The Wight Stuff: The Wight Military & Heritage Museum

 Historically, the Isle of Wight has served as an enormous natural barrier guarding the approaches to the naval bases of Southampton, Gosport and Portsmouth. Over the centuries positions for batteries of coastal artillery were established to defend the waterways, and during WWII an early warning radar station was established in the southeast quarter of the island at Ventnor. The island was also the location for “Pipeline Under the Ocean”’ (PLUTO) pumping stations, one of which was disguised as an ice cream parlor, to supply fuel to the Allies in France after D-Day.  These we had seen previously on our trips, and to that list we can now add the Wight Military and Heritage Museum, located on the site of a former military camp on Newport Road in Cowes (www.wmahm.org) 

Established as a charitable organization in March 2005, its stated mission aim was to establish an exhibition to display “…the role of the military presence on the Isle of Wight from the nineteenth century to the present day… by establishing and maintaining a museum --- to collect, restore and display military artefacts.” In this it has been successful and today is one of the leading tourist attractions on the island, with visitors ranging from military enthusiasts to family groups interested in seeing something different.

Over the years the museum has grown not only grown in size, but also in the range of exhibits it displays covering more than 100 years of military history. The lineup of vehicles includes some from WWII, the post-war years and stretches into the the Cold War. There are scout cars and main battle tanks as used by the British Army, and some unusual vehicles used by other NATO armies. Some of the buildings on site date from WWII, such as a wartime Nissen Hut, a design similar to that of the American Quonset Hut, which is used as a museum shop where visitors can buy books from a wide range of titles, some which have been previously owned, along with various other items of interest.

Some of the exhibits are displayed outside, but the main part of the collection is housed under cover inside the main, purpose-built display hall. This area is well lit and spacious with ample room for visitors to wander past each exhibit and take photographs. Information boards give some technical specifications along with historical background details, such as where the vehicle was used and with which unit. There is no particular order and visitors will see staff cars lined up with heavier vehicles, such as the Scammell “Pioneer” recovery vehicle used by the British Army during WWII and immediately after. This does not mean the exhibition is “disorderly”, but rather the opposite. In fact, I found it interesting to see such variety rather than having a row of similar types all lined up as though on parade.

The layout shows visitors the contrast from civilian cars to their wheeled military counterparts. It works well and in between there are unusual items like the example of a German Army hand-towed, trailer-mounted flamethrower together with other German weapons. A lineup of different mortars with machine guns — including a Browning .50-cal used from WWII and examples of which are still in service today — are surprises for visitors, many of whom have likely never have seen such items before.

Most of the vehicles and the weaponry were familiar to me, but even I found myself intrigued by a couple of exhibits. For example, the remnant of a gun carriage, dating from WWI, was an unexpected sight, but the story behind it is fascinating. I knew something of the background and how the British had deployed a force to the Middle East in November 1914 to begin a campaign against Turkish forces in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) to secure the oil pipelines for the Allies. After some initial success, part of the British force found itself cut off at the town of Kut and surrounded by superior Turkish forces. Between December 1915 and April 1915, the siege tightened. On April 29, 1915 Major-General Charles Townshend ordered equipment destroyed and surrendered his command of 10,000 men, which included many men from the Isle of Wight.

In 1930, 18 years after the end of WWI, an RAF officer, Flight Lieutenant Drudge, visited the site and discovered a gun trail which he recovered. Knowing the meaning it would have to the Isle of Wight, he presented it to the island. Seeing this on display is like a personal memorial and a reminder to people of an event which would otherwise have been forgotten. In that sense, the WHAHM is preserving the history for the island. The museum has established a fully equipped engineering workshop area where vehicles and other items can be restored, serviced and maintained.

Most, if not all, items have been brought over to the island at some stage, including the vehicles which would have all been carried to the island on one of the ferry services. Staff members at the museum have created an education program for students and schools organize special visits. Special events are also hosted and vehicle rides can be booked through the website. Being a charity organization itself, the WMAHM supports charities in return, such as Veteran Outreach Support, which organizes monthly gatherings where veterans can meet and talk over a cup of tea.

During our visit my wife particularly enjoyed the part of the museum which has been turned into a 1940s period street scene, complete with re-created shop fronts of the time, known as the “Home Front”. We found it a relaxed atmosphere where visitors can wander around at ease looking at the weaponry on display as well as the uniforms. A trip to the WMAHM links in very nicely with the other historic locations on the island. While not particularly large, such a collection on the island is important and a pleasant surprise for many visitors who take the time to visit.