Well finally we managed to crack this site, a former army base in North Devon. I have been regulary visiting this site hoping to exploit a weakness, but with on site 24/7 security it has been near impossible.....that is until now lol. First visit was a solo splore then a revisit with Lectrician + 1 was definitely needed.
So a little bit of history.
This camp has a varied past, dating from around 1943 and used up until as recently as 2010. The camp is located where it is as was within an easy marching distance of the nearest railway station.
Building at the camp started in 1943 by the Americans. The camp was used by the US Army's 313th Station Hospital for post-D-Day rehabilitation, with room for 2,000 patients. It started receiving casualties on 20 July 1944. The Americans did hang around long and left the camp in 1945.
1) One of the older huts on the camp
2) Some of the more modern, although still not upto todays standards
3) The dance hall
4) Being used as a GYM in later times.
5)
6)
7)
8) The barracks
9)
10)
In the late 1950s it became home to various Royal Army Service Corps/Royal Corps of Transport amphibious squadrons, until the 1970s when it became an Army training camp.
11) The Armoury
12) The helipad
13)
14) Training area
15)
The first DUKW Company to be formed after WW11 was 116 Amphibious Company at Cairnryan . The unit was Commanded by Major J A Abraham MC this consisted of Company HQ and 4 Platoons of 16 DUKWs each, the unit moved to this camp in March 1952. In June 1954 it was reduced to three officers and 37 other ranks, it was redesignated Amphibian Training Wing RASC in February 1960. The last remaining DUKWs in service are based at the Amphibious Training Unit Royal Marines Instow.
18 Company was formed at this camp in June 1958 under the Command of Major J F Heathcote. From February 1958 to March 1960 a detachment was sent to Christmas Island or Operation Grapple, the testing of the British nuclear bombs. Also a detachment was sent to Singapore in 1964 until 1968. 18 company left the camp in 1971 and moved to Marchwood where in 1974 the Squadron was finally Disbanded.
16) The Camp headquaters, internal offices.
17)
18)
19)
20)
21)
In recent times it was used to complement the Royal Marines and Royal Air Force presence at The Royal Marines Base Chivenor, and the Amphibious Trials and Training Unit of the Royal Marines at Arromanches Camp, Instow. In 2008 the Royal Chindits moved into the old camp site and rebuilt it, and it became the home of Chindits training and 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment.
22)
23)
In 2009 the camp was closed due to its severely outdated nature. Although closed activity still remained rife at the camp, being used by various clubs as a base for various outdoor sports.
The camp is now up for redevelopment, with a propsed 200 dwellings, light industry, offices and recreational areas on the 42 acre site.
So a little bit of history.
This camp has a varied past, dating from around 1943 and used up until as recently as 2010. The camp is located where it is as was within an easy marching distance of the nearest railway station.
Building at the camp started in 1943 by the Americans. The camp was used by the US Army's 313th Station Hospital for post-D-Day rehabilitation, with room for 2,000 patients. It started receiving casualties on 20 July 1944. The Americans did hang around long and left the camp in 1945.
1) One of the older huts on the camp
2) Some of the more modern, although still not upto todays standards
3) The dance hall
4) Being used as a GYM in later times.
5)
6)
7)
8) The barracks
9)
10)
In the late 1950s it became home to various Royal Army Service Corps/Royal Corps of Transport amphibious squadrons, until the 1970s when it became an Army training camp.
11) The Armoury
12) The helipad
13)
14) Training area
15)
The first DUKW Company to be formed after WW11 was 116 Amphibious Company at Cairnryan . The unit was Commanded by Major J A Abraham MC this consisted of Company HQ and 4 Platoons of 16 DUKWs each, the unit moved to this camp in March 1952. In June 1954 it was reduced to three officers and 37 other ranks, it was redesignated Amphibian Training Wing RASC in February 1960. The last remaining DUKWs in service are based at the Amphibious Training Unit Royal Marines Instow.
18 Company was formed at this camp in June 1958 under the Command of Major J F Heathcote. From February 1958 to March 1960 a detachment was sent to Christmas Island or Operation Grapple, the testing of the British nuclear bombs. Also a detachment was sent to Singapore in 1964 until 1968. 18 company left the camp in 1971 and moved to Marchwood where in 1974 the Squadron was finally Disbanded.
16) The Camp headquaters, internal offices.
17)
18)
19)
20)
21)
In recent times it was used to complement the Royal Marines and Royal Air Force presence at The Royal Marines Base Chivenor, and the Amphibious Trials and Training Unit of the Royal Marines at Arromanches Camp, Instow. In 2008 the Royal Chindits moved into the old camp site and rebuilt it, and it became the home of Chindits training and 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment.
22)
23)
In 2009 the camp was closed due to its severely outdated nature. Although closed activity still remained rife at the camp, being used by various clubs as a base for various outdoor sports.
The camp is now up for redevelopment, with a propsed 200 dwellings, light industry, offices and recreational areas on the 42 acre site.