Bulford Camp Explained

Bulford Camp
Type:Military Base
Map Type:Wiltshire
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within Wiltshire
Location:Bulford
Coordinates:51.1911°N -1.7342°W
Ownership:Ministry of Defence
Built:1897
Used:1897–present
Built For:War Office
Controlled By:Headquarters South West

Bulford Camp is a military camp on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. Established in 1897, the site continues in use as a large British Army base. The camp is close to the village of Bulford and is about NaNmiles north-east of the town of Amesbury. The camp forms part of the Tidworth, Netheravon and Bulford (TidNBul) Garrison.[1]

History

The camp was built as a mixture of tents and huts in 1897.[2] The section called Sling Camp was occupied by soldiers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the First World War. At the end of the war, the overcrowded camp was the site of the Battle of Bulford, when New Zealand troops staged a brief mutiny.[3] [4] Later, New Zealanders awaiting demobilization left their mark by creating the Bulford Kiwi, a large chalk figure on the hillside overlooking the camp.[5] [6]

Permanent barracks were built during the inter-war years: the current names were applied in 1931.[7] Carter Barracks, a hutted camp north of Bulford Droveway, beyond the northern boundary of the present site, were built in 1939-40 and demolished in 1978.

Headquarters South West District was established at the camp in 1967,[8] but was disbanded on the formation of HQ Land Command in 1995.[9]

Today

The modern-day Bulford Camp is on two sites, separated by Marlborough Road, altogether about 116ha.[10] The eastern area contains Picton Barracks which since 1992 has housed the headquarters of 3rd (UK) Division and its Signals Regiment.[11] Kiwi Barracks, where many of the streets are named after New Zealand towns, houses 3rd Regiment Royal Military Police.[12] 5th Battalion The Rifles moved to Bulford Camp from Germany in 2016.[13]

The western side contains Ward Barracks which houses the headquarters of 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade.[14] The headquarters of the former Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police was housed at Campion Lines, until it was disbanded in 2022.[15]

The Household Cavalry Regiment moved from Combermere Barracks to Bulford Camp in May 2019.[16]

For administrative reasons, the camp falls under the command of Headquarters South West, based at Tidworth Camp.[17] [18] [19]

The camp forms part of the Salisbury Plain 'Super Garrison'.[20] [21]

Composition

The current camp includes the following units (separated by barracks/lines):

Churches

The garrison church of St George was built in 1920–1927.[56] Pevsner describes it as "large, Perpendicular, spick and span and smug".[57]

The Catholic church of Our Lady Queen of Peace was built in 1968, replacing a church of Our Lady of Victories which was opened in 1925.[58]

Schools

Kiwi Primary School, under County Council control since 1948, serves the garrison from a building which was opened in 1965.[59]

The first school at the camp was opened in Wing Barracks before 1915, then transferred to the County Council in 1948 and renamed Wing County Junior School in 1955. In 1963 this school was combined with Kiwi Infants' County School to form the present Kiwi School.[60] Until 1997 there was a second primary school, Haig County Primary School.[61] [62]

Former railway

In 1906 the Amesbury and Military Camp Light Railway was extended from into the garrison. The station within the garrison was the terminus for personnel while a goods track extended into Sling Camp. This extension was removed in 1933; the whole line closed to passengers in 1952 but goods services continued until 1963.[63]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Garrison Commander assists with construction of new Officers' Mess. 20 December 2017. Aspire Defence Limited. 26 March 2021.
  2. Web site: Bulford Camp Then and Now. 5 April 2014. 25 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150925061244/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-416000-141000/page/5. dead.
  3. "Merely For the Record": The Memoirs of Donald Christopher Smith 1894-1980. By Donald Christopher Smith. Edited by John William Cox, Jr. Bermuda. (A Bermudian officer (1914 Rhodes Scholar for Bermuda, later a prominent lawyer, and a Member of the Colonial Parliament (MCP) of Bermuda for twenty years) serving in the Royal Field Artillery, Lieutenant Smith's unit, among others, was sent with small arms to surround Bulford Camp for two days, after which the mutiny fizzled out).
  4. Web site: Bermuda Rhodes Scholars - Details. www.rhodes.bm.
  5. Web site: Facelift for the Bulford Kiwi. Drumbeat. July 2007. 23 November 2014.
  6. Web site: Recognition for a giant chalk kiwi, but some of the history is a bit awry. Michael Daly. Drumbeat. June 16, 2017. May 25, 2020.
  7. Web site: Bulford. Wiltshire Community History. 23 November 2014.
  8. Book: Paxton, J.. The Statesman's Year-Book 1972-73: The Encyclopaedia for the Businessman-of-The-World. 104. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 1972. 978-0-230-27101-2.
  9. "Land Command Shapes Up", Jane's Defence Weekly, 15 July 1995.
  10. Aspire Defence Capital Works, Army Basing Programme: Bulford Garrison – Built Heritage Assessment. June 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  11. Web site: 3 Regiment. British Army units 1945 on. 23 November 2014.
  12. Web site: The location in the UK of each army regiment. Ministry of Defence. 1 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151208105016/http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2015/12/17713-army-answered/. 8 December 2015. dead. dmy-all.
  13. Web site: 5 Rifles. Ministry of Defence. 24 May 2016.
  14. Web site: 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade. Ministry of Defence. 23 November 2014.
  15. Web site: Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch. Ministry of Defence. 23 November 2014.
  16. Web site: Household Cavalry parade marks departure for Bulford. 18 May 2019. Military Times. 13 August 2019. 5 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201205101120/https://www.themilitarytimes.co.uk/news/household-cavalry-parade-marks-departure-for-bulford/. dead.
  17. Web site: 16 October 2019. Army Basing Programme, PAC Information Leaflet – Issue 16 October 2019. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200710204306/https://www.army.mod.uk/umbraco/Surface/Download/Get/13170 . 10 July 2020 . 10 July 2020. army.mod.uk.
  18. Web site: 18 January 2019. Army Basing Programme for Wiltshire. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200710192411/https://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/documents/s156489/Army%20Rebasing%20update.pdf . 10 July 2020 . 10 July 2020. cms.wiltshire.gov.uk.
  19. Web site: 10 July 2019. Army Basing Programme, SPTA SFA Information Leaflet – Issue 10 July 2019. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200711234105/https://www.army.mod.uk/umbraco/Surface/Download/Get/11757 . 11 July 2020 . 10 July 2020. army.mod.uk.
  20. Web site: Britain's new super-garrisons. 2021-03-26. openDemocracy. en.
  21. Ministry of Defence, Army Basing Programme: Salisbury Plain Masterplan. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  22. Web site: 14 June 2017. The Bulford Kiwi Granted Protected Status. 2020-07-15. Forces Network. en.
  23. Web site: Kirstie Chambers. 28 June 2019. Bulford Kiwi: 100 Years Of Monument Commemorated. 2020-07-15. Forces Network. en.
  24. Web site: Army 2020 Refine changes since 2017. 2019-10-10. Dropbox. en.
  25. Web site: Provost Companies 101 to 169 - British Army units from 1945 on. 27 March 2021.
  26. Web site: Ministry of Defence. July 2013. Transforming the British Army an Update. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140325181706/http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2014-0042/20140110-PQ01968B-SOames-A2020-Update-Glossy-U.pdf . 25 March 2014 . 31 January 2021. Parliamentary Publishments.
  27. Web site: 3rd (United Kingdom) Division. 2021-03-10. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  28. Web site: Corps of Royal Engineers. 2021-02-11. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  29. Web site: 1 October 2019. FOIA Army 2020 Refine clarifications B. 12 October 2019. Whatdotheyknow. Which Royal Engineer Regiments will move to 25th Close Support Engineer Group tosupport the Strike Brigades and which will remain as part of 12th Force Support Group under 8 Engineer Brigade? Information not held. Under Section 16 of the Act (Advice and Assistance) it might be helpful if I explain that no units transfer from 12 Force Support Group to 25 Close Support Engineer Group.
  30. Web site: . 16 July 2019. ROYAL ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION – CENTRAL SOUTHERN GROUP ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) – SUN 29 SEPT 19. 12 October 2019. reahq.org.uk. Royal Engineers Association. .
  31. Web site: 2017-09-15. 8 Engineer Brigade - British Army Website. 2021-03-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20170915194202/https://www.army.mod.uk/structure/40642.aspx. 15 September 2017.
  32. Web site: Royal Engineer Yacht Club Main Committee Meeting – Offshore Report. 1. 27 March 2021.
  33. Web site: Order of Battle, Manpower, and Basing Locations. 14 July 2020. parliament.uk.
  34. Web site: 3 (UK) Division Signal Regiment. 2021-03-10. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  35. News: Bulford soldiers awarded Afghanistan service medals. BBC News. 7 September 2011. 27 March 2021.
  36. Web site: 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade. 2020-10-25. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  37. FOI(A) Response, Information related to the Army 2020 Refine. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  38. Web site: Mercian Regiment. 2021-03-10. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  39. Web site: The Mercian Regiment – Case Study by Rug Couture. 27 March 2021.
  40. Web site: History of 12 Mech Bde HQ and Sig Sqn (228). https://web.archive.org/web/20160910234639/https://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/History_of_12_Mech_Bde_HQ_and_Sig_Sqn.pdf. 10 September 2016. 27 March 2021.
  41. Web site: Intelligence Corps Battalions. 2021-03-10. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  42. Rosie Laydon, A Happy "Retreat" for 5 RIFLES, 26 September 2016. Forces News. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  43. Web site: 5 Rifles Take on Ceremonial Duties. 2021-03-10. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  44. Web site: 5th Battalion, The Rifles passed fit for London public duties. 2021-03-10. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  45. Web site: 5 RIFLES. 2021-03-10. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  46. Web site: Training Wing Building 32. 14 July 2020. apply.army.mod.uk.
  47. Web site: 7 RIFLES. 2021-03-10. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  48. Web site: Royal Logistic Corps Bulford. 14 July 2020. apply.army.mod.uk.
  49. Web site: British Army units from 1945 on - Squadrons 11 to 20. 2021-03-10. british-army-units1945on.co.uk.
  50. Web site: 27 Regiment RLC. 2021-03-10. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  51. https://issuu.com/lgregsec/docs/hcav-journal-2019-finaledit_no_orbat Household Cavalry Journal for 2019
  52. Web site: Household Cavalry. 2020-10-25. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  53. Web site: Army/Sec/21/04/FOI2017/02130/78471. 21 June 2017. www.gov.uk. UK Army Secretariat.
  54. Web site: First Ares Armoured Vehicles Delivered to the Army. 2021-03-10. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
  55. Web site: Defence Serious Crime Unit (DSCU) . 2023-10-27 . GOV.UK . en.
  56. Web site: Wiltshire Community History. Church of St. George, Bulford. Wiltshire Council. 9 March 2016.
  57. Book: Pevsner . Nikolaus . Nikolaus Pevsner . Cherry . Bridget (revision) . 1975 . 1963 . Wiltshire . . 2nd . Harmondsworth . . 0-14-0710-26-4 . 152.
  58. Web site: British History Online. Victoria County History - Wiltshire - Vol 15 pp 61-70 - Parishes: Bulford. D.A.. Crowley. University of London. 9 March 2016.
  59. Web site: Wiltshire Community History. Kiwi School, Bulford. Wiltshire Council. 9 March 2016.
  60. Web site: Wiltshire Community History. Wing County Junior School, Bulford. Wiltshire Council. 9 March 2016.
  61. Web site: Wiltshire Community History. Haig County Primary School, Bulford. Wiltshire Council. 9 March 2016.
  62. Web site: Haig County Primary School. EduBase. Department for Education. 9 March 2016.
  63. Book: Oakley. Mike. Wiltshire Railway Stations. 2004. The Dovecote Press. Wimborne. 1904349331. 27.

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