The Otterburn Army Training Estate is a military training area near Otterburn, Northumberland, in northern England. It is owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and operated by Landmarc on contract from the MoD's Defence Infrastructure Organisation.[1]
| Otterburn Training Area | |
|---|---|
| Otterburn | |
 The southern entrance to Otterburn MoD camp | |
  Otterburn Training Area Location within Northumberland | |
| Coordinates | 55°22′10″N 2°18′20″W / 55.36944°N 2.30556°W |
| Type | Training Area |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Operator |  British Army |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1911 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | 1911 – present |
History
editThe site was established in 1911[2] and covers about 242 square kilometres (93 sq mi) of the southern Cheviot Hills, 23% of the Northumberland National Park.[3] The National Park was established in 1956, 45 years after establishment of the Artillery Range.[4]
Otterburn is the UK's largest firing range, and is in frequent use. The ranges are used by AS-90 artillery and M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems; Otterburn is the only place in the UK where the MLRS can be fired, requiring an 11 mile long by 2 mile wide firing range.[2][5] Because of the danger posed by live fire exercises, recreational use of the area is restricted, although it is possible for the public to use some parts of the estate subject to the relevant bylaws. The MoD publishes a booklet, Walks on Ministry of Defence Lands, which offers advice on this.[6]
In 2016 a soldier of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, Conor McPherson, was shot in the back of the head and killed by a fellow British soldier on the Otterburn Heely Dod firing range.[7]
Gallery
edit-
Otterburn Ranges. The road leading into the Ministry of Defence Ranges, and the red flag showing that the army are practising live firing there.
-
Signpost for Otterburn Crossroads on the MoD ranges
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Entrance to the Otterburn Ranges near Holystone - note the cattle grid
References
edit- ^ Frances Perraudin (24 August 2016). "Tributes paid to soldier killed in Otterburn live firing exercise". The Guardian.
- ^ a b "DTE Otterburn Public Information Leaflet" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. 4 March 2016.
- ^ "Otterburn Ranges". Northumberland National Park. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
- ^ "About us". Northumberland National Park. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- ^ Nicholas Schoon (26 April 1997). "Travel: Tanks for the wildlife". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2 December 2014.
- ^ Walking guides on the Defence Estate, including Otterburn. Ministry of Defence
- ^ "HSE issues MoD (Army) with Crown Censure following death of soldier | HSE Media Centre". 8 May 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
External links
edit- DTE Otterburn - Public information leaflet, Defence Estates, Ministry of Defence
- Otterburn firing times, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, Ministry of Defence