Despite being a big fan of horror films, Stephen King and Most Haunted I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. In fact, I don’t believe in them, full stop. But yesterday we had a seriously spooky experience that sent shivers down my spine.
I’d spent the weekend writing about Cannock, Lichfield and Cannock Chase for the October edition of Staffordshire County Magazine and felt inspired to head out and explore some parts of the Chase that I hadn’t been to before.
The area is incredibly rich in wartime history – you can see the remains of the Army training camps, for example, and I have had some of my best ideas walking around the perimeter of the German Military Cemetery with my dog, Pippa.
In my research for my magazine articles I’d come across a reference to Freda’s Grave, a memorial to the canine mascot of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade who had been stationed on Cannock Chase during the First World War.
A, Pippa and I started out from the Glacial Boulder (an ice age boulder originating in Scotland) and headed left in the direction of Freda’s memorial.
Pip doesn’t like other dogs – she was attacked by a Dalmatian when she was little and she (and I) never quite got over it – so we made sure that when we passed another dog we gave her treats and praised any good behaviour. Fortunately though we didn’t see many other people – one of the many great things about walking on Cannock Chase – and Pip scampered around happily.
After about a 10 minute walk we reached a signpost to Freda’s Grave. We could make out foundations of buildings all around us (I’ve since found out they marked the Women’s Auxiliary Corps hut lines) and there were rather incongrous apple and pear trees around – perhaps planted by troops stationed there?
We spotted the headstone over to the right and went over for a closer look. Immediately Pip’s mood changed. From dashing around with her tail wagging, she tensed up. Her hackles rose. She danced around the headstone, not going too near. She started growling and barking. Exactly, in fact, as if there was another dog around. But the only dog in the vicinity was buried there in 1918. And not just any dog – but a Dalmatian.
A and I couldn’t sense anything but Pip wasn’t happy at all. We headed off and walked back past the Glacial Boulder and a trig point to see whether she reacted to them, but she didn’t. It was pretty spooky – they say dogs are sensitive, don’t they? I’ll take her back there at some point and see how she reacts.
Cannock Chase is renowned for all sorts of paranormal activity, from UFOs, Bigfoot, big cats, ghosts and even a subterranean tribe and I am sceptical about it all to the point of complete disbelief. But I can’t deny Pippa’s response to Freda’s Grave.
You can see pictures of Freda’s Grave, the Glacial Boulder and the surrounding area here.
That does sound spooky.
And, because I’m completely ignorant of anything in the south of the county, I’ve never been to Cannock Chase but it does look fab – and vast too.
Oh, come on!
It’s trooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
I checked out the links you listed and it looks like a really interesting place!
As for your puppy – maybe a Dalmatian had recently piddled there that caused her to react like that? *shrug* It’s an interesting story in any case!
Hmmm, well, we took her back today and…nothing!
i was on the chase one night with the army cadet force during night manovers and me and the rest of the squad saw a group of world war one soldiers coming towards us, we knew they were world ar one by the weapons and dress,
weapons were SMLE rifles with sword bayonets.
the ACF hut is still there i think
At freda’s grave my patterdale barked at the grave and ran off, so i believe that dalmation is there.