Worthy Down Camp

Worthy Down Camp is a tri-service establishment near Winchester, in Hampshire, England. It forms part of the wider Winchester Garrison and houses the headquarters of the Defence College of Logistics, Policing and Administration (DCLPA), as well as the headquarters of the Royal Logistic Corps and Adjutant General's Corps. DCLPA provides logistic support, policing, guarding, personnel administration and leadership training to all three armed services. The site is north of Winchester, between the villages of South Wonston and Kings Worthy.

Worthy Down Camp
Located near South Wonston in Hampshire
Worthy Down Camp during its extensive rebuild
Worthy Down Camp is located in Hampshire
Worthy Down Camp
Worthy Down Camp
Location within Hampshire
Coordinates51°06′37″N 01°19′08″W
TypeMilitary Establishment
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
Operator British Army
Site history
Built1960 (1960)
In use1960–Present
Garrison information
OccupantsHQ Defence College of Logistics, Policing and Administration (DCLPA) / RHQ Adjutant General's Corps / RHQ Royal Logistic Corps

History

An airfield was established here in 1918 for the Royal Flying Corps, and became RAF Worthy Down. In 1939 the airfield was transferred to the Royal Navy and used by the Fleet Air Arm until 1950, then as an engineering training school.[1]

The site was handed over to the Royal Army Pay Corps in 1960 and became home to the Electronic Accounting Development Unit who housed their computer centre with its IBM 705 system there. The computer was used to process the 1961 UK census, which was the first to be processed electronically.[2]

With the merger of the Royal Army Pay Corps into the Adjutant General's Corps in 1992, the site became the headquarters of the Adjutant General's Corps and a training depot for members of the Staff and Personnel Support, Education and Training Services and Army Legal Service branches.[3]

The Defence Food Services School was built on the site in 2009.[4]

In 2012 the RAF School of Administration moved to Worthy Down from Southwick Park, near Portsmouth.[5]

On 9 June 2014 the Ministry of Defence announced that a new £250 million Defence College of Logistics, Policing and Administration was to be built at Worthy Down, with training facilities and living accommodation for up to 2,000 students and staff. The facility, which brought the training for key support roles for the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force onto a single site for the first time, was completed in 2018.[6][7]

In 2023, the Tri-Service chef instructors at the Defence Food Services School received training in the creation of plant-based, vegan meals. The meals were tasted by members of the MOD Vegan and Vegetarian Network.[8]

References
  1. "Worthy Down". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  2. A. B. Taylor (1962), Problems of the census of Scotland, 1961, Transactions of the Faculty of Actuaries. Vol 27. p355.
  3. "Regimental Association Subscriptions". Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  4. "Court Circular". The Times. 21 April 2009. p. 57.
  5. "£270m investment at Worthy Down MoD base near Winchester". Hampshire Chronicle. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  6. "Armed forces training gets £250 million boost". Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  7. "Worthy Down camp takes shape as first phase of construction completes". Ministry of Defence. 25 July 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  8. "Military chefs go green in January". Army. 13 January 2023.
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