Harewood Bks - Herford

jimsigs1 wrote:

Gordon,

Re the Harewood bear, something in the back of my mind I've read that it went to a Signal egiment in Hounslow. Was it 10 Signal Regt ?

Jimsigs1

Jim/Gordon

From Royal Signals recorded history

In 1945 an undamaged statue of a bear holding a large cable drum was resuced from the ruins of Berlin and smuggled out of the Russian Zone with a vehicle full of communications equipment installed at Herford…more to follow when I get my scanner working but the bear went to Essen-Kray see below

2 Line of Communication Signal Regiment reformed Adams Barracks Hamburg 1951 moved to Düsseldorf redesignated HQ Northern Army Group Signal Regiment 1952 moved to Meeanee Barracks Essen-Kray Apr 52
redesignated 18 Army Group Signal Regiment 1953
redesignated 10 Signal Regiment (Army Group) 1 Sep 59
moved to Bradbury Barracks Krefeld Army Group dropped Oct 60 placed in suspended animation Apr 62

The Bear was laid to rest and the tasks given to 22 and 28 Sig Regts until 10 Sig Regt was reformed at Hounslow…more to follow when I get my scanner working...hope this helps

Regards
Steve
http://royalsignalsbaor.blogspot.com - needs updating but been busy moving home

Thanks for that Steve..Helps a lot

Gordon,

Just looked this up on the internet :


10th Signal Regiment (Eastern Command)
Reformed at Hounslow on 1 June.1954

1965 - 1967
England: Hounslow.

1968
England: Hounslow. Renamed 10th Signal Regiment (Southern Command).

10th Signal Regiment (Southern Command)
1969 - 1982
England: Hounslow.

Jimsigs1

1983
England: Hounslow. Renamed 10th Signal Regiment (UKLF Support). Moved to Wilton.

10th Signal Regiment (UKLF Support)
1984 - 1986
England: Wilton.

1987
England: Wilton. Disbanded.

Wow Steve,

That seems to tie in with me being at HQ BAOR Signal Regiment in 1952, changing their name to HQ Northern Army Group Signal Regiment and whn I was leaving for Korea in 1954, we were then called 18 Army Groug Signal Regiment. The bear was certainly there when I left in 1954. It was between the Wo's & Sgt's Mess and 2 Squadron block.
I was in 3 Sqn Block (1 Med Wireless Troop - 2Lt CGA Ridley & Sgt Neville Rowbotham)
Memories, Memories

Jimsigs1

All you need to know about 10 SR and Bruno

http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/10_Signal_Regiment_History.pdf

The Bear`s at Corsham

In 1945, amongst the ruins of Berlin, outside the headquarters of the Deutsche Femkabel
Geselischaft (German Cable Company) in Rognitzstrasse, stood the imposing statue of a Bear (the mascot of Berlin to this day) with its arms embracing a drum of cable. Not wishing to see this prize fall into the hands of the Russians, it was loaded onto the back of a truck, concealed as signal equipment and whisked away through zone check points and arrived at Harewood Barracks in Herford. The intention was, originally, to ship the statue back to the UK, to the Signals Headquarters Mess; however the statue never got any further than the Hook of Holland. In the spring of 1948, the bear was hoisted atop a column which originally carried the Nazi eagle in Kray Barracks, Essen. It was at Essen that a visiting engineer from Seimens saw and recognised 'Bruno' for what it was and thereby started off the negotiations, which eventually resulted in the return of 'Bruno' to the original company. On the 28th November 1957, with full military honours, the statue was handed back to the Managing Director of the firm, Herr Friedrich Muhi - 'Bruno' had finally arrived back home! As a result and as an expression of gratitude and generosity, the Company had a replica made and in May 1958, amid much press and radio coverage, Herr Muhi presented 'Bruno' to 10th Signal Regiment.

Thanks Gordon for finding the above saves me a scan

Cheers
Steve

Hi Gordon,

I'd like to go down to Corsham one day and see the old bear. What history it has.

Jimsigs1

Found this postcard here in Germany for a couple of euros great for the archives

Harewood Barracks, Herford vacated by BFG and since early August 2015 home to 700 migrants mainly Syrian families and Pakistani men.  Police were called on Saturday when tension escalated after a male person had been found in the well-appointed rooms used by a Syrian family - which included a shower and sink.  Newspaper report in Mindener Tagesblatt from 30 Sep -  at least the Barracks haven't been renamed and the police had no difficulty finding it.  The  parties were separated an sent to different migrant sites - but the Syrian family were back on Monday morning asking for their old rooms back!

I was in Harewood Barracks 1952-4 and our old RSM would have given this lot short srift. The locals must be a bit pi***d off about all of this.

1965/66 HCav - Magazine in Harewood Barracks

https://issuu.com/rhgd.regsec/docs/the_blue_the_blue_1966