Larkhill has been evolving as an artillery training centre for over a century, but never in its history has the pace of change been as rapid as in the last five years.
The catalyst for this acceleration of activity has been the long-signaled and recently executed move of the Regimental home from Woolwich - an event that forced the Royal Artillery to start the long process of establishing a new home at Larkhill worthy of its status, history and ethos. Much has already been achieved but inevitably there is still a lot to do. A key element of the move has been the renaming of Stirling Barracks as the Royal Artillery Barracks (RA Barracks) thus cementing the link back to Woolwich.

Larkhill, which for many years has been synonymous with the Royal School of Artillery (RSA) and its supporting units, has now expanded into a true artillery centre of which the RSA is but a part. The modern garrison houses the Regimental Headquarters Royal Artillery, the Headquarters of the Director Royal Artillery, the Royal School of Artillery (including the Royal Artillery Gunnery Training Team and the Royal Artillery Trials and Development Unit), 14 Regt RA, who train our recruits and give artillery support to the RSA, and Regular regiment, 32 Regt RA (Unmanned Air Systems). Larkhill Garrison has become the single focal point for the administration of the Regiment, the formulation and dissemination of policy and doctrine, future developments and training.

Throughout the Garrison these organisational developments have been matched by improvements to its infrastructure, sporting and recreational facilities. Improvements made, or planned, for the various buildings, including those for both the Officers' Mess and the Central Sergeants' Mess.

In recent months, various regimental artifacts have been moved from Woolwich to Larkhill where they are now sited throughout the RA Barracks. These include various ancient guns, cannons and mortars in front of, or adjacent to, the RA Officers' Mess; the impressive Dickson Memorial that has been placed on the grass just inside the main entrance to the RA Barracks, and the famous railway gun that resides now next to the rugby pitch. All these artifacts, together with many other artillery pieces of past eras that have always been at Larkhill, emphasise our rich heritage.

So far as recreational developments are concerned, various new sport pitches have been laid, including a full-size football pitch, a flood-lit rugby pitch and a Astroturf hockey pitch, all soon to be supported by a new sports pavilion being developed under the name of the Woolwich Pavilion. A county class cricket square, together with a new cricket pavilion, has been laid out in front of the Officers' Mess. Three all-weather tennis courts have been built. Two stable blocks, sponsored by BAE Systems, have been built for the Royal Artillery saddle club and a clay pigeon shooting range has been opened, as has a cross country motorcycle course.

Besides these modern facilities, the Regiment continues to maintain its own point-to-point racecourse which, set out over two and a quarter miles of Salisbury Plain, is widely acknowledged to be one of the biggest and best racecourses of its type in the British Isles. A new racecourse building, The Queen's Building, was opened by The Duke of Westminster in 2005. Alongside the racecourse, and supported by the same building, is the equine cross-country course where major hunter trials and three-day eventing competitions are staged.

The Royal Artillery Hunt, the last regimental hunt still in existence in British Army, together with its pack of home-bred foxhounds, continues to flourish, as does the Royal Artillery shoot. Add to this list flourishing golfing, sailing, canoeing, fishing, squash, cross country running, singing and amateur dramatics clubs and societies and you see that Larkhill Garrison has something to offer everyone. In fact, we are spoiled for choice!

It took almost 300 years to establish the much loved and admired Regimental Home at Woolwich. In a few short years, an excellent start has been made towards establishing an equally impressive home at Larkhill - a home that we are justifiably proud that our Captain-General agreed to open.