Originally Posted by
BEagle
Looks like another famous RAF station will now be 100% squaddified.....
You say that like it's a bad thing. At least it will remain in the MOD estate.
Can you blame the Army for taking advantage of the RAF's exit? If the Army had said "OK chaps, we'd like Lyneham airfield, get those C130s moved", then I could see why the RAF might dislike that.
The closer-to-the-truth situation is that the RAF decamped to save their budget, putting all their transport eggs into one single-runway basket into the bargain. The MOD then decided to consolidate tri-service technical training there to save money across the board. Laudable in intent, but utterly naive. It was never going to either work or save money.
The REME's camps at Bordon were horrible when I went there 25 years ago. They must be worse now, so I cannot blame them for wanting to move into a camp that was built "only" 70 years ago (i.e. much newer), and recently re-built as a training college.
I see the Royal School of Signals is
still under review. When I was an instructor there, I knew a particular staff officer quite well. His job was to liaise with contractors looking at privatising the School. That was 17 years ago. By the time the 2016 review is complete, and any actions to move the School implemented, the basic trainees I trained there will have completed their careers and be drawing their pensions, or close to it. What a farce.