Port Hill drill hall, Hertford
| Port hill drill hall | |
|---|---|
| Hertford | |
.jpg) The drill hall (on the extreme right in the foreground) | |
  Port hill drill hall Location in Hertfordshire | |
| Coordinates | 51°47′59″N 0°04′57″W / 51.79959°N 0.08242°W |
| Type | Drill hall |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1898 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | 1898 – Late 20th century |
The Port Hill drill hall was a military installation in Hertford, Hertfordshire.
History
[edit]
The building was designed as the headquarters of the 1st (Hertfordshire) Volunteer Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment and was completed at a cost of £2,000 in 1898.[1] This unit evolved to become the Hertfordshire Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment in 1908 and then the 1st Battalion, The Hertfordshire Regiment in 1909.[2]
The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to the Western Front.[3] Approximately 100,000 rounds of ammunition were stored in the drill hall at that time ready for issue to soldiers who were about to see action in the First World War.[4]
The battalion was still located at the drill hall when it was mobilised for service in the Second World War.[5]
The battalion was absorbed into the 3rd East Anglian Regiment in 1958.[2] However the British Army continued to maintain a presence at Port Hill drill hall, for the training of both Territorial Army personnel[6] and of cadets.[7] Nevertheless, the drill hall eventually became surplus to requirements: it was decommissioned and subsequently demolished and, in 2003, a new residential development, which won the 2004/2005 Civic Design Award, was created in its place.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Hertford". The drill hall project. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ a b "The Hertfordshire Regiment". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ "Hertfordshire Regiment". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ "Hertford in August 1914". Our Hertford and Ware. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ "Army List 1937". War Office. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ "The Hertfordshire Regiment TA". Hertfordshire Memories. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ "2 Company, 1st 'C' Battalion, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment". The Goldonian. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ "Port Hill, Hertford, Hertfordshire". HPS. Retrieved 12 August 2017.