Hi Trevor Parry, It appears that we both served at the same time with 3MRSU I have just comeback on here after a few years absence without leave and saw your post of last year. I remember a lot of the people you mention. Do you remember the 3mrsu song, I remember the tune but I have forgotten the words a long time ago. I remember Flight Sgt Chipperfield, we used to call the Unit Chipperfields Circus. I was sent up to Sylt on a 3MRSU detatchment for my last 14 months in Germany and only returned to Oldenburgh when I was repatriated. Are you in contact with any one from those days, if so I would be interested to know who.I believe I rember your name but cannot put your face to it. My name is John Chambers I was at the unit from whitsun 1952 to September !955.

I would be pleased to hear from you sometime.

I have just discovered this site and have been reading all your comments and questions. I was a national serviceman and went to Oldenburg in January 1957. I was a corporal Instrument fitter serving on 14 Sqadron, which were flying Hunter Mk4's then around May that year were replaced with Hunter Mk 6's.
With regards to JPW about the Canadians taking Oldenburg, this was true. However the story I heard was that when the Canadians were entering the town, there was some firing from the railway station and the leading canadian tank fired a round and blew a large hole in the Bahnhoff building entrance and that was the end of any resistance. I can verify about the station wall, it had been repaired but the evidence of the large repair was there. Also the town was in very good condition with no visible sign of building destruction which was still evident in nearby larger cities like Bremen, Hamburg and Hannover. They were devastated.

Commenting on Gerry who was at school in Oldenburg around the same time that I was there. During 1957 appart from station flight and a contingent or two of RAF regiment there were 3 Hunter Squadrons. 14, 20 and 26sqdn. and they all moved out in September for the emerging German airforce. I believe that 26sqdn was disbanded. 20 and 14 sqdn were relocated to Alhorn for a few months where they were then relocated to RAF Javer. As 14 sqdn was last to leave Olenburg I clearly remember the German airforce planes lined up outside the hangers and they were the American Starfighters.
14 sqdn and 20 sdrn were then relocated to Gutersloh around January 1958.

Regarding comments of Brum I believe the Suez war was indeed the reason for the influx of Canberras. On my entry into the RAF in January 1956, after training half of us were sent to the middle east (Suez) and the rest of us went to Germany. The Canberras mission was to take out the Egyption airforce which they did. Whilst I was in Germany during 1957 canberras of 59sqdn were stationed at Gutersloh. Incidently our runway at Oldenburg were regularly buzzed by Swift FR5 stationed also at Gutersloh and Javer. I think this was the last of this tiny Jet.

Oldenburg was also a large army camp at this time.

I hope these comments are of help.

Regards, Bansman.

Hi Bandsman and welcome to the site.

you might find this site a useful start point: http://www.mil-airfields.de/germany/airbases.htm


It includes sections on both the Old Germanies and the adjacent countries. Some sites have links o more detail.

Since my first comments on other members letters I must correct something I said. My memory definitely let me down. Gerry said that the emerging German Airforce started off with F86 Sabres. He was correct. I have checked several historic comments and this seems to be undisputable. Also my comment that I remembered the side of the runway was lined up with Star Fighters awaiting for the airforce to arrive, was incorrect. The planes were in fact Lockheed P80 Shooting Star fighters. I mixed up the names. My mistake was that I assumed that these shooting Stars were to be used, but obviously they were only being parked there on an empty airfield, awaiting to be shipped off somewhere else.
I hope this clears up these points.
Regards, Bandsman.