Caernarvon Barracks Düsseldorf

Hi all,

This is my first post so apologies if I’m doing something wrong or putting this in the wrong part of the forum.
My father, who has recently passed away, was based in Düsseldorf doing his National Service in the mid 50’s but he never really told me much about it. I have found a wonderful photo album of his time there and i was thinking of taking a trip to Düsseldorf to have a look around. I understand that the barracks are no longer there but I wondered if anyone knew exactly where they used to be? Also my Dad has written Rhine Centre on the back of some of the photos but I cannot find any trace of this place either- does anyone know where it used to be? Any help would be greatly appreciated. (I have tried to upload a couple of pictures of the barracks but i don’t know if it will work or even if it is allowed so apologies if not)
Thanks Adrian

Hi welcome to the site.

Posting photos is usually restricted for a few weeks!

I have PM'd you!

Alan

Adrian

https://www.baor-locations.org/CarnaervonBks.aspx.html

Hope this 1955 map below helps with orientation, note “Kas”, if you put Flughafen Dusseldorf into Google Earth the remains of the barracks can be found off Klaus-Bungert-Straße

Hope this helps

Thanks for the welcome Alan and your PM. I’ve sent you an email.

Many thanks for the great map and the information Steve. That’s wonderful to be able to see where the barracks were. Do you know if that map is available to download from the internet? I wondered if it may show where the Rhine Centre was as I believe it may have been in the Nordpark area of Düsseldorf?

Thanks again
Adrian

Photos submitted for Aidrian
. I believe one of my Dad’s pictures is of the main to the barracks and the other is taken within the barracks itself. Hopefully they may jog some memories for anyone else who was based there.








Aidrian, If you send more? Try to reduce size a bit!. Thks Alan

Aidrian. Do we know your Dad's Unit and possibly his Rank/Trade?

Thxs Alan

Many thanks for posting the pictures Alan, and apologies for how big I sent them:)

With regards to my Dad’s regiment, at the front of my Dads photo album it says

Baker Troop
8/29th Field Regiment RA
BAOR 34
Commenced 18th February 1956

And his name was John Porter

Aidrian, I checked the size actually. They are only 140 bytes, which is ok! Not sure what needs to be reduced. Maybe high quality from Iphone?

Cheers Alan - yes my IPhone gave me a choice of sizes for the pictures so I’ll use a smaller size next time.
Thanks.

arpcap wrote:

Thanks for the welcome Alan and your PM. I’ve sent you an email.

Many thanks for the great map and the information Steve. That’s wonderful to be able to see where the barracks were. Do you know if that map is available to download from the internet? I wondered if it may show where the Rhine Centre was as I believe it may have been in the Nordpark area of Düsseldorf?

Thanks again
Adrian

You will be able to download from here

https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/GermanyMaps/id/1570/rec/1

Cheers
Steve

That’s great Steve! - many thanks

Aidrian,

If you want to put on any photos? Same as before to my address.

Alan

Thanks for that offer Alan. Many of the other photos in my dads album are of his regiment or of sightseeing in Düsseldorf itself. Im looking through other boxes to see if I can find other photos of the barracks itself so I will be in touch if I find any. Cheers

Aidrian,
Seek out a couple of guys working etc. as well. Like some tanks or guns as well! Maybe out on the Trg Area getting cold and wet!


Alan

Thanks Alan - I’ve just emailed you

FYI I was posted to Düsseldorf much much later in 90s. The barracks as you are aware has been levelled and incorporated into Düsseldorf airport. However, the WOs’ and Sgts’ mess and Officers Mess remain. The former is far too new to have been there in the 50s, the Officers mess however I know little off and may have been. Someone on here will know. I was in Düsseldorf a couple of years ago and did a drive past them. The police occupy the Shts mess.

Thanks for your message Deloooboy. I am actually taking a trip to Düsseldorf myself in June to have a look around the city and the former site of the barracks. Do you know if the Sgt Mess (which the police now occupy) was within the barracks site itself or was it in a nearby building? Thanks

Your welcome. Both the Sgts Mess and officers mess were in the barracks. The main road in the airport does go past them

Adrian
The Rhine Centre was near Caernarvon Bks and was where the Medical Centre, Post Office and Families NAAFI was. I’ll check out the exact location for you

That’s brilliant! Many thanks. I’m trying to find out as much as I can before my trip so any information you can give would be great!
Thanks