Catterick Barracks

Hello,

I was just looking for information on Bielefeld barracks after I bought a book of a former WW II German artillery officer (translated: "With Mortars, Howitzers and Cannons - Artillery Officer in Peace and War 1936-1945"). The author started his career in the Artillery Barracks in Detmolder Strasse in Bielefeld.
Therefore I would like to point out an error in the list of previous units posted to these barracks that were later called Catterick Barracks by the BAOR.

The Fuß-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 9 (Fuß-Artillery stands for very heavy or fortress artillery) was never posted to these barracks after this Regiment was fromed in mid-19th century in Schleswig-Holstein and first posted to Tondern, which is now Denmark. After the war against France in 1870-71 it was posted to Metz and later to the fortress of Ehrenbreitstsein in Koblenz where it was disbanded with the end of WW I.
The first unit in the "Artillerie-Kaserne" in Bielefeld was the V. Abteilung (5th [heavy] Battalion) of Artillerie-Regiment 16 (V./AR 16), that moved into the barracks on 1stOCT 1934. Therefore I presume that 1934 wasalso the year of the construction of these barracks. On 15th OCT 1935, the day of the formal foundation of the Wehrmacht by reinstalling the conscription in Germany, the unit was renamed II. Abteilung / Artillerie-Regiment 42 (II./AR 42).
This regiment took over the tradition of the Schleswig-Holsteinisches Fuß-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 9 of the "Alte Armee" (Old Army means armed forces of the emperial time before WW I) and therefore created the memorial of that unit next to the officers mess.
Being a German artillery officer from Schleswig-Holstein myself I know a little bit about that unit.

Greetings from Cologne

Air photo Catterick Barracks - handed back Feb 2020




Plan for development "Catterick-City"
https://www.nw.de/lokal/bielefeld/mitte/22464898_So-soll-aus-einer-Bielefelder-Kaserne-ein-hochmodernes-Stadtviertel-werden.html

Copyright lieswith Neu Westfaelische Zeitung

Thanks
Alan

I was there with 10 Reg't RCT, Reme Wksp. 1982ish.

I read on the local German news today that the Federal Police have put in a bid to use both Rochdale and Catterick Barracks for the next three years possibly as some sort of training establishment.

Scanner not working at the moment

Steve, can you remind me what this Barrack was eventually called? Maybe Catterick? or ??

Good morning Alan
BAOR Locations has Bulow Kaserne as Ripon Barracks and Lauter Kaserne as Catterick Barracks, this image looking east is taken from a 1946 booklet I have, looking at the map if BAOR Locations is correct this is Lauter...not Bulow.
"History is a mystery and only as good as those who wrote it down"

A bit more to add Steve's Bielefeld map.

On checking the booklet "Come and Go" 105 Reinforcement Group Magazine No 7 October 1946 and Stadt Bielefeld on line, can confirm the image is incorrect and should read Lauter Barracks.
Can now confirm that HQ 105 Reinforcement Group was the first into Ripon Barracks Oct 45 and disbanded late 48 and the plan was to convert the barracks for the College of Rhine Army at the cost of DM 259,215...source Historical Records for 7 Armd Bde quarter ending 31 Dec 48.

Thanks .

Seems they changed their mind at the very end! Catterick Bks became a sort of HQ and last to behanded over.

A lot of pieved German Locals with the A4 Note on the gate. Bye! 'Gone Fishing'! No fanfare of Thankyou from the Brits.

Have been searching “College of the Rhine Army” in Göttingen, the last journal “The Goose Girl” is listed at the IWM is Vol 4 1-6 Feb-Aug 1949! A Kew search comes up with WO 267/567 for 1949 and WO 267/568 Jan to Mar 50, may have moved into Ripon Barracks after all!

11th Armoured Division reformed Sep 50 and 3rd King’s Own Hussars moved from Oxford Barracks Münster to Ripon Barracks Bielefeld at some time, 1st (BR) Corps reformed in Bad Oeynhausen Jun 51 (have an official history booklet 1901 to 1967) and moved to Ripon Barracks Bielefeld some time later.

My detailed research is May 45 to Mar 49 at the moment, so hopefully a forum member can confirm.

steve wrote:

On checking the booklet "Come and Go" 105 Reinforcement Group Magazine No 7 October 1946 and Stadt Bielefeld on line, can confirm the image is incorrect and should read Lauter Barracks.
Can now confirm that HQ 105 Reinforcement Group was the first into Ripon Barracks Oct 45 and disbanded late 48 and the plan was to convert the barracks for the College of Rhine Army at the cost of DM 259,215...source Historical Records for 7 Armd Bde quarter ending 31 Dec 48.

Now found while going through records at the same time time as the College of the Rhine Army was in Göttingen the "Rhine Army School of Preliminary Education" was established in Bielefeld by 24 Sep 48