Cavalry Barracks, Hounslow
Encyclopedia
Cavalry Barracks is a British Army
installation located north of Hounslow Heath
in Hounslow
, west London
. The site, which has been used for more than two centuries by the British Army, is currently part of the Ministry of Defence
's SLAM (single living accommodation modernisation) project to improve military accommodation. Hounslow was one of 40 new barracks established around London to guard against possible French invasion
in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
has been used for centuries to garrison Armies of The Crown
because of its proximity to London
, Windsor Castle
and Hampton Court. In the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell
marshalled an army on the heath at the end of the English Civil War
in 1647. James II
also camped his troops here to hold military exercises in an unsuccessful attempt to intimidate the Parliament in London shortly before the Glorious Revolution
.
In 1793 the area became a permanent barracks for troops using the heath when permanent buildings were erected because of the possible invasion by the French during the Napoleonic Wars
. The barracks became a busy depot for the London military district. Florence Nightingale
undertook some of her early training at Hounslow. By 1884 the barracks had its own railway station on the newly created London Underground
.
In 2007 MPs expressed concern in a report that some of the Victorian buildings at Cavalry Barracks were so bad that troops staying in tented camps in Afghanistan had better living conditions than those at Hounslow. Between March 2010 and mid-2011, the MoD has built 396 en-suite bed spaces in six new accommodation blocks to house 354 junior ranks and 42 for senior non-commissioned officers (SNCOs).
Cavalry Barracks remains today the home to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards
. The regiment is currently involved in public duties
in London and also preparing for their next operational tour in Afghanistan.
Until the 1970s, Cavalry Barracks was home to the (Army's) West London Communication Centre and the Hounslow Regimental Pay Office manned by members of the Royal Army Pay Corps
.
From 1981 to 1986 Cavalry barracks was the home of the 1st Bn Grenadier Guards
(1st Foot Guards). During their stay they mounted public duties in London and Windsor
. They were also responsible for providing military support to the civilian services at Heathrow Airport at the time of high terrorist threat from the IRA. The Battalion also deployed from Hounslow to South Armagh
in Northern Ireland.
Beavers Lane Camp, which was opposite the Cavalry Barracks, was the base until 1983 of 10 Signals Regiment, one of the British Army's communications Regiments. Beavers lane was later sold off and is now the site of a business park.
sentenced him to 150 lashes for insubordination
at Hounslow Barracks. He died a month later making him the last soldier to die after a flogging in the British Army. White was buried in nearby St Leonard's churchyard, Heston
. Calls for abolishment of flogging were made in Parliament; it was eventually outlawed in 1881.
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...
installation located north of Hounslow Heath
Hounslow Heath
Hounslow Heath is a public open space and local nature reserve to the west of Hounslow, a London borough. It now covers about , the residue of the historic Hounslow Heath that covered over .-History:...
in Hounslow
Hounslow
Hounslow is the principal town in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is a suburban development situated 10.6 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It forms a post town in the TW postcode area.-Etymology:...
, west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The site, which has been used for more than two centuries by the British Army, is currently part of the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
's SLAM (single living accommodation modernisation) project to improve military accommodation. Hounslow was one of 40 new barracks established around London to guard against possible French invasion
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
History
The area around Hounslow HeathHounslow Heath
Hounslow Heath is a public open space and local nature reserve to the west of Hounslow, a London borough. It now covers about , the residue of the historic Hounslow Heath that covered over .-History:...
has been used for centuries to garrison Armies of The Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
because of its proximity to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
and Hampton Court. In the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
marshalled an army on the heath at the end of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
in 1647. James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
also camped his troops here to hold military exercises in an unsuccessful attempt to intimidate the Parliament in London shortly before the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
.
In 1793 the area became a permanent barracks for troops using the heath when permanent buildings were erected because of the possible invasion by the French during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. The barracks became a busy depot for the London military district. Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
undertook some of her early training at Hounslow. By 1884 the barracks had its own railway station on the newly created London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
.
In 2007 MPs expressed concern in a report that some of the Victorian buildings at Cavalry Barracks were so bad that troops staying in tented camps in Afghanistan had better living conditions than those at Hounslow. Between March 2010 and mid-2011, the MoD has built 396 en-suite bed spaces in six new accommodation blocks to house 354 junior ranks and 42 for senior non-commissioned officers (SNCOs).
Cavalry Barracks remains today the home to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards
Welsh Guards
The Welsh Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division.-Creation :The Welsh Guards came into existence on 26 February 1915 by Royal Warrant of His Majesty King George V in order to include Wales in the national component to the Foot Guards, "..though the order...
. The regiment is currently involved in public duties
Public duties
Public duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role.-Germany:...
in London and also preparing for their next operational tour in Afghanistan.
Notable deployments
In late 1941 the 70th Bn. The Middlesex Regt DCO moved into Hounslow Cavalry Barracks. Known as the "Young Soldiers Battalion" because they were all 18 and 19 year old volunteers, they remained there at the barracks until they moved over the road into Beavers Lane Camp in 1942. Hounslow was the first time the troops had been formed together as a battalion since their formation in May 1940, having been scattered in small units in and around London guarding Vulnerable Points (VPs).Until the 1970s, Cavalry Barracks was home to the (Army's) West London Communication Centre and the Hounslow Regimental Pay Office manned by members of the Royal Army Pay Corps
Royal Army Pay Corps
The Royal Army Pay Corps was a former corps of the British Army responsible for administering all financial matters. It was amalgamated into the Adjutant General's Corps in 1992....
.
From 1981 to 1986 Cavalry barracks was the home of the 1st Bn Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
(1st Foot Guards). During their stay they mounted public duties in London and Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
. They were also responsible for providing military support to the civilian services at Heathrow Airport at the time of high terrorist threat from the IRA. The Battalion also deployed from Hounslow to South Armagh
South Armagh
South Armagh can refer to:*The southern part of County Armagh*South Armagh *South Armagh...
in Northern Ireland.
Beavers Lane Camp, which was opposite the Cavalry Barracks, was the base until 1983 of 10 Signals Regiment, one of the British Army's communications Regiments. Beavers lane was later sold off and is now the site of a business park.
Last fatality from flogging
In June 1846 Private Frederick John White was flogged after a Court-martialCourt-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
sentenced him to 150 lashes for insubordination
Insubordination
Insubordination is the act of willfully disobeying an authority. Refusing to perform an action that is unethical or illegal is not insubordination; neither is refusing to perform an action that is not within the scope of authority of the person issuing the order.Insubordination is typically a...
at Hounslow Barracks. He died a month later making him the last soldier to die after a flogging in the British Army. White was buried in nearby St Leonard's churchyard, Heston
Heston
Heston is a place in the London Borough of Hounslow, west London. It is a suburban development area, based on a former farming village west south-west of Charing Cross.-History:...
. Calls for abolishment of flogging were made in Parliament; it was eventually outlawed in 1881.
External links
- Hounslow HIVE http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceFor/ServiceCommunity/Hive/London/HounslowHive.htm
- Fallen Leaves http://fallenleaves.co.uk/locations.htm#hounslow
- The Keep (armoury)
- http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-439114-the-keep-armoury-to-hounslow-cavalry-bar
- Former Officers' Mess http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-439059-former-officers-mess-and-quarters-to-hou