RAA Liaison Letter 2024 - 2025 Edition

RAA L I A I SON L ETTER 2024 – 2025 E D I T I ON C ANNON BALL S UP PLEMENT 155 H ISTORICAL M OMENTS Goodbye Manly - Hello Puckapunyal Relocation of the Australian School of Artillery Warrant Officer Class 1 (MG) C F Clifford First Published in the RA Gunner No 323, October 1997 The School of Artillery of the Royal Australian Artillery has always been located North Head Barracks, Manly on the picturesque North Head peninsula with its spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and the exceptionally welcoming New South Wales climate. Because of its location, the holiday town of Manly is one of the prime postings in Australia. Life here revolves around the beaches, which are only 10 minutes’ walk away from the barracks; “Surf's Up in Manly” as they say. There has always been an affiliation with the School of Artillery and Manly, much the same as the Royal School of Artillery and Larkhill; (though there is absolutely no geographical comparison). For over twenty years it has been rumoured that the School of Artillery will be relocating to a small country town in central Victoria called Puckapunyal. Now the rumours finally have become fact, and the relocation will take place at the end of 1997at the cost of A$33 million. So why move from such an idyllic location at such a high cost and cause so much upheaval to so many service families? The School of Artillery, Manly, whilst situated in the ideal location from a geographical and social point of view, is far from ideal when its professional function is considered. Since live firing from North Head was terminated in the early 1980's, the nearest live firing range is at Singleton which is 250 kms away. The nearest training area which is large enough to conduct realistic recce and deployment training is at Holsworthy which is around40kms away. Because the School of Artillery does not have a resident support battery, support must come from which ever unit is available to provide it, (Regular or TA). This sometimes involves travelling over great distances at considerable cost and the sub-units involved tend to operate using their own SOPs rather than RAA doctrine which can be frustrating for instructors and students alike. The North Head Barracks' offices, lecture rooms, gun bays and service support areas are small, old and barely functional, and there is a serious lack of computer hardware. Also many of the married quarters in the Manly / North Sydney area, again whilst being ideally situated, are old and of a sub-standard condition and are sited over a vast area, which contributes towards making mess life fairly dull. With effect from Oct 97, the School of Artillery will begin the lengthy process of relocating to Puckapunyal, where the brand new purpose built, high-tech all singing - all dancing, training establishment of Bridges Barracks will be ready in all respects; equipped with every conceivable asset. The old barracks, on the Bridges Barracks site, were vacated at the end of 1996 and have been partly demolished, the planners making best use of all existing structurally sound buildings that will suit the needs of the School of Artillery. New facilities within Bridges Barracks will include a central instructional complex which will accommodate Gunnery, Air Defence, Locating and Regimental Training Wings complete with offices, lecture rooms, syndicate rooms, a cinema and AIRS (Invertron) room; all office desks will all have a computer port, many with inter-net access. The officers and sergeants’ messes will also be entirely new establishments. The headquarters building and living - in accommodation blocks are being refurbished, and hangars are being transformed into Q stores and workshops, gun-parks with secure cages and wet weather training areas. The married quarters, in a variety of on camp and local areas (the majority being on camp), are of a very high