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Many thanks to Steve Wright (Historic Steve), previously JLRS Regiment Denbury Camp, for correcting and expanding the list of Commanding Offrs '55-'67.

Denbury Camp


If you are American or British, spent time at Denbury Camp (Rawlinson Barracks) and have pictures or memories of the village and its people, we would like to hear from you. You are part of Denbury's history. Contact us at: Denbury Village. Also visit the Denbury Boys page.

Until the 1930s, between Greenhill Plantation and Channings Wood to the north of the village, stood The Great Field of Denbury, probably the primary cultivation area for the village, historically.

In the early 1930s, during the infancy of civil aviation, the Field became an Airfield. It was a stopover point where many aircraft refuelled to continue their journey. Sir Alan Cobham of flying circus fame attended here in 1935 and demonstrated one of the first gliders. The land was then purchased by the War Office and an Army Camp was built in 1939 and named Rawlinson Barracks. The concrete boundary markers with their broadarrows can still be seen in many places around the Field. Many regiments served here - in 1946 the Camp was in use as an ATS Depot. Afterwards, in late 1948, the 58th Medium Regt Royal Artillery augmented by 50 members of the 32nd Medium Regt R.A. were stationed at the Camp for about three months while waiting for the Devonshire Regiment to move out of Topsham Barracks in Exeter. Many men including Americans passed through the Camp.

In 1951 the Royal Corps of Signals came to the camp and from 1951 to 1955 it was the depot of the Royal Signals. In 1955 it became Junior Leaders Royal Signals. During the stay of the Royal Signals it was visited by:-

The Ten Tors Organisation was started from the camp in 1958. During the tenure of the stay of the Royal Corps of Signals the following Lt Colonels were Commanding Officers:-

    1951-54  Depot Royal Signals  Lt Col. P.G. Goodeve-Docker
    1954-55  Depot Royal Signals  Lt Col. A. Hill
    1955-56  6 (Boys) Training Regiment Royal Signals  Lt Col. R.A. Connor
    1956-57  6 (Boys) Training Regiment Royal Signals  Lt Col. R.E. Baker O.B.E.
    1957-59  Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Signals  Lt Col. R.E. Baker O.B.E.
    1959-62  Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Signals  Lt Col. L.H.M. Gregory M.B.E.
    1962-64  Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Signals  Lt Col. A. Holifield M.C.
    1964-67  Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Signals  Lt Col. D.E. Higgins M.B.E.


In 1967 The Royal Corps of Signals left camp. After the Junior Leaders left Denbury Camp, 47 Lt Regt, Royal Artillery (returning from Aden) moved in around September 1967 and finally left in about April 1969 when they moved to Houndstone Camp, Yeovil. They were part of 24 Brigade.

It was then purchased in 1973 by the Home Office. The camp was demolished to make way for the present establishment, Her Majesty's Prison Channings Wood. The civilian address of the prison today is Greatfield, Denbury.

Read accounts by Camp Residents:

Darrell Haugh, WWII
Terry Fitzpatrick, 1946
John Thompson, 1960s


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