This article looks at the General Service Corps and will explain what the Corps was and why a soldier joined. Finding the locations of the training units of the General Service Corps is very difficult without a trip to the National Archives, so I’ve created a list of all the stations of Primary Training Centres. I’ve also provided a brief overview of the type of training a soldier went through at one of the Training Centres as well as the tests they took. This is just one of a series of guides to help you:
I also offer a Second World War Soldier Research Service.
General Service Corps
No.1 Primary Training Centre
Formed around June 1942 at Saighton Camp, Chester, Cheshire at the 233rd light Anti-aircraft Training Regiment Royal Artillery. In August, the unit received orders to disband which it did on 2 October 1943.
No.3 Primary Training Centre
Formed around June 1942 at Dixon’s Camp, Paignton, Devon at the 69th Coast Training Regiment. Around August 1943, the unit moved to South Raglan Barracks, Devonport where it was disbanded on 30 September 1943.
No.4 Primary Training Centre
Formed around June 1942 at Barton Stacey, Winchester, Hampshire at the 2nd Training Battalion Royal Engineers. Moved to Fulwood Barracks, Preston before being disbanded on 18 October 1943.
No.5 Primary Training Centre
Formed at No.1 Depot Battalion Royal Signals, Baghdad and Somme Lines, Catterick Camp around June 1942. The No.5 Primary Training Centre would also be stationed at Le Cateau Lines and Mons and Arras Lines at Catterick Camp before it was disbanded on 20 February 1943.
No.6 Primary Training Centre
Formes at the No.2 Depot Battalion Royal Corps of Signals around June 1942 which was stationed at New Holiday Camp, Prestatyn, Flintshire. It remained at this location until it was disbanded on 30 September 1943.
No.7 Primary Training Centre
Formed around June 1942 at the No.3 Depot Battalion Royal Corps of Signals based at Westfield Mill, Ossett, Yorkshire. During April 1943, the No.7 Primary Training Centre was ordered to disband by 22 May 1943.
No.8 Primary Training Centre
This unit began life as the No.32 Infantry Training Centre based at Beverley, Yorkshire in January 1942. In July 1942, the unit became the No.8 Primary Training Centre and was disbanded on 25 September 1943.
No.9 Primary Training Centre
In January 1942, this unit was formed as the No.41 Infantry Training Centre at Glasgow. In July 1942, the unit was redesignated as the No.9 Primary Training Centre. Remaining in Glasgow, the No.9 Primary Training Centre was disbanded on 7 November 1946.
No.10 Primary Training Centre
In January 1942, the unit was raised as the No.45 Infantry Training Centre at Chichester and redesignated as the No.10 Primary Training Centre in July 1942. The unit was disbanded on 25 September 1943.
No.11 Primary Training Centre
Formed at Bodmin in January 1942 as the No.46 Infantry Training Centre and redesignated as the No.11 Primary Training Centre in June 1942. Ordered to disband in October 1942, the order was cancelled and the unit reformed at Kelbroyd Mills, Triangle, Halifax where it remained until it was disbanded on 20 February 1943.
No.12 Primary Training Centre
There were two units designated the No.12 Primary Training Centre during the war, with the second replacing the first after it was disbanded. The first was formed at Parkhurst, Isle of Wight in January 1942 as the No.48 Infantry Training Centre and was redesignated as the No.12 Primary Training Centre in July 1942. The unit was disbanded at Parkhurst on 19 October 1942.
The second had been formed as the 15th (Pioneer) Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers at Thame, Deal, Kent in March 1940. In October, it had been converted to a rifle infantry battalion. Ordered to disband in September 1942, it had instead been converted into the new No.12 Primary Training Centre based at St Patrick’s Barracks, Ballymena, County Antrim on 19 November 1942. The unit was still in the barracks when it was disbanded on 9 December 1943.
No.13 Primary Training Centre
Formed as the No.51 Infantry Training Centre in January 1942 at Blackpool and became the No.13 Primary Training Centre in July. The unit was still at Blackpool when disbanded on 14 October 1943.
No.14 Primary Training Centre
Formed at Cardiff as the No.60 Infantry Training Centre in January 1942 and redesignated as the No.14 Primary Training Centre in July 1942. The unit was still at Cardiff when it was disbanded on 2 March 1943.
No.15 Primary Training Centre
Originally the Rifle Depot at Winchester, Hampshire it became the No.15 Training Primary Centre in July 1942. Shortly afterwards, it moved to the infantry barracks on Fulford Road, York. In April 1945, it returned to Winchester and in October returned to its former designation as the Rifle Depot. It was also amalgamated with the No.27 Infantry Training Centre.
No.16 Primary Training Centre
There were two No.16 Primary Training Centres during the war. The first was formed in June 1942 at the No.2 Training Battalion Royal Army Service Corps which was stationed at Mandora Barracks, Aldershot, Hampshire. On 19 July, was converted “to Corps Driver Training unit for Royal Army Service Corps”.
The second had started life as the 50th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment in May 1940, before being converted to a rifle battalion in October of that year. Ordered to disband in September 1943, it was instead converted to the No.16 Primary Training Centre at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire in November. It then moved to East Retford, followed shortly after by a move to Blyth, near Bawtry before it was disbanded on 20 February 1943.
No.17 Primary Training Centre
There were two No.17 Primary Training Centres during the war. The first was formed at the No.4 Training Battalion (Drivers), Royal Army Service Corps which was stationed at Sutton Veny Camp, near Warminster, Wiltshire in July 1942. The unit was disbanded on 19 October 1942.
The second began as the 70th Battalion The Queen’s, a unit for young soldiers which had been formed around November 1941. Ordered to disband in September 1943, it was instead converted to the No.17 Primary Training Centre at Ballykinler Camp, Downpatrick, County Down in November. The unit remained at Ballykinler Camp until it was disbanded on 5 January 1947.
No.18 Primary Training Centre
Formed at the No.7 Training Battalion (Driver) Royal Army Service Corps in July 1942. This unit was based at Station Hotel, Chesterfield, Derbyshire before moving to Ashgate Drill Hall, Ashgate Road, Chesterfield. The unit was disbanded on 16 October 1943.
No.19 Primary Training Centre
Formed at the No.10 Training Battalion Royal Army Service Corps which was based at Romer Barracks, Hadrian’s Camp, Carlisle, Cumberland in July 1942. Converted to a Corps Driver Training unit for the Royal Army Service Corps on 19 July 1942.
The second No.19 Primary Training Centre had started life as the 70th Battalion Gloustershire Regiment, its young soldier unit. Ordered to disband in September 1942, these orders were cancelled and it was instead converted to the No.19 Primary Training Centre based at Matlock. By 31 January 1943, the unit had moved to Walker Lines, Bodmin Camp, Bodmin Cornwall. Here, the unit was merged with the No.29 Primary Training Centre to form the ? which moved to Gravesend Kent in May 1943.
No.20 Primary Training Centre
Formed at the No.1 Depot and Training Establishment Royal Army Medical Corps at Boyce Barracks, Crookham, Aldershot in July 1942. Had moved to The Barracks, Chichester, Sussex by August 1943 where it was disbanded on 25 September 1943.
No.21 Primary Training Centre
Formed at 11 Depot and Training Establishment Royal Army Medical Corps based at Becketts Park, Leeds in July 1942; The unit was disbanded on 25 September 1943.
No.22 Primary Training Centre
Formed at No.1 Training Battalion Royal Army Ordnance Corps at Markeaton Park, Derby in July 1942. The unit was disbanded on 16 October 1943.
No.23 Primary Training Centre
Formed at No.3 Training Battalion Royal Army Ordnance Corps at The Racecourse Leicester around July 1942. The unit was disbanded on 25 September 1943.
No.24 Primary Training Centre
Formed at No.4 Training Battalion Royal Army Ordnance Corps based at Militia Camp, Hilsea, Portsmouth around July 1943. The unit was disbanded on 19 October 1942.
The second No.24 Primary Training Centre had originally been formed as the 8th (Home Defence) Battalion The Border Regiment which was then converted to the 30th Battalion. Ordered to disband in September 1943, it was instead converted to the No.24 Primary Training Centre in November 1942. The unit was based at Middleton Towers, Heysham, Morecambe, Lancashire and was disbanded on 20 February 1943.
No.25 Primary Training Centre
Formed at the No.5 Training Battalion Royal Army Ordnance Corps which was based at Racecourse Camp, Chepstow around June 1942. On 16 October, moved to K Camp, Donnington, Salop where it was disbanded on 20 February 1943.
No.26 Primary Training Centre
This unit started life as the 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps which had been formed in September 1940. On 13 November 1942, the unit was converted to the No.26 Primary Training Centre at the Depot Barracks, Northampton. It was still stationed in Northampton when it was disbanded on 24 September 1943.
No.27 Primary Training Centre
Formed from the conversion of the 70th (Young Soldier’s) Battalion, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry at Broomcross, Sheffield on 3 November 1942. The unit then moved to The High School, Rutland Park, Sheffield where it was disbanded on 28 September 1943.
No.28 Primary Training Centre
The No.28 Primary Training Centre started life as the 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment before it was redesignated in November 1942. The unit was stationed at Milton Barracks, Gravesend, Kent and was disbanded on 22 February 1943.
No.29 Primary Training Centre
The No.29 Primary Training Centre was initially the 8th (Home Defence) Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment which was then converted to the 30th Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment. In November 1942, it was converted to the No.29 Primary Training Centre at Walker Lines, Bodmin Camp, Bodmin, Cornwall. In May 1943, the unit was moved to Milton Barracks, Gravesend and reorganised as IICC.
No.58 Primary Training Centre
This unit was initially the No.58 Primary Training Wing which had been attached to the No.8 Infantry Training Centre at Queen’s Barracks, Perth before being redesignated in February 1946. The unit was disbanded on 5 December 1946.
No.59 Primary Training Centre
Formed following the redesignation of the No.59 Primary Training Wing which had been attached to the No.9 Infantry Training Centre in July 1946. The unit was stationed at Gordon Barracks, Bridge-of-Don, Aberdeen and was disbanded on 21 November 1946
No.90 Primary Training Centre
Formed “by all personnel of No.15 Primary Training Centre and absorption of No.30 Primary Training Wing” at Ranby Camp, Retford in November 1945. The unit was disbanded on 1 December 1946.
No.95 Primary Training Centre
Formed at Fort George, Inverness-shire in April 1944. Around March 1946, was amalgamated with the No.61 Primary Training Wing. The unit, which kept its title following amalgamation was disbanded on 5 December 1946.
No.96 Primary Training Centre
Formed at Milton Barracks, Gravesend, Kent in November 1943 and by April 1944 had moved to Ryeside Mill, Dalry, Ayrshire. Shortly after moved to the Cavalry Barracks before moving to Redford Edinburgh by late June 1944. In October 1944, the No.96 Primary Training Centre was stationed at Victoria Barracks, Bodmin, Cornwall where it was disbanded on 14 November 1946.
No.97 Primary Training Centre
Formed at Blacon Camp, Chester in November 1943 and disbanded on 1 March 1944.