BRNC Dartmouth to close

[Elroy Blue]

Reports are that Brittania Royal Naval College is to close to save money. (That's the Navy's version of Sandhurst). Is absolutely nothing sacred. This country is down the toilet. Just how much of our heritage have we got to bin, sell, or scrap before someone says enough. Having graduated from there, I was stunned when I heard the news. Passing out there meant far more than some faceless training base, where everything is done half cocked. Some things have more than a monetary value. It's proved that the current lot are exactly the same as the last feckless lot, just a different colour.

[andy400]

Source?

I hope it's not true.

Three stints at Britannia for me, as a cadet and as staff, and it was and is a fantastic place. There are many reasons for it to stay open, and it costs little in the grand scheme of things.

Any leads on where initial officer training will take place if it does close?

[Eric Mc]

Not much point in training sailors when there aren't enough ships to put them in.

[BeeRoad]

Elroy Blue said:

Reports are that Brittania Royal Naval College is to close to save money. (That's the Navy's version of Sandhurst). Is absolutely nothing sacred. This country is down the toilet. Just how much of our heritage have we got to bin, sell, or scrap before someone says enough. Having graduated from there, I was stunned when I heard the news. Passing out there meant far more than some faceless training base, where everything is done half cocked. Some things have more than a monetary value. It's proved that the current lot are exactly the same as the last feckless lot, just a different colour.

It's the last lot that spent and borrowed and borrowed and borrowed some more so we can't afford some of the things we should be able to afford. Can't see how it's the current lots fault for having to take the hard decisions forced on them by near bancruptcy TBH.

[Kermit power]

This is something I struggle with over the forces. Places like Dartmouth and Sandhurst weren't built to become traditions. They were built to provide the best possible officer training with what were, at the time of their construction, modern facilities.

The Navy arguably managed to do rather an outstanding job of training officers before 1905, and I'm sure there were a few people less than impressed when the Royal Military Academy was merged with the Royal Military College and moved to Sandhurst in 1947 after over 200 years in Woolwich.

What is more important? That future officers receive the best training they can get in the best facilities, or that there is a nice staircase for the CO to ride his horse up at the final parade?

[Elroy Blue]

The costs of running the College is tiny. Our Heritage and History (as well as a damn fine training establishment) will be lost forever. Never mind, they can put the money towards their increase in the Overseas bribe budget!!

[FourWheelDrift]

Elroy Blue said:

It's proved that the current lot are exactly the same as the last feckless lot, just a different colour.

You've have heard about this budget deficit the last lot created right?

Besides until it's actually officially stated instead of rumoured I would read anything into it yet.

[Kermit power]

Elroy Blue said:

The costs of running the College is tiny. Our Heritage and History (as well as a damn fine training establishment) will be lost forever. Never mind, they can put the money towards their increase in the Overseas bribe budget!!

Regardless of how high or low the cost, is it the best way to use the money? Wasn't it arguably a bigger break with tradition to pull the cadets out of training hulks and base them on dry land in the first place?

Nobody would suggest going back to the old training hulks moored on the Dart, as there were clearly massive improvements in hygiene, living conditions and just about everything else to be gained. Tradition didn't get in the way of that, so why should it get in the way of modernising the way in which the Navy trains its officers now?

I'm sure it's lovely to do your basic training in a sprawling great big Christopher Wren masterpiece in beautiful surroundings, but personally I'd rather keep stronger standing forces than train reduced numbers in a nice building.

[Andy Zarse]

I've always struggled to understand why officer training doesn't take place in Pompey anyway, it's far more logical. Can't say I'm that bothered, they should sell it for building.

As has been pointed out, what's the point of all these new officers if there's hardly any ships anyway?

[FourWheelDrift]

It's only been there since 1905 when the buildings were finished before that they were trained in old moored hulks from 1863 to 1905, and before that the Royal Naval Academy was at Portsmouth from 1733 to 1837.

PS. The Royal Naval College Greenwich was closed in 1998 (the first full year of Nu-labia's rule).

[Elroy Blue]

I'm perfectly aware of the deficit left by the last lot. I'd hoped the current muppets might put a bit more value on our heritage. If you aren't bothered about that, then the outstanding training the college delivers should be considered. It's ideally placed on the River Dart to teach seamanship in an environment that isn't crowded by ferries, cargo ships and other types.

The cost is miniscule. But hearing Osborne refer to the new carriers as 'them things' shows their contempt for the military.

[whirligig]

We were down there three years ago for my OH's passing out - it is a spectacular building and situation, although somewhat out of the way for a lot of people. However, as said previously, it wasn't built with tradition in mind and perhaps a tri-service officers training establishment is the way forward.

[Taffer]

Kermit power said:

I'm sure it's lovely to do your basic training in a sprawling great big Christopher Wren masterpiece in beautiful surroundings, but personally I'd rather keep stronger standing forces than train reduced numbers in a nice building.

Sir Christopher Wren designed the Royal Naval College at Greenwich, a staff college which closed in 1998. Sir Aston Webb (of Buckingham Palace fame) designed the main building at BRNC Dartmouth.

As Elroy Blue said, the location of the college is ideal for its purpose, and ensures trainees are working on or near the water from day one of their careers, something a tri-service officer training establishment most likely won't provide. I passed out of there in 2006 (didn't get all the way through flying training though ) - lovely place, and would be a shame if it were to close. The problem is that the site can't really accommodate any other major unit or function, so would be the most likely candidate of the four officer training establishments for the chop.

[Corsair7]

whirligig said:

We were down there three years ago for my OH's passing out - it is a spectacular building and situation, although somewhat out of the way for a lot of people. However, as said previously, it wasn't built with tradition in mind and perhaps a tri-service officers training establishment is the way forward.

Tri service?

Try Uni-service.

[GlenMH]

I graduated from there and agree that it is a lovely building/surroundings etc but I really really can't see the rationale for keeping it. Yes, tradition is one thing but you could move the lot to Whale Island, which is also a long established home for the RN and is right next to some protected water for seamanship training. Raliegh provides another good alternative.

While we are at it, why not get rid of Lympstone too and colocate all RN/RM officer training.

I don't believe there should be any sacred cows in the forces and the question should be: what is the best and most cost effective way to provide the skills needed to perform the functions the gov't requires. With fewer ships with yet fewer people on board to run them then there have got to be some changes.

[Bing o]

Elroy Blue said:

I'm perfectly aware of the deficit left by the last lot. I'd hoped the current muppets might put a bit more value on our heritage.

If you're hungry and about to lose your home, you'd flog the antique silver wouldn't you?

The country is fked, and it seems like some of you don't realise exactly what this means.

[Ayahuasca]

I predicted this in the '25 ships only' thread. Stands to reason, with a tiny pisspot navy you don't need a massive naval academy.

[Elroy Blue]

Bing o said:

Elroy Blue said:

I'm perfectly aware of the deficit left by the last lot. I'd hoped the current muppets might put a bit more value on our heritage.

If you're hungry and about to lose your home, you'd flog the antique silver wouldn't you?

The country is fked, and it seems like some of you don't realise exactly what this means.

Don't be so bloody patronising. The only thing you display with a comment like this is a profound ignorance of the wider picture.

This Government has sat down with a piece of paper and just said 'cut this and we save this'. They have demonstrated they have no understanding of the implications this can have (and the fact cutting equipment can cost us more in the long run).

They have decided to scrap our current carriers to pay for QE and POW. The new carriers won't be deploying fixed wing until 2020. The Government look on their piece of paper and say "Oh goody, we saved £xx million" What they have absolutely no understanding of is the loss of expertise of deck handling, pilot currency, carrier ops and servicing aircraft at sea. You don't just pick up where you left off after 10 years.

I'm sick of hearing about 'cold war dinosaurs'. Afghanistan is A war, it's not THE war. The are some very hot spots around the world and having nothing but a soldier with an SA80 is going to come back and bite us.

[Fittster]

Bing o said:

Elroy Blue said:

I'm perfectly aware of the deficit left by the last lot. I'd hoped the current muppets might put a bit more value on our heritage.

If you're hungry and about to lose your home, you'd flog the antique silver wouldn't you?

The country is fked, and it seems like some of you don't realise exactly what this means.

If that were true the first thing you would do would be to declare yourself bankrupt and write off your debts.

[andy400]

Fittster said:

Bing o said:

Elroy Blue said:

I'm perfectly aware of the deficit left by the last lot. I'd hoped the current muppets might put a bit more value on our heritage.

If you're hungry and about to lose your home, you'd flog the antique silver wouldn't you?

The country is fked, and it seems like some of you don't realise exactly what this means.

If that were true the first thing you would do would be to declare yourself bankrupt and write off your debts.

Or stop giving away money to those who serve no purpose other than to drag us futher into the mire.....