Billy Butlin - World War II Years

World War II Years

With the outbreak of WWII, both the Clacton and Skegness camps were requisitioned by the War Office for use as training camps. The ministry needed further camps, and contracted Butlin to build them. Butlin agreed, on the condition that he could purchase the sites when the war was over, to use as holiday camps. The ministry agreed, and Filey (1945), Pwllheli and Ayr (both in 1947), opened after the war. As Butlin was dealing with other sites, he asked his business competitor, Harry Warner, to complete the construction of Filey. Butlin had purchased his first hotel in 1939, the Thatched Barn in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. Like his camps, it was requisitioned (this time by the SOE) before he could develop it.

During the war years, a number of Butlin's camps were used as Royal Navy shore establishments. Skegness became HMS Royal Arthur, a training establishment for petty officers; Pwllheli became HMS Glendower, and Ayr became HMS Scotia. Filey became RAF Hunmanby Moor and Clacton, after being considered for use as a prisoner of war camp, was later used as a training site for the Pioneer Corps. Butlin was recruited by the Ministry of Supply and asked to look at the causes of low morale amongst the workers in Britain's munitions factories. His first stop was at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Chorley, where he found that the camouflaged huts and barbed wire fences used to house workers gave them the feeling of being interned. Using the knowledge and experience he had gained in setting up his holiday camps, Butlin was able to devise activities and systems to boost morale, which led to his appointment as Director General of Hostels. In this position, Butlin introduced games and entertainment similar to those used in his holiday camps. These included: whist drives, amateur dramatics, theatrical productions and cinema. In 1943, he encouraged workers to continue taking their holiday entitlement but to do so at home, arranging various travelling fairs to visit towns on their "holiday week". Butlin's appointment to this role gave cause for concern in some quarters, with questions being asked of the under-secretary, Harold Macmillan, about the nature of his involvement. However the appointment was a voluntary one with no salary or expenses and had been made after the consideration of other suitable candidates.

Late in the war, during the Allied advance through western Europe following the Normandy landings, Butlin was approached by General Bernard Montgomery, who asked him to help set up leave centres for the 21st Army Group. Starting in Brussels, the "21 Club" concept quickly spread through western Europe, providing entertainment and relaxation for servicemen and women.

In 1944, Butlin was awarded the MBE for his wartime service to the Ministry of Supply.