Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut
{{Short description|Barracks of the British Army and the Defence School of Logistics}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{for|the Princess Royal Barracks in Germany|RAF Gütersloh}}
{{Infobox military installation
|name=Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut
|image=Deepcut Army Camp - geograph.org.uk - 59426.jpg
|caption = Deepcut Camp
|type = Barracks
|map_type = Surrey
|pushpin_map_caption = Location within Surrey
|coordinates = {{Coord|51|18|16|N|00|41|57|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|ownership = Ministry of Defence
|operator = {{army|United Kingdom}}
|built = 1900–1903
|used=1903–2020
|architect =
|built_for = War Office
|garrison =
|occupants = Royal Logistic Corps
}}
The Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut, commonly referred to as Deepcut Barracks, is a former British Army installation near Camberley, Surrey. It was the headquarters of the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) and also the Defence College of Logistics, Policing and Administration, before both moved to Worthy Down Camp.
History
The area had been used as a training ground for the army from the late 19th century with no formal military infrastructure until 1900 when the Royal Engineers commenced the build of a number of camps, including Blackdown. The land was owned by the Pain family of Frimley Green who built a number of high status dwellings on the land.{{cite web|url=http://www.northlanegreensteps.co.uk/HealthyWalkArticles/deepcutWalk.html|title=Walk around Deepcut Surrey|publisher=North Lane Green Steps|access-date=25 January 2017}}
Blackdown Camp was established in the late 1903 initially to accommodate artillery and infantry, centred on Winchester house, renamed Blackdown House when it was appropriated by the War Office for military use. The barracks built in Blackdown Camp were Minden, Dettingen, Alma, Frith, Aisne and Marne Barracks. The Victorian houses were demolished in the 1950s, the land around Blackdown House being left to forestry, and around Dettingen House being redeveloped for a modernised Officers Mess. The site of Aisne and Marne Barracks were also re-developed and used for Military Family Housing. What remained of Frith Barracks were closed in the late 1970s and the land left to vegetation and used as a Military Training Area. Between 1967 and 1971 Minden Barracks was demolished and rebuilt as Blackdown Barracks (renamed Princess Royal Barracks after Anne, Princess Royal).{{cite web|url=http://www.surreyheath.gov.uk/surrey%20heath%20borough%20council/planning%20policy%20and%20conservation/DeepcutCAsection2.pdf|title=Historical Pattern of Development|access-date=5 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407093233/http://www.surreyheath.gov.uk/surrey%20heath%20borough%20council/planning%20policy%20and%20conservation/DeepcutCAsection2.pdf|archive-date=7 April 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
The Barracks were the garrison of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and the School of Ordnance, until it merged into the Royal Logistic Corps in 1993. Dettingen and Alma Barracks have been closed and sold, and by 2002, demolished for housing development.
A decision to sell the barracks was announced in January 2008 by the then Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth, who said that the sale would not take place before 2013.{{cite news | title= Timeline: Deaths at Deepcut |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3743131.stm| author=|date= 8 January 2008| website= BBC News Online | access-date= 1 February 2016 }} In 2013, following the Defence Training Review and the merger of tri-service training to a single location, it was confirmed that the barracks were to close with the land being released for housing development.{{cite web|url=http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/deepcut-barracks-plan-approved-councillors-5151353|title=Deepcut Barracks plan approved by councillors|date=19 July 2013|publisher=Get Surrey|access-date=5 April 2014}} Part of the barracks has been demolished to facilitate the construction of the new 1,200 homes in the Mindenhurst neighbourhood.{{cite web|url=https://www.mindenhurst.co.uk/about-mindenhurst/the-vision/|title=About Mindenhurst: the vision|publisher=Mindenhurst|access-date=7 January 2019}} Work on decommissioning the barracks is expected to last until 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.mindenhurst.co.uk/faq/#1449670378456-775c9725-30bc|title=Questions about Mindenhurst|publisher=Mindenhurst|access-date=7 January 2019}}
Trainee deaths at Deepcut
{{Main|Deaths at Deepcut army barracks}}
Between 1995 and 2002 there were four deaths of trainees at the barracks which prompted families, the public and Ministry of Defence itself to call for investigation into any possible links, following four Coroner's commissioned investigations and inquests. One produced a verdict of suicide by gunshot wounds, the other three returned open verdicts.{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-deepcut-review |title=A Review of the Circumstances Surrounding the Deaths of Four Soldiers at Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut between 1995 and 2002 (HC 795) |first=Nicholas |last=Blake |author-link=Nicholas Blake (judge) |publisher=The Stationery Office |location=London, UK |isbn=0102937079 |date=29 March 2006 |access-date=6 June 2016}} On 3 June 2016, a Coroner's report into the death of Private Cheryl James in 1995 found that the death was "self-inflicted" and that Private James fired the gun intentionally.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-36438786 |title=Cheryl James: Deepcut soldier's death was suicide, coroner rules - BBC News |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |access-date=2017-01-25}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=502 The Scotsman feature page on Deepcut barracks deaths]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2372983.stm BBC news article]
- [http://www.army.mod.uk/logistic/23443.aspx The Royal Logistic Corps]
{{Surrey Heath}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Surrey