Shackleton Barracks

Shackleton Barracks
Ballykelly
Shackleton Barracks Location within Northern Ireland
Coordinates	55°03′16″N 07°01′12″W / 55.05444°N 7.02000°W / 55.05444; -7.02000Coordinates: 55°03′16″N 07°01′12″W / 55.05444°N 7.02000°W / 55.05444; -7.02000
Type	Barracks
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	British Army
Site history
Built	1971
In use	1971-2008
Garrison information
Occupants	2nd Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment

Shackleton Barracks is a former military installation at Ballykelly in Northern Ireland.

History

The site formerly known as RAF Ballykelly was handed over to the British Army as Shackleton Barracks on 2 June 1971.^[1] Battalion HQ and HQ Company of the 5th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment arrived there shortly after the barracks opened. The village of Ballykelly suffered badly in 1982 with the Droppin Well bombing which resulted in the loss of eighteen lives including both local civilians and soldiers from Shackleton Barracks. 5th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment moved out in 1992.^[1]

The camp became the HQ of 8th Infantry Brigade in October 2003 and the brigade remained there until it was disbanded and responsibility handed over to HQ 39th Infantry Brigade at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn on 1 September 2006. It was then home to an infantry battalion - 2nd Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.^[1]

The British Army vacated Shackleton Barracks in March 2008^[2] when 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment moved to Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich. Some 776 acres (3.14 km²) of land and 420 buildings were offered for sale by the Ministry of Defence at that time. The Welbeck Estate offered to buy the entire site but instead the MOD passed to it the Northern Ireland Assembly. However, in March 2009 the former Walworth Estate officers married quarter housing was sold to The Welbeck Estate Group/Squadron Investments and The Foyle estate to a local investment company.^[3]

References