Army Apprentices College

The advent of mechanised warfare during World War I left the Army requiring technically-skilled tradesmen in large numbers. Realising that not enough qualified tradesmen would be able to be recruited from civilian life, the Army Council resolved in 1919 to develop a system to train boys as tradesmen directly after leaving school. There were already a few boys' training establishments in existence; but the decision was taken to establish a new central school, which would be able to accommodate around a thousand boys. This led to the opening of the '''Boys' Technical School at Beachley Barracks, Gloucestershire, England, on 28 February 1924. (Beachley Barracks is sometimes described as Chepstow barracks, even though Chepstow is on the opposite bank of the river Wye in Monmouthshire, Wales.) Five years later in 1929 it was renamed Army Technical School (Boys).''' (mainly Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Royal Army Service Corps and Royal Tank Regiment). ==List of schools/colleges==

The following locations are listed on the Army Apprentice National Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum (dates are indicated where known): • Aldershot (1923–1924) • Arborfield (1939–2004) • Ashvale (RAMC/RADC Apprentices College) (1964–1985) • Bramley (1936–1939) • Carlisle (1960–1969) • Catterick • Chatham (1939) • Beachley Barracks (1924–1994) • Church Crookham (RAMC Apprentices) (–1964) • Deepcut (RAOC Apprentices College) (1970–1985) • Jersey (1938–1940) • Taunton (1947–1949) • Woolwich • Worthy Down (RAPC Apprentices College) (1964–1985) ==See also==