South West District (British Army)

South West District was a district command of the British Army between 1967 and 1995.

History

The district was formed from 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division as part of the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve in 1967.^[1] It had its headquarters at Bulford Camp, Wiltshire, and was placed under the command of HQ United Kingdom Land Forces in 1972.^[2]

In 1984-85 the district controlled a number of individual units, including 94th Locating Regiment, Royal Artillery at Roberts Barracks, Larkhill; the Support Regiment RA; Headquarters 7 Regiment Army Air Corps; the UK contingent of the ACE Mobile Force; 1st Infantry Brigade at Tidworth; 43 Wessex Brigade in Exeter; and five planned companies of the Home Service Force.^[3]

In 1992, Headquarters South West District controlled three of the Army's 20 training areas on Salisbury Plain.^[4]

The district was disbanded on the formation of HQ Land Command in 1995.^[5]

General officers commanding included:^[6]

^ Steinberg, S. (1967). The Statesman's Year-Book 1967-68: The Encyclopaedia for the Businessman-of-The-World. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 106. ISBN 978-0230270961.
^ Paxton, J. (1972). The Statesman's Year-Book 1972-73: The Encyclopaedia for the Businessman-of-The-World. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-230-27101-2.
^ Isby and Kamps, Armies of NATO's Central Front, 1985, 254-55.
^ "Ministry of Defence: Management and Control of Army Training Land" (PDF). National Audit Office. 4 February 1992. p. 36. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
^ "Land Command Shapes Up", Jane's Defence Weekly, 15 July 1995.
^ "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 2 July 2016.