Folkestone Harbour Railway Station

People passing through the Harbour Station included men and women came from all over the British Empire (particularly Canada) and represented every race, creed and social class from King George V and Sir Douglas Haig to the humblest private soldier. Evidence of this is borne out in the visitorsâ books for the tea room/canteen which have recently come to light in the local archives. We have identified the precise location of this tea room/canteen on the Outer Pier and believe that this structure is of international importance. In November 1914 the eminent Victorian soldier Field Marshal Lord Roberts visited the front to see the recently arrived Indian troops. He sadly died at St. Omer and âhis remains were brought to Folkestone where they were placed for one night in a room, on the Harbour, converted into a Chapelle Ardente. Troops mounted guard throughout the night and acted as an escort on the journey to London.â The volume of troops, medical staff and freight that passed through the harbour was huge: -

Folkstone Harbour railway station
The Harbour Station’s finest hour was arguably in the Great War when millions of men passed through. It can be argued that the Western Front really began at the English side of the Channel given that the Dover Patrol fought a constant battle to keep the sea lanes clear. It was the last building of "Blighty" that many men and nurses would have seen when they left for the Western Front, and the first they would have seen when coming home on leave. Boulogne-Folkestone was the usual route of the leave boat for most of the war.
Folkstone Harbour railway station
Many wounded were loaded onto hospital trains here, and this commenced shortly after the Battle of Mons. On the 27 August 1914 the afternoon boat from Boulogne to Folkestone brought over the first of the British wounded to return to this country. There were about 30 men, nearly all of different regiments and most of them only comparatively slightly wounded in the legs, but not too seriously to prevent them from limping along without assistance. A few had to be carried to motor ambulances waiting to take them to Shorncliffe Camp.

The Station was also very important in the evacuation of Belgian soldiers. The first contingent of wounded Belgian soldiers arrived at Folkestone on Saturday 10th October 1914 and were conveyed in sixteen motor cars to the Voluntary Aid Hospital, Ramsgate. On Thursday 15th October 120 arrived on the ‘Invicta’ and were taken to Shorncliffe in three of the red motor buses and several ambulance cars, being conveyed thence to the Bevan Home Sandgate. In the evening 1,000 arrived unexpectedly and the task of distributing them all was no light one. They were dispatched by train to Ramsgate, Margate, Canterbury, Bromley and Bickley. One hundred and seventy were sent to the Royal Victoria Hospital and as the ordinary patients could not be disturbed some beds had to be made up in corridors for some of the wounded.
Folkstone Harbour railway station
Many wounded were loaded onto hospital trains here, and this commenced shortly after the Battle of Mons. On the 27 August 1914 the afternoon boat from Boulogne to Folkestone brought over the first of the British wounded to return to this country. There were about 30 men, nearly all of different regiments and most of them only comparatively slightly wounded in the legs, but not too seriously to prevent them from limping along without assistance. A few had to be carried to motor ambulances waiting to take them to Shorncliffe Camp.

The Station was also very important in the evacuation of Belgian soldiers. The first contingent of wounded Belgian soldiers arrived at Folkestone on Saturday 10th October 1914 and were conveyed in sixteen motor cars to the Voluntary Aid Hospital, Ramsgate. On Thursday 15th October 120 arrived on the ‘Invicta’ and were taken to Shorncliffe in three of the red motor buses and several ambulance cars, being conveyed thence to the Bevan Home Sandgate. In the evening 1,000 arrived unexpectedly and the task of distributing them all was no light one. They were dispatched by train to Ramsgate, Margate, Canterbury, Bromley and Bickley. One hundred and seventy were sent to the Royal Victoria Hospital and as the ordinary patients could not be disturbed some beds had to be made up in corridors for some of the wounded.