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Rippon Tor Rifle Range is a rifle range within Dartmoor National Park, Devon, England. The range is situated southeast of the 473 m high Rippon Tor, near the village Widecombe-in-the-Moor, and close to the road between Halshanger and Cold East Cross. ==History== Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, most of the Moor saw renewed activity, as it was commandeered for the use of military training. Various training was undertaken, including artillery firing. A large area of 4,451 hectares to the south and south east of Hexworthy was taken over for rifle, machine gun and anti-tank firing. A new rifle range was built near Rippon Tor to train soldiers, an airfield was constructed on Roborough Down, and a new hutted camp was built at Plasterdown. The latter was later used as a hospital by the American Forces. The newtake below Rippon Tor was chosen as the site for the firing range, and it was successfully built in 1941.〔 Following the end of the war, training cadets became the main users of the range.〔 Whenever training took place, red warning flags were hoisted on poles at Cold East Cross, Hemsworthy Gate, Rippon Tor and elsewhere around the site. 800 square metres of the surrounding moor would be closed to public access. Bob Butler and Phill Germon, from Ashburton, were the original range wardens. Although most main firing ranges in Dartmoor were closed by the late 1940s/early 1950s, Rippon Tor Rifle Range continued to be active until the mid-1960s. The range closed in 1977 on the expiry of its lease,〔http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MDV55113&resourceID=104〕 although the closure was also pushed by the Dartmoor National Park Committee, who objected to its use due to dangers to the public walking on the moors. Afterwards further opposition continued from some who wanted the butt destroyed, however the landowner had decided that it should remain as a piece of wartime archaeology. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Rippon Tor Rifle Range」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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