The Beaconsfield Society is calling for the history of Wilton Park to be permanently recognised before the site is demolished and redeveloped into housing.

Former Ministry of Defence site Wilton Park, in Beaconsfield Old Town, has been earmarked for a development of around 350 homes as well as a new community hub and other recreational facilities, by Inland Homes.

During WWII, Wilton Park, along with Latimer House near Amersham, became highly significant sites in the ‘secret war’ against Nazi Germany.

More than 120 residents attended a talk by historian Dr Helen Fry at The Beaconsfield Society’s AGM earlier this month and heard how it was at these sites that, under the command of MI6 spymaster Colonel Thomas Kendrick, British Intelligence bugged the conversations of German prisoners-of-war to glean information that they would not offer during interrogation.

The prisoners’ cells were bugged and a team of ‘secret listeners’ in a secret room monitored and recorded all their conversations - from the moment they woke until the time they went to sleep, every day of the year, including Christmas Day.

The Beaconsfield Society are now thinking of ways they can commemorate the site’s rich history and the people that worked there.

Kari Dorme, committee member, said: “The army moved out of the site last year and the Beaconsfield Society feels that it is important to raise awareness of what happened there before it is developed. The Beaconsfield Society is seeking to find fitting ways of doing so, before this part of our town’s heritage is lost to view.

“We have some ideas about what we want to do but we want the backing of the town council.

“We had another talk in April by Sarah Paterson, senior librarian at the Imperial War Museum, and she suggested we preserve one of the small original buildings that were used for interrogation, which may not be viable but it is a nice idea and something we could work towards.”

Other suggestions include a heritage board outlining the history of the site, a plaque, or statue of one of the ‘secret listeners.’

Ms Dorme said: “We could even think about naming some of the new roads after some of the people who worked there, including Colonel Thomas Kendrick.

“We really do need to acknowledge this important place which has so much history. We should do something quite substantial.

“Inland Homes have managed to save a beautiful mosaic that is now in a safe place. They say it is in a good condition and that could be on display to the public.

“Most of the Wilton Park site is soon to be demolished, replaced by a development of 350 new houses. Most of the WWII buildings have already gone. But the site’s internationally significant history deserves proper commemoration.”

The society is also welcoming suggestions from residents.

Visit www.beaconsfieldsociety.org.uk for more information.