Colchester Garrison

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Main article: History of Colchester

The Colchester Garrison is a British Army base located in Colchester in the county of Essex. The Colchester Garrison has been an important military base since the Roman era. The first permanent military garrison in Colchester was established by the Legio XX Valeria Victrix in AD 43 following the Claudian invasion of Britain. Colchester was an important barracks during the Napoleonic Wars and throughout the Victorian era. During the First World War several battalions of Kitchener's Army were trained there. Today there are new and modern barracks outside the town to free up building land in the centre and replace the Victorian buildings. There are hopes that some of the original architecture will be conserved for heritage.

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[edit] Napoleonic Wars (1792-1815)

The Colchester Garrison was an important barracks during the Napoleonic Wars. Originally the troops were billeted in local inns and houses. After petitioning from the borough council, in 1794 new infantry barracks were built to serve the garrison. By 1800 additional infantry, artillery, and cavalry barracks had been built on the area bounded by Barrack Street to the north, Wimpole Road on the west, and Port Lane in the east. In 1805 the barracks were home to 7,000 officers and men. After the Napoleonic Wars the barracks were reduced. The sale of the older barracks and the freehold site on which they stood started in 1817 and was completed in 1840. The Army retained 14 acres and an infantry barracks for 851 officers and men. Much of the old barracks land was developed as the "New Town" area of Colchester during the Victorian era. [1]

[edit] Crimean War (1854-1856)

The Colchester Garrison experienced a rapid expansion during the Crimean War. Between 1855 and 1856 wooden infantry barracks for 5,000 troops were erected on Ordnance Field. In 1857 the government purchased 167-acre Middlewick Farm for use as a training area and rifle range. The Middlewick Ranges are still in use by the present garrison. [2]

[edit] British German Legion

In 1856 10,000 troops of the British German Legion were billeted in the infantry barracks and in tented encampments on Barrack Field. [3] The British German Legion was raised in 1856 as a foreign corps in British service (similar to the Kings German Legion during the Napoleonic Wars). The Legion was raised for service in the Crimean War, under the provisions of the Enlistment of Foreigners Act 1854. [4] The Legion did not see active service and was disbanded at Colchester in 1857. [5]

[edit] Garrison Church

The old Garrison Church was a former Crimean War era hospital similar to those shipped in prefabricated sections to Florence Nightingale at Scutari and Balaklava. It was built in 1854 and is the oldest surviving garrison building.

In Easter 2007, services transferred to a new Church built on the St. Michaels estate in the married quarters. It's situated behind the Community Centre, and was built as part of the ongoing regeneration of Colchester Garrison.

[edit] First World War (1914-1918)

[edit] Territorial Army

[edit] Essex Regiment

The Territorial Army (volunteer reserve) 1/8th Battalion Essex Regiment was based in Colchester at the outbreak of war in August 1914. Additional "Terrier" battalions were raised from volunteers during the early months of the war. The 2/8th Battalion was formed in September 1914 and 3/8th Battalion was formed in April 1915. All three Terrier battalions were allocated to home defence and remained in Britain throughout the war. [6]

[edit] Essex Yeomany

The Essex Yeomanry Cavalry Regiment was mobilised at the outbreak of war. The regiment joined the Royal Horse Guards and the 10th Royal Hussars in France in November 1914 as part of 8th Cavalry Brigade. [7] During the war, 2nd and 3rd line regiments were raised at Colchester to reinforce the 1st line. The 2nd Essex Yeomanry served as garrison troops in Ireland during the war, and the 3rd Essex Yeomanry was absorbed into the 4th Reserve Cavalry Regiment in 1917. In addition, 1/1st (Essex Yeomanry) Battery, RHA was mobilised at Colchester in 1914. The battery was a reserve Royal Horse Artillery formation aligned to the Essex Yeomanry. The battery served attached to 8th Cavalry Brigade in France from 1914-1918. [8] In April 1918, the 1st Essex Yeomanry was broken up as reinforcements for three other cavalry regiments. Lieutenant Colonel Whitmore of the EY was appointed to command the 10th Royal Hussars, the only Territorial officer without previous regular service to command a regular cavalry regiment.

[edit] Kitchener's Army

The 12th (Eastern) Division was organised at Colchester from August 1914 to February 1915. The division was one of the first New Army divisions to be formed, as part of K1. The division included Kitchener battalions from the Essex Regiment, the Suffolk Regiment, the Norfolk Regiment, the Royal Berkshire Regiment, the Cambridgeshire Regiment, the Royal Fusiliers, the Queen's Regiment, The Buffs, the Royal West Kent Regiment, and the East Surrey Regiment. The division moved to France in 1915 and fought at the Battle of Loos (1915), the Battle of the Somme (1916), [9], the Battle of Cambrai (1917), and the Battle of the Hindenburg Line (1918).

[edit] Second World War (1939-1945)

[edit] 4th Infantry Division

At the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 Colchester was the home garrison of 4th Infantry Division. Resident units at the outbreak of war on 3rd September 1939 included 2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, 1st Battalion East Surrey Regiment, 1st Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, 17th/21st Lancers, 27th Field Regiment Royal Artillery, 30th Field Regiment Royal Artillery, and 14th Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery. The division deployed to France in 1940 as part of the British Expeditionary Force.

[edit] Home Guard

During the war the town was defended by local defence volunteers of 8th Essex Battalion of the Home Guard. At the height of its strength the battalion mustered over 2,000 volunteers. The battalion possessed no fewer than 22 different types of weapon, including Vickers machine guns, flame throwers, and 2 pounder anti tank guns. Additional support throughout the area was provided by 13th Essex Battalion, comprising of volunteers from the GPO who were charged with the protection of critical telecommunications infrastructure.

The order to "stand down" the Home Guard came on 1 November 1944. The Essex Home Guard took its final salute on 19 November before the Lord Lieutenant of the county, Colonel Sir Francis Whitmore. Whitmore said, "You have, by your sense of duty, your loyalty and patriotism, contributed pages of tradition to the historical records of our nation... you took a prominent part in the defence of our country at the most critical period of the war... In the name of the County of Essex, I thank you." [10]

Operational units of the Auxiliary Units served in the Colchester area during the war, although their existence and activities remained little-known to the public until the 1990s.

[edit] Colchester Stop Line

During the war the town was ringed by over 120 pillboxes or other defensive structures as part of the Colchester Stop Line. A small number of pillboxes can still be found around the borough, such as at Mount Bures [11], and the Hythe railway station [12].

[edit] Colchester Blitz

Air raid sirens sounded over 1000 times in Colchester during the course of the war. Colchester was "blitzed" by the Luftwaffe on several occasions[13] that included:

  • Severalls Raid - On 11 August 1942 38 citizens were killed when a German plane dropped a stick of bombs on Severalls Hospital.
  • Chapel Street Raid - On 28 September 1942 8 citizens were killed when a Dornier 217 dropped four bombs on South Street and Essex Street. The air raid siren, in this case, only sounded after the bombs had already dropped, causing outcry in the town.
  • St Botolphs Raid - In February 1944 a large Luftwaffe firebombing raid dropped a stream of 1400 incendiary bombs on the St Botolphs area of the town, destroying 14 buildings and seriously damaging 99 buildings. Two-thirds of the Paxman Britannia Works was destroyed during the raid.

Home Guard antiaircraft batteries were established on Abbey Field and engaged enemy aircraft 14 times during a 21 month period.

[edit] Americans in Colchester

In January 1942 the first American military personnel arrived in Britain. A significant American presence was established in the Colchester area, with many air bases of US Eighth Air Force located in the district - at Earls Colne, Langham, Wormingford, Messing, and Dedham. In accordance with racial segregation of the American military during World War Two, the American Red Cross established separate social clubs for black GIs at St Botolph's parish hall and for white GIs in St Nicholas Street.

[edit] Colchester Garrison today

[edit] 16 Air Assault Brigade

The Colchester Garrison is currently home to the British Army's elite 16th Air Assault Brigade [14]. The brigade has 3 air assault infantry battalions, 3 air assault aviation battalions, 1 artillery regiment, and supporting units (engineer, signals, logistics, medical). The brigade has deployed in support of Operation Bessemer (Macedonia), Operation Fingal (Afghanistan), Operation Telic (Iraq) and Operation Herrick 4 (Afghanistan).

[edit] Barracks

[edit] Territorial Army

Colchester has a proud tradition of its citizen volunteers serving in the Territorial Army. During the Second World War Colchester's "Terriers" included 2nd/5th Battalion Essex Regiment, and 104th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery (Essex Yeomanry). The Territorial Army is currently represented in Colchester by 45 (Essex & Cinque Ports) Signal Squadron, 36 (Eastern) Signal Regiment (Volunteers) [15] and Troop, 202 Squadron, 158 (Royal Anglian) Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (Volunteers).

[edit] MCTC

Berechurch Hall Camp is the home of the Army's Military Corrective Training Centre which incorporates the Naval Detention Quarters and is the last remaining military prison in the United Kingdom. [16]

[edit] Garrison Radio

Garrison Radio in Colchester launched in 2001 after test transmissions. They broadcast from studios on the married quarters of Colchester Garrison. In May 2006 Colchester Garrison radio switched to 107FM from 1350AM, after successfully receiving a Community Licence. On air they became 107 Garrison FM

In November 2005 the feed from Garrison FM began broadcasting to the Army Training Regiment in Bassingbourn on 1287AM as well as Colchester.

Colchester Garrison FM is part of the Garrison Radio network which also has stations in Aldershot, Salisbury Plain, Catterick and Edinburgh. Four of these five stations are now broadcasting on FM.

[edit] Heritage

There are several surviving Victorian era barracks no longer in use by the Army. It is hoped that some of the buildings may be preserved (possibly converted to museum use) to preserve their architectural heritage. Many older buildings have already been demolished.

[edit] Former barracks (not in use)

  • Cavalry Barracks (Circular Road West)- former cavalry barracks, built between 1862 and 1863, occasionally used as transit camp. The large parade ground of the Cavalry barracks served as the backdrop for the opening credits of Blackadder Goes Forth and in a scene in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.
  • Le Cateau Barracks (Circular Road West) - former name Royal Artillery Barracks, built 1874-1875

[edit] Former barracks (demolished)

  • Sobraon Barracks - former infantry barracks, built 1900, demolished 1960s
  • Military Hospital - Victorian building, demolished 1990s
  • Cherrytree camp - opposite Cherrytree Pub on Mersea Road - Former home of 19 Brigade in use 1960s - Built before WWI as temporary accommodation for Kitchener's Army - Now a housing estate

[edit] Colchester Garrison in popular culture

[edit] External links