Letter: Army camp policy

WHEN I was with the Black Watch I was posted to Kirknewton. As all of us come from north of the Forth, no one had heard of it. In 1968 we were the first regiment to come to Kirknewton, which was vacated by the US airforce.

A whole raft of married quarters had been built but we were very saddened to find that Kirknewton was a tiny village in the back of beyond with one public house and post office.

There was no way of commuting and for the soldiers to get over to the Forth bridge and beyond was nigh on impossible.

After four years we were being posted to Hong Kong and the plan was to leave the barracks empty, but at the last minute it was kept open to allow the Argylls to reform.

Most Scottish regiments at some time were accommodated in these barracks and the general feeling was that the camp was way out in nowhere. Unmarried soldiers had great difficulty getting out.

In 1985 we were back in Kirknewton for a two-year tour but it was then decided to close the camp down and sell off the married quarters.

We moved on to Redford in Edinburgh, allowing the camp to empty and to be sold. Large houses now exist on this site. The general opinion was that it was a good move to shut down the camp in Kirknewton.

Defence Secretary Liam Fox's decision to build an army camp back in Kirknewton beggars belief. It does not seem right trying to save money by spending more money on rebuilds and closing other camps that not long ago were upgraded and refurbished.

(Major) Bob Ritchie MBE

Bloom Court

Livingston