Princess Royal gives Gloucestershire history lesson to army officers

The Princess Royal educated senior army officers on "a very important bit of Gloucestershire history".

Princess Anne visited the Imjin Station Officers' Mess at HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) in Innsworth to open the newly built Carne Building Officers' single living accommodation.

She met key army personnel as she unveiled a plaque at the army base.

The standard of single-soldier accommodation is being improved across the estate.

Princess Anne, who lives in Gloucestershire, was greeted by key personnel at HQ ARRC and their guests, including Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Edward Gillespie OBE.

The new officers' accommodation at the Imjin Barracks in Innsworth were named after Colonel James Carne.

Col Carne was the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment during the Korean War in 1951.

The battalion was overrun by Chinese forces at the River Imjin, winning the nickname "The Glorious Glosters" and earning Col Carne the Victoria Cross.

During her visit, Princess Anne was given a tour of the new accommodation block by Lt Gen Sir Ralph Wooddisse, commander of the ARRC.

The princess reflected on a trip to Korea after asking if there was an explanation for the name of the block, to which she was told there was not.

"It seems very relevant to Gloucestershire, and I was at a reception the other day for Korean veterans," she said.

"Funnily enough, when I went to Korea the first time, they took me out to the Glosters' memorial.

"As it happens, I think it is much more relevant to go and see the territory and terrain that they had to fight in. It was horrendous.

"The temperature in winter… they said minus 40."

Princess Anne said that she could not believe "a peninsula of that size gets so cold".

She added: "More than 60% were National Servicemen, which is an equally extraordinary thought and a lot didn't come back.

"One had joined, I think, four days before and off he went.

"Someone started a rumour apparently that you got more money as a National Serviceman if you served further from home.

"That didn't happen. They ended up in Japan for quite a long time."

The princess added: "For Gloucestershire, that is a very important bit of history."

The Carne building is the "most advanced Smart building on the Government estate", which allows for energy saving by monitoring consumption.

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