PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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COYPOOL DEPOT It was announced in March 1939 that the War Department had purchased the 30-acre Coypool Marsh at Marsh Mills, Plympton St Mary, for use as an ordnance depot. The Depot was built for the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) and was opened in May 1941. Railway access to the depot from the Great Western Railway's Launceston branch was opened on either November 3rd 1939 or February 12th 1941 (sources differ), the latter being the most likely given the date that the Depot opened. It has been claimed by Major Desmond Todd, former Officer Commanding, that in 1941, during the construction of the buildings, a bomb fell into the mud at Marsh Mills and went deeper and deeper as efforts were made to recover it. The unexploded bomb is said to be still there. [1] Closure of the Depot was announced in 1961 but the Depot was still in use in 1971, when Mr Alan Endean, Services Reporter for the Western Morning News, paid a visit to the site. In the giant store shed he found all manner of motor transport spares for everything from howitzers to motor-cycles and heavy plant, along with food, petrol, ammunition, hammers and nails, all packed and ready for immediate transportation to RAF Lyneham, in Wiltshire, for distribution to any trouble spot in the World. [1] The Depot was also home to a small fleet of five-seater British built Scout helicopters and some smaller American Sioux ones that formed the 666 Army Aviation Squadron. During peace-time they provided a rescue service for lost and injured walkers on Dartmoor. [1] Number 15 Field Workshop provided immediate repairs and support facilities that could be packed up in an hour and transferred to anywhere it was needed. It employed vehicle mechanics, recovery mechanics, welders and sheet metal workers and was supported by a store provided by the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Amongst the items which they repaired were the amphibious vehicles based at Instow, North Devon. [1] The Ordnance Support Unit, under Major S Stevenson, RAOC, provided accommodation stores all the local military barracks and depots, whether Army, Navy or Royal Air Force. Mr Arthur Norris supervised the civilian staff who looked after the upholstery and repair of the furniture. During the Second World War, Mrs H Lee, of Stonehouse, had been in charge of a team of 112 people engaged on repairing tents while after the War, Mr H E Winner, a 64-years-old veteran and former prisoner-of-war, was engaged upon the repair of sleeping bags. Mr H T Thorne had been in charge of the storehouse since 1957. [1] Between July 1943 and August 1945 the Depot was occupied by American troops. [1] The Depot was still in use in 1976 but the buildings are now (2009) an industrial estate. Sources:
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