THE military occupation of Basingstoke during the First World War, which was recently featured in Memories on Monday, prompted Gazette historian Robert Brown to send in two pictures from his extensive photographic library.

Mr Brown said: "One shows the camp that existed on Basingstoke Common between 1915 and 1918, where soldiers were sent prior to being transported via train and ship to France to fight the Germans.

"With them went teams of mules, which carried some of the necessary equipment that they needed on the battleground.

"While waiting to be sent, the mules were fed with fodder from various countries, which they trod into the ground as they moved about on the common.

"The following years saw a mass of plants never seen before in this country growing to a height of up to three feet."

Soldiers from the 7th North Staffords feature in the other photograph.