BULFORD, WILTSHIRE
Bulford Camp was established at the end of the nineteenth century, becoming home primarily to the Royal Artillery over the next eighty years. To start with, the camp consisted of tents and huts, with brick barracks gradually being constructed from around 1910.
Above: An early bird's-eye view of Bulford Camp, on Salisbury Plain.
Above: A postcard showing views of Bulford Camp dating from around World War I. Clockwise from top left: stables, 'B' lines, preparing for camp, married quarters; the central image offers a general view of the camp.
CATTERICK, NORTH YORKSHIRE
An overview of Catterick Camp, which was renamed Catterick Garrison in 1973, takes centre stage in the postcard below. A view of Sandes Soldiers Home appears top right; the post office can be seen bottom right; the garrison theatre is pictured bottom left; and a snapshot of Boulogne Lines is positioned top left. The style of the vehicles visible in the photograph of Boulogne Lines suggests that army children who lived in Catterick Camp around the time of World War II would have been familiar with these scenes.
TIDWORTH, WILTSHIRE
The postcard reproduced below shows Assaye Barracks, in Tidworth, Wiltshire, around a century ago. Assaye Barracks was named after a famous battle fought in India in 1803, the commander of the victorious army being Major General Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington.
WOOLWICH, SOUTH-EAST LONDON
The postcard below shows aspects of Woolwich, in south-east London, the one-time headquarters of the Royal Artillery, photographed around a century ago. The central image is labelled ‘Arsenal main gate’, with ‘Powis Street’ appearing bottom right, followed, moving clockwise, by ‘Ferry’, Wellington Street’, R.M. [Royal Military] Academy’, ‘Green Hill Battery’ and ‘Garrison church parade’. The church that can be seen looming behind the parading soldiers is St George’s Chapel, the Royal Artillery’s garrison church on Grand Depot Road, Woolwich, which many army children once attended with their parents. Designed by architect T H Wyatt, and dating from 1863, a direct hit by a V1 flying bomb on 13 July 1944 left only the apse. A grant has recently been awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund towards a new roof, as well as to safeguard a memorial listing Royal Artillery recipients of the Victoria Cross and some notable mosaics. Click here for further information about the repair plans.
