Minstead Lodge
During research Minstead Manor and Minstead Lodge (essentially another manor) came up interchangeably throughout the war diaries, but are in fact separate places. Both were usually listed as a sub HQ of V corps (for separate units, such as RE or a brigade HQ). Research eventually led us to a now demolished manor (MA1431) for one site and a still extant lodge (Minstead Lodge) for the other. The now demolished manor site is included in the projects final report.
In the War Diaries the lodge site came up less frequently than the manor. But is referred to in appendix ‘A’ of the “5 Corps Order of Battle and Location Statement No.1.” dated 4 Dec 1941 (WO 166-249 – Sept-Dec 1941 (158)).
In this entry it is listed as the HQ for C Troop, Royal Engineers. It’s certainly possible that Canadian forces made use of it, given their occupation of the forest for a while.
It is probable that the lodge was requisitioned as a sub unit HQ and throughout the course of the war a variety of units will have occupied it. Any HQ will have probably been given the usual militarisation treatment.