Highnam at War
Highnam, due to its proximity to Gloucester, has been involved with or close to battles and skirmishes over the centuries, from the Romans, to the English Civil War to the World Wars of the 20th Century. WW2 saw both American and British troops posted to Highnam Court. HMS Ganges, a training arm of the Navy, continued in service after the outbreak of war, being used as a centre for ‘Hostilities Only New Entry Training’. A new overspill centre was commissioned at Highnam Court, near Gloucester on 28 April 1941, and it was defined as a tender to HMS Ganges. Their time in Highnam was appreciated by the locals. In January 1944 the US 296th Engineer Combat Battalion arrived at Highnam Court and, after extensive training, left for Normandy in June 1944. With thanks to Don Sherratt who has contributed much of the World War 2 history.
