Colchester's Military Heritage Please visit the following links for more information.
Introduction What buildings still exist? 3 43 to 1750 2 1750 - 1860 4 1860 - 1900 5 1900 to present 6 A Museum? 7
Colchester Men at Trafalgar Colchester Men at Waterloo Colchester Men at Gallipoli Colchester Men at the Somme 1900 to the present day
During the course of the 20th century, the garrison went on to be further enlarged to cater for the needs of two world wars and the several other military actions and states of emergency - and many an ex-soldier has made his home in the town. The following pictures record Colchester's garrison from a time of Edwardian postcards, through to photographs that were taken in the past few years. During this period there were many additions and alterations made as the army became mechanised and the reliance on horses diminished. The present day Roman Circus House was built in the 1930s as a NAAFi, as were others, including what we were later to know as the Arena Leisure Centre, built originally as a NAAFI in 1947, but now (in 2015) destined for demolotion.
1910?
2013
1910?
2013
A photograph from around 1920 that shows the gymnasium on the far left, with the Abbey Fields to the right and looking
westward along Circular Road. This is followed by a picture from a similar period of soldiers undergoing training.
Then we have a plan drawing of the building from perhaps the 1930s period with a swimming pool having been built onto its west side.
Then we have a 1940s painting of the building, artist unknown.
Below we have a 1980s photograph which clearly shows that the lantern and chimneys had been removed by that time.
In March 2014, arsonists destroyed the Colchester building, leaving it as a burned out shell.
Will this phoenix rise from the ashes?
NOT COLCHESTER! The picture below shows the similarity of architecture and construction at the military gymnasium in Bromption.
NB earlier deatils of the gymnasium are to be found here.
Colchester Military Hospital was one of several army hospitals in England, UK. It is now closed and has been demolished. It closed when the QEMH Woolwich opened in 1977
The picture shows the interior of the building that was built in 1947 as the NAAFI club for Colchester garrison. It was designed by Ernest M Joseph of the London architectural practice Messrs Joseph, and it was one of a group of eight post-war NAAFI clubs which were built, all designed by Mr Joseph. The eight NAAFI clubs were Portsmouth (built 1946), Colchester garrison (1947), Aldershot garrison (1948), Chatham (1948), Catterick garrison (1949), Plymouth (1952), Lincoln (1952-3), and Salisbury (1954) *. Roman Circus House was built in 1937 to house the NAAFI institute of the Artillery (Le Cateau) Barracks. In 2015, the Arena Leisure Club (as it had become) was closed and the building was destined for demolition.
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw001857
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw018547
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw001855
Military Pub Signs
Many of our pubs are a lasting legacy of past military times with a selection of our pub signs shown below.
As is the way with progress, new barracks were constructed and those Victorian barracks were sold around 2004.
The modern Merville Barracks took over to serve our modern British Army.
THE FIRST WORLD WAR - 1914 to 1918
Local historian Mrs Joan Soole has compiled a list of Colchester men who were killed in action or died of their wounds at the two WW1 battles. Please click on each for details.
THE SECOND WORLD WAR - 1939 TO 1945
This period in our military garrison history requires research and the results will be added here as information becomes available. It takes in the two world wars and several other conflicts across the world.
If you have anything to contribute to this, please contact us.
Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester: The Facts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzfUPKpZ8WU
.....and for a bit of fun, take a look at the Cavalry Barracks in 1989
with the filming of Blackadder Goes Forth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn1Saz1xhU8
Please visit the following links for more information.
Introduction What buildings still exist? 3 43 to 1750 2 1750 - 1860 4 1860 - 1900 5 1900 to present 6 A Museum? 7
Page Created
17th October 2013
revised
5th October 2015
by
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