The Rifle Street drill hall is a former military installation in Oldham.
| Rifle Street drill hall | |
|---|---|
| Oldham | |
 Rifle Street drill hall | |
  Rifle Street drill hall Location within Greater Manchester | |
| Coordinates | 53°32′47″N 2°06′48″W / 53.54649°N 2.11338°W |
| Type | Drill hall |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1897 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | 1897-1990s |
History
editThe building was designed as the headquarters of the 6th Volunteer Battalion, The Manchester Regiment and completed in 1897. This unit evolved to become the 10th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment in 1908.[1] The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to Gallipoli and, ultimately, to the Western Front.[2] The battalion converted to form the 41st (Oldham) Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment just before the Second World War and evolved to become the 40th/41st Royal Tank Regiment in 1956.[1] After the cut-backs in 1967, the presence at the drill hall was reduced to a single squadron, A Squadron, The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (Royal Tank Regiment).[3] After the squadron moved out of the drill hall in the mid-1990s, it continued to be used for industrial purposes until it was badly damaged in a serious fire in April 2011.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b "10th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "The Manchester Regiment". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
- ^ "The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "50 families evacuated after large fire at former Oldham Territorial Army barracks". Manchester Evening News. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2017.