A FORGOTTEN wartime Army camp that was once the haunt of thousands of soldiers is to be finally commemorated.

Castle Camp at Pickering saw countless soldiers march through its gates, many of them training on the nearby North York Moors.

Winston Churchill was a famous visitor, clambering on tanks during a morale-boosting trip in the build-up to D-Day.

And the famous artist Rex Whistler was stationed there while serving in the Welsh Guards.

He painted many murals while in Pickering – but sadly died soon after landing in France in 1944, killed by a mortar shell.

The camp opened in 1940 and was finally closed in 1967. It was demolished and replaced by housing, leaving no sign of its presence.

However local man John Jennison, who was instrumental in the building of the new housing, felt that something should be done to remember the site's military past and he contacted local historian Gordon Clitheroe and from there the Friends of Castle Camp was born.

And the group have now raised the cash needed to erect a commemorative stone at the original entrance to honour those who trained and in some cases died there and on the nearby North York Moors.

The dedication ceremony is due to take place on November 12 at 11am will see an address given by retired Major General Murray Naylor.

The memorial stone itself will be unveiled by Jack Lawson who, as a soldier of the West Yorkshire Regiment, trained at Castle Camp during the Second World War and at 92 is the oldest known soldier to have served there.

Mr Clitheroe said: "The stone will record the existence of this key training camp built at the start of the war and will honour the thousands of soldiers who passed through its gates during and after the war, until its closure in 1967.

"They lived and trained here, and on the nearby North Yorkshire Moors and it is important that is commemorated."

Jim Woods, a former Scots Guardsman served at Castle Camp from 1953 to 1954 and it was there he met his wife Phyllis, who was a member of the NAAFI staff. They celebrate their 63rd wedding anniversary later this year.

"Being so close to the North York Moors, Pickering camp was an ideal base for military training,” he said.

"The camp played a big part in the life of the town itself and, given the NAAFI there is where I met my wife, it has played a big part in my life too."