RMB Chivenor | |
|---|---|
| NearBraunton,Devon in England | |
 View looking south over RMB Chivenor | |
 Badge of theRoyal Marines | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Royal Marines Base |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Operator |  Royal Navy |
| Controlled by |  Royal Marines |
| Condition | Operational |
| Website | RM Chivenor - Royal Navy |
| Location | |
  RMB Chivenor Location in Devon Show map of Devon RMB Chivenor RMB Chivenor (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom | |
| Coordinates | 51°05′14″N004°09′01″W / 51.08722°N 4.15028°W /51.08722; -4.15028 |
| Area | 222 hectares |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1940 (1940) |
| In use | 1940–1995 (Royal Air Force) 1995 – present (Royal Marines) |
| Garrison information | |
| Current commander | Lt Col R. Alderson RM |
| Occupants | Commando Logistic Regiment 24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers Volunteer Cadet Corps |
Royal Marines Barracks Chivenor is aBritish military base used primarily byUK Commando Force. It is situated on the northern shore of theRiver Taw estuary, adjacent to theSouth West Coast Path, on the north coast ofDevon,England. The nearest towns areBarnstaple andBraunton.
Originally a civil airfield opened in the 1930s, the site was taken over by theRoyal Air Force (RAF) and was operational between May 1940 and 1995 when it was transferred to the Royal Marines.
The nameChivenor is first attested in 1285, asChivenore. This is thought to originate inOld English as a personal name,Cifa, in itsgenitive formCifan, combined with the Old English wordōra ('flat-topped ridge'). Thus the name once meant 'Cifa's flat-topped ridge'. The ridge in question runs from west to east along the north bank of theRiver Taw, fromHeanton Punchardon toTutshill Wood on the northern fringe ofBarnstaple. Like Heanton Punchardon, RM Chivenor lies at the west end of the ridge.[1]
In the 1930s, a civil airfield was opened on or near the site of Chivenor farm. In February 1940 theAir Ministry took the site over, constructing an aerodrome in May 1940 for use as aRAF Coastal Command Station. Known asRAF Chivenor, the station opened on 25 October 1940 within No. 17 Group, Coastal Command.[2] Initially, two units were based there initially:No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF[3] andNo. 252 Squadron RAF, both operatingBristol Beaufighters,Bristol Blenheims andBristol Beauforts.[4]
After theSecond World War, the station was largely used for training, particularly weapons training. During the 1950s and 1960s,No. 229 Operational Conversion Unit RAF (229 OCU) usedHawker Hunter aircraft for training. In 1974 229 OCU left forRAF Brawdy (where it was renamed as the Tactical Weapons Unit), with Chivenor placed into "care and maintenance" status for rebuilding, thoughNo. 624 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (624 VGS) continued to fly from there.[5]
The RAF returned in 1981, with 2 Tactical Weapons Unit (2 TWU) and theirBAE Hawks, moving in fromRAF Lossiemouth. In 1992 2 TWU was renamed as7 FTS before leaving in 1994 to merge with4 FTS atRAF Valley, and the airfield was handed over to the RM.[6]
From 1 October 1995 onwards, the Royal Marines took control of the base, it being renamed Royal Marines Base Chivenor (RMB Chivenor). It became home to theCommando Logistics Regiment, Royal Marines[7] and 59 Independent Commando Squadron Royal Engineers, now24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers.[8]
The airfield remained an operational airfield, used by the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and RAF Search and Rescue Force (No. 22 Squadron RAF) as well asNo. 624 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF (624 VGS) operatingGrob Vigilant T1 motor gliders, providing flights for theAir Training Corps andCombined Cadet Force.[9]
A Better Defence Estate, published in November 2016, indicated that the Ministry of Defence would dispose of RMB Chivenor by 2027.[10] However, following a concerted campaign to keep the base open, theMinistry of Defence announced in February 2019 that the base would remain open.[11]
Notable units based at RMB Chivenor.[7][8]
Royal Marines(UK Commando Force)
Royal Engineers (UK Commando Force)
In December 2020 theVolunteer Cadet Corps started a unit of Royal Marines Cadets at RMB Chivenor. Due to COVID-19, face to face activities were put on hold but as of October 2021 the first cadets and adult volunteers will be starting training on site.[12]
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TheCommando Logistic Regiment's role is to ensure the re-supply of ammunition, water, fuel and food, known as "combat supplies" to the ground forces, and to provide first-line medical care to any service person or civilian. It also provides specialist services to sustain the brigade's operation.[7]
Formed in April 2008,24 Commando Engineer Regiment is a unit of the British Army's Royal Engineers which supports 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines.[8]
On 21 November 2008 the BBCTop Gear series filmed segments near to Chivenor. In the segments the presenter Jeremy Clarkson takes part in a mock battle on the beach atInstow with around 30 marines from Chivenor and elsewhere.[13]
The Sea Kings from 22 squadron A-Flight at Chivenor took a starring role in Episode 6 of theNational Geographic Channel documentary television seriesSea Patrol UK, with B-Flight of 22 Squadron at AAC Wattisham alongside Royal Navy and Coastguard units.[14]
The 2011 BBC television seriesThe Choir: Military Wives featured Chivenor. The programme documented choirmasterGareth Malone forming a choir of wives and partners of Chivenor personnel deployed on active service in theAfghanistan War. In forming a choir, Malone aimed to raise the women's morale and raise their profile in the public perception.[15] The songWherever You Are was recorded by the Military Wives Choir and was released as a single in December 2011, with proceeds going to theRoyal British Legion andSSAFA Forces Help.[16]
