Baker Barracks

For former use, see RAF Thorney Island.

Baker Barracks
Thorney Island, West Sussex in England
Entrance to Baker Barracks
Baker Barracks is located in West Sussex
Baker Barracks
Baker Barracks
Shown within West Sussex
Coordinates50°49′14″N 000°55′34″W / 50.82056°N 0.92611°W / 50.82056; -0.92611
TypeBarracks
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
Operator British Army
Site history
Built1984 (1984)
In use1984-Present
Garrison information
GarrisonRoyal Regiment of Artillery
Occupants12th Regiment Royal Artillery
16th Regiment Royal Artillery

Baker Barracks is a British Army barracks located on Thorney Island around 6.58 miles (10.59 km) east from Portsmouth, Hampshire.

History

The barracks was established on the site of the former RAF Thorney Island airbase in 1986, when 26th Regiment Royal Artillery moved on site.[1] The barracks was named after Field Marshal Sir Geoffrey Baker, a former Royal Artillery officer. It was previously home to 47th Regiment Royal Artillery, armed with the Starstreak missile.[2]

In January 2008, 12th Regiment Royal Artillery moved to the island upon their return from Germany.[3]

In 2009, the airfield was used as a test track for a British-built steam car hoping to smash the longest standing land speed record. The British Steam Car Challenge team included test driver Don Wales, nephew of the late Donald Campbell and grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell.[4]

Baker Barracks is currently home to two Royal Artillery regiments with the ground based air-defence role, operating the Thales Starstreak and Sky Sabre surface-to-air missile systems.[5][6]

Based units

The following units are based at Baker Barracks.[7]

Ministry of Defence

  • Centre of Specialisation for Joint Ground Based Air Defence Units (JTGBAD)[8]

British Army

Army Cadet Force

    • A detachment of the Sussex Army Cadet Force,[14] a volunteer youth organisation, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, which accepts cadets aged between 12 and 18 years of age.[15]

Footnotes

  1. ^ "26th Regiment RA". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  2. ^ "47 Regt RA". Ministry of Defence - British Army. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  3. ^ "12 Regt RA". Ministry of Defence - British Army. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  4. ^ "British-built steam car unveiled". BBC News. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  5. ^ "12th Regiment Royal Artillery". British Army. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  6. ^ "16th Regiment Royal Artillery". British Army. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Royal Artillery". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Baker Barracks Prepared to be Centre of Specialisation for Joint Ground Based Air Defence - Inside DIO". insidedio.blog.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  9. ^ "7th Air Defence Group". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  10. ^ "12 Regiment Royal Artillery". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  11. ^ "16 Regiment Royal Artillery". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Army Unveils Sky Sabre Air Defence System". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Royal School of Artillery Training Opportunities at the Royal School of Artillery". British Army. pp. 29 & 37–43. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Sussex Army Cadets". Army Cadets UK. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  15. ^ "The Ministry of Defence cadet forces". GOV.UK. 26 May 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2023.

References

  • Lord, Cliff (2004). The Royal Corps of Signals : unit histories of the Corps (1920-2001) and its antecedents. Solihull, West Midlands, England: Helion & Company. ISBN 978-1-874622-92-5. OCLC 184820114.