Reasons for Designation
The Army Training Estate Otterburn (ATEO) is one of eight Army Field
Training centres in the UK and is the largest single live firing area in
the country. It has been operational since 1911 when the War Office
acquired about 20000 acres (8094ha) of land in Redesdale, Northumberland
to create a seasonal tented camp and artillery range for the training of
the newly formed Territorial Forces. The pattern of artillery firing from
Easter to October fitted in with local sheep farming practices, and
byelaws to control access during live firing periods were introduced in
1916. A period of intense training occurred during World War I to prepare
both artillery and infantry units for war, including the construction of a
sector of front line trenches at Silloans to practice infantry companies
in the routines of defence, control of overhead artillery fire and relief
in the line. After World War I the previous pattern of training was
restored and continued to 1939, the only change being that from horse
drawn to lorry drawn guns in 1938. During World War II, the training area
doubled in size with the acquisition and subsequent purchase of a further
20,000 acres (8094ha) to create a second Artillery Range and camp at
Otterburn. In 1959 the Ranges were renamed as an All Arms Training Area
and five infantry fire and manoeuver areas at Quickeningcote, Wilkwood,
Davyshiel, Sills and Heely Dodd were constructed under the Thurlow Plan.
From 1969 Otterburn was designated as one of seven Principal Training
Areas in the UK and became increasingly used for fire and manoeuver
training by infantry units supported by artillery, mortars, guided
missiles and air to ground attack aircraft. Developments since 1969 have
included the construction of another battle shooting area at Ridleeshope
and a moving target railway system at Stone in the Mire for engagement by
wire guided anti tank-missiles.
Details
The monument is situated within the Davyshiel Field Firing Box on the
Otterburn Army Training Estate. It includes the upstanding and buried
remains of three target operator bunkers. The bunkers, which are contained
within three separate areas of protection, are part of a group of five,
which formed a small arms training area constructed under the provisions
of the Thurlow Plan from 1962 to 1964. The other two target operator
bunkers are the subjects of separate schedulings. The bunkers housed a
system of cables and levers which military personnel operated manually to
raise and lower targets across the firing area. The first bunker operated
five remote targets and the second and third bunkers each operated three
targets, which were set into rectangular target pits; the target
mechanisms and the target pits which partially survive in the vicinity are
not included in the scheduling.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
32792
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
