Military History

Dartmoor’s special qualities have attracted military training for over 200 years.

During the Napoleonic wars regular and militia units exercised.  Large manoeuvres were held in 1853 and 1873.  Dartmoor was selected as the first artillery training ground in 1875, with horse drawn batteries travelling to the moor to fire during the summer months.  The successful training was consolidated with the building of Okehampton Camp in 1893.

Willsworthy was purchased in the early 1900s to provide the Plymouth Garrison with ranges and training area.

Artillery training continued though to the Second World War, when all of Dartmoor helped to prepare first British forces and then the 4th and 29th United States Divisions for the invasion.