Defence School of Logisitics and Administration (DSLA)
(Left to Right – Pat Prior BEM QVRM, Lyn Gannon, Colin Hughes, Tony Webber and Les Heyhoe BCAv, Former Secretary)
Today, under the direction of the Lead Training Officer, the Writer Training Squadron delivers a blend of professional qualifying courses in
a modern, operationally realistic training environment. The intensity of the training allied to a taut programme understandably precludes a
regular visit to the School by RNWA members; however, this remains an aspiration going forwards.
Opened on the 13th of May 2021 by HRH Princess Royal, the site near Winchester, Hampshire has undergone a £300 Million transformation process to become a training centre for military logisticians, police officers and administrators from the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force, relocating the various functions and personnel from their previous bases at Princess Royal Barracks (Army), HMS Raleigh (RN) and RAF Halton (RAF) allows the easy sharing of expertise and facilities across all three services.
The programme has seen the construction of 27 new buildings including accommodation, teaching spaces, medical and dental centre, Regimental Headquarters and facilities for catering, retail and leisure including sports pitches and a gym. The construction work was led by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) with Skanska as the principal contractors and AECOM as project managers. Included in one of the main buildings are two realistic working environments for the Royal Navy, a replica ship’s galley, and an area for logisticians to practise loading supplies. This environment is designed to replicate the parts of a Royal Navy ship, so trainees can practise loading supplies from a replica quayside, over a gangway and onto an area representing a flight deck, before bringing it inside the ‘ship’ down ladders.
