Arborfield Garrison
Encyclopedia
Arborfield Garrison is a British Army
garrison
in the English
county of Berkshire
, approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) south east of the village of Arborfield Cross
. The Garrison and its associated housing estates are split between the civil parish
es of Arborfield and Newland
and Barkham
. Both parishes are within the unitary authority
of Wokingham
.
During the Second World War, the garrison functioned as the Army Technical School. Since its establishment, the garrison has been the location of a number of Army Apprentices College
and technical school
s, and has provided apprenticeships to an estimated 50,000 trainees.
The Garrison was also the home of "Depot" REME, this was housed at Poperinge
Barracks. The Barracks was named after a small town in Belgium and was previously located in the south-west of Arborfield Garrison, having been built back in 1939 to accommodate two Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiments of the Royal Artillery. These remained at Arborfield until just prior to D-Day in June 1944. Following their departure and up to July 1946, the barracks were then used as an Army depot for the assembly and dispatch of troops bound for service in north-west Europe.
In that month of July 1946, the REME Training Centre was formed and a Regimental Training Tactical Wing was established in the barracks - now to be known as 'Training Battalion and Depot REME'. The Barracks consisted of wooden huts mostly grouped in 'spiders', each spider being made up of six huts joined by corridors to central washing and utility rooms.
It was to be thirty-one years later, in October 1977, when Poperinge barracks finally closed as a training centre. Over the whole thirty-eight years of its existence, literally thousands of REME soldiers passed through the gates of Poperinge Barracks, on their way to operations and postings all over the world.
of the British Army
. Within the Garrison is a significant area of housing, containing a mixture of military and civilian properties.
The garrison contains Hazebrouck Barracks, which is a training base for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
(REME) School of Electronic and Aeronautical Engineering (SEAE). The potential craftsmen within SEAE, study in the school to learn a trade as aircraft technicians, avionics technicians, and electronics technicians, (which encompasses all maintenanence operatives for all land based electronic equipment).
The Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering (DCAE), established on 1 April 2004 as a result of the Defence Training Review (DTR), is responsible for training of aircraft and avionic technicians. This college from its conception has been integrated as part of SEAE.
The REME Museum of Technology
is situated adjacent to the Hazebrouck Barracks main gate.
moved their training facilities to Hogwood Park, located within the garrison.
in July 2011 that Lyneham will be the new site of the Defence Technical Training Change Programme centre. This coincides with the closure of REME's Technical training establishments at Arborfield Garrison and Borden Garrison
, both of which are due to move to Lyneham by 2015.
Under current plans the land will be sold to Wokingham District Council who wish to develop the land which will include 3,500 houses, retail units and a Secondary School.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) south east of the village of Arborfield Cross
Arborfield Cross
Arborfield Cross is a village in the English county of Berkshire. The village is situated at a cross-roads on the A327 road some 3 miles south-east of the large town of Reading, 3 miles west of the smaller town of Wokingham, and half a mile to the east of the smaller village of Arborfield...
. The Garrison and its associated housing estates are split between the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
es of Arborfield and Newland
Arborfield and Newland
Arborfield and Newland is a civil parish in the Wokingham district of Berkshire, England. It had a population of 2,228 according to the 2001 census. It includes Arborfield, Arborfield Cross and part of Arborfield Garrison.-External links:*...
and Barkham
Barkham
Barkham is a village and civil parish about south-west of the centre of Wokingham in Berkshire.-Geography:The old part of Barkham is the small settlement by the parish church at and close to Barkham Street...
. Both parishes are within the unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of Wokingham
Wokingham (district)
Wokingham is a local government district in Berkshire, United Kingdom. It is named after its main town, Wokingham. Other places in the district include Arborfield, Barkham, Charvil, Earley, Finchampstead, Hurst, Sonning, Remenham, Ruscombe, Shinfield, Twyford, Wargrave, Three Mile Cross, Winnersh,...
.
History
The garrison was established in 1911 as the Remount Depot, which supplied the military with horses for both operational and ceremonial purposes.During the Second World War, the garrison functioned as the Army Technical School. Since its establishment, the garrison has been the location of a number of Army Apprentices College
Army Apprentices College
The Army Apprentices College was a college system in the United Kingdom that offered military training, education and common core skills, leadership and adventurous training, character development, trade training.-Name changes:...
and technical school
Technical school
Technical school is a general term used for two-year college which provide mostly employment-preparation skills for trained labor, such as welding, culinary arts and office management.-Associations supporting technical schools:...
s, and has provided apprenticeships to an estimated 50,000 trainees.
The Garrison was also the home of "Depot" REME, this was housed at Poperinge
Poperinge
Poperinge is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, Flemish Region, and has a history going back to mediaeval times. The municipality comprises the town of Poperinge proper and surrounding villages. The area is famous for its hops and lace.-The town:Poperinge is situated...
Barracks. The Barracks was named after a small town in Belgium and was previously located in the south-west of Arborfield Garrison, having been built back in 1939 to accommodate two Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiments of the Royal Artillery. These remained at Arborfield until just prior to D-Day in June 1944. Following their departure and up to July 1946, the barracks were then used as an Army depot for the assembly and dispatch of troops bound for service in north-west Europe.
In that month of July 1946, the REME Training Centre was formed and a Regimental Training Tactical Wing was established in the barracks - now to be known as 'Training Battalion and Depot REME'. The Barracks consisted of wooden huts mostly grouped in 'spiders', each spider being made up of six huts joined by corridors to central washing and utility rooms.
It was to be thirty-one years later, in October 1977, when Poperinge barracks finally closed as a training centre. Over the whole thirty-eight years of its existence, literally thousands of REME soldiers passed through the gates of Poperinge Barracks, on their way to operations and postings all over the world.
Current use
Arborfield is currently the location of the Regimental Headquarters of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical EngineersRoyal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is a corps of the British Army that has responsibility for the maintenance, servicing and inspection of almost every electrical and mechanical piece of equipment within the British Army from Challenger II main battle tanks and WAH64 Apache...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. Within the Garrison is a significant area of housing, containing a mixture of military and civilian properties.
The garrison contains Hazebrouck Barracks, which is a training base for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is a corps of the British Army that has responsibility for the maintenance, servicing and inspection of almost every electrical and mechanical piece of equipment within the British Army from Challenger II main battle tanks and WAH64 Apache...
(REME) School of Electronic and Aeronautical Engineering (SEAE). The potential craftsmen within SEAE, study in the school to learn a trade as aircraft technicians, avionics technicians, and electronics technicians, (which encompasses all maintenanence operatives for all land based electronic equipment).
The Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering (DCAE), established on 1 April 2004 as a result of the Defence Training Review (DTR), is responsible for training of aircraft and avionic technicians. This college from its conception has been integrated as part of SEAE.
The REME Museum of Technology
REME Museum of Technology
The REME Museum of Technology is located south east of Reading. The museum holds collections of various technological artifacts associated with the work of the REME, the corps of the British Army responsible for the maintenance, servicing and inspection of electrical and mechanical equipment hence...
is situated adjacent to the Hazebrouck Barracks main gate.
Reading F.C.
In 2004, Reading F.C.Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
moved their training facilities to Hogwood Park, located within the garrison.
Future
It has been announced by the British Defence Secretary Dr Liam FoxLiam Fox
Liam Fox MP is a British Conservative politician, Member of Parliament for North Somerset, and former Secretary of State for Defence....
in July 2011 that Lyneham will be the new site of the Defence Technical Training Change Programme centre. This coincides with the closure of REME's Technical training establishments at Arborfield Garrison and Borden Garrison
Borden
-Places:Australia*Borden, Western AustraliaCanada*Borden, Saskatchewan*Borden, Ontario*Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island, formerly the town of Borden*Borden Peninsula, Nunavut, Canada*Borden Island, Nunavut, Canada...
, both of which are due to move to Lyneham by 2015.
Under current plans the land will be sold to Wokingham District Council who wish to develop the land which will include 3,500 houses, retail units and a Secondary School.