Shrapnel Barracks

Last updated

Shrapnel Barracks
Woolwich
London, Woolwich, Shrapnel Barracks (GHC).jpg
Greater London UK location map 2.svg
Red pog.svg
Shrapnel Barracks
Location within London
Coordinates 51°28′44″N0°03′04″E / 51.4789°N 0.0511°E / 51.4789; 0.0511 Coordinates: 51°28′44″N0°03′04″E / 51.4789°N 0.0511°E / 51.4789; 0.0511
TypeBarracks
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence
OperatorFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
Site history
Builtc.1853
In usec.1853-c.1965

The Shrapnel Barracks was a British army base providing living accommodation in Woolwich in southeast London from the mid-19th century until the 1960s. Named after Lieutenant General Henry Shrapnel (who invented the shrapnel shell and was for some years based at the nearby Royal Arsenal), it was situated to the northwest of the modern-day Stadium Road, on the western edge of Woolwich Common; the site is now occupied by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Contents

History

Early history

A "hutted camp" on the site "dating from the Crimea" (1853-1856) is recorded and was the base for cavalry units stationed in Woolwich. [1] (the Royal Artillery Barracks are nearby). The camp was in place before 1869 and is depicted as 'Hut Barracks' on the Ordnance Survey 1st edition map of that date. [2] The Royal Horse Infirmary of the Army Veterinary Department stood immediately to the south, and there were several stable blocks in the vicinity. [3]

Duke of York's Cottages

To the north of the barracks rows of huts had been laid out on the common, in lines running north-south, in the early years of the 19th century. They had been erected (with permission) by married artillerymen to house their own families (there were around a thousand married soldiers based in the Royal Artillery Barracks with no official housing provided). A contemporary account talked of "several hundreds" of these "mud huts" of which "the Government grew ashamed and had them replaced". [4] Because they obstructed military use of the common, the garrison commander replaced them with rudimentary single-room dwellings (a hundred, arranged in pairs back-to-back), strung along the edge of the road to Charlton. Their inhabitants were charged rent to defray the cost. Later, additional dwellings were built for married NCOs, and an infant school was added (paid for by subscriptions from officers). [5] The area was renamed the "Duke of York's cottages", though they were 'still always popularly called "the Huts"'. [4] After an outbreak of diphtheria, the insanitary and overcrowded dwellings were demolished in the late 1870s. [2] [6] In 1887 the Remount Establishment of the Army Remount Service was built on the site. [3]

Later history

In 1896 a new barracks was built and given the name Shrapnel Barracks; [7] (plans dating from 1897 are held at the National Archives in Kew). [8] They provided accommodation for a brigade of field artillery. A riding school and 'lines of new stables' were provided on the site. [9] In 1904, the barracks was the scene of a double tragedy in which a soldier shot his girlfriend and then himself. [10]

The old Hut Barracks, however, appear to have remained in use. Walter Besant in 1912 describes, from north to south: 'the remount depot, the shrapnel barracks with lines of new stables, the hut barracks, and the Royal Horse Infirmary, with stables beyond'. [11] The 1911 census listed 567 persons 'in the Shrapnel Barracks and Huts'. [12]

In 1910 the barracks were repurposed to serve as No. 1 (Eastern) Cavalry Depot. That year plans were drawn up by Harry Bell Measures for a new officers' mess and quarters, [13] which were under construction the following year. The cavalry depot remained operational through the First World War; after the war the barracks reverted to accommodating a field artillery brigade. [14]

During the Second World War, the barracks served as a mobilisation depot for regiments of artillery. [15] In the early stages of the war, an anti-aircraft battery was built on the common, just east of the barracks, and manned by a battery of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. In 1940 it was armed with four 4.5-inch guns, [3] helping protect areas of southeast London from enemy action; [16] In 1944 it was upgraded to eight gun emplacements, equipped with 3.7-inch guns. On 28 October 1944, a V-2 rocket exploded prematurely above the barracks without causing any casualties. [17]

The barracks was used by the Royal Artillery and the Women's Royal Army Corps before demolition in the 1960s. [2]

Hospital site

Plaque marking opening of Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital Plaque marking opening of Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital.jpg
Plaque marking opening of Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital

The site was subsequently used for construction of the £16m Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital. A foundation stone was laid in 1972, with the hospital opening five years later, [18] [19] and being officially opened on 1 November 1978. The hospital had 456 beds in 16 wards, and cared for servicemen and their families, Chelsea Pensioners and Far East Prisoner of War survivors, plus local civilians. It closed in 1995 following government defence cuts. In March 2001 it was reopened as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and was later (2006) rebuilt and extended, though some original features, such as the main entrance, remain. [20] The barracks name is recalled by a road, Shrapnel Close, skirting the western edge of part of the hospital site. [21]

Notable people connected with the barracks

Spike Milligan's father Leo joined the army as a boy soldier in the Royal Artillery at Shrapnel Barracks in 1904, [22] while journalist Bill Deedes was stationed there briefly in 1940. [23] Terence Thomas, Baron Thomas of Macclesfield was also stationed at the Shrapnel Barracks, in the 1950s. [24]

Related Research Articles

Royal Artillery Artillery arm of the British Army

The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises thirteen Regular Army regiments, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and five Army Reserve regiments.

Woolwich District in southeast London, England

Woolwich is a district in southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

Board of Ordnance English and British body responsible for forts

The Board of Ordnance was a British government body. Established in the Tudor period, it had its headquarters in the Tower of London. Its primary responsibilities were 'to act as custodian of the lands, depots and forts required for the defence of the realm and its overseas possessions, and as the supplier of munitions and equipment to both the Army and the Navy'. The Board also maintained and directed the Artillery and Engineer corps, which it founded in the 18th century. By the 19th century, the Board of Ordnance was second in size only to HM Treasury among government departments. The Board lasted until 1855, at which point it was disbanded.

Royal Arsenal Public community common, and housing, formerly a Military owned site

The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich is an establishment on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England, that was used for the manufacture of armaments and ammunition, proofing, and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was originally known as the Woolwich Warren, having begun on land previously used as a domestic warren in the grounds of a Tudor house, Tower Place. Much of the initial history of the site is linked with that of the Office of Ordnance, which purchased the Warren in the late 17th century in order to expand an earlier base at Gun Wharf in Woolwich Dockyard.

Kings Troop, Royal Horse Artillery Ceremonial mounted unit of the British Army

The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, is a ceremonial unit of the British Army, quartered at Woolwich. It is a mounted unit and all of its soldiers are trained to care for and drive teams of six horses, each team pulling a First World War-era QF 13-pounder gun; six teams are used in the unit's Musical Drive. The Troop's duties include firing salutes on royal and state occasions, participation in parades, and the duties of the Queen's Life Guard at Horse Guards for one month each year. The unit provides the gun carriage and team of black horses for state funerals. The unit is most often seen providing gun salutes on state occasions in Hyde Park, and Green Park.

Barracks Accommodation for military personnel or laborers

Barracks are usually a group of long buildings built to house military personnel or laborers. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word "barraca", but today barracks are usually permanent buildings for military accommodation. The word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes, and the plural form often refers to a single structure and may be singular in construction.

Woolwich Common

Woolwich Common is a common in Woolwich in southeast London, England. It is partly used as military land and partly as an urban park. Woolwich Common is a conservation area. It is part of the South East London Green Chain. It is also the name of a street on the east side of the common, as well as an electoral ward of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The population of the ward at the 2011 Census was 17,499.

Woolwich Garrison Garrison in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in London, England

Woolwich Garrison is a garrison or station of the British Army. Geographically it is in Woolwich, in the London Borough of Greenwich. In terms of command, it is within the Army's London District.

Royal Army Veterinary Corps Veterinary arm of the British Army

The Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC), known as the Army Veterinary Corps (AVC) until it gained the royal prefix on 27 November 1918, is an administrative and operational branch of the British Army responsible for the provision, training and care of animals. It is a small corps, forming part of the Army Medical Services.

Cavalry Barracks, Hounslow

Cavalry Barracks is a former British Army installation located north of Hounslow Heath in Hounslow, west London. Hounslow was one of 40 new barracks established around the country in the wake of the French Revolution, to guard against the dual threats of foreign invasion and domestic sedition. The barracks later became a busy depot for the London military district. The barracks have been described by Historic England as 'one of the most significant and complete barracks in the country'; as of June 2021 the site is scheduled to be developed as a sustainable living project by Hounslow Council.

Royal School of Artillery Military unit

The Royal School of Artillery (RSA) is the principal training establishment for artillery warfare in the British Army. Established in 1915, it is located at Larkhill, Wiltshire, on the south edge of Salisbury Plain in the United Kingdom. The School is the primary training facility for Royal Artillery recruits, and is also home to the Gunnery Training Team.

Colchester Garrison Military installation in Essex, England

Colchester Garrison is a major garrison located in Colchester in the county of Essex, Eastern England. It has been an important military base since the Roman era. The first permanent military garrison in Colchester was established by Legio XX Valeria Victrix in AD 43 following the Roman conquest of Britain. Colchester was an important garrison town during the Napoleonic Wars and throughout the Victorian era. During the First World War several battalions of Kitchener's Army were trained there. Now, 2nd Battalion and 3rd Battalion of The Parachute Regiment are based there. Today there are new barracks, which, in replacing the Victorian buildings, have made available building land slightly nearer the town centre.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, London Hospital in London, England

Queen Elizabeth Hospital is a hospital in Woolwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It was opened in March 2001 and serves patients from the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Bexley. The hospital was built to accommodate the services previously provided at Greenwich District Hospital and Brook General Hospital, and is a Private Finance Initiative hospital. It is managed by the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

Regimental depot Home base of a regiment

The regimental depot of a regiment is its home base for recruiting and training. It is also where soldiers and officers awaiting discharge or postings are based and where injured soldiers return to full fitness after discharge from hospital before returning to full duty. Normally, a variety of regimental stores will also be kept at the depot. The regimental depot is not the same as the regimental headquarters, though in practice the two will often be co-located in the same place.

The Army Remount Service was the body responsible for the purchase and training of horses and mules as remounts for the British Army between 1887 and 1942.

Invicta Park Barracks

Invicta Park Barracks is a military installation in Maidstone, Kent.

Structure of the British Army

The structure of the British Army of the United Kingdom (UK) will be reorganised in 2022 with the Future Soldier reform. The British Army is commanded by the Chief of the General Staff (CGS), with Army Headquarters which is located in Andover, Hampshire. Subordinate to that post, there is a Commander Field Army, and a personnel and UK operations command, Home Command.

Royal Marine Depot, Deal

The Royal Marine Depot, Deal was a military installation occupied by the Royal Marines and located in South Deal, Kent, on the road to Walmer. The Depot was first established in Deal in 1861, occupying part of the Royal Naval Hospital. In 1868 the Depot expanded and took over the nearby 18th-century Army barracks.

St Georges Garrison Church, Woolwich Church in London, England

St George's Garrison Church is a ruined church in Woolwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, South East London. It was built in 1862-63 as a Church of England place of worship for the Woolwich Royal Artillery garrison. The church was hit by a V-1 flying bomb in 1944 and largely destroyed by fire. The restored ruin with its canopied roof, its blue, red and yellow brick walls, its mosaics and a memorial garden is open to the public on Sundays.

Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich Barracks in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in London, England

Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich, is a barracks of the British Army which forms part of Woolwich Garrison. The Royal Regiment of Artillery had its headquarters here from 1776 until 2007, when it was moved to Larkhill Garrison.

References

  1. ↑ "Summer meeting (June 2007): Woolwich: Home of the Royal Artillery 1716-2007". Royal Artillery Historical Society. RAHS. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Newsome, Sarah; Williams, Andrew (2009). An Archaeological Survey of Woolwich Common. English Heritage. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Newsome, Sarah; Williams, Andrew. "Woolwich Common, Woolwich, Greater London: An Archaeological Survey of Woolwich Common and Its Environs". Historic England. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  4. 1 2 Grover, Lieut G. E. (c.1870), "Historical Notes on the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich". Minutes of Proceedings of the Royal Artillery Institution
  5. ↑ Saint, A; Guillery, P. (2012). Woolwich - Survey of London, Volume 48. London: Yale Books. p. 439.
  6. ↑ Guillery, Peter; Saint, Andrew (2012). Survey of London: Ch. 10: Woolwich Common and Royal Military Academy Areas. English Heritage. ISBN   9780300187229 . Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  7. ↑ Jocelyn, Colonel Julian R. J. (1911). The History of the Royal Artillery (Crimean Period). J. Murray. p. 52.
  8. ↑ "Woolwich: plans and section of Shrapnel Barracks". The National Archives. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  9. ↑ Besant, Walter (1912). London: South of the Thames, Volume 10. Edinburgh: A. & C. Black. p. 206.
  10. ↑ "Shot in Barracks". Past Papers: STAR, ISSUE 8156, 2 NOVEMBER 1904. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  11. ↑ Besant, Walter (1912). London: South of the Thames, Volume 10. Edinburgh: A. & C. Black. p. 206.
  12. ↑ Census of England and Wales, 1911, Volume III. London: HMSO. 1912. p. 344.
  13. ↑ "Woolwich Barracks: Cavalry Depot, Shrapnel Barracks. Officers' mess and quarters. Record..." The National Archives. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  14. ↑ Hughes, B. P. (1992). History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: between the wars 1919-1939. Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution. p. 45.
  15. ↑ Farndale, Sir Martin (1986). History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat, Europe and North Africa 1939-1941. Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution. p. 22.
  16. ↑ "The Tirpitz and other stories". WW2: People's War. BBC Southern Counties. 14 July 2005. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  17. ↑ "The Time of the Rockets (13 September 2013)". Blitzwalkers. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  18. ↑ "Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital QEMH Woolwich". Qaranc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  19. ↑ "Unit History: Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital". Forces War Records. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  20. ↑ "Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital". Lost Hospitals of London. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  21. ↑ "Shrapnel Close". London Town. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  22. ↑ Milligan, Spike (2012). Milligan's Meaning of Life: An Autobiography of Sorts . Penguin UK. ISBN   9780241955956.
  23. ↑ Deedes, William (2013). Words and Deedes: Selected Journalism 1931-2006. Pan MacMillan. p. 70. ISBN   9780330541121.
  24. ↑ "A Man of Integrity". Manchester Evening News. 19 April 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.