His Majesty’s Ship Caledonia (HMS Caledonia) is a military establishment of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

based next to the former Royal Naval Dockyard, Rosyth in

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

History

HMS ''Caledonia'' was first opened in 1937 and responsible for artificer apprentice training from 1937 to 1985, with many thousands of young men going through training. Following the consolidation of naval training in 1985, the site lost its training status with the former apprentice training moving to in

Gosport Gosport ( ) is a town and non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Hampshire, England. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census, the town had a population of 70,131 and the district had a pop ...

. The site was subsequently reduced to become part of HMS ''Cochrane''. Just before the beginning of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Boys' Training Ship Caledonia was based here. By this time Admiral Sir Charles Ramsey, the Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth, responsible for naval operations in the area, was based at just down the road at the Dockyard. In 1993 the

Ministry of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...

announced plans to privatise Rosyth. Babcock International, who had bought out Thorn's share of the original Babcock Thorn consortium, was the only company to submit a bid and after protracted negotiations purchased the yard in January 1997. In 1996, following the decommissioning and privatisation of the Royal Naval Dockyard Rosyth, MoD Caledonia was opened on the site of the former dockyard. Following the

Options for Change Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in summer 1990 after the end of the Cold War. Until this point, UK military strategy had been almost entirely focused on defending Western Europe against the Soviet Armed Forces ...

review and the

collapse of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...

, the reserve unit was moved from Pitreavie Castle to HMS ''Caledonia'', where it has been based ever since. In 2018 concerns arose over the future of the site; it was reported that it could close in 2022, despite efforts to save it, this was later extended to 2026. On 1 April 2023 it was renamed HMS Caledonia and its future is assured.

Based units

** Headquarters, ** Royal Naval Support Establishment HMS Caledonia ** Royal Navy Careers Headquarters (North) ** Royal Naval Acquaint Centre (Northern) ** Naval Regional Command Scotland and Northern Ireland (NRCSNI) ** Directorate of Naval Shore Telecommunications (North) *

Royal Marines The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...

** Band of His Majesty's Royal Marines, Scotland *

Community Cadet Forces The Community Cadet Forces is a term used by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MOD) to group together the Sea Cadet Corps, Army Cadet Force, Air Training Corps, and Volunteer Cadet Corps. Together with the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) the ...

** TS Fife, Sea Cadet Corps ** Sea Cadet Training Centre (National Sea Cadets Training Centre){{Cite web, title=Sea Cadet Training Centre Caledonia, url=https://www.britishrowing.org/club/sea-cadet-training-centre-caledonia/, access-date=2021-05-06, website=British Rowing, language=en-GB **1145 (Dunfermline) Squadron, Central Scotland Wing,

Air Training Corps The Air Training Corps (ATC) is a British Youth organisations in the United Kingdom, volunteer youth organisation; aligned to, and fostering the knowledge and learning of military values, primarily focusing on military aviation. Part of the ...

Footnotes

Buildings and structures in Fife Scottish coast Royal Navy bases in Scotland Rosyth Ports and harbours of Scotland Royal Navy shore establishments 1996 establishments in Scotland Firth of Forth Installations of the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)

History

Based units

See also

Footnotes