The Port Hill drill hall was a military installation in

Hertford Hertford ( ) is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. The parish had a population of 26,783 at the 2011 census. The town grew around a Ford (crossing), ford on ...

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...

History

The building was designed as the headquarters of the 1st (Hertfordshire) Volunteer Battalion, The

Bedfordshire Regiment The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment was the final title of a Line infantry, line infantry regiment of the British Army that was originally formed in 1688. After centuries of service in many conflicts and wars, including both the World War ...

and was completed at a cost of £2,000 in 1898. This unit evolved to become the Hertfordshire Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment in 1908 and then the 1st Battalion, The

Hertfordshire Regiment The Hertfordshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the Territorial Army, part of the British Army. Originating in units of Rifle Volunteers formed in 1859, the regiment served in the Second Anglo-Boer War and the First and Second World ...

in 1909. The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to the Western Front. Approximately 100,000 rounds of ammunition were stored in the drill hall at that time ready for issue to soldiers who were about to see action in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. The battalion was still located at the drill hall when it was mobilised for service in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The battalion was absorbed into the

3rd East Anglian Regiment The 3rd East Anglian Regiment (16th/44th Foot) was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed as part of the short-lived East Anglian Brigade. History As a result of the 1957 Defence Review, the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshir ...

in 1958. However the British Army continued to maintain a presence at Port Hill drill hall, for the training of both Territorial Army personnel and of cadets. Nevertheless, the drill hall eventually became surplus to requirements: it was decommissioned and subsequently demolished and, in 2003, a new residential development, which won the 2004/2005 Civic Design Award, was created in its place.

References

{{reflist Drill halls in England Buildings and structures in Hertford