthill
• WW1
• WW2
• prisoner of war camps
• training camps
• local history
• sculpture
• memories

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ampthill and District Preservation Society

Books & works: If The Oaks Could Speak

Places: Ampthill

More episodes of Ampthill Past Memories

• Sheila Smith · January 26, 2026 · 32 min
• Almshouses and Workhouses · January 16, 2026 · 23 min
• VJ Day Remembrance · January 14, 2026 · 9 min
• 14 Dunstable Street · January 7, 2026 · 24 min
• Bert Harris - WWII Japanese Prisoner of War - SPECIAL EPISODE · August 18, 2025 · 22 min
• Alan Bush Part 4 · July 28, 2025 · 55 min