Shackleton Barracks
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox military structure
|name=Shackleton Barracks
|image=
|caption =
|type = Barracks
|map_type = Northern Ireland
|pushpin_map_caption = Location within Northern Ireland
|location = Ballykelly
|coordinates = {{Coord|55|03|16|N|07|01|12|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|ownership = Ministry of Defence
|operator = {{army|United Kingdom}}
|built = 1971
|used=1971–2008
|architect =
|built_for =
|garrison =
|occupants = 2nd Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
}}
Shackleton Barracks is a former British 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.{{cite web | title=Shackleton Barracks Ballykelly to Close | work=Sandes (26 June 2006) | url=http://www.sandes.org.uk/news_detail.asp?id=13 | accessdate=2008-06-21 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004101106/http://www.sandes.org.uk/news_detail.asp?id=13 | archivedate=4 October 2011 | df=dmy-all }} Battalion HQ and HQ Company of the 5th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment arrived there shortly after the barracks opened. During Operation Demetrius between 1971 and 1972, the facilities operated as an interrogation centre where the five techniques were alleged to have been used.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/the-torture-centre-northern-ireland-s-hooded-men-1.2296152|title=The torture centre: Northern Ireland's 'hooded men'|last=McKay|first=Susan|date=25 July 2015|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-24}} The village of Ballykelly suffered the Droppin Well bombing in 1982 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.
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 the infantry battalion 2nd Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.
The British Army vacated Shackleton Barracks in March 2008{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-24959596|title=Options for Shackleton Barracks, Ballykelly, explored|publisher=BBC|date=15 November 2013|accessdate=12 April 2012}} when 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment moved to Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich. Some {{convert|776|acre|km2}} of land and 420 buildings were subsequently offered for sale.{{cite web|url=http://www.derryjournal.com/news/former-army-houses-go-on-sale-1-i2130915|title=Former army houses go on sale|date=23 October 2008|publisher=Derry Journal|accessdate=15 December 2014}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}