No. 9 AFV Depot, September 1944

[Chris Scott]

Ladies and Gentlemen (ahem...),

As an aviation researcher, may I nevertheless be permitted to intrude into your discussions?

Can anyone shed any light on the activities of/at the above depot in Surrey, England? Whether "9 AFV Depot" was a British military designation for the site, or the name of the Canadian Army tank unit that was occupying it, I don't know. Ramtank.ca makes mention of 8 AFV Depot and 10 AFV Depot in a British Army context, but not No. 9.

There is no doubt that the Canadian Army was active on the site, which was at:
Alderstead Heath, Dean Lane, Merstham, Surrey. (S.E. England).

Their activities are largely unknown to local historians.

Today and in 1944, Alderstead Heath is mainly a wooded area, about a kilometre square, surrounded by farmland. It is criss-crossed with concrete driveways, and is on a range of chalk-and-flint hills called the North Downs, about 600ft above sea-level. At one spot, there is a discarded tank-track that looks as if it might be from a small tracked vehicle. Nowadays, part of the area is an official caravan site (trailer park).

Any info or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Chris