AAC restructuring: Suffolk to Wiltshire?
 

Happy Xmas all, just been reading a thread on Army rumour site and there is rumbles of what they perceive that the AH force will relocate from sunny Ipswich to the outskirts of Stonehenge - Boscombe :) within the decade.

Cannot see the day to day test and student activities also acomodating two regiments of constant AH movement?

Has anyone else heard about this?

Cheers

This rumour has been doing the rounds for a while now. Its either going to be Wattisham or Wallop that gets the axe.

It'll be relatively easy to move the AH regiments from Wattisham, but moving 7 Battalion and 132 is a whole different kettle of fish!

On a selfish note, as someone who has to travel to the AHDSU. Wallop gets my vote, closer to my house!

What day to day tests at Boscombe? The place is Sleepy Hollow these days which is the reason it is being suggested for an AAC base and Boeing's European base.

I recall a distant day when we were supposed to be retaining major airfields, ideally with HAS etc, during 'rearrangements'. I have minimal interest in nostalgia, but operational factors still lurk in a corner of my mind. I blame my time time running the RAF Survival to Operate office in MB.

Having 'lived'/existed at Boscombe for over 3 years in recent years it is the most unfriendly unit for Servicemen I have come across- even refusing to accept the MOD 90 as a satisfactory form of ID! Qinetiq seem to go out of their way to make it difficult for the RAF Support Unit and other lodger Units personnel and the accommodation is awful. Last place on earth I would have thought the AAC would want to go and a hell of a way from 16 Air Assault Bde which is all based around Colchester.

If Boscombe Down is unsuitable for the AAC, it makes it ideal and they'll do it. Evidence Wattisham and Yeovilton.

Why not Lyneham... oh wait, er is it full of REME these days?

You mean like any MOD site then? Been to Abbey Wood recently?

Sports and wop

The cynic in me says Wallop. Why? Too difficult (expensive) to move the the museum.

Regards
Batco

Would have made a good swimming pool!

The free-standing, self-supporting, nothing-whatsoever-to-do-with-the-AACC museum?

I thought the buzz was SH to Boscombe and AH to Yeovilton.........?

Although I do agree with previous comments reference the attitude to service personnel when entering Boscombe.....maybe the recalibration of QQ will adjust their attitude, or B?

QUOTE:
operational factors still lurk in a corner of my mind

Somebody somewhere [with close contacts in the Treasury] has clearly decided "peace in our time" and moves it one click forward every 1 Jan.

Then the poiticians decide to do good somewhere, spend lives and treasure, and have to retrench further in the aftermath.

It is a constant in recorded history. Very few in politics have, or had, respect for history, looking only at "events, dear boy" and the next Election.

Churchill was a notable exception I believe.

Moving the Apaches is all that is needed. This is about justifying Wallop's existence rather than any particular want/need to close Wattisham.

And when flying at Wattisham does end, the crown for Britain's most northerly helicopter base will pass to Benson!