HMS Caledonia

Rosyth naval base
� Paul McIlroy

HMS Caledonia was a shore based Royal Navy training establishment located within the naval dockyard at Rosyth, and was responsible for artificer apprentice training from 1937 to 1985, with many thousands of young men said to have undergone training at the establishment.

From 1950 onwards, apprentices would have begun their training at HMS Fisgard, then transferred to HMS Caledonia for completion, and from 1985, apprentice training moved from HMS Caledonia to HMS Sultan, Gosport. In 1987, a reunion was held at HMS Sultan to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the commissioning of HMS Caledonia for the training of apprentices.

Previously referred to as the Engineering School, HMS Caledonia became a DLO (Defence Logistics Organisation) site, and is now referred to as DE&S (Defence Equipment and Support). Although Rosyth Naval Dockyard was privatised in 1997, when it was taken over by Babcock International, and became Rosyth Royal Dockyard Limited, HMS Caledonia remains on the site. Its role is now to provide the best professional support services possible to the Royal Navy, and more generally the MoD, on the east coast of Scotland, with particular emphasis on the requirements of ships in upkeep, operational and non-operational lodger units and their personnel in war, in crisis and in peace. This support includes: accommodation, catering, stores, armoury and ranges, sports and recreation facilities, and a medical centre. HMS Caledonia also supports a number of lodger units, which are hosted on the same site: