Bovington Camp
| Bovington Camp | |
|---|---|
| Near Dorchester | |
Tank Training Area
|
|
 Bovington Camp
Location within Dorset
|
|
| Coordinates | 50°42′N 2°14′W / 50.70°N 02.24°WCoordinates: 50°42′N 2°14′W / 50.70°N 02.24°W |
| Type | Barracks |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Operator |
 British Army
|
| Site history | |
| Built | 1899 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | 1899-Present |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | Royal Tank Regiment |
Bovington Camp (/ˈbɒvᵻŋtən/) is a British Army military base in Dorset, England. Together with Lulworth Camp it forms part of Bovington Garrison.
The garrison is home to The Armour Centre and contains two barracks complexes and two forest and heathland training areas that support Phase Two training for soldiers of the Royal Armoured Corps and trade training for the Household Cavalry Regiment as well as other armoured units.
The camps at Bovington and Lulworth were originally established in 1899 as an infantry training area and ranges. In 1916, they became training camps for the Heavy Branch of the Machine Gun Corps which relocated from Norfolk. The Heavy Branch was responsible for the operation of the tank in the British Army. In 1917 the Heavy Branch split from the Machine Gun Corps to become the Tank Corps, with the Depot and Central Schools being based at Bovington.
T. E. Lawrence, better known as "Lawrence of Arabia", died at the camp after he was fatally injured in a motorcycling accident when he swerved to avoid two boys riding their bikes.
In 1937 the Central Schools became the Armoured Fighting Vehicles School, with driving and maintenance training at Bovington and gunnery at Lulworth. The School became known as the Royal Armoured Corps Centre in 1947, now renamed The Armour Centre.
The Armour Centre is home to:
It is also home to The Tank Museum.
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Wikipedia