I did my National Service in the army and trained as an RASC clerk. I was eventually posted to the 471 Ground Liaison Section at RAF Bruggen, Germany, from May 1958 to Dec 1959. It was one of the best postings in BAOR. The unit consisted of 4 other ranks (2 clerks & 2 drivers) and the CO, a major. There was an array of vehicles on the unit's strength (2 Austin Champs, a 3 ton Bedford lorry with a field office trailer, and a Royal Enfield motor bike) so it was necessary for all of us to be be able to drive. My first lesson in a R/H drive vehicle on German roads was a bit daunting. Neither mainstream army nor the RAF took any interest in our 'domestic activities'. No guards, parades, inspections, and minimum discipline. Our accommodation was in a block that included RAF personnel from Air Traffic Control, Station Flight , Intelligence, Meteorological, plus, a Belgian Army Ground Liaison Section. We became so integrated with the RAF and it's workings that at times we overlooked the fact we were wearing a different uniform. Working in the Wing Operations Block meant we always knew what was going on. After being pushed and buggered around by the army during the first six months of my National Service I was amazed at how tolerent and democratic the RAF was in comparison, especially the officers. There was a Malcolm Club where, unlike the NAAFI, all ranks could use and mix freely (not that they necessarily did). However fraternization between the ranks did have it's limits. I recall a pilot officer dating the daughter of a warrent officer was warned off by his CO.
There was also another army presence at the base. A fairly substantial contingent of Royal Signals, which boasted a Company Sergeant Major. He was scary but thankfully had no jurisdiction over us, which I'm sure irritated him on occasions. The RAF had their yearly AOC's inspection and parade, (the equivalent of the army's Admin), but our only involvement was to share the 'bulling' of both billet and workplace . We then 'disappeared'. Of course RAF catering was better than what we had been used to, except when POM was served up. I learnt this generally happened when there had been a last minute cock up in the kitchens.
Our work consisted, apart from the routine of running a small unit, of briefing flight crews, in conjunction with RAF Intelligence, of the ground situations when on training exercises over N.W. Europe. We were never overworked. I was even sent on a 'RAF' course to learn how to use and service a 16mm film projector. We often showed films to aircrews on days when bad weather stopped them flying.
Two of the base's squadrons were equipped with Canberra bombers, 213 with B6s and 80 with PR7s. There was also another squadron (87) with Javelin F1 fighters. During my time 87 Sqdn lost 2 Javelins, one on the airfield approach and another over the Dutch Coast at Bergen Op Zoom. On another occasion a Canberra of 80 Sqdn (I think) whilst on local circuit training could not lower it's port undercarriage. This incident was memorable because at that time a detachment of personnel of the Green Howards army regiment was visiting us and one of it's members was on board the Canberra taking a joy flight! The aircraft circled for a couple of hours using fuel before making a text book emergency landing. The Station Commander talked the pilot down from a radio in his car for the last few hundred feet and then followed him along the runway giving instructions. As the aircraft's speed dropped and it lost balance the pilot skewed on to the adjacent grass. No injuries to anybody but I imagine the squaddie still remembers it to this day.
We had frequent visits of aircraft from other NATO air forces but the most notable was the periodic arrival of two RF84Fs of the Danish Air Force. The large cameras had been removed from the aircrafts' noses so that the space could be filled with the duty free booze bought from the Officers Mess.
Shortly before my arrival at Bruggen the Duke of Edinburgh had made a visit. The Daily Mail reported the occasion as follows: "The RAF sealed off one of it's top secret bases in Germany so that Prince Philip could have a close private look at some of Britain's A-bombers". Further on it continues: "The base is classified as 'sensitive' where strong security precautions are always in force". Not quite true!!!! A- bombers were not
based there, one had been flown in specially. Furthermore security at times was quite lax when considering some of the places I could walk around without being challenged. But with the large number of civilian German workers on the base I'm sure the Russians knew quite a lot about us, and added to that, the London to Dusseldorf air corridor happened to be routed right overhead.
The regular 'Practise Alerts' were always an unwanted surprise. They seemed to be invariably scheduled for the middle of a night. Waking the whole base and requiring all personnel to get to their place of work. Aircraft would immediately take off on predesignated missions. These alerts often continued through into the working day. During my time at Bruggen the NATO Command held several major exercises. One in particular involved several weeks of preparation with the plotting of targets and organising maps for aircrew. However within a short period of the exercise commencing the 'Referees' declared Bruggen had been destroyed in a nuclear attack which meant most of our Canberras were 'out of the show'. (although a few had been diverted to other bases, being airborne at the time).
A salutary reminder of our 'raison d'etre'. I'm sure none of us ever seriously considered this for real, we were only interested in getting through two wasted years and back to civilian life with minimum of fuss. Regretfully 'destruction' did not mean we could laze around doing nothing for the remainder of the exercise. The airfield was still functioning for the Javelin squadrons, we had got 33 Sqdn on detachment from the UK with us. The Javelins were operating a different role in the exercise and still flying - a complicated scenario.
We were extremely fortunate having an easy going C.O. He was a major seconded from the Kings (Liverpool) Regiment and no doubt before, when with his battalion, his behaviour was probably quite 'regimental'. But the comfort of being in charge of a small and virtually autonomous unit, within the relatively relaxed atmosphere of the RAF, mellowed him. He was remarkably paternal towards us at times, and because he and his wife had such an active social life we were often 'asked' to baby sit at their house. We also did some of the gardening.
He would allow us the use of a Champ to drive into the nearest town, Roermond in Holland, to visit a decent barber because we did not like going to the one on the base. Such trips were shown as either 'recreational' or 'liaison visits' on the vehicle's work sheet. Admittedly we did have to wear uniform but it was worth it. We tended to forget how important a major was until accompanying him on visits to other army units and seeing how all ranks jumped at his presence.
Being located on the German/Dutch Frontier we were ideally situated for visits to Amsterdam. In those days British servicemen got a very generous discount on the Dutch railways. Having a beer off the base involved nearly a 15 minute walk to the main gate and the Texas Bar opposite. Or, a further 20 minute walk to Elmpt village. If one was lucky and could get a ride in somebody's car, a visit to a popular bar in Bracht was possible. Cannot remember it's name but it was commonly known as the 'Six Tits', because it was owned and run by three sisters!
Unlike probably 99% of all National Servicemen in BAOR, I never minded returning from leave. I was a corporal at the time of demob and was almost, but not quite, sorry to leave.