The Defence Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Centre (DCBRNC) site at Winterbourne Gunner was established in 1917 as a Trench Mortar Experimental Establishment under the administrative control of the War Department's Experimental Ground at Porton Down. Known as Porton South Camp, it served as troop accommodation, ammunition storage and as the trench mortar and artillery firing point.
The actual involvement of Winterbourne Gunner with chemical warfare dates from the formation of the Chemical Warfare School in 1926. The School conducted training for officers and senior non-commissioned officers (SNCOs), running courses each month and regular demonstrations for the Services' staff colleges and other dignitaries. The Centre’s name has changed over the years to reflect developments in its role and/or changes to the concept of chemical warfare, and has developed into a Joint unit whose mission is to deliver world class CBRN training and technical assistance in support of the UK Defence Mission.
Today's DCBRNC has a purpose-built training complex containing a headquarters, administrative support elements and the Defence CBRN School with lecture theatres, classrooms, and computer aided training suite. To support the CBRN training the Centre has a specialised range, scenario-based training facilities, and modern troop accommodation.
Around 7% of enquiries to the Porton Down Helpline are from people who believe they had been to Porton Down but who do not show up in the volunteer records. Some of those individuals may have attended the DCBRNC which is a few miles down the road from Porton Down.
Over the years, DCBRNC training programmes have included work with respirators in chambers containing riot control agents (tear gas), sniff tests of chemical agents and mustard exposure.
Additionally, some DCBRNC courses visit the Porton ranges to undertake training and some visit the laboratories to learn about the research that is going on. Unfortunately records at DCBRN C were routinely destroyed some years ago.