4 days ago
Beaulieu exhibition to reveal how caravans helped during Second World War
A new exhibition will explore the role of caravans during the Second World War.
'Pitch Up and Carry On' will run from September 13, 2025 to early summer 2026, at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu.
The exhibition, presented by the Caravan and Motorhome Club Collection, will share how caravans and their owners played an important part in the war effort.
Using rare materials, including manufacturers' records, club magazines, advertising, photographs, and personal accounts, the exhibition will look at how caravans were adapted for military and civilian purposes during the national crisis.
They became mobile RAF offices, army briefing rooms, Women's Land Army accommodation, and even air raid shelters.
The Caravan Club, as it was called then, reacted immediately to the outbreak of war by lowering its membership fee, providing practical guidance, and serving as a key community contact for caravanners across the UK.
Fuel shortages and evacuation chaos did not stop the club from advocating for its members and offering aid.
The club also directed how caravans could serve the nation, advising government bodies.
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Caravan manufacturers shifted their focus from leisure vehicles to trailer bodies, supplying the War Office and finding innovative uses for caravans as first aid posts, mobile canteens, and field headquarters.
The British Army embraced the caravan's practicality and mobility, using them as mobile offices, sleeping quarters, and command centres.
A special section of the exhibition will feature period footage and the reading of a girl's memories growing up in a caravan during the war, providing a glimpse into the everyday lives of 1940s caravanners.
Sara Riccabone, senior curator of the Caravan and Motorhome Club Collection, said: "This exhibition, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, sheds light on an overlooked but fascinating chapter of both the club and wartime history.
"We are delighted to collaborate with the National Motor Museum in bringing this story to life and showing how caravans, and the community built around them, proved a remarkable resource in a time of need."
Nick Lomas, director general at the Caravan and Motorhome Club, added: "We are proud to have the Caravan and Motorhome Club's archive collection preserved at the National Motor Museum."
