Walcheren Barracks

Walcheren Barracks
Glasgow
Walcheren Barracks at the junction of Hotspur Street
Walcheren Barracks Location within Glasgow
Coordinates	55°53′3″N 04°17′11″W / 55.88417°N 4.28639°W / 55.88417; -4.28639Coordinates: 55°53′3″N 04°17′11″W / 55.88417°N 4.28639°W / 55.88417; -4.28639
Type	Barracks
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	British Army
Site history
Built	1804–1806
Built for	War Office
In use	1806-Present
Garrison information
Occupants	6th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland

Walcheren Barracks is a Drill hall located at Hotspur Street in Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland.

History

The current building was originally constructed in 1935 as the new Headquarters of the 9th (Glasgow Highlanders) Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry, which moved from 81 Greendyke Street (now demolished and replaced by apartments) near Glasgow Green.^[1] It later became the Headquarters of the 52nd Lowland Volunteers in 1967, which was partly formed via the amalgamation of the redesignated 1st (Glasgow Highlanders) Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry and the 5th/6th Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry (Formed via the previous amalgamation of the 5th, 6th, 10th and 11th Battalions of the Highland Light Infantry in 1947), which had been based at 24 Hill Street, Garnethill (now known as the Haldane Building, part of the Glasgow School of Art).^[2]

Former Drill Halls of the Highland Light Infantry

The former Drill hall of the 5th/6th Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry at 24 Hill Street, Garnethill. Colours flying, the 5/6 HLI marched from Hill Street to amalgamate with the Glasgow Highlanders at Hotspur Street drill hall in 1967, becoming two companies in the new 52nd Lowland Volunteers.

Before it was amalgamated and moved to Hill Street in 1947, the 6th Bn, HLI was based in a Drill hall at 172 Yorkhill Street, which was originally built in 1900 with funds provided by Sir Thomas Lipton, who became its Colonel-in-Chief. In 1947 the drill hall was taken over by the new 15th (Scottish Volunteer) Battalion, The Parachute Regiment under Brigadier Alastair Pearson^[3] and was subsequently converted into apartments in 2000. A former Territorial HLI Battalion in Glasgow, the 7th (Blythswood) Battalion, the Highland Light Infantry was based at 69 Main Street, Bridgeton (now demolished and replaced by a tenement), it was converted to Royal Artillery in 1938, becoming the 83rd AA Regiment.^[4]

Current Use

The Barracks today forms the base of the Headquarters and two Companies of 52nd Lowland, 6th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland,^[5] the regular recruitment team for the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, as well as detachments of the Army Cadet Force and Air Training Corps. Lowland House, headquarters of The Lowland Reserve Forces and Cadets Association is also located at the site.^[6]

The Barracks was named Walcheren Barracks in 1985 by Princess Margaret, on the occasion of the presentation of Colours to the 1st Battalion, 52nd Lowland Volunteers. The designation Walcheren, was in recognition of Operation Infatuate, part of the Battle of the Scheldt in which the Glasgow Highlanders of 52nd (Lowland) Division were involved in the capture of Walcheren Island on November 8, 1944.^[7]

Maryhill Barracks

Walcheren Barracks is located adjacent to the former site of Maryhill Barracks, which was built on the Garrioch Estate in 1872, replacing the previous Infantry Barracks at Duke Street in the East End, which dated from 1795. Maryhill Barracks became the depot of the Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow) regiment after the Childers Reforms of 1881. It also famously held Hitler's second-in-command Rudolf Hess during World War Two after his supposed "Peace" flight to the UK. Maryhill Barracks was closed and largely demolished in 1960, to be replaced by the Wyndford Housing estate, although the guardroom and boundary walls remain.^[8]

References