Memorial Hall Update

ACC War Memorial Hall - The End of an Era

As part of the redevelopment plans for Aldershot and St Omer Barracks, the ACC War Memorial Hall was earmarked for reassignment as a Gurkha Temple and Families Centre to accommodate the needs of the Queens Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment when it moves from its present barracks in North Camp, in 2011-12.

The last occupants of the Hall, who were happy to display the ACC artefacts and memorials was the MOD Library Service but they were evicted in early 2010. The Chairman of the ACC Association, Col Philippe Rossiter and Lt Col Nigel Shepherd RLC, Chief Instructor of the Defence Food Services School negotiated with the Garrison and the Gurkha Chaplain General regarding the preservation of our memorial plaques and distribution of artefacts from the Hall with good results.

The main agreement is as follows:

· The cement plaque commemorating ACC war dead inside the shrine will be left on display.

· The brass plaques dedicating and rededicating the Hall will remain on view outside the shrine in the foyer.

· A small display describing the building and opening of the Hall will be shown inside the entrance hall.

· The bronze commemoration plaque and ACC Cipher will remain on display on the outside of the building.

· The brick “Angel” on the outside of the tower will be preserved but covered, to enable uncovering

if in future the building is once again re-allocated to a different purpose.

· Catering Items from the Memorial Garden will be relocated to DFSS in Worthy Down and others used to create an area outside the front of the Hall to provide a small Garden of Remembrance.

· The unit boards and portraits etc were removed from the interior of the Hall and offered for sale to members, raising over £1000 for Help for Heroes.

· The religious items have been relocated into the Cathedral Church of St Michael & St George on Queens Avenue, the Royal Garrison Church of All Saints and the Garrison Church at Worthy Down where the Catering School and students will have access.

The ACC Association Executive Council is satisfied that everything possible has been done to preserve the dignity of ACC war dead and to acknowledge the contribution made to Army Catering training in St Omer Barracks. The project will be completed by 2012 and members will be able to visit the Hall during normal working hours.

Members’ Battle to Save the Hall

Both the Association Executive Council and the members fought hard to counter the decision of the MOD to use the Hall for other purposes, but as the lease had expired and the Hall was no longer owned by the ACC Association, the GOC of 4th Division and Commander Aldershot Garrison decided that the rebuild would go ahead and the ACC would have to move its artefacts from the Hall by April 2010. The support of the local MP Gerald Howarth and over 700 signatures on a Downing Street Petition, as well as letters from members, Director Royal Logistic Corps and senior members of the Association were all politely responded to, but the decision remained in place and the Executive Council was resigned to making as good a job as possible in moving the artefacts and preserving the dignity and integrity of the War Memorial, built with ACC soldiers’ contributions and this has been agreed as outlined above.