Royal Artillery Museum - update mid-March 2017

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by GnrGnr, Mar 14, 2017.

  1. GnrGnr

    GnrGnr Well-Known Member

    The following update regarding the Royal Artillery Museum as at mid March 2017 may be of use. Most will be aware that Firepower, the Museum of the Royal Artillery at Woolwich, closed in December 2016. The collections are in storage pending the development of a new Royal Artillery Museum. The museum will be housed in a new Salisbury Plain Heritage Centre to be built at Larkhill which will engage with the military history, natural heritage and archaeological features of Salisbury Plain. Application has been made for funding to the Heritage Lottery Fund and concept designs have been produced.

    Some 10% of the RA Museum’s Library and Archive has been settled in temporary accommodation at Larkhill and a full time archivist has been at work since November last year. Updates to the web site Salisbury Plain Heritage Centre detailing the limited access and research possibilities are imminent. However, the archivist Sian Mogridge is happy to take initial enquiries at sm@salisburyplainheritagecentre.com

    In common with the majority of regimental museums, the RA Museum does not hold service records for individuals.
     
    Buteman, Aixman and CL1 like this.
  2. Aeronut

    Aeronut Junior Member

    Could this mean a return of the annual Firepower demos? With a little imagination the new museum could be sighted such that live firing onto the SPTA impact area could be viable.
     
  3. GnrGnr

    GnrGnr Well-Known Member

    The site is actually on the high ground behind the area used for the late lamented Artillery Days and will have a view over the Larkhill impact area. However (totally personal view follows!) the likelihood of there being similar large scale firing demonstrations in these times of austerity is vanishingly small. The general (again totally speculative) view at last years' review by Her Majesty was "that's the last time we see something like that".

    Max
     
  4. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    In 2005, I originally emailed the Firepower Museum and obtained basic information about my Dad's WW2 RA service. They sent me unit details, his enlistment date and demob details. This was before I discovered that I had to apply to the MOD for the full service history. There is more information held at the RA museum than you think, and I first read his unit war diary.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2017
  5. Aeronut

    Aeronut Junior Member

    That's a pity (and a missed opportunity). As a non artillery type I still remember my amazement at watching a 105mm shell disappear down range for the first time.
    With the location you mention maybe there is still the chance that some training shoots could be carried out within the sight of the public, a little like the public viewing areas on the tank ranges at Lulworth.
    Apart from the memory of seeing the shells I also have the memory of listening to shells pass overhead as I recovered air drop loads off the Blackball Firs DZ
     

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