Imphal Barracks

Cavalry barracks were built in Fulford as part of the British response to the threat of the French Revolution and were completed in 1795, but these have now been largely demolished.{{cite web|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/15_Brigade_Imphal_Barracks_A_History.pdf|title=A History of Imphal Barracks|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=29 March 2014}} The infantry barracks, which were built between 1877 and 1878, were initially the depot of the 14th Regiment of Foot who arrived from Bradford Moor Barracks in 1878. Their creation took place as part of the Cardwell Reforms which encouraged the localisation of British military forces.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9383385/Echoes-of-the-past-in-these-Army-cuts.html|title=Echoes of the past in these Army cuts|date=8 July 2012| access-date= 13 November 2014}} Following the Childers Reforms, the 14th Regiment of Foot evolved to become the West Yorkshire Regiment with its depot at the barracks in 1881.{{cite web|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/depot/1873.htm |title=Training Depots |publisher=Regiments.org |access-date=16 October 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060210172841/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/depot/1873.htm |archive-date=10 February 2006 }} Under the Cardwell Reforms the two battalions of the 25th (Sussex) Regiment of Foot also established a depot at the barracks but following the Childers Reforms that regiment evolved to become the King's Own Scottish Borderers and moved to Berwick Barracks in 1881.

In the 1950s, the barracks were renamed Imphal Barracks to reflect the battle honours won by the West Yorkshire Regiment at the Battle of Imphal in spring 1944 during the Second World War.{{cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36392|title=The barracks', A History of the County of York: the City of York |year=1961|pages= 541–542|access-date=29 March 2014}} The barracks became the home of the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire when the West Yorkshire Regiment amalgamated with the East Yorkshire Regiment in 1958.

The barracks also became the home of Northern Command in 1958. North East District was established at the barracks in 1967 and Northern Command was disbanded in 1972;{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l43JDQAAQBAJ&dq=HQ+UK+Land+Forces+1972+9+district+headquarters&pg=PA104|page=104|title=The Statesman's Year-Book 1972-73: The Encyclopaedia for the Businessman-of-The-World|first= J.|last= Paxton|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK|year=1972|isbn=978-0-230-27101-2}} the barracks additionally became the home of 2nd Division in 1982.{{cite web|url=http://www.baor-locations.org/default.aspx.html|title=BAOR locations|access-date=29 March 2014|archive-date=16 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316020929/http://baor-locations.org/default.aspx.html|url-status=dead}} North East District merged with Eastern District to form an enlarged Eastern District at Imphal Barracks in 1992.{{cite web|url=http://www.win.tue.nl/~drenth/BritArmy/Lineage/TACOMMANDSTRUCT67/index.html|title=TA Command Structure 1967–2000|access-date=2 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608124923/http://www.win.tue.nl/~drenth/BritArmy/Lineage/TACOMMANDSTRUCT67/index.html|archive-date=8 June 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} The enlarged district was disbanded on the formation of HQ Land Command in 1995."Land Command Shapes Up", Jane's Defence Weekly, 15 July 1995. 2nd Division, having absorbed Scotland District, moved its headquarters to Craigiehall, near Edinburgh in April 2000.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/06/22/shots-fired-at-scottish-army-headquarters-near-edinburgh-86908-23219008/ |title=Shots fired at Scottish Army headquarters near Edinburgh|work= Daily Record|date= 22 June 2011|access-date=29 March 2014}}

In June 2006, a ceremony celebrating the formation of the Yorkshire Regiment was held at Imphal Barracks.{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/790566.Soldiers_herald_birth_of_Yorkshire_Regiment/|title=Soldiers herald birth of Yorkshire Regiment|date=June 2006|work=Yorkshire Press|access-date=29 March 2014}} The new divisional headquarters of 6th Division marked its formation with a parade and flag presentation at Imphal Barracks on 5 August 2008.{{cite web|title=mod.uk|url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/NewBritishArmyDivisionOfficiallyForms.htm|access-date=29 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331120244/http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/NewBritishArmyDivisionOfficiallyForms.htm|archive-date=31 March 2012}} It had a clear focus on preparing brigades for Afghanistan: during summer 2009, the divisional headquarters was significantly reinforced and transformed into Combined Joint Task Force 6 before deploying to Afghanistan as Regional Command South in November 2009.{{cite web |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/structure/10133.aspx |title=6th Division |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=29 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813093019/http://www.army.mod.uk/structure/10133.aspx |archive-date=13 August 2010 }} The 6th division headquarters closed in April 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8951990.Military_headquarters_dissolved_at_Imphal_Barracks/ |title=Military headquarters dissolved at Imphal Barracks|work= York Press|date= 4 April 2011|access-date=29 March 2014}}

Imphal Barracks was the home of 15th Infantry Brigade{{cite web|url=http://www.let-york.com/area-guide-fulford.php|title=Fulford|access-date=29 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329190744/http://www.let-york.com/area-guide-fulford.php|archive-date=29 March 2014}} until 1 December 2014 when it merged with the former 4th Mechanised Brigade to form an infantry brigade known as 4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East based in Catterick.{{cite web|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/structure/35566.aspx|title=4th Infantry Brigade and HQ North East|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=12 August 2015}} The barracks became headquarters of the 1st (United Kingdom) Division on 1 June 2015.{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/13312614.Homecoming_of_a_Yorkshire_general/|title=Homecoming of a Yorkshire general|work=The Press|date=4 June 2015|access-date=10 August 2015}}

In November 2016, the Ministry of Defence announced that the site would close in 2031.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/565858/20161107_MOD_Better_Defence_Estate_FINAL.pdf|title=A Better Defence Estate|publisher=Ministry of Defence|date=November 2016 |access-date=8 November 2016}} This was later brought forward to 2030.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disposal-database-house-of-commons-report|title=Disposal database: House of Commons report|accessdate=26 November 2021}}

Current units at the site are:{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2017-03-28.69633.h|title=Military Bases: City of York|accessdate=1 March 2021}}

• Headquarters 1st (UK) Division
• Headquarters 19th Light Brigade{{Cite web |date=2022-07-24 |title=Army establishes first reserve brigade since Second World War |url=https://www.forces.net/services/army/historic-army-brigade-reforms-yorkshire-barracks |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=Forces Network |language=en}}
• 2nd Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals
• 12 Military Intelligence Company, 1 Military Intelligence Battalion
• Kohima Troop, 37 Signal Regiment{{cite web|url=https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/army-reserve-centres/north-east/york-fulford-road|title=Imphal Barracks|accessdate=30 March 2021}}
• 3 AEC Gp (York), ETS

File:Fragment of narrow gauge railway line - geograph.org.uk - 1220520.jpg]]

A horse-drawn narrow gauge railway with a gauge of 18 inch (457 mm) ran from the Ordnance Wharf at the River Ouse parallel to Hospital Fields Road to the army depot. Military supplies and explosives were delivered by the schooner ‘Princess’ known locally as the ‘Powder boat’.Andrew Grantham: [http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/narrow-gauge-military-railway-in-york/ Narrow gauge military railway in York.] Posted on 24 February 2011. Downloaded on 1 April 2017.

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{{Commons category inline|Imphal Barracks, Fulford}}

Category:Barracks in England

Category:Installations of the British Army

Category:Buildings and structures in York

Category:1878 establishments in England