FOR 70 years the name Beachley was synonymous with army apprentices.

It is 26 years since the last teenagers passed out of the army apprentices college but ‘old boys’ are keeping the memories alive with a heritage centre.

Members of the Beachley Old Boys’ Association (BOBA), which runs the centre, recently gave civic leaders a tour of the centre and the 70 years of treasures to which it is home.

Among those given a tour of the centre were Gloucestershire county councillors Patrick Molyneux and Richard Boyles, Forest district councillor Nick Evans, Monmouthshire county councillors Peter Fox and David Dovey, and Tidenham parish councillors Jan Koning and Chris Wall.

Chris Ricketts, of BOBA, said: “Approaching 80,000 apprentices came through the college over the 70 years and there were around 1,000 boys here at any one time.

“There are a lot of people in both counties that have families who trained here.

“I came here in January 1965 – I met my wife while I was at the college and we are still married,” said Mr Ricketts, who lives in

Tutshill.

The centre houses a wide range of memorabilia relating to life at the college including enlistment records, uniforms, photographs and even ceremonial swords presented to apprentice RSMs (regimental sergeant

majors).

Mr Ricketts said: “A lot of the items were rescued from skips when the college was closed.

“The college was formed as a regiment with four companies – junior company which was first year apprentices and A,B and C companies.

We were predominantly Royal Engineers and there was a huge range of skills.

“These lads came in as young boys but they left here as soldiers.

“After passing out, a lot of them went on to become highly respected officers.

“We are very lucky to have all the enlistment records going back to 1924.

“One visitor told us he was an ex-squaddie and we found him.

“He had never seen the (enlistment) book because as boys we were never allowed to see them.”

Visitors never know whose names they are going to come across.

Cllr Richard Boyles, the deputy chairman of Gloucestershire County Council and county councillor for Blakeney and Bream found a familiar names while leafing through one of the books.

He said: “I found the name of somebody who joined the police as the same time as me.

“The centre has brought together so much important local history.”

Cllr Fox added: “A huge amount of work has been put in to create this wonderful place and it is well worth a visit.”

Visitors come from across the world to find out more about relatives who spent formative years at Beachley.

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The collection of photographs showing year groups and marches through Chepstow are particularly popular.

Mr Ricketts said: “One visitor found two pictures of her father as an apprentice.

“She had tears in her eyes when she saw them – and that was because of this place.

“It can be very emotional for some people who may not have seen the pictures

before.”

Among the most prized exhibits are two of the ceremonial swords presented to apprentice RSMs.

Mr Ricketts said: “They were made by Wilkinson and are engraved and are highly prized.

“One was donated by the family of a former apprentice who was killed in action and the other came from a

retired colonel.

Near the centre there is now a stone memorial to former

apprentices.

The large stone was moved from ‘inside the wire’ at Beachley Barracks.

The stone was picked up by former apprentices who work for local companies and moved to its current location in the military cemetery.

Mr Ricketts said BOBA was deeply grateful for the assistance of 1 Rifles.

He said: “Without their support we would not be here.

“Beachley was the first college to open and the last of four to close.

“We are the only old boys’ association with anything like this and it is in no small part thanks to 1 Rifles.”

BOBA is looking to continue the development of the centre and the next big project is the return of the large metal gates which stood at the entrance.

Mr Ricketts said: “Those gates were iconic and so the association decided to have them refurbished.

“They have gone to a company in Lydney for the work and when they return they will be in pristine

condition.

“When they came down, we had lots of people contact us about it.

“They thought they had been stolen – we’ve got an inbox full of e-mails about it.

“It shows that people care and that the gates are iconic.

“That’s why, two years ago, we decided to have them

refurbished.”

The centre, which is staffed by volunteers, is currently open between 11am and 3pm on Wednesdays and Saturday although tours can be arranged at other times.

For more details e-mail [email protected]