A rat infestation has broken out at Southwick Park, the Ministry of Defence site in Hampshire where Allied leaders planned the D-Day invasion during World War II. The estate, formerly known as HMS Dryad, served as the headquarters for Operation Overlord. It was the base for General Dwight D Eisenhower, Winston Churchill, and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force. On June 4, 1944, they met at Southwick House to approve the Normandy landings, which led to the liberation of German-occupied Western Europe and an Allied victory.
Today, Southwick Park functions as a training centre for the Defence School of Policing, Security and Guarding, which prepares service police for the armed forces. The site’s Map Room, used for developing battle plans, remains intact, and its tactical centre supports strategic wargaming, hosting visits from senior British and NATO officials.
Sources report that the base has been affected by rats, with droppings causing a foul odour throughout the buildings. An anonymous source stated: “There are rats on their desks” and “the buildings stink” due to the excrement.
The infestation reportedly worsened after the Ministry of Defence reduced funding for pest control. The anonymous source said: “Nobody is listening” to concerns raised.
Since mid-October, roughly 50 rats have been captured, but the problem persists.
The rest room was closed after rodents damaged it while searching for food. While most military police training has moved to nearby Netley or shifted to remote work, driver training remains at the site.
The anonymous source described the situation: “Hampshire driver training police instructors have had rats on their desks, in drawers looking for food and all over their office space. The rest room has just been closed as rats have made such a mess looking for food. The smell from the rats excrement stinks.
Other teams have been moved out to Netley, or are working from home, but driver training still have to work in the rat infested offices. This has been going on for weeks, with nobody listening to our concerns.”
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson attributed the issue to the demolition of a derelict building that began in August.
They said: “A pest control contractor surveyed the full site and a number of measures have been put in place which have resulted in a significant decrease in activity and will remain in place throughout the demolition.
Hampshire Police has been kept fully informed at all times and all affected offices have been deep cleaned.”