Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search School
| Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search Training Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1970 - Present |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Training |
| Role | Training for handling explosive ordnance |
| Garrison/HQ | Kineton, Warwickshire |
The Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search Training Regiment (DEMS Training Regiment) is an element of the Royal School of Military Engineering responsible for the delivery of training to British Army Ammunition Technicians, Ammunition Technical Officers and Search Operators. The Regiment delivers training from two locations; Marlborough Barracks, MoD Kineton near Kineton, Warwickshire and St George's Barracks, MoD Bicester, near Bicester, Oxfordshire.
DEMS Training Regiment was established in December 2012, bringing together the School of Ammunition, the Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal School and the National Search Centre, initially as DEMSS (North), encompassing Kineton and Bicester sites and DEMSS (South) at Chattenden, Kent. Whilst functionally joined for operational purposes from 2008 this event marked the closure of the Chattenden site.
Contents
History
Each of the schools coming together to form the Regiment have a history that encompasses a number of sites in the UK, with ammunition management having been the preserve of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, later the Royal Logistic Corps, and Bomb Disposal having been the responsibility of the Royal Engineers since the Second World War. The Royal Army Ordnance Corps have been responsible for the safe storage, management and disposal of munitions, a responsibility subsequently subsumed into the Royal Logistics Corps. The education and training to support this requirement has been delivered from:
Army School of Ammunition, Bramley
An element of the Training Establishment, Royal Army Ordnance Corps was established in 1922 at Bramley Central Ammunition Depot, a site established during the First World War to manufacture and store ammunition.[1]
Marlborough Barracks, Temple Herdewyke
A Base Ammunition Depot was built at Kineton in 1942.[2] The Army School of Ammunition moved from Bramley to Kineton in 1974, as the former site became too small for the munitions natures being developed at the time.[2] It was renamed the Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search School (DEMSS) in 2009 and was split between Lodge Hill, Chatham (DEMSS South) and Kineton (DEMSS North).[3] DEMSS North had facilities at Kineton and Bicester.[4]
School of Military Engineering, Ripon
The Royal School of Military Engineering was based in Chatham, Kent, but during the Second World War was split into two training Battalions, one of which was located at Harper Barracks (later Claro Barracks), Ripon, North Yorkshire. This site was identified as a home for the School of Bomb Disposal, formed in 1941, and reflecting the nomination of the Royal Engineers as being responsible for the discipline.[5]
Joint Service Bomb Disposal School, Broadbridge Heath
The Joint Service Bomb Disposal School at Broadbridge Heath in West Sussex closed in 1966 and training moved to Lodge Hill, Chattenden, Kent.[6]
Organisation and training
As an element of DEMS Training Regiment delivers a number of courses to students from the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, civilian bodies in government and to international partners. Four training squadrons deliver courses with munitions, search and conventional munitions or Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)[4] at DEMSS South and Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD) at DEMSS North.[4]
Regimental HQ is based at Bicester, with two training wings at Bicester and two at Kineton.
The four training squadrons are:[7]
- Munitions Wing - All aspects of academic elements of munitions theory, maintenance, storage, accounting, investigation processes and logistic disposal.
- Conventional Munitions Disposal Wing - Disposal of unexploded ordnance and remnants of war
- Specialist Search Wing - Location and identification of emplaced devices and concealed contraband material
- IEDD Wing - All aspects of Improvised Explosive Device Disposal in controlled and hostile environment
References
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