A ‘band of brothers' of former university students and public schoolboys set up camp in Epsom, where they paraded down its high street and were inspected by Lord Kitchener.

The University and Public Schools Brigade created its military camp on the Woodcote Park estate, owned by the Royal Automobile Club.

Local historian Clive Gilbert said: "When war broke out the great and the good of university and public schools said 'we will band together and have our own brigade'.

"They advertised in the Times and about 4,000 men descended on Epsom, Leatherhead and Ashtead."

These recruits were billeted in homes until they had finished building huts at the camp and made up four battalions of the Royal Fusiliers.

And, in January 1915, Lord Kitchener inspected them in blizzard conditions.

Mr Gilbert added: "It was treated as an officers’ training camp. It’s a fascinating story and Epsom should be quite proud of it."