ORIGINALLY parkland surrounding the 17th Century Kinmel House, the land was requisitioned by the Army for the construction of the then-largest camp in Wales, Kinmel Park Camp.
The camp consisted of 20 sub-camps each constructed with their own accommodation, mess halls and training facilities, all built from timber.
Entertainment was also key for troop morale, with a cinema on site.
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The camp aimed to recreate normality, with stores, a Post Office, bakery and even churches.
It became the largest military training camp in Wales, even having its own railway, the KCR (Kinmel Camp Railway), that eventually connected it to Rhyl.
Thousands of soldiers were trained at Kinmel Park Camp during the First World War, while Conscientious Objectors were “dealt with there”.
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Post-armistice, the camp became a transit camp for thousands of Canadian soldiers awaiting repatriation to their homeland.
Delays to their demobilisation, dissatisfaction with camp conditions and homesickness resulted in the infamous “Canadian Riots” at the camp, which took place on March 4-5 1919, and resulted in the deaths of five Canadian soldiers.
Amongst those who spent time at Kinmel Park Camp during the First World War were Robert Graves, the renowned war poet and author, and J. B. Priestley, the playwright and author.
The town of Rhyl grew to accommodate the many thousands of soldiers and civilians from Kinmel Park Camp who frequented Rhyl for its entertainments, refreshments and “seaside delights”.
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After the war, the majority of the camp was demolished and converted into an industrial estate.
A small military camp remains at the site, rebuilt to around half the size of the original structure, and the camp is now occupied by the headquarters of Clwyd and Gwynedd Army Cadet Force and 203 Field Hospital, RAMC.
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