| Thiepval Barracks | |
|---|---|
| Lisburn | |
 Thiepval Barracks | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Barracks |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Operator |  British Army |
| Location | |
  Thiepval Barracks Location within Northern Ireland | |
| Coordinates | 54°31′27″N06°3′6″W / 54.52417°N 6.05167°W /54.52417; -6.05167 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1940 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | 1940-Present |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | Headquarters,38th (Irish) Brigade Headquarters,2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment 2nd Battalion, The Rifles |
Thiepval Barracks is aBritish Army barracks and headquarters inLisburn,County Antrim. It is also the site of the stone frigateHMSHibernia, Headquarters of theRoyal Naval Reserve in Northern Ireland.
The barracks were built in 1940.[1] They are named after the village ofThiepval in northern France, an important site in theBattle of the Somme and site of theThiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.[2]
From 1954, the barracks contained the operational headquarters of No 31 Belfast GroupRoyal Observer Corps (ROC) who operated from a protected nuclear bunker on Knox Road within Thiepval Barracks. Converted from a 1940s anti-aircraft operations room (AAOR), the bunker would support over one hundred ROC volunteers and a ten-manUnited Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation warning team, responsible for the famousfour-minute warning in the event of a nuclear strike on the UK. The ROC would also detect radioactive fallout from the nuclear bursts and warn the public of approaching fallout. The two organisations were stood down at the end of theCold War.[3]
In early 1970, the barracks also became home to39 Infantry Brigade[4] and provided the headquarters for theUlster Defence Regiment.[5] The brigade, as 39 Airportable Brigade, was involved inThe Troubles in Northern Ireland, eventually taking on responsibility underHQ Northern Ireland for an area includingBelfast and the eastern side of the province, but excluding the South Armagh border region. For most of the conflict, signals support for the brigade was provided by 213 Signal Squadron.[6] From September 1970, the brigade was commanded by (then)BrigadierFrank Kitson.[7]
On 7 October 1996 theProvisional Irish Republican Army penetrated the heavily fortified baseto detonate two car bombs. The first detonated at 15:35 GMT followed by the second around ten minutes later close to the base's medical facilities where victims were gathering. Warrant Officer James Bradwell (43) was killed and 21 soldiers and 10 civilians were injured. This bombing was the first major attack on a military base in Northern Ireland since the ending of the IRA's ceasefire with the1996 Docklands bombing.[8][9]
The 39 Infantry Brigade took on some units from3 Brigade when that brigade was disbanded on 1 September 2004. The HQ8 Infantry Brigade, based inShackleton Barracks,Ballykelly, County Londonderry, was disbanded and handed over responsibility to HQ 39 Infantry Brigade at Thiepval Barracks on 1 September 2006.[4]
On 1 August 2007, the brigade was amalgamated with107 (Ulster) Brigade when the new non-deployable brigade HQ, the38 (Irish) Brigade, was formed in the province.[10]
| HMSHibernia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | September 2010–present |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Stone frigate |
| Role | Regional headquarters & reserve unit |
| Part of | Royal Naval Reserve |
HMSHibernia is the name given to a stone frigate of theRoyal Navy, which serves as the headquarters of theRoyal Naval Reserve inNorthern Ireland and is Northern Ireland's only Royal Navy stone frigate. It was commissioned in 2009 to replace theC-class cruiserHMS Caroline as the training establishment for the RNR in Northern Ireland,[11]Hibernia is located within Thiepval Barracks.[12] The unit numbers approximately 100 officers and ratings and is also home toUniversity Royal Naval Unit (URNU) Belfast.[13][14]
The barracks remain home to: