MOD Donnington

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MOD Donnington
Donnington, Telford
Entrance to Venning Barracks
MOD Donnington is located in Shropshire
MOD Donnington
MOD Donnington
Coordinates52°43′19″N 2°26′39″W / 52.72182°N 2.44415°W / 52.72182; -2.44415
TypeBarracks
Logistics centre
Site history
In use1936–Present
2017–Present (Defence Fulfilment Centre)
Garrison information
OccupantsHQ 11th Signal and West Midlands Brigade
174 Provost Company, RMP

MOD Donnington is a Ministry of Defence site that consists of a British Army barracks and the Defence Fulfilment Centre, and is situated to the north of Donnington, Telford, Shropshire. The barracks on the site will close in 2029.

History

The site was chosen in 1936 as one of a number of less vulnerable locations for storing ordnance and other military equipment previously kept at London's Woolwich Arsenal. This was designed to provide employment in what was then a depressed area, following the closure of the Lilleshall Company's New Yard engineering works in St George's several years earlier.[1]

Development from greenfield site begun in 1939, during 1940 the depot was established and at the end of the year Brigadier Charles Esmond de Wolff was appointed commandant and garrison commander. During 1941–1942, the depot increased significantly in size, and at the end of 1941, 9,600 all ranks worked on the site. Brigadier de Wolff also convinced Wellington District Council to build housing for the civilian staff, many of whom had moved from Woolwich. Eventually 1,500 houses were built outside the COD.[2]

By 1980, COD Donnington (along with COD Bicester) was one of just two remaining Central Ordnance Depots overseen by the Royal Army Ordnance Corps; nevertheless, in the 1970s and 80s, it grew to be one of the largest military store complexes in Europe.[3] It remains in use as a storage depot, although the complex was scaled back following two serious fires (in 1983 and 1988).[4]

At the turn of the millennium, further investment took place as Parsons Barracks (named after Major-General Sir Harold Parsons) and Venning Barracks (named after General Sir Walter Venning) were developed.[5]

The base housed the Historic Weapons Collection until it moved to Maldon, Essex in 2010.[6]

In March 2014, there was reason for local optimism that MoD Donnington would once more be radically expanded, with another 500 to 700 jobs being added to the 1,000 jobs that MoD Donnington then currently required.[7] The expansion plans were approved early that month.[8]

In 2015, Donnington was selected as the site for a new 'Defence Fulfilment Centre' for the newly-privatised Logistics, Commodities and Services element of Defence Equipment and Support. The new office and warehouse buildings were built alongside the former Defence Storage Distribution Centre on the site and opened in early 2017.[9][10]

In November 2014, Venning Barracks became headquarters of the newly-formed 11th Signal Brigade and Headquarters West Midlands, formed by the amalgamation of 11th Signal Brigade who were already based here since 1992, and the hitherto Shrewsbury-headquartered 143rd (West Midlands) Regional Brigade.[11]

In September 2016, it was announced Parsons and Venning Barracks were among 13 sites named by the Ministry of Defence for future disposal.[12]

Defence Fulfilment Centre

The Defence Fulfilment Centre (DFC)[13] is owned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and operated by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), the procurement arm of the MOD. The DFC ensures kit and equipment reaches the British Armed Forces.[14] The 860,000 sq ft facility consists of two warehouses and a support building, and also contains an industrial-sized fridge specifically for medicines which plays a crucial role in getting medicines to personnel.[15]

During the Covid-19 pandemic, over 6,800 ventilators were distributed from the DFC. The DFC also enabled British military personnel to deliver Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and vaccines to hospitals.[15]

In 2022, the DFC supplied the Ukrainian Army with 84,000 surplus Mk 7 helmets.[16]

Future

In November 2016, the Ministry of Defence announced that the Parsons and Venning Barracks sites would close, with an "Estimated Date of Disposal" in 2020.[17] This was later extended to 2022,[18] and once more to 2029.[19]

Current units

See also

References

  1. ^ "Lilleshall Company New Yard, St Georges". The Miner's Walk. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  2. ^ Brigadier A. H. Fernyhough, History of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, 1920–1945, RAOC, Blackdown, 1966, pp.412–419
  3. ^ "Dreams that glory days will return to Telford's Donnington army base". Shropshire Star.
  4. ^ "Shropshire History". Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  5. ^ "Leisure Time" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  6. ^ "Firearms collection opens to the public". Yellow Advertiser. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  7. ^ "MoD Donnington base expansion plans unveiled". BBC. 22 November 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  8. ^ "MoD Donnington base expansion plans approved". BBC. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  9. ^ "MOD announces contract to run military logistics". MOD. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  10. ^ Claridge, Roisin (4 April 2022). "Defence Fulfilment Centre 5th Anniversary: Supplying the military with over £1 billion worth of kit". Defence Equipment & Support. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  11. ^ Owen, Andrew (17 November 2014). "Flag is flying for new Army brigade". Shropshire Star. p. 1.
  12. ^ "Ministry of Defence to sell 13 sites for 17,000 homes". BBC. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  13. ^ "New £83m MoD centre in Donnington formally opened". BBC News. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Coronavirus: MOD Delivered 10,000 Medical Items To NHS Since March". www.forces.net. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  15. ^ a b Claridge, Roisin (4 April 2022). "Defence Fulfilment Centre 5th Anniversary: Supplying the military with over £1 billion worth of kit". Defence Equipment & Support. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  16. ^ administrator (1 April 2022). "MOD Donnington donates thousands of helmets to Ukraine Military". Defence Equipment & Support. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  17. ^ "A Better Defence Estate" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  18. ^ "Is Your Military Base Closing? Read The Full List Of Sites Shutting". Forces News. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  19. ^ "Disposal database: House of Commons report". Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  20. ^ "The logistics centre that has supplied the UK military with over £1 billion worth of kit celebrates its fifth anniversary". Defence Equipment & Support. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  21. ^ "HQ 11th Signal and West Midlands Brigade | The British Army".
  22. ^ "Shropshire base flying the flag for military future". www.shropshirestar.com. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
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