History of The Armour Centre
and its contribution to the United Kingdom's defence capability.
History and Role
 In June 1916, the training camp for the Heavy Branch of the Machine Gun Corps moved from Thetford in Norfolk to Bovington and Lulworth in south Dorset. The goal was to create a single centre of excellence for the development of armoured fighting vehicles and for the training of their commanders and crewmen. It was at Bovington and Lulworth that the earliest tanks, used to such devastating effect in World War 1, were developed and modified. It was here also that forward thinking soldiers worked with industry throughout the 1920s and 1930s to design the weapon systems and tactics which changed the nature of 20th century warfare and laid the foundations for armoured victory in the Gulf War and the effective employment of AFVs in Peace Support Operations in Bosnia.
A Centre of Excellence
At the Armour Centre the AFV Training Group is the British Army's Centre of Excellence for Armoured Fighting Vehicle training. Since its inception in 1916, the Group has made a vital contribution to the nation's defence effort by consistently producing the highly trained Commanders and Crewmen who provide the Army's front line armoured capability.
With a strong emphasis on military ethos, the Group delivers world class standards of Training through the employment of a variety of modern training methods. These include the wide use of the latest computer simulation technology and an effective combination of military and private sector expertise. The Group trains some 4,500 soldiers annually in its three schools. This includes training the Instructors who ensure that armoured skills are continually kept up to date throughout the Royal Armoured Corps' regiments.
The AFV Training Group as an integral part of the Army's training effort
In 1995 the Armour Centre became an Operating Division of the Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA) and is accountable to its Chief Executive (Major-General). Within the Armour Centre, the AFV Training Group is focused on the second part of the Agency's mission: to recruit and train young people to become the best soldiers in the world.
ATRA is a defence agency of the Ministry of Defence and an integral part of the Adjutant General's Training and Personnel Command.
Chronology
1899
War Office purchases 1000 acres of heathland in parishes of Bovington, Turners Puddle, Affpuddle, Wool and other Dorset areas. Used by many battalions in the decade prior to the First World War.
1907-1910
War Office progressively enlarges camp and extends by 315 acres.
1914
Infantry Training Camp
1916 
War Office decides on Bovington as location for new tank training. The Tank training Centre is formed, run by Heavy Section, Machine Gun Corps. Gunnery School established at Lulworth.
Pigeon training in lieu of wireless.
Depot Workshops established.
1917
Heavy Section becomes Tank Corps, expanded from 9 to 18 battalions.
Workshops expanded to cope with over 300 tanks at Bovington.
1919
Central Schools consist of:
- HQ
- Machine Gun School
- Tank School
- Signalling School
- Intelligence School
- Revolver School
- Ant-Gas School
- Bombing School
- Pigeon School
- Compass School
1921
Tank Fitters Training Shop opened in Central Workshops to train properly qualified Tank Mechanics.
1922
Economies result in Central Schools rationalised to:
- HQ
- Gunnery School
- Tank Driving and Maintenance School
- Armoured Car School.
1923
TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) enlists in Tank Corps at Bovington Camp under name of 'TE Shaw'.
1920s/30s 
Development of Camp and Bovington Village.
1936
Central Workshops engage in experimental testing of new vehicles leading to later establishment of Equipment Trials Wing.
Royal Signals contingent attached to Royal Tank Central School to form Wireless Wing.
1937
Army Armoured Fighting Vehicle School established at Bovington and Lulworth to replace Royal Tank Corps Central School. Comprises Driving and Maintenance and Wireless wings at Bovington and Gunnery Wing at Lulworth.
1939
Formation of Royal Armoured Corps.
Bindon Range at Lulworth the only fully equipped AFV range in the UK.
1943
Tyneham taken over by MOD (?) for D-DAY preparations.
1939-45
35 main AFV types introduced to Bovington/Lulworth.
1945 
Driving and Maintenance School; to include the Royal Artillery Wing in order to provide training with tracked self-propelled guns.
1948
RAC Depot re-established at Bovington.
Title changed from Central Schools / Bovington Garrison to HQ RAC Centre.
1949-54
Army acquires freehold of 6313 acres of land, including Tyneham.
1951
School of Tank Technology (STT) moved from Chobham to Bovington.
1952
Boys Squadron RAC formed at Bovington, later to become Junior Leaders Regiment.
1963
The last National Servicemen left the Army, and the much-reduced training requirement led to shrinking of the communities at Bovington and Lulworth.
Early 60's
In the early 1960's the RAC Centre comprised:
- Headquarters
- Driving & Maintenance (D&M) School including Royal Artillery & Royal Engineer Wings
- Signal School
- Gunnery School (at Lulworth)
- Tactical School (including a Combat Development Cell, which later transfered to HQ DRAC)
- School of Tank Technology (Later to become the Armour School), including the Tank Museum
- Equipment Trials Wing (later to become the Armoured Trials and Development Unit)
- Publications Wing (later to become Training Development & Publications Wing, and subsequently Media Support Wing)
- Junior Leaders Regiment, RAC
- RAC Depot
- RAC Team, Army Works Study Group
and the following units were also situated at Bovington and Lulworth:
- Medical Reception Station, Bovington
- 18 Command Workshop, REME
- 16 Army Education Centre
- Civilian Establishment Pay Office
- 15 Independent Company, WRAC
- Married Quarters Administrative Staff
- Area and Garrison Works Offices
1965
HQ Director Royal Armoured Corps (DRAC) moved from Whitehall to Lulworth, and Junior leaders Regiment moved into purpose-built accommodation at Stanley Barracks.
1966
The School of Tank Technology became the Armour School.
1968
The Queens Royal Irish Hussars became the first RAC Centre Regiment, assuming administrative responsibility for thr RAC Centre.
1969
RAC Memorial Hall opens.
1978 
New headquarters building opened after nearly three years of construction, accommodating HQ DRAC, HQ RAC Centre, the Tactics School, a Courts Martial Centre, Civilian Pay office and some other units.
1979
A new workshop opened on the site of the existing 18 Command Workshop REME, later to become 18 Base Workshop and then ABRO Bovington.
1987
The Armour School closed and Armoured Technology training moved to the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham.
1993
The Tactics School moved to Warminster to become part of the Combined Arms Training Centre.
1999
The RAC Centre was renamed the Armour Centre because, in its current role as an operating Division of the Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA), it was providing training in tracked armoured vehicles to the Field Army in general rather than just to the Royal Armoured Corps.
This summary includes information published in "Bovington Tanks" by George and Anne Forty, Dorset Publishing Company, 1988. ISBN 0-902129-97-X.
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