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OKEHAMPTON ARMY CAMP

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Okehampton Field Artillery Practice Camp was established between 1893-4 within the 13th century Okehampton Deer Park on Dartmoor. It is closely associated with Dartmoor Firing Range and it became the summer headquarters of the School of Gunnery and one of the most important practice camps in England. The camp was equipped with permanent and temporary accommodation including stable blocks and gun stores. In the 1930s, as a result of the introduction of wheeled and tracked vehicles, the camp was modified and new facilities replaced the earlier stable blocks and harness rooms. The camp further increased in size with mobilisation at the beginning of the Second World War and nearly thirty Nissen huts were erected for accommodation and the stables were converted into quarter blocks. In 1940 the camp became a Reinforcement Camp and in 1941/2 it became a Reception Camp supplying the South West District. As part of the preparations for D-Day American troops from the 4th and 29th Divisions stayed at the camp.
The camp continued to be used in the post war period. In the 1950s it became the base for the Eaton Hall Officer Cadet Training Unit and training took place here for the campaigns in Korea (1950-1953) and Suez (1956).
Since the latter half of the 20th century the Territorial Army has made extensive use of the facilities on the camp and today the camp still provides accommodation for up to 720 armed forces personnel.

In 2002 a historical building survey was carried out for the Defence Estates and a number of buildings were recorded. These include some of the original late 19th century structures as well as later buildings which illustrate the development of the camp through time and its use up to the present day (2009).

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