History
Royal Naval Training Establishment Shotley, known in the Royal Navy as HMS Ganges, was a naval training establishment near Ipswich. Starting in 1905, it trained boys for naval service until it closed in 1976 following the raising of school leaving age from 15 to 16. It had a mixed reputation in the Royal Navy, both for its reputed harsh methods of training boys in order to turn out professionally able, self-reliant ratings and for the professionalism of its former trainees. It is particularly famous for its 143-foot (44 m) high mast which all boys under training were required to ascend, at least to the half-moon and for the mast manning ceremonies held whenever a dignitary visited the establishment.
During the later 1980s and until 1999 RNTE Shotley was used as a residential centre for civilian police officers to complete their basic training. Forces which used this centre included Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Thames Valley and South Wales.
Explore
I'd been to HMS Ganges before but concentrated on the swimming pool, as most people seem to do. This time, my friends and I decided to explore a lot more of the site as we had heard rumours there was a bowling alley on site. We didn't find a bowling alley, or even evidence of there having been one, but it was still a good explore, and I was glad we took a few hours to properly do the place. The majority of buildings are accessible, and although there is security on site, he doesn't seem to leave his office, so walking around is fairly easy.
Royal Naval Training Establishment Shotley, known in the Royal Navy as HMS Ganges, was a naval training establishment near Ipswich. Starting in 1905, it trained boys for naval service until it closed in 1976 following the raising of school leaving age from 15 to 16. It had a mixed reputation in the Royal Navy, both for its reputed harsh methods of training boys in order to turn out professionally able, self-reliant ratings and for the professionalism of its former trainees. It is particularly famous for its 143-foot (44 m) high mast which all boys under training were required to ascend, at least to the half-moon and for the mast manning ceremonies held whenever a dignitary visited the establishment.
During the later 1980s and until 1999 RNTE Shotley was used as a residential centre for civilian police officers to complete their basic training. Forces which used this centre included Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Thames Valley and South Wales.
Explore
I'd been to HMS Ganges before but concentrated on the swimming pool, as most people seem to do. This time, my friends and I decided to explore a lot more of the site as we had heard rumours there was a bowling alley on site. We didn't find a bowling alley, or even evidence of there having been one, but it was still a good explore, and I was glad we took a few hours to properly do the place. The majority of buildings are accessible, and although there is security on site, he doesn't seem to leave his office, so walking around is fairly easy.
