Barracks in Schleswig-Holstein

JPW has been carrying out research into the Schleswig-Holstein area (amongst many others), and has put together a list of towns/areas that were occupied at some time by the Allied Forces.

In quite a few cases he has managed to identify the names given to various Barracks by the British, and is looking for infromation regarding both those already named, and those that remain. I have an interest in a couple of them regarding my own efforts.

Does anyone on the Forum have any information regarding the Barracks and/or Units in this area. His notes are shown below.

Paul.

BARRACK NAMES IN SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN

A consequence of my ongoing studies into the deployment of British and Scandinavian Army units in the aftermath of World War 2 in Schleswig-Holstein is the variety of locations and barracks I have found and in particular the individual barrack names.

This poses the supplementary question who named the barracks and why?

There follows a synopsis of my findings, I would be most grateful if the knowledgeable contributors to the site could add any relevant details.

BAD BRAMSTEDT
HQ 44 Infantry Brigade, part of 15 Scottish Division, Summer 1945, possibly in tented accommodation

BRUNSBUTTEL
Name unknown 11th Hussars were the first Army unit to occupy the town.

ECKERNFORDE
4th Battalion Coldstream Guards Spring 1946. All Arms Amphibious Warfare Training Centre 1946-??.

ELMSHORN
3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry May-July 1945

EUTIN
The Royal Dragoons are known to have been based in the area in late 1945 but in tented accommodation?

FLENSBURG
Hereford Barracks

Quantock Barracks
159 Infantry Brigade (including 4th Battalion King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, 1ST Battalion Herefordshire Regiment and 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment) May-June 1945 (Note 2)
3RTR Summer 1945-Summer 1947
33 Parachute Light Regiment RA (future 7RHA) February-September 1948
1st Infantry Battalion Tyskland Norwegian Brigade September 1948 –Spring 1951
Artillery Field Regiment Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948- April 1953
Anti Tank Battery Norwegian Tyskland Brigade Spring 1951- April 1953

(Note 1) Operation Blackout, involving 158 Infantry Brigade, was carried out in late May 1945 to arrest the remnants of the last of the Nazi High Command, under Grand Admiral Doenitz, trapped in the suburbs of Flensburg. The Brigade included 1st Battalion The Herefordshire Regiment.

The exact allocation of individual units to Barracks has yet to be confirmed though it is believed the majority of units were based in Hereford Barracks in the centre of the town, subunits including the Norwegian Anti Tank Battery could have been based in Quantock Barracks in the suburb of Murwick.

GLUCKSTADT
Peterborough Barracks
1RTR were the first to occupy the town but the name does not appear relevant to the Regiments traditions

HAMBURG
Arborfield/Adams Barracks.
First occupied by REME units who named the Barracks after their UK Depot. Renamed Adams prior to or on arrival of KDG

Hilsea Barracks RAOC Depot
Named after the then UK Training base of the Corps

St Andrews Barracks
Named by first occupants 2 SG

St Patrick’s Barracks
Named by first occupants 2 IG

HUSUM
Leicester Barracks
23rd Hussars, part of 29th Armd Bde, 11th Armd Div, (a wartime only Regiment formed from cadres of 10th and 15/19th Hussars) May 1945.
153 (Leicestershire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA ??1945-Spring 1946.
22 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment RA Spring 1946-February 1948.
5th Battalion Parachute Regiment Spring 1948-September 1948 (Note 1)
2nd Infantry Battalion Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948-Spring 1951.
Anti Aircraft Battery Norwegian Tyskland Brigade Spring 1951-April 1953
Note 1 Renumbered 2 PARA in July 1948.

ITZEHOE
Borgard Barracks??
Headquarters 7 Armoured Division Summer 1945?
8TH Kings Royal Irish Hussars May- July 1945
7th Battalion The Parachute Regiment February 1948- September 1948 (Note1)
3rd Infantry Battalion Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948-Autumn 1949
Headquarters Den Danske Commando i Tyskland Autumn 1949-Autumn 1958
All Arms Battle Group (Infantry Heavy) Den Danske Commando Autumn 1949- Autumn 1958
Logistic units Den Danske Commando Autumn1949- Autumn 1958

(Note1) Renumbered 3 PARA in July 1948

KAPPELN
The 15/19th Hussars, Summer 1945

KIEL
Brompton Barracks
Dorset Barracks
Hendon Barracks (in the northern suburb of Holtenau)
46 Highland Brigade, part of 15 Scottish Division, were the first British troops to be based in Kiel area at the end of WW2, 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders were the first to be based in the Holtenau Barracks but stayed less than a week. Other units in the first phase of the occupation of the Hanseatic City, Provincial Capital of Schleswig Holstein and the largest Naval Base in Germany included:-

Headquarters Kiel Brigade (formed from Headquarters Artillery 8th Corps and in overall command of all Army units in the city) May 1945-??
46 Highland Brigade(9th Battalion The Cameronians, 2nd Battalion The Glasgow Highlanders, 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders) May 1945 (Note 1)
117 Infantry Brigade Royal Marines (31 Battalion, 32 Battalion and 33 Battalion RM) May –July 1945 (Note 2)
63 (Oxfordshire Yeomanry) Anti Tank Regiment RA
121 (Leicestershire) Light Anti Aircraft Regiment RA
10 Survey Regiment RE
224 and 278 Field Companies plus specialist units RE
193 Field Ambulance RAMC
90 Company RASC
312/516/909 Military Government Detachments, Control Commission Germany

Subsequently;
4th Royal Horse Artillery July 1945-1948
1st Battalion Grenadier Guards ??1945-??1946
29 Field Regiment RA 1948-1951
Elements of 6 Guards Brigade were also based in the Kiel area during the Summer/Autumn 1945 (Note 3)
2nd Infantry Battalion and Patrol Company, Norwegian Tyskland Brigade Spring 1951-April 1953 (Note 4)
Advanced Watermanship Training Centre Royal Engineers 1960-??
British Kiel Yacht Club

(Note1) Handed over military responsibilities in the City to 117 Bde RM and were redeployed elsewhere in Schleswig Holstein
(Note2) Assumed responsibility for providing the Guard Force for the Naval Dockyards and Occupation duties though out the city
(Note3) Former 6 Guards Armoured Brigade
(Note 4) Based in Hendon Barracks

Brompton could reflect either a London connection or the Chatham Kent Sapper training establishment. Alternatively the name may have been given by elements of 117 Infantry Brigade Royal Marines who were based in Kiel throughout Summer 1945 (There was a large Royal Marines presence in the Medway towns). A Guards Brigade were also based in the area in Summer 1945.

LEHMKUHLEN(HOLSTEIN)
3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry July 1945-March 1946

LUBECK
Cambrai Barracks
Furness Barracks
Knightsbridge Barracks

Elements of 7th Armd Div, 6 Guards Armoured Brigade (including 3rd Tank Battalion Scots Guards), and 1st Commando Bde RM are believed to have been the first British units to enter the Hanseatic City. There was a large British presence in Lubeck in the immediatew post war period. This could have also included
Headquarters 15 Scottish Division Autumn 1945?
2 Battalion Gordon Highlanders Autumn 1945
131 (City of Glasgow) Field Regiment RA December 1945-January 1946
Subsequently
4th Hussars 1947
3rd Hussars 1948-49 (Note1)
15/19th Hussars 1949-1951
4/6 Battalion The Parachute Regiment Spring 1948-Sept 1948 (Note2)
2 Medium Workshops REME 1945-1949 (Note3)

(Note1) Arrived from Rendsburg, Departed for Munster
(Note2) Battalion renumbered 1 PARA July 1948
(Note3) Located in former Dornier Aircraft Factory

NEUMUNSTER
First British units in the town have not yet been identified.
McLeod Barracks
Kings Dragoon Guards 1951-56
13/18th Hussars 1956-58

St Georges Barracks
Appears to have been the base for a number of co-located Logistic (RASC, RAOC, REME) units. These included
2 Parachute Brigade Company RASC, Ordnance Company RAOC and Workshop REME Spring 1948-September 1948 (Note1)
Engineer, Stores and Workshop Companies Norwegian Tyksland Brigade September 1948-Spring 1951
15/19th Hussars 1951-56

(Note 1) Renumbered 16 in July 1948

NEUSTADT (HOLSTEIN)
Headquarters 1 Commando Brigade RM (with 45 and 46 Commando RM under command) were based in the area in May/June 1945 to provide the Guard Force and to carry out other security duties along the Baltic coast

PLON (PLOEN)
Connaught Barracks.
Named after the Duke of Connaught.
Headquarters 8th Corps May 1945-??
Headquarters 6th Guards Tank Brigade May 1945 (Note1)
Headquarters Guards Division May 1946-May 1947
Headquarters Schleswig Holstein Sub Area May 1947-April 1948
King Alfred School Ploen May 1948-July 1959

(Note1) Renamed 6 Guards Brigade in June 1945

RATZEBURG
131st Field Regiment RA, part of 227th (Highland) Infantry Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division Autumn 1945 in tented accommodation?
2nd Battalion Glasgow Highlanders December 1945-??

RENDSBURG
The principal military installations were given names with a London theme by the British Army.

Albuhera Barracks
Albuhera was clearly named by the 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment (Regimental Battle Honour) 1946-1947.

Kingsway Barracks
3 Medium Regiment RA (future 3RHA) ??-April 1947
15 Medium Regiment RA April 1947-Spring 1948
23 Parachute Field Ambulance RAMC February 1948-September 1948
Reconnaissance Squadron, Transport Company and Medical Units Norwegian Tyksland Brigade September 1948-Spring 1951
1st Infantry Battalion and Engineer Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade

3rd Hussars were also very briefly stationed in Rendsburg in late 1947 before moving to Lubeck

The large NAAFI Club in the town was known as Covent Garden.

SCHLESWIG
Caterham Barracks.
Caterham was the long term location of The Guards Depot up until 1960 but no Foot Guards unit has been identified as being stationed in the Schleswig area. 16th/5th Lancers, 3rd County of London Yeomanry and 8th RB (mainly recruited in the East End of London) are known to have been based in the area in the immediate post war era.

Kitchener Barracks
8th Battalion The Rifle Brigade ??- March 1946
3rd County of London Yeomanry March 1946-April 1946
16/5 Lancers May 1946-??1947
Headquarters 2 Parachute Brigade February-September 1948 (Note1)
2 Parachute Brigade Signals Squadron February- September 1948 (Note1)
Headquarters Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948-April 1953
Signals Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948-April 1953
Military Police Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948-April 1953
Transport and Stores Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September1948-April 1953
Medical Units Norwegian Tyskland Brigade Sept 1948-April 1953 (Note2)
Workshop Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade Sept 1948-April 1953 (Note3)
Note 16/5th Lancers were definitely based in Kitchener Barracks, the majority of the Norwegian units were definitely based in Caterham Barracks.

(Note 1) Renumbered 16 in July 1948
(Note 2) Norwegian medical personnel were also employed in the local civilian hospital
(Note 3) The workshop was based at the nearby RAF Schleswigland

Can anyone add to/confirm the above information?

JPW


Edited 13/02/09

I can't add a great deal, but the following may help a little.

Under Husum you have 153 Fd Regt RA (actually 153 LAA Regt) and 22 LAA Regt. These are in fact the same unit. In 1947 when the RA renumbered all its Regts 153 became 22.

Under Itzehoe the barracks were named Borgard Bks (ex Gallwitzkaserne). This would suggest that the first occupants were RA, which would be 1 Heavy Regt RA. They were certainly there when they were redesignated 27 Hy Regt on 01 May 1947. They left for Hong Kong in Sep '49.
The barracks were handed over to the Norwegians in 1949 and then to the Danes in 1950/51. They were eventually handed back to the German Army and occupied by a field ambulance unit but I'm not sure when.

I did pass this and some other information on to the e-mail address on the main site but it never appeared on the site. In fact it looks like the main site is no longer updated which is a shame.

Cheers/Mike

mjm34 wrote:

I can't add a great deal, but the following may help a little.

Under Husum you have 153 Fd Regt RA (actually 153 LAA Regt) and 22 LAA Regt. These are in fact the same unit. In 1947 when the RA renumbered all its Regts 153 became 22.

Under Itzehoe the barracks were named Borgard Bks (ex Gallwitzkaserne). This would suggest that the first occupants were RA, which would be 1 Heavy Regt RA. They were certainly there when they were redesignated 27 Hy Regt on 01 May 1947. They left for Hong Kong in Sep '49.
The barracks were handed over to the Norwegians in 1949 and then to the Danes in 1950/51. They were eventually handed back to the German Army and occupied by a field ambulance unit but I'm not sure when.

I did pass this and some other information on to the e-mail address on the main site but it never appeared on the site. In fact it looks like the main site is no longer updated which is a shame.

Cheers/Mike

Mike,

Please excuse my extreme tardiness in replying, I am still trying to catch up after my absence. I knew about 153 Regt, and have yet to correct the entries both here and on the Main Site. I am still trying to identify the Field Ambulance for definite.

Paul.

Paul wrote:

JPW has been carrying out research into the Schleswig-Holstein area (amongst many others), and has put together a list of towns/areas that were occupied at some time by the Allied Forces.

In quite a few cases he has managed to identify the names given to various Barracks by the British, and is looking for infromation regarding both those already named, and those that remain. I have an interest in a couple of them regarding my own efforts.

Does anyone on the Forum have any information regarding the Barracks and/or Units in this area. His notes are shown below.

Paul.

BARRACK NAMES IN SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN

A consequence of my ongoing studies into the deployment of British and Scandinavian Army units in the aftermath of World War 2 in Schleswig-Holstein is the variety of locations and barracks I have found and in particular the individual barrack names.

This poses the supplementary question who named the barracks and why?

There follows a synopsis of my findings, I would be most grateful if the knowledgeable contributors to the site could add any relevant details.

BAD BRAMSTEDT
HQ 44 Infantry Brigade, part of 15 Scottish Division, Summer 1945, possibly in tented accommodation

BRUNSBUTTEL
Name unknown 11th Hussars were the first Army unit to occupy the town.

ECKERNFORDE
4th Battalion Coldstream Guards Spring 1946. All Arms Amphibious Warfare Training Centre 1946-??.

ELMSHORN
3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry May-July 1945

EUTIN
The Royal Dragoons are known to have been based in the area in late 1945 but in tented accommodation?

FLENSBURG
Hereford Barracks

Quantock Barracks
159 Infantry Brigade (including 4th Battalion King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, 1ST Battalion Herefordshire Regiment and 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment) May-June 1945 (Note 2)
3RTR Summer 1945-Summer 1947
33 Parachute Light Regiment RA (future 7RHA) February-September 1948
1st Infantry Battalion Tyskland Norwegian Brigade September 1948 –Spring 1951
Artillery Field Regiment Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948- April 1953
Anti Tank Battery Norwegian Tyskland Brigade Spring 1951- April 1953

(Note 1) Operation Blackout, involving 158 Infantry Brigade, was carried out in late May 1945 to arrest the remnants of the last of the Nazi High Command, under Grand Admiral Doenitz, trapped in the suburbs of Flensburg. The Brigade included 1st Battalion The Herefordshire Regiment.

The exact allocation of individual units to Barracks has yet to be confirmed though it is believed the majority of units were based in Hereford Barracks in the centre of the town, subunits including the Norwegian Anti Tank Battery could have been based in Quantock Barracks in the suburb of Murwick.

GLUCKSTADT
Peterborough Barracks
1RTR were the first to occupy the town but the name does not appear relevant to the Regiments traditions

HAMBURG
Arborfield/Adams Barracks.
First occupied by REME units who named the Barracks after their UK Depot. Renamed Adams prior to or on arrival of KDG

Hilsea Barracks RAOC Depot
Named after the then UK Training base of the Corps

St Andrews Barracks
Named by first occupants 2 SG

St Patrick’s Barracks
Named by first occupants 2 IG

HUSUM
Leicester Barracks
23rd Hussars, part of 29th Armd Bde, 11th Armd Div, (a wartime only Regiment formed from cadres of 10th and 15/19th Hussars) May 1945.
153 (Leicestershire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA ??1945-Spring 1946.
22 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment RA Spring 1946-February 1948.
5th Battalion Parachute Regiment Spring 1948-September 1948 (Note 1)
2nd Infantry Battalion Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948-Spring 1951.
Anti Aircraft Battery Norwegian Tyskland Brigade Spring 1951-April 1953
Note 1 Renumbered 2 PARA in July 1948.

ITZEHOE
Borgard Barracks??
Headquarters 7 Armoured Division Summer 1945?
8TH Kings Royal Irish Hussars May- July 1945
7th Battalion The Parachute Regiment February 1948- September 1948 (Note1)
3rd Infantry Battalion Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948-Autumn 1949
Headquarters Den Danske Commando i Tyskland Autumn 1949-Autumn 1958
All Arms Battle Group (Infantry Heavy) Den Danske Commando Autumn 1949- Autumn 1958
Logistic units Den Danske Commando Autumn1949- Autumn 1958

(Note1) Renumbered 3 PARA in July 1948

KAPPELN
The 15/19th Hussars, Summer 1945

KIEL
Brompton Barracks
Dorset Barracks
Hendon Barracks (in the northern suburb of Holtenau)
46 Highland Brigade, part of 15 Scottish Division, were the first British troops to be based in Kiel area at the end of WW2, 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders were the first to be based in the Holtenau Barracks but stayed less than a week. Other units in the first phase of the occupation of the Hanseatic City, Provincial Capital of Schleswig Holstein and the largest Naval Base in Germany included:-

Headquarters Kiel Brigade (formed from Headquarters Artillery 8th Corps and in overall command of all Army units in the city) May 1945-??
46 Highland Brigade(9th Battalion The Cameronians, 2nd Battalion The Glasgow Highlanders, 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders) May 1945 (Note 1)
117 Infantry Brigade Royal Marines (31 Battalion, 32 Battalion and 33 Battalion RM) May –July 1945 (Note 2)
63 (Oxfordshire Yeomanry) Anti Tank Regiment RA
121 (Leicestershire) Light Anti Aircraft Regiment RA
10 Survey Regiment RE
224 and 278 Field Companies plus specialist units RE
193 Field Ambulance RAMC
90 Company RASC
312/516/909 Military Government Detachments, Control Commission Germany

Subsequently;
4th Royal Horse Artillery July 1945-1948
1st Battalion Grenadier Guards ??1945-??1946
29 Field Regiment RA 1948-1951
Elements of 6 Guards Brigade were also based in the Kiel area during the Summer/Autumn 1945 (Note 3)
2nd Infantry Battalion and Patrol Company, Norwegian Tyskland Brigade Spring 1951-April 1953 (Note 4)
Advanced Watermanship Training Centre Royal Engineers 1960-??
British Kiel Yacht Club

(Note1) Handed over military responsibilities in the City to 117 Bde RM and were redeployed elsewhere in Schleswig Holstein
(Note2) Assumed responsibility for providing the Guard Force for the Naval Dockyards and Occupation duties though out the city
(Note3) Former 6 Guards Armoured Brigade
(Note 4) Based in Hendon Barracks

Brompton could reflect either a London connection or the Chatham Kent Sapper training establishment. Alternatively the name may have been given by elements of 117 Infantry Brigade Royal Marines who were based in Kiel throughout Summer 1945 (There was a large Royal Marines presence in the Medway towns). A Guards Brigade were also based in the area in Summer 1945.

LEHMKUHLEN(HOLSTEIN)
3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry July 1945-March 1946

LUBECK
Cambrai Barracks
Furness Barracks
Knightsbridge Barracks

Elements of 7th Armd Div, 6 Guards Armoured Brigade (including 3rd Tank Battalion Scots Guards), and 1st Commando Bde RM are believed to have been the first British units to enter the Hanseatic City. There was a large British presence in Lubeck in the immediatew post war period. This could have also included
Headquarters 15 Scottish Division Autumn 1945?
2 Battalion Gordon Highlanders Autumn 1945
131 (City of Glasgow) Field Regiment RA December 1945-January 1946
Subsequently
4th Hussars 1947
3rd Hussars 1948-49 (Note1)
15/19th Hussars 1949-1951
4/6 Battalion The Parachute Regiment Spring 1948-Sept 1948 (Note2)
2 Medium Workshops REME 1945-1949 (Note3)

(Note1) Arrived from Rendsburg, Departed for Munster
(Note2) Battalion renumbered 1 PARA July 1948
(Note3) Located in former Dornier Aircraft Factory

NEUMUNSTER
First British units in the town have not yet been identified.
McLeod Barracks
Kings Dragoon Guards 1951-56
13/18th Hussars 1956-58

St Georges Barracks
Appears to have been the base for a number of co-located Logistic (RASC, RAOC, REME) units. These included
2 Parachute Brigade Company RASC, Ordnance Company RAOC and Workshop REME Spring 1948-September 1948 (Note1)
Engineer, Stores and Workshop Companies Norwegian Tyksland Brigade September 1948-Spring 1951
15/19th Hussars 1951-56

(Note 1) Renumbered 16 in July 1948

NEUSTADT (HOLSTEIN)
Headquarters 1 Commando Brigade RM (with 45 and 46 Commando RM under command) were based in the area in May/June 1945 to provide the Guard Force and to carry out other security duties along the Baltic coast

PLON (PLOEN)
Connaught Barracks.
Named after the Duke of Connaught.
Headquarters 8th Corps May 1945-??
Headquarters 6th Guards Tank Brigade May 1945 (Note1)
Headquarters Guards Division May 1946-May 1947
Headquarters Schleswig Holstein Sub Area May 1947-April 1948
King Alfred School Ploen May 1948-July 1959

(Note1) Renamed 6 Guards Brigade in June 1945

RATZEBURG
131st Field Regiment RA, part of 227th (Highland) Infantry Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division Autumn 1945 in tented accommodation?
2nd Battalion Glasgow Highlanders December 1945-??

RENDSBURG
The principal military installations were given names with a London theme by the British Army.

Albuhera Barracks
Albuhera was clearly named by the 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment (Regimental Battle Honour) 1946-1947.

Kingsway Barracks
3 Medium Regiment RA (future 3RHA) ??-April 1947
15 Medium Regiment RA April 1947-Spring 1948
23 Parachute Field Ambulance RAMC February 1948-September 1948
Reconnaissance Squadron, Transport Company and Medical Units Norwegian Tyksland Brigade September 1948-Spring 1951
1st Infantry Battalion and Engineer Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade

3rd Hussars were also very briefly stationed in Rendsburg in late 1947 before moving to Lubeck

The large NAAFI Club in the town was known as Covent Garden.

SCHLESWIG
Caterham Barracks.
Caterham was the long term location of The Guards Depot up until 1960 but no Foot Guards unit has been identified as being stationed in the Schleswig area. 16th/5th Lancers, 3rd County of London Yeomanry and 8th RB (mainly recruited in the East End of London) are known to have been based in the area in the immediate post war era.

Kitchener Barracks
8th Battalion The Rifle Brigade ??- March 1946
3rd County of London Yeomanry March 1946-April 1946
16/5 Lancers May 1946-??1947
Headquarters 2 Parachute Brigade February-September 1948 (Note1)
2 Parachute Brigade Signals Squadron February- September 1948 (Note1)
Headquarters Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948-April 1953
Signals Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948-April 1953
Military Police Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September 1948-April 1953
Transport and Stores Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade September1948-April 1953
Medical Units Norwegian Tyskland Brigade Sept 1948-April 1953 (Note2)
Workshop Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade Sept 1948-April 1953 (Note3)
Note 16/5th Lancers were definitely based in Kitchener Barracks, the majority of the Norwegian units were definitely based in Caterham Barracks.

(Note 1) Renumbered 16 in July 1948
(Note 2) Norwegian medical personnel were also employed in the local civilian hospital
(Note 3) The workshop was based at the nearby RAF Schleswigland

Can anyone add to/confirm the above information?

JPW


Edited 13/02/09

Hi JPW
SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN appears to have had units from both VIII and I Corps Districts and spending time going back to the end of WW2 to work things out as there were a lot of changes from May 45 to Jun 47 when by then all Corps Districts were disbanded...working on it!
Regards
Steve

mjm34 wrote:

I can't add a great deal, but the following may help a little.

Under Husum you have 153 Fd Regt RA (actually 153 LAA Regt) and 22 LAA Regt. These are in fact the same unit. In 1947 when the RA renumbered all its Regts 153 became 22.

Under Itzehoe the barracks were named Borgard Bks (ex Gallwitzkaserne). This would suggest that the first occupants were RA, which would be 1 Heavy Regt RA. They were certainly there when they were redesignated 27 Hy Regt on 01 May 1947. They left for Hong Kong in Sep '49.
The barracks were handed over to the Norwegians in 1949 and then to the Danes in 1950/51. They were eventually handed back to the German Army and occupied by a field ambulance unit but I'm not sure when.

I did pass this and some other information on to the e-mail address on the main site but it never appeared on the site. In fact it looks like the main site is no longer updated which is a shame.

Cheers/Mike

Hi Mike
Agree with 22 LAA Regt as appear to have gone to 2 Inf Div on formation Feb 47 another scource states HQ BAOR troops but they did end up in Northumberland Barracks Menden by Jan 49 command 2 Inf Div
Regarding Borgard Barracks found on the www (please do not ask where) a reference to HQ 7 Armd Div + 8 KRH Div Reece being there at the end of WW2 after taking Berlin...interested as the Div came under command 1 Corps in 1947 until disbanded
Regards
Steve

Steve

Thank you for kind offer of help-much appreciated

One further exotic formation to add to the mix The Jewish Brigade, elements of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions The Palestine Regiment were based in somewhere in Schleswig Holstein in the period November 1945-Spring 1946 but further details are virtually non existant.

Hi JPW
We must have the same book...another source puts them elsewhere
http://britmods.freehosting.net/jewish.htm
Regards
Steve

mjm34 wrote:

I can't add a great deal, but the following may help a little.

Under Husum you have 153 Fd Regt RA (actually 153 LAA Regt) and 22 LAA Regt. These are in fact the same unit. In 1947 when the RA renumbered all its Regts 153 became 22.

Under Itzehoe the barracks were named Borgard Bks (ex Gallwitzkaserne). This would suggest that the first occupants were RA, which would be 1 Heavy Regt RA. They were certainly there when they were redesignated 27 Hy Regt on 01 May 1947. They left for Hong Kong in Sep '49.
The barracks were handed over to the Norwegians in 1949 and then to the Danes in 1950/51. They were eventually handed back to the German Army and occupied by a field ambulance unit but I'm not sure when.

I did pass this and some other information on to the e-mail address on the main site but it never appeared on the site. In fact it looks like the main site is no longer updated which is a shame.

Cheers/Mike

Hi Mike and JPW
In my research have found 1 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA movements in 1945 in Jul 45 from 3 Army Group RA Hamburg near Hagen to 147 Inf Bde of 49 Inf Div (Polar Bears) south of Bochum then Aug 45 – RHQ + 16 Bty at N-Sprockhovel – 3 Bty Hattingen – 5 Bty Wengern – 28 Bty Blankenstein in Oct 45 returned to RA duties so guess to command 8th Corps District Borgard Barracks Itzehoe believe HQ 7 Armd Div moved out Aug 45 location still unknown until Aug 46 when moving into Shiel Barracks Verden
Cheers
Steve

[quote="steve"Hi Mike and JPW
In my research have found 1 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA movements in 1945 in Jul 45 from 3 Army Group RA Hamburg near Hagen to 147 Inf Bde of 49 Inf Div (Polar Bears) south of Bochum then Aug 45 – RHQ + 16 Bty at N-Sprockhovel – 3 Bty Hattingen – 5 Bty Wengern – 28 Bty Blankenstein in Oct 45 returned to RA duties so guess to command 8th Corps District Borgard Barracks Itzehoe believe HQ 7 Armd Div moved out Aug 45 location still unknown until Aug 46 when moving into Shiel Barracks Verden
Cheers
Steve [/quote]

Hi Steve
I'm not sure where 1 HAA Regt comes into this? Are you saying that they were in Borgard Bks at some stage?

The confusion here may be because up until the renumbering of 1947 each branch of the RA had it's own numbering system i.e. each branch ( Field, Anti-tank, Heavy, Medium etc.) could have had a 1st Regt and a 2nd Regt etc. For instance 1 Hy Regt that I referred to as being in Borgard Bks became 27 Regt under the unified numbering system in 1947. Similarly 1 HAA became 76 Regt, 1 Fd became 59 Regt, 1 Med became 51 Regt, 1 Obs became 94 Regt, 1 LAA became 80 Regt and 1 Searchlight became 78 Regt. By the way all the batteries were also renumbered for the same reason the regts were.

So what is confusing me is that you mention 1 HAA Regt but 3 of the batteries you give 5 Hy, 16 Hy and 28 Hy were 1 Hy Regts pre 1947 Btys, their fourth Bty being 13 Hy. They became 23, 112, 137 and 119 Btys respectively. 1 HAA Regt btys were 1 HAA, 2 HAA and 17 HAA which became 207, 208 and 227 Btys.

Incidently my father was serving with 1 Hy Regt in Itzehoe when it renumbered to 27 Hy Regt and I got some of the above info from his service record. Unfortunately he is no longer around to ask him about this. The rest of the info I got from various unit records at the Public Records Office, or the National Archives as it's now called.

I'd be interested to hear where you got your info from as I have an on/off project of tracing the post 1947 RA Regts.

Cheers Mike

Hi Mike
You mentioned in an earlier post quote
"Under Itzehoe the barracks were named Borgard Bks (ex Gallwitzkaserne). This would suggest that the first occupants were RA, which would be 1 Heavy Regt RA. They were certainly there when they were redesignated 27 Hy Regt on 01 May 1947. They left for Hong Kong in Sep '49"
So was just following on with 1 Heavy Regiment trouble is cannot find the war diary link that gave the details they came into 49 Inf Div that I am researching as part of the 1 Corps District
Here is a useful link for RA units pre 1947
http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index.html
If I can find the link to 1 Heavy Regiment RA pre WW2 will get back to you
Cheers
Steve
PS Keeping my research to 1945 to 1947 as a poorly recorded part of BAOR history

steve wrote:

Hi Mike
You mentioned in an earlier post quote
"Under Itzehoe the barracks were named Borgard Bks (ex Gallwitzkaserne). This would suggest that the first occupants were RA, which would be 1 Heavy Regt RA. They were certainly there when they were redesignated 27 Hy Regt on 01 May 1947. They left for Hong Kong in Sep '49"
So was just following on with 1 Heavy Regiment trouble is cannot find the war diary link that gave the details they came into 49 Inf Div that I am researching as part of the 1 Corps District
Here is a useful link for RA units pre 1947
http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index.html
If I can find the link to 1 Heavy Regiment RA pre WW2 will get back to you
Cheers
Steve
PS Keeping my research to 1945 to 1947 as a poorly recorded part of BAOR history

Hi Mike
Have deleted 'Anti-Aircraft' from my last post you will the some history of 1 Heavy Regiment RA here
http://www.mail-1.connectfree.co.uk/war1a.htm
Regards
Steve

Here is some info taken from a local German book I borrowed from a German friend in Itzehoe.. I hope I got the translation correct with help from meine Frau!

On 4th May 1945, 7th Armoured Division moved into the newly named 'Borgard Barracks' previously called 'Hanseaten- Kaserne'.

The 8th King's Royal Hussars moved into 'Richmond Barracks' previouly Gallwitz-Kaserne'. In July 1946 they were replaced by 27th Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery. Also based in Richmond Barracks were various offices of the Control Commission Germany (CCS) who had taken over the Civillian Management in the area from the Germans..

In 1947 the Royal Artillery based in Itzehoe was reinforced by 334 FOB (334th Forward Observation Battery of the 33th Light Regiment Royal Artillery). In March 1948 the 3rd Parachute Battalion of the 6th Airborne Division moved to Itzehoe.

That is about all that is mentioned about the British! During 1948 there was a big regrouping in the British Zone which involved the Norwegion Brigade. This was followed by a decisive change! On the 1st November 1949 a Danish advance party arrived in Itzehoe to set up the Danish-German command which had been formed on 7th October 1949 in Jever. In December 1949, the remaining British and Norwegion units withdrew from the area.

There follows a very detailed list of the Danish Units which were based right up until 1958.

There was also comment about the Russians and the Berlin Blockade. Thus the big shuffle around in 1948.

Thanks Alan all very interesting and have the following notes from previous postings along JPW's research and what has been found on the www

1 Heavy Regiment RA moved from Bochum to 8 Corps District Oct 45 so could have moved first to Borgard Barracks then to Richmond Barracks Jul 46 as the Hussars moved to Lingen

7 Armd Division is recorded moving to Belgium to refit then to Berlin Jul 45 and back to locations unknown Aug 45 on disbandment of 8 Corps District then moved to command 30 Corps or to Hamburg District Apr 46 then the Div HQ to Shiel Barracks Verden Aug 46...did the Div HQ stay in Borgard Barracks when the divisional units moved around?

27 Heavy Regiment was formally 1 Heavy Regiment but the change is recorded Apr 47 moving to Hong Kong Sep 47 BUT here somewhere else
http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/27thRegimentRA.aspx

There is no pre Apr 47 27 Heavy Regiment recorded...the RA is proving to be VERY difficult to sort out

JPW has 334 FOB (334th Forward Observation Battery) of the 33th Light Parachute Regiment Royal Artillery in Itzehoe but it was 7 Parachute Battalion renamed 3 Parachute Battalion later and 6th Airborne Division was disbanded in UK and 2 (subsequently 16) Independant Parachute Brigade came to Germany so the detail is good just the dates seem to be out when the Germans wrote this book

Cheers
Steve
"History is a mystery and only as good as those who wrote it down"

Alan
Thank you for interesting addition to the saga of Schleswig Holstein barracks. If I may comment
1 The exact date when the HQ arrived and for exactly how long 7 Armoured Division were in Itzehoe has yet to be established.
2. Richmond Barracks A new location. According to the records held in the RAC Centre Archives in Bovingdon the 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars were posted to Itzehoe in October 45 after a short time in Berlin and left for Jever in Spring 1946. The name Richmond Barracks suggests that they replaced an English Regiment from either North Yorkshire or West London.
3. The correct abreviation for Control Commision Germany is CCG as we have discussed elsewhere
4. Thank you for confirming the 334 Battery link with 33 Airlanding Regiment RA (the future 7 RHA) whose HQ was in Flensburg and were to move to St Barbara Barracks Fallingbostel in September 48 as part of a major shuffle of British/Danish/Norwegian units in north west Germany. 334 Battery were initially replaced, together with 27 Regiment RA by a Norwegian unit who moved from the Hannover area.
5.The 1949 moves were part of a new NATO Agreement involving the British, Danes and Norwegians in Schleswig Holstein and the formation of the South Jutland Covering Force, principally Norwegian with the Neumunster British Armoured Car Regiment and the Danish Battle Group based in Itzehoe (there were political implications- up to 1871 Schleswig Holstein had been part of the Kingdom of Denmark- some saw this might be a prelude to the return of the predominently German province to Denmark). West Germany had not yet been permitted to rearm.

Thanks again for the info, more homework for Steve and I, I can but echo Steve's byline, it is amazing the contradictions or gaps we are unearthing in our quest for accurate information on the British presence in Germany in the immediate post war period

Love this information regarding Schleswig Holstein...still looking for Ernest Finch, a German Jew who fought with England and saved my mothers life.I have a photo of him if anyone is interested. I'd love to find him and thank him or thank his family.


Columbo1@cox.net

Columbo

Thank you for your kind words

As you may have seen Steve and I are attempting to compile details of the principle units (and their locations) which comprised the British 21st Army Group/British Army of the Rhine in the period 1945-48.

It is proving to be a challenging task as records are difficult to access and many units regularly changed locations in Summer 1945 as they switched from combat role to internal security and humanitarian tasks. To date the only unit identified as definitely being in Eutin is the Royal Dragoons, an armoured car reconnaisance regiment, in late 1945. Undoubtedly there were units in the town before them but who has yet to be established (they could have been from 11 Armoured Division, 15 Scottish Division , the Guards Armored Brigade or later 4 Armoured Brigade). The situation is also complicated by the fact that to meet the situation your mother was in units/individual volunteers were ordered to provide immediate assistance to ease suffering outside their normal operating areas.

The American Armies were facing similar problems in south and central Germany

It would help if we knew exactly when your mother was in the Eutin hospital (presumably Summer 1945)

Hi,

I have been working away in the background trying to solve some of the puzzle that our member Columbus presented regarding Ernest Finch.

I requested a photo of Ernest to see what could be gleaned from his uniform details.

Initially I went on a false trail, because I took the shoulder cloth badge (which is very faint), which is below his Royal Artillery shoulder title to be an Airbourne patch.

With the help of another site member, I believe I have identified the cloth badge. It is infact the 'Charging Knight' as worn by the 8th Corp.

Thanks to JPW and his wonderful list of Formations, Units and Locations listed on the forum. I now am pretty sure Ernest was with 8th Corps based at Ploen 1945 as JPW indicates. This fits in well with the details which Columbus gives.

The Corp was disbanded in 1946. In its final post war composition, it consisted also of a Jewish Brigade which may account for Ernest Finch being there, as I believe he was a German Jew. There were many Displaced Persons camps in the British Sector and many refugees wandering around, many of which were Jews.

Additionally, (I maybe wrong?). I have deduced that the two medal ribbons worn ie. 1939-45 Star and Italy Star, but not a WW11 1945 Medal, may indicate that the photo was taken possibly in 1945 before that medal was issued! The Jewish Brigade also fought in Italy.



Regards
Alan

Hi Alan
Great research but 8 Corps District has proved the most difficult of the 3 x Corps Districts 1945 to 1947 JPW and myself need more detail to complete the research as there are a few notes around showing the Jewish Brigade in Schleswig-Holstein just before disbandment but this link shows them elsewhere

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005275

1 Corps District did take over the 30 Corps District area in 1946 but not 8 Corps District that formed as Hamburg District

Best regards
Steve

Alan

Thank you too for your generous comments and in particular the additional information on Ernest Finch.

Steve
I think it most unlikely that Ernest was a member of the Jewish Brigade recruited from Sabra (native born Jews born in Palestine (future Israel)) I have recently seen a copy of a pretty good history of the Brigade who fought as an entity in the last months of the Italian Campaign and moved to Northern Europe in Autumn 1945. This outlines their aims and employment and they were based in Belgium and Holland, but never BAOR, prior to their disbandment and the majority joining covert Israeli forces. It's another inaccuracy from that well known military reference book which you and I now regard wiith great suspicion that they were ever in Schleswig Holstein.

Going back to Alan's latest input Ernest might have been serving with one of the Gunner Regiments under the direct command of Artillery Branch HQ 8 Corps (I think if he had been with a Divisional Artillery Regiment he would have had the relevent Divisional flash on his arm but I am prepared to be corrected). Bad news is Steve and I are still attempting to identify these Regiments

One other option is that Ernest was one of the pool of german speaking interpreters formed after the invasion of Germany in Spring 1945 and based in all of the major HQs but this will be very difficult to prove

Alan

Thank you for sight of the photo of Ernest which I have studied

I agree with you that the formation flash is the 8 Corps "kinight on a charger" not the "winged Pegasus "of airborne forces

Regarding the two medal ribbons the first must be the dark blue/red/light blue 1939-45 Star, the second I believe is the dark blue/white/red/white/dark blue France and Germany star (although the photo is black and white I believe the medal ribbon of the Italy star (orange/white/green/white/orange ) would have had a different colour tones.

Interestingly, a fact you did not mention,Ernest is wearing the wreath/crown badge of a Warrant Officer Class 2 on his lower arm, he must have been holding a post of some responsibility at the time of the photo

I await further developments with interest


PS Did you or your friend identify the narrow cloth horizontal stripe just below his formation flash?

JPW,

Sorry, I forgot about the Warrant Officer Badge, as I thought you had already a copy of the photo when I sent mine. I will post the photo here on the forum, (I have permission). I hope the photo will not be too big, but needs to be large for better scrutiny!

I will study the photo again regarding the medal ribbons. My info came from a mate who has collected medals for years.

Here is some info about the horizontal marking on the sleeve.

http://www.petergh.f2s.com/flashes.html

Just below the various drawings in the link is the highlighted word 'here,' click on it for further info.

Alan

Photo of Ernest (The original scan would be too big for this page. Pixels are now greatly reduced in this photo which is cropped!).

Alan and JPW You are both awesome. Mom thought he was a sergeant. He did have authority,
more photos and documents to follow over the weekend. I'm not sure how to get them on this board. If you can coach me, that would be great. Do I download and then up load them here or just a simple copy and paste from my file?
Thanks for your help.

Es

JPW wrote:

Columbo

Thank you for your kind words

As you may have seen Steve and I are attempting to compile details of the principle units (and their locations) which comprised the British 21st Army Group/British Army of the Rhine in the period 1945-48.

It is proving to be a challenging task as records are difficult to access and many units regularly changed locations in Summer 1945 as they switched from combat role to internal security and humanitarian tasks. To date the only unit identified as definitely being in Eutin is the Royal Dragoons, an armoured car reconnaisance regiment, in late 1945. Undoubtedly there were units in the town before them but who has yet to be established (they could have been from 11 Armoured Division, 15 Scottish Division , the Guards Armored Brigade or later 4 Armoured Brigade). The situation is also complicated by the fact that to meet the situation your mother was in units/individual volunteers were ordered to provide immediate assistance to ease suffering outside their normal operating areas.

The American Armies were facing similar problems in south and central Germany

It would help if we knew exactly when your mother was in the Eutin hospital (presumably Summer 1945)

Mom was in the KreisKrankenhause in Eutin from May 14 to July 14 1945. Mr Finch guarded her while she recovered from wounds from fighter pilots (British) at the very end of the war.May 5th. She was on a death march from a subcamp in Neuengammen and took trains and even got on a boat and then off so the nazis would evade GB and USA and Russia who were closing in. After the hospital, she went into a DP camp with the aid of Mr. Finch. He later got her an apartment and organized her sponsorship to the USA. While in the DP camp, she was in the British Zone the entire time. I have other photos and documents I can scan once I figure out how to upload them on to this site.

Alan, Columbo

Thank you for your latest info

Quick response is

1 We can eliminate the Jewish Brigade from the equation, they were definitely in Italy in the time frame we are discussing. A Brigadier Benjamin, a Canadian Jew was however involved in the humanitarian work concerning Jewish refugees.

2. Not suprised by the fact that Columbo's Mom was confused by the British rank structure, it is/was a minefield to the uninitiated as we have discussed elsewhere on the site. As a Gunner WO2 Ernest would have been formally addressed or referred to as Sergeant Major Finch

3. The word Neuengamme struck a chord and I looked up my working notes. It was a concentration camp located in the south east suburbs of Hamburg. The first British unit there was the Recconnaisance Regiment of 53 Welsh Division but responsiblity for the camp (practically empty but subsequently used as an emergency shelter for Russian DPs then as a POW Cage for suspected SS Troops was handed over to 3 AGRA (Army Group RA) under command 8th Briish Corps. Units involved included 119 Light Anti Aircraft,190 Field and 165 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiments RA
My internet source was a translation of notes by a possibly Belgian survivor of the camp

4 One further complication, I suspect Ernest Finch was an assumed name. Many in his situation either Anglised or totally changed their names when joining the British Forces for obvious reasons it could be therefore his true name was Ernst ????

I have one other theory regarding Columbo's mother's presence in the Eutin hospital but this is very sensitive and personal and it would be totally inappropriate to discuss details in open forum. I will therefore contact Columbo direct

I think Ernest Finch was his proper name then! Yes, he most probably had originally a German name, but like other Jewish soldiers I have been researching, all had a proper English names after Naturalisation.

I am not sure what to make of his 'smooth' BDs and fitted with ordinary buttons, quite unusual I would say for the time. If he was working in a refugee/Interpreter role than I suspect his dress may have removed him from a 'military looking role whilst carrying out his duties!