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HMS Royal Arthur (shore establishment)
Encyclopedia
HMS Royal Arthur was a shore establishment of the Royal Navy
, initially at Ingoldmells
near Skegness
, and later at Corsham
, Wiltshire
.
The first Royal Arthur was previously a Butlins
holiday camp and was commissioned as a training establishment on 22 September 1939. It served during the Second World War, becoming the central reception depot for new naval entries after HMS Raleigh
was transferred to the Army in February 1944. Royal Arthur continued in service until being paid off in 1946.
as a leadership training establishment, and one of several assessment camps where new recruits were assessed, kitted out and sent to their various depots. Its most notable trainee was the then Philip Mountbatten
, shortly before his wedding to Princess Elizabeth
.
The last recruits arrived on 31 October 1949 and on 15 March 1950 it ceased to be used for training National Service
inductees and concentrated on leadership training of Petty Officer
s at the instigation of Lord Louis Mountbatten
.
The name was then transferred to the recently paid off Camp Kingsmoor on 16 March 1950. The camp continued in service until the last trainees left on 11 December 1992 and personnel finally left on 5 March 1993.
The site has suffered heavy vandalism since its abandonment, although there have been proposals for redevelopment as a retirement village. Plans to redevelop or demolish the site have been hampered by the presence of asbestos
.
Lincolnshire°N Wiltshire°W
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, initially at Ingoldmells
Ingoldmells (holiday camp)
Butlins Skegness , formerly Butlin's Skegness or Funcoast World; is a holiday camp located in Ingoldmells near Skegness in Lincolnshire, England...
near Skegness
Skegness
Skegness is a seaside town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. Located on the Lincolnshire coast of the North Sea, east of the city of Lincoln it has a total resident population of 18,910....
, and later at Corsham
Corsham
Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in north west Wiltshire, England. It is at the south western extreme of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 which was formerly the main turnpike road from London to Bristol, between Bath and Chippenham ....
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
.
Skegness
The first Royal Arthur was previously a Butlins
Butlins
Butlins is a chain of large holiday camps in the United Kingdom. Butlins was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families....
holiday camp and was commissioned as a training establishment on 22 September 1939. It served during the Second World War, becoming the central reception depot for new naval entries after HMS Raleigh
HMS Raleigh (shore establishment)
HMS Raleigh is the modern-day basic training facility of the Royal Navy at Torpoint, Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is spread over several square miles, and has damage control simulators and fire-fighting training facilities...
was transferred to the Army in February 1944. Royal Arthur continued in service until being paid off in 1946.
Corsham
The establishment was recommissioned on 2 January 1947 in Westwells Road, CorshamCorsham
Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in north west Wiltshire, England. It is at the south western extreme of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 which was formerly the main turnpike road from London to Bristol, between Bath and Chippenham ....
as a leadership training establishment, and one of several assessment camps where new recruits were assessed, kitted out and sent to their various depots. Its most notable trainee was the then Philip Mountbatten
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
, shortly before his wedding to Princess Elizabeth
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
.
The last recruits arrived on 31 October 1949 and on 15 March 1950 it ceased to be used for training National Service
Conscription in the United Kingdom
Conscription in the United Kingdom has existed for two periods in modern times. The first was from 1916 to 1919, the second was from 1939 to 1960, with the last conscripted soldiers leaving the service in 1963...
inductees and concentrated on leadership training of Petty Officer
Petty Officer
A petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
s at the instigation of Lord Louis Mountbatten
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
.
The name was then transferred to the recently paid off Camp Kingsmoor on 16 March 1950. The camp continued in service until the last trainees left on 11 December 1992 and personnel finally left on 5 March 1993.
The site has suffered heavy vandalism since its abandonment, although there have been proposals for redevelopment as a retirement village. Plans to redevelop or demolish the site have been hampered by the presence of asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
.
External links
Lincolnshire°N Wiltshire°W