Construction of the new Royal Naval training establishment for reservists at Torpoint, East Cornwall, started on August 24th 1939.  It was commissioned on January 9th 1940 as HMS "Raleigh" and the first trainees arrived on January 17th 1940.

The interior of the Church of Saint Paul at HMS "Raleigh", Torpoint, Cornwall.
From a postcard.

The Base was lent to the United States' Army between April 1st and July 1944 when they used it as a D-day embarkation base.  After D-day it was returned to the Royal Navy and used as an overflow for the Royal Naval Barracks on a care and maintenance basis.

On Monday February 2nd 1948 HMS "Imperieuse" closed and the next batch of trainee Royal Navy Stokers entered a new training establishment onshore at HMS "Raleigh".  Their commanding officer was Captain (Engineering) P C Taylor.

The cinema at HMS "Raleigh", Torpoint, Cornwall.
From a postcard.

In 1958 or 1959 HMS "Raleigh" started to take new entrants to the Royal Navy for their initial training.

Between 1971 and 1978 the establishment underwent modernization.

Basic training for members of the Women's Royal Navy Service was transferred from HMS "Dauntless", a shore establishment at Burghfield, near Reading, Berkshire, to HMS "Raleigh" in 1981.

In 1983 the Royal Naval Supply School was moved from the Royal Naval Barracks, HMS "Pembroke" at Chatham, Kent, to Torpoint.  At the same time the training of Royal Naval Artificers was moved across the road from HMS "Fisgard" to HMS "Raleigh".

It was not until 1990 that male and female ratings were trained together.

The Royal Navy School of Seamanship opened at HMS "Raleigh" in 1991.

During 1994 HMS "Raleigh" took over the initial 10-week training of recruits to the Royal Naval Cookery School which was formerly at the Royal Naval Barracks, HMS "Pembroke", Chatham, Kent..

The Royal Naval Submarine School transferred from HMS "Dolphin" at Gosport closed on September 30th 1998 although it remained on site until December 23rd 1999.  The staff of the School marched proudly into their new home at HMS "Raleigh" on January 31st 2000.  The School occupied Dolphin and Astute Blocks.

When HMS "Cambridge", the Royal Naval Gunnery School, was decommissioned on March 30th 2011, the Military Training School that was also on the site moved to HMS "Raleigh".

The Ministry of Defence Royal Navy website states that the following establishments are currently part of HMS "Raleigh": The Military Training Unit; the Board and Search Training School; The Royal Navy Submarine School; the Royal navy School of Seamanship; and the School of Maritime Survival.