We lived in Lippstadt from 1958/1964 my husband was stationed at Churchill Bks. and we use to go up to camp two or three times a week to the NAAFI or to the Cpls.and later Sgts.mess. There use to be a cafe where we could get a cup of tea I think it could have been run by the Red Shield club. and a paper shop where you could get newspapers and magizines.Also the Army Medical officers had a clinic up there I remember the German Army barber and our Padre Major Friend.I worked for him for a short time. He had one blue eye and one brown.My children were baptised by him in St Barbara's garrison church. I also remember the large water tank in the camp where somtimes the lads use to swim.How I envied them in the hot summers. I remember that at some time we had Gurkha's stationed with us. They use to keep very much to themselves. The children use to go to the Army school by the Army bus everyday that use to call at all the married quarters.and had a army guard sitting in the front armed with a pick handle.My son was reported for shouting out of the open window he was five. and my husband was called into his C.O.s office and repremanded. He never did it again.How we need that nowadays. Our kids played with the german children and could speak perfect german. In about 1960 we were picked to represent the Cpls and wives when we had a visit from our Colonel and Chief the Princess Royal. We had to dress up and wear gloves and hats and were presented in the Officers Mess.She also visited the school and our daughter was prsented but only because her best friend was the Colonels son. We shopped in Lippstadt town and once a month went to the Canadian Maple Leaf store to shop which was a reverlation compared to our Naffi.also once a month we went to Neuhouse Naffi which was a grade one Naffi you could get anything there. Happy Happy times we had in Lippstadt I cried when we were told we were going to Catterick.

Shelagh, many of your memories of Lippstadt are similar to my memories growing up as a Canadian "Army brat."

We, too, were bussed on Army buses to and from school. Many of our families lived out in various small villages and towns around Hemer or Werl or Soest and I realize now it must have been a major logistical issue to organize the daily pick-up of young kids ranging in age from 6 to 18. Clearly, HQ knew where every single Canadian family was...not something I gave much thought to back then, certainly not during our first tour circa 1959-62 but not much during 2nd tour (69-72) either. Such things just "were."

But I do recall each bus, and there would be several, was assigned a young corporal to be the "bus monitor." Again, looking back, I have no doubt many of these young men, some barely 20 years old if that, loathed being assigned such duty but I suppose it was better than many other duties they could have been assigned! (KP springs to mind)

He would always be turned out in battle dress (?), putties and boots and after reading your post I do now seem to recall some, at least, carrying a little 'swagger stick.' Never saw it used on anyone LOL, as tempting as that no doubt was.

I quite agree with you about the difference in discipline between then and now. We too were very conscious our behaviour in public would reflect on our fathers and no doubt if one of us acted up or some-such on the bus, it would be reported to the CO and our dads would be called up on the carpet over it. If so, there'd be hell to pay when he got home!

Of course, some of us were little hellers anyway. Not me, of course. Seriously. :-)

The cafe where you were able to get a cuppa was almost certainly run by the Red Shield/Sally Ann. They had a monopoly LOL

Interesting you found our MLS a "revelation" after your NAAFI. We used to visit the NAAFI and while we were struck by the differences in availability and level of stock, found the NAAFI fairly okay in many ways. I'm not sure about the pricing differences, if any, but I suspect MLS was probably a tad cheaper.

I actually bought my first stereo at the Soest NAAFI while I was back there working in 1973. Of course, I wasn't supposed to, not being a dependent anymore, but they didn't know that! It was a Kenwood. A nightmare to ship back to Canada, but then when I bought it my plan was to NOT return to Canada but to stay on in Germany; that didn't quite work out, sad to say.

I absolutely empathize with you crying when your tour was over.

When we left Germany in 1972 to return to Canada, I was 18 and didn't want to leave. Canada wasn't home, Soest and Germany were.

By then the Canadians had transferred everything and everybody, except for my family, down to Lahr in the Black Forest Region. My dad remained in the old Brigade Area to complete the Close-out and transfer stuff to BAOR. In order to get an Army flight back to Canada we had to get ourselves from Iserlohn (where we were then living) down to Lahr.

I spent the weekend prior to our leaving up in Soest with my best buddy to say goodbye.

When we got to Lahr and were staying in the army hotel on base, we got word from front desk that Juergen, my buddy, was asking for us at the desk. He had hitch-hiked down from Soest to Lahr (approx. 500km).

We spent the next couple of days checking out the gasthofs in Lahr and then it was time to board the plane and fly off across the Atlantic. Juergen refused to leave, despite my dad arranging a ride back up to Soest for him.

I will always remember seeing Juergen standing on the tarmac as the plane lifted off and remaining there, getting smaller and smaller, as we ascended until I could no longer see him.

I think I cried all the way across the Atlantic leaving everything I grew to identify with, love, and know behind...I couldn't get back to Germany fast enough! (took me a year and some, but I got back).

Stephen. I really enjoyed your memories of Isherlohn and Churchill Bks. It brought it all back to me, and how happy we were then.I have been back a couple of times but never Lippstadt or Isherlohn We went back to Berlin and of course Spandau where we were stationed ihas all changed no Hess and no Castle. We went to the Mohne Damm and I remembered hot days paddling in the Dam and all the campers who use to camp there. and the shops on the Damm itself nothing there now.But its still so beautiful. We went to Kohn at christmas and all the christmas markets. and the smells and christmas lights brought all the old memories back. How I miss it all. I am going to make a effect to go back to Lippstadt this year or next though I dont think our married quarters or the strasse exists anymore(Lessing) Its lovely to read all of your and other members memories and go back forty years to another world and another time.

Hello Shelagh

I read with great interest your posts on Lippstadt, I to have posts concerning Lippstadt which you may have read on this forum.. I visit Lippstadt every year in October for the Herbstwoche. As for Lessing Stasse I lived at number 53 and the area is still the same.

If you do intend to visit Lippstadt which really has not changed that much and go in October you need to book early as besides all the Germans there are alwyas loads of ex soldiers that go back each year at this time.

Kind Regardsd

Ian