Catterick Garrison

Catterick Garrison
Catterick Garrison  Catterick Garrison shown within North Yorkshire
Population	12,000
OS grid reference	SE180980
District	Richmondshire
Shire county	North Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CATTERICK GARRISON
Postcode district	DL9
Dialling code	01748
Police	North Yorkshire
Fire	North Yorkshire
Ambulance	Yorkshire
EU Parliament	Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament	Richmond
List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire

Crest of Catterick Garrison

Catterick Garrison is a major garrison located in Northern England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 12,000, in addition to a large temporary population of soldiers, and is larger than the neighbouring village of Catterick.

It is not one single enclosed site, but consists of several separate barracks around which a town has developed. The Garrison gained its first large supermarket, a Tesco store, in 2000; along with a retail park including a McDonalds. The road signs have been changed to read "Town Centre" instead of "Camp Centre" (which is a roundabout). The Garrison houses both 4 Mechanised Brigade and the Infantry Training Centre (Catterick)—where all infantry soldiers receive their basic training.

The siting of the Garrison was first recommended by Robert Baden-Powell, who founded the Scouting movement, in 1908 whilst he was based at the army barracks—at that time located in Richmond Castle. The area was originally named Richmond Camp before being changed to Catterick Camp in 1915.

Under plans announced by the Ministry of Defence in November 2005, the population of Catterick Garrison is expected to grow to over 25,000 by 2020, making it the largest population centre in the local area.

HQ School of Infantry, Infantry Training Centre

Catterick is the largest of three Infantry Training Centres (ITCs) in the UK. ITC Catterick conducts infantry training combining Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Combat Infantryman's Course. Junior soldiers destined for the infantry continue to receive Phase 1 training at Army Training Regiment at Bassingbourn and at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.

Barracks

The Garrison consists of many different groups of buildings spread over a wide area and includes a number of barracks, most of which are named after historical British Army battles, many of which took place in Northern France during the First World War. They include:

• Waithwith Banks
• Gaza Barracks
• Megiddo Lines
• Cambrai Barracks, home to armoured unit.
• Bourlon Barracks, home to infantry unit
• Vimy Barracks, (HQ School of Infantry) named after the Battle of Vimy Ridge
• Helles Barracks, Home of 2ITB
• Harden Barracks, named for Henry Eric Harden VC
• Somme Barracks, named after the Battle of the Somme
• Helles Barracks, named for Cape Helles, Dardanelles
• Alma Barracks, named after the Battle of Alma during the Crimean War.
• Duchess of Kent's Barracks
• Piave Lines
• Munster Barracks
• Wathgill Camp (6 miles from the Garrison and operated by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation which also operates and manages the 20,000-acre (81 km²) training area and ranges adjacent to the Garrison.

Also included in the command of Catterick Garrison is Marne Barracks, located at the site of the former RAF Catterick.

Units based in Catterick

• 4 Mechanized Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (204 Signal Squadron)
  • 1st Battalion, Scots Guards (Armoured Infantry)
  • 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire) (Light Role)
  • 1st Battalion, The Duke Of Lancasters Regiment (Mechanised Infantry)
  • The Royal Dragoon Guards (Armoured)
  • The Queen's Royal Lancers
  • 21 Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers
  • 1st Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
    • 150 Provost Company
    • CS Medical Squadron

• 19 Light Brigade
  • 40th Regiment Royal Artillery
  • 19 Combat Service Support Battalion
    • 150 Provost Company
    • 24 CS Medical Squadron

• 1st Artillery Brigade
  • 5th Regiment Royal Artillery

• ITC Catterick
  • 1st Infantry Training Battalion
  • 2nd Infantry Training Battalion
  • 3rd support Battalion

Other units

• 150 Provost Company, Royal Military Police (Although an Royal Military Police station owned by the MoD, the North Yorkshire Police are also co-located there)

References

• Howard N. Cole The Story of Catterick Camp 1915-1972 Headquarters Catterick Garrison (1972)

External links

• Catterick Garrison Home Page at army.mod.uk