RAF Wildenrath

Have a nosey at this link;

http://uk.msnusers.com/RAFWildenrath/shoebox.msnw

This is Wildenrath today:

de.geocities.com/fliegerhorste/lipp.htm (cut and paste)

It´s a testing area for trains, the owner is Siemens.

I was at Wildenwrath on 17 Squadron in 1957-1958

At one stage Danny Gourd was the Station Warrant Officer

I was a WRAF at Wildenrath from 72 - 75, working as a stats clerk on the Harrier Servicing Flight. I married an army helicopter engineer at St Andrew's church, on the unit, in 1973.

I was at Wildenrath from 1960 to mid 1963 in ASF. Used to be in Hydraulic Bay after a spell in the Hangar on Canberra major servicing. Keen motorcyclist those days. Wonder where all the lads are now. Hardly recognise the place now! Damned Mickey Finns and having to go to 14 sqn to fit tip tanks on Canberras at night, in the dark and in posh civvies. Happy days though....

Thanks thokos very interesting.

I've still got my RAF Wildenrath information handbook. Pity we can't put images on here. If anyone wants an image, please PM with email details and I will send some.

Remember Gerd's taxi's? Lovely people.


Have opened a photo bucket thingy but not quite a novice at this so hope it works okay. Will add more of the book if anyone is interested when I get the time.

https://s707.photobucket.com/albums/ww73/mercurypics/?albumview=slideshow

Worked fine from Photobucket Teabag .. interesting booklet .. I use Photobucket to post onto site without a problem, the instructions are a bit convoluted but in the end even I can do it and most people think I'm one brick short of a load ..

Len (Ciphers)

[quote="Teabag"]I've still got my RAF Wildenrath information handbook. Pity we can't put images on here. If anyone wants an image, please PM with email details and I will send some.

Remember Gerd's taxi's? Lovely people.


Have opened a photo bucket thingy but not quite a novice at this so hope it works okay. Will add more of the book if anyone is interested when I get the time.

I have put images on this site before, have things changed

I was statined at Wildenrath 1972-5.I was intrigued by the posting of the camp hand book.Especially the pictures of the OPEL GT.Normally sat outside NAAFI courtesy of NATO cars.I spent good times in the 21 sigs caraige bar.I also ran an excuse for a disco on a sunday night in the naafi with "TICH" from the airmens mess. I would like to hear from anyone stationed in 21 sigs wilders or RAF.MT.

MTD was the largest at Wildenrath i had ever seen !

I was there in 1991 and hated the place !
I think i should have gone there before, i may have enjoyed it ?

OH Hello, another new RAF guy, just like buses, you wait for ages and then two tun up at once.

Welcome mate.

My god Jim,

your popping up everywhere on here like weeds mate !

Now, where is the weedol ?

Hi, It was nice to look back at the Handbook, I had a great time at Wilders, 66 to 71, "Teenie Weenie Airways" or to most "131 Flight", the lads with the light blue berets, I played football for "Army Troops Wildenrath" against many local forces teams in the Wednesday afternoon league and Wildenraths 1st on Saturdays against the bigger opposition, team was run by Flt Lt Jim Phippen. Night life was great, NAAFi and SALI Clubs , Bowling Club, all the "in house/sqn/unit clubs" !!!, "First and Last Post's" down in the village , the "Shack" near Rhiendalen for sunday afternoon ride out, Moulin Rougue at Roermond then into Peacock for a chinese, best Disco - Skiffelnaval in Massik just over the borders in Belgium, looking back I would'nt change it.

I was stationed at Wildenrath (my first posting out of training as a young 17 1/2 year old pongo), as an Army Chef with 21st Royal Signal Regt from 1973/76 & again from 1983 before getting posted when they sent 2 Sqn Royal Sigs up to Scarborough Barracks (RAF OSNABRUCK) before closing it down & bringing everybody back again 4 years later (what a waste of millions of £'s.) moving all the singleys & pads up there etc.
I have many fond & happy memories of Wildenrath & the discos on a Sunday in the NAAFI & at Rheindahlen at the Marlborough & the Queensway Club. Pops & Eddys, 1st & 2nd Post bars, Girts taxis etc. The Malcom club for a lunchtime Carly Mit & Frickadelen!!
How wierd is this!! I was on holiday in Rhodes in 2000 & I bumped into the RAF guy who did the disco on a sunday in the NAAFI!!!

HAPPY DAYS MEMORIES & GREAT GREAT FRIENDS.......

Hi Pongo,

I didn't realise we had our own chefs at 21. Thought they were all blue jobs for some reason. You must have cooked for me at some stage because I was there 73-74.

And LIVED to tell the tale

I was allways impressed by the droll sense of humour the chefs used to demonstrate.

Who remembers the "Haverbags" they used to prepare for us so lovingly. Usually a couple of Spam or cheese sarnies, an apple and a boiled egg.

Oh the merriment, when you tapped your eier on the steering wheel, only to find that the bloody thing was raw.

Cheeky chappies !

Gordon. wrote:

And LIVED to tell the tale

I thought the standard was fantastic, Wildenrath was the best one I ever used. Always did a good job on exercise as well.

As i have said before the RAF were a cut above.

This is a description of one RAF mess that i was lucky enough to be a member of.

"This restaurant has no less than five service bars offering a range of dishes sufficient to satisfy all tastes. Most popular of these bars are the Chan-Grill-La, in which steaks and other light grills are cooked to order, and the Bavarian Room, where ‘customers’ may help themselves from an elaborately decorated cold buffet. The remaining services are: the Curry Bar for popular oriental dishes, the Moorish Bar for traditional fare and the Omelette Bar, where up to eight varieties are prepared ‘before one’s very eyes’."

And,yes, there were a couple of ACC cooks

I remember getting a rollicking at Wildenrath for taking a picture of my son, with a helicopter in the background. Still have the picture, somewhere, I think.

On our way to Belfast in mid 1970 , we had dinner in the OR's mess at Wildenrath before being airlifted to Aldergrove. The RAF personnel kept their distance from us,probably because of the newly issued DPM Combat suits we were wearing. Reminded me of the time when 23 SAS on exercise in Germany, came to our cookhouse, and the Guardsmen acted in the same way as the RAF bods.

Gordon. wrote:

As i have said before the RAF were a cut above.

This is a description of one RAF mess that i was lucky enough to be a member of.

"This restaurant has no less than five service bars offering a range of dishes sufficient to satisfy all tastes. Most popular of these bars are the Chan-Grill-La, in which steaks and other light grills are cooked to order, and the Bavarian Room, where ‘customers’ may help themselves from an elaborately decorated cold buffet. The remaining services are: the Curry Bar for popular oriental dishes, the Moorish Bar for traditional fare and the Omelette Bar, where up to eight varieties are prepared ‘before one’s very eyes’."

And,yes, there were a couple of ACC cooks

Bloody hell, I should have joined the RAF. I stayed in the RAF SGT's mess in Akrotire and the food there was excellent I must admit

But think of your waist line, no BFTs

I was at Wildenrath from 82-85 in ASF, was up that way yesterday so thought I would pop in and take a look at the old place, driving down the main drag from the main entrance I did not recognise anything, all the old buildings have gone and the growth of trees over the last 25 years obscures most of the views. Did manage to get in through the Petersholz gate though and on to the married quarters site which is now occupied by the the Army, although I would guess that approximately 80% of the houses are empty. My old house was occupied by the current Families officer! It seems that the Army will stay until 2016 when the site will be transferred back to the German authorities. The NAAFI building is still there, although derelict, as is the swimming pool and the church opposite, but the cinema and other buildings are all long gone. Sad really to see the old place like that, many happy memories from that camp, but that's progress I suppose.