WREXHAM Barracks

[KERRISON GRIFFITHS]

​Did the Barracks close in 1980's?

[ivor43]

hi.
quote from Wikipedia.
''The barracks were built in the Fortress Gothic Revival Style as a depot for the Royal Welch Fusiliers and completed in 1877.[1] Their creation took place as part of the Cardwell Reforms which encouraged the localisation of British military forces.[2] Many recruits were enlisted at the barracks at the start of the First World War and the barracks were also used by a commando unit during the Second World War.[1]The Regiment amalgamated with the Royal Regiment of Wales to form the Royal Welsh in 2004 and troops from the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Welsh left the barracks for the last time in November 2013.[3] The barracks are still used by 101 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.[3]''


ivor

[KERRISON GRIFFITHS]

Thanks for this Ivor,may have to ask some more questions about Wrexham Barracks,in next few days,if I may.

[ivor43]

Hi.

i know you specifically refer to Wrexham Barracks. It was more generally known as Hightown Barracks. But there was another Camp, known as the Hermitage camp not far from the barracks along Bryn-y-Cabanau rd which runs along the side of the Barracks.the following link may be of some use. No 12 Centre being the interesting one.

http://royalpioneercorps.co.uk/rpc/history_training.htm


ivor

[ivor43]

hi.
a piece of Trivia for you.
Some of the 1959 Film '' Idol on Parade'' staring Anthony Newley was shot at the Hermitage Camp

[KERRISON GRIFFITHS]

Thanks for this,A friend of mine is asking 'When did RWF leave Hightown Barracks,for the first time,not the 2013 departure?

[ivor43]

Hi
a good question.
i know that they were at the Dale Camp Chester for some years. but i was not aware that they had ever left Hightown entirely. there have been elements of the unit in Wrexham since 1805 and as far as i am aware their RHQ is Wrexham. Possibly others on here may have other info.

ivor

[jungle1810]

Hello Vori etc,
I was a training corporal in Wrexham in 1952 and 1953. Some time later I attended an executive meeting in Wrexham. But on the same day the RE M E held an officers mess dinner on the same day so we were left to make the beast use of the Regt secretaries office. The R W F were not really made welcome by the R E M E. At some time the R E M E had a lot of modernisation done on the barracks double glazing etc. From then on the R W F had to bite the bullet.
It also transpired that the R E M E closed the sjts mess for a lecture room, and things only become worse. Talking to Arthur Ellingham he was regt sec from some 15 years and he cannot recollect any of this happening so it must have occurred during Monties tenure of office. Secondly the wording of the original question was when did the R W F leave/lose the use of the depot. I cannot recollect the R W F as a battalion/s using Wrexham for a long time. I may well have my wires crossed on this question. When the 1st returned from Germany to go to the west Indies in March 1951 they were using the Dale but new recruits were in Saighton camp and then joined the 1st. A presentation of colours took place in Wroughton and the 1st second and fourth took part in this parade. The 1st probably went back to Chester and the second were in Baor.But to clarify my statement I am unable to recollect a full R W F battalion occupying Wrexham for any length of time.
Regards R B D

[ivor43]

Hi All.
.Thanks Don. From my own personal recollection. From about 1960, for a number of years, i used to attend the Saturday night Dances in Wrexham, either the Memo (Memorial Hall) the Fareway Cafe (King Street) Burtons. or The Church House when that was going. But i do not ever recall any large numbers of ''Squaddies'' around.
Also from Mar to Sept 1967 as a ''Rookie '' Cop in Wrexham. some Sat nights we would get a call from the Barracks that the ''lads'' were on the Town as some of those Nice,Kind, Caring chaps that wore the ''Red Caps'' would come along and walk around with us. but i still do not recall large numbers of ''lads''.
Chow has told me that he was at ''The Dale'' never Hightown, and that i think was early 1970's.
I think that is highly probable that, as you say, there has been no Large RWF presence at the Barracks for quite a long time.


ivor

[Rog Ball 01]

I would like to say that Hightown Barracks was also the home for RPO Wrexham in 1971. The houses that were down the hill from the barracks were the quarters for both the pay office and the PSIs from the TA, I know this as my dad worked in the pay office and Ken Lawrence was their neibour