# Copehill Down - Salisbury Plain



## Dexter24 (Jun 17, 2011)

Copehill Down is a UK Ministry of Defence training facility located on Salisbury Plain.. It is a 'FIBUA' (Fighting In Built Up Areas) urban warfare and Close quarters battle training centre where exercises and tests are conducted.

The Village was built in 1988 to resemble a German village in Bavaria, to provide troops with a simulated backdrop when training for operations in European theatres including the Cold War, the Balkans and Northern Ireland.

In recent years the facility has been expanded to include a Shanty Town made up of cargo containers stacked and laid out in rows of tightly packed streets, to provide an additional training area that more closely resembles the Army's current operational theatres in Operation Herrick and Operation Telic.




Copehill Down Training Village by episodemaster, on Flickr




Copehill Down Training Village by episodemaster, on Flickr




Copehill Down Training Village by episodemaster, on Flickr




Copehill Down Training Village by episodemaster, on Flickr




Copehill Down Training Village by episodemaster, on Flickr




Copehill Down Training Village by episodemaster, on Flickr




Copehill Down Training Village by episodemaster, on Flickr




Copehill Down Training Village by episodemaster, on Flickr




Copehill Down Training Village by episodemaster, on Flickr

Enjoy


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## gingrove (Jun 18, 2011)

That's interesting I had heard about the village but I always thought people were talking about Imber ! :embarrassed: Every day's a school day!


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## Foxylady (Jun 18, 2011)

That really is fascinating. I haven't heard of this before...would love to see more pics if you have them, or if you're planning on a return visit. 
Very nice find, Dexter.


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## imyimyimy (Jun 18, 2011)

awesome report on this place..


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## kathyms (Jun 18, 2011)

oh my god i remember that. my husband and i together with a backseat full of kids were driving around salsbury plains.we went to imber we saw the tanks parked up and as we drove down a local road we saw in the distance those buildings. there was a tank crossing they are a bit like cattle crossings and in we went. my husband drove on as i leaned out of the windows taking pics. we drove around for some time untill in my lens i saw a tank heading towards us, then an armoured jeep with a gun facing us and we were in line of fire. you know the look, your mouth drops you stare then shit turn round and get out. bump bump over a bad track over the tank crossing and they stopped watching up go. whats the betting they had us checked out. fantastic place all the same.


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## tom46 (Jun 18, 2011)

Is this the place they filmed Top Gear where Clarkson had to drive around through a town while army guys shot at him?


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## kathyms (Jun 18, 2011)

ps, that was 26 years ago, when my son was in the army down there.


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