Early in the Great War, the Summerdown Convalescent Camp was established on fields to the north-west of Eastbourne just off the East Dean Road.    The camp had its own entertainment troupe called the Knut Kamp Komedy Kompany which were based in the camp Recreation Hut and gave weekly concerts.  

The troupe consisted of musicians,  comics and even a sword-juggler – all drawn from the men who were convalescing in the camp.  One of the most popular entertainers was Lance Corporal R.C. ‘Chips’ Thomas of the Norfolk Regiment who dressed in drag and became famous as ‘Summerdown Kate’.

The first mention I can find of Summerdown Kate is in the Eastbourne Gazette of 21^st July 1915, which tells us that “Summerdown Kate, that forward minx is said to have another lover.”  She had appeared at Devonshire Park along with the Summerdown Camp Band in a concert on behalf of the ‘Drives Fund’.  The Drives Fund was to raise money to take small groups of convalescing soldiers on local drives in char-a-bancs.

I am lucky to have a set of Summerdown Camp Journals that were printed in Church Street, Eastbourne by my great uncle, Bert Bennett.  The very first edition, published in September 1915, reports on a farewell concert given for Lieutenant Bernard Yonge which tells us that Lance-Corporal Thomas gave his ‘now famous impersonation of Summerdown Kate’.  Later in the concert she tried to sit upon a horse played by Privates Hutchinson and Lambert but the horse was unable to support her and broke in half – the two halves then started to argue with each other!. 

This act was so popular it was recreated as ‘Summerdown Kate at the Gymkhana’.    On 8^th September 1915, a Gymkhana was held in the grounds of Compton Place in the presence of Lady Eleanore French the wife of Sir John French, the wife of the Commander in Chief of the Army.  The event started with the presentation of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to Quartermaster Sergeant Bond of the Middlesex Regiment, who was given a rousing cheer by all those present.  Events included Tilting the Bucket, Egg and Spoon Race, Sack Bumping and a Four Legged Race.  For a gymkhana, there appears to be a distinct lack of horses! It seems though that the star turn was Summerdown Kate the camp clown. The local press reported that between two and three thousand people were present at the event.

The Summerdown Camp Journal of October 1915 has the following announcement “Those desiring to start a new life should apply to Lance Corporal Thomas at the Recreation Room. Personal application is necessary and readers are reminded that Summerdown Kate is a man with merry wit”  I presume, (I hope!) that this was an advert to recruit new members to the camp’s entertainment team.

The reporter for the Eastbourne Chronicle (20^th November 1915) tells us that Lance Corporal Thomas, as Kate, was a born comedian, however the reporter for the Eastbourne Chronicle (22^nd April 1916) said that he had a ‘harrowing experience’ with her. (the mind boggles!)

Kate regularly amused the audience with comic songs. In April 1916 we are told that at one concert she  ‘mounted the rostrum looking as bewitching – and wicked – as ever and proceeded to conduct the orchestra in a style that would have done credit to Sousa himself’. 

The Summer Gymkhana for 1916, was again successful with Summerdown Kate appearing ‘in all her glory in her summer finery’. The list of games now included ‘mop-fighting’ and the ‘keenly contested jam and bun race’.  Lance Corporal Thomas was still performing as Summerdown Kate in May 1917 when (s)he appeared at a gala at Devonshire Park where her clothes ‘created quite a lot of envy amongst the lady spectators’ and ‘Kate seemed particularly fond of babies and officers!’.

It appears the last production that Lance-Corporal Thomas appeared in was a comedy called ‘Fewso The Flyer’  (a parody of Robinson Crusoe) at the Pier Theatre.  Thomas  appeared as Daisy Bell and the Eastbourne Gazette reported that he looked very pretty and his song was the one of the best numbers of the production. 

Early in 1918 the Camp Journal announced his departure with the headline ‘Chips has left the Camp’ it tells is that Lance Corporal ‘Chips’ Thomas was renowned for his singing, whistling and being known as ‘The Camp Lunatic’. But it was as Summerdown Kate that Chips would be remembered when he ‘kept the fun going on fast and furious, drawing roars of laughter from onlookers and other performers alike’

So what happened to Lance Corporal Thomas?   The marvellous Wellcome Museum Collection in London has a photograph of him published as a postcard and printed in 1916 by Compton’s of 32-34 High Street, Old Town, Eastbourne.   Summerdown Kate is wearing a long silk dress, a highly elaborate necklace and a huge floral hat. She is holding an umbrella in her gloved hand. She looks a bit like a maiden-aunt in an Oscar Wilde play!  

Mrs Bland has written on the back “I saw this lady? at the Wounded Soldiers Camp. He does not seem at all ill.”  And that is the problem. Despite his popularity as an entertainer in Eastbourne he was, first and foremost, a soldier. The purpose of the Summerdown Camp was to convalesce wounded soldiers and return them to the front.  The Camp Journal reports that, on some weeks, over 200 newly injured men arrived at Camp and every week dozens of men left.  Even if he was a popular entertainer, once Lance-Corporal Thomas was fit he needed to return to his regiment. 

I have only been able to trace one R.C. Thomas in the Norfolk Regiment and that is Private 5763619 Thomas whose home address was in Ridley Street, Ealing London W13.  He saw service in India at the latter end of the war, but I have not been able to find out further details.  

Was Summerdown Kate posted to India?  One can’t help thinking of the comedy ‘It Ain’t Half Hot Mum’ and its female impersonator ‘Gloria’ played by Melvyn Hayes.  I would be very surprised if ‘Kate’ did not find a role in the entertainment business after the war.  If so he did not use the name Summerdown Kate! 

I would welcome more information about this colourful character.