Peninsula Barracks - 2005

In 2005 my wife and I stayed with our daughter in Amsterdam for a time, and I decided to make a trip to Deilinghofen to look over the place after more than 30 years.

I was disappointed, but not surprised to see little or nothing of either of the two Camps left in existence.

I took a few photographs around the place. which then proceeded to diappear into one of those mysterious places that every house seems to have. I have just found some of them and am posting them on the Forum. Memories are a little hazy, but I think I have got the locations right.

I think this one was right at the top of the camp, outside of what would have been the perimeter fence. Now part of an industrial estate.

Paul

I think that this was at the end a loop off what is now Englandstrasse

This one is of an accomodation block, the last one before the perimeter fence (as was).

Definitely did not have double glazing in my time ('71 to '73)

Paul.

All of these images are from July 2005. This is of the Garrison Church that was outside the gates of Peninsula.

It looked as though it was being refurbished for some purpose.

Paul.

Is this the approximate area of where the old SKC used to be?

Paul.

This was the Families NAAFI shop, on Honnetalstrasse I believe. Now a row of shops there was a little shop, it can be seen in the LH corner, that was selling UK foods. The flats visible to the right hand side were married quarters.

I remember that there was a Schnell-Imbiss on a patch of rough ground opposite the shop.

We bought some pork pies and bacon there, and they seemed to a good trade with ex-pats who are still in the area.

Paul.

This building was on Zepplinstrasse, not Honnetalstrasse.

I think that this was a photo looking down Berlinerstrasse on the opposite side of the road, and up the hill a bit, from the NAAFI.

Paul.

This is looking down Breslauer Strasse, not Berlinerstrasse, from the end of Posenerstrasse

Paul,

These are great photos...thanks for posting them!

I remember the NAAFI (on Zeppeliner Strasse, as I recall which further up into the married quarters became Honnetaler Strasse or perhaps even further up along it than that, I forget) which of course was in the same site as the Canadians' CANEX (CLFEX and prior to that MLS (Maple Leaf Services)).

The Schnell-Imbiss up on the rise across from NAAFI...good lord, that must have been on that site for 30 years easily!!! I remember it well. It was where I ate my first every bratwurst and hot mustard and was hooked!

Berliner Strasse was, again as I recall, on the same side of the road (Zeppliner Strasse/Honnetaler Strasse) as the NAAFI and was the first street you'd come to as you traveled up from the NAAFI towards the married quarters and the school (which was the high school for the Canadians as well as elementary. After we left, I am not sure who took it over but it is now a German elementary (?) school). Berliner strasse wrapped up around the top of the school in a loop and then down in front of it, rejoining Zeppliner Strasse right next to what we called Canada Corner...a little strip of shops and a scungy little gasthof-cum-hole in the wall known as Little Canada (or Kleine Kanada), right were the gym is.

In another post where someone was asking about recent pics of what used to be Fort Chambly out in Bad Sassendorf near Soest, you suggested he check out www.ruhrmemories.ca. An excellent suggestion, by the way!

I'd encourage you to contact David, the ruhrmemories webmaster, and post these as well. The Canadian Army Brats would love to see them!!!

As I said Stephen, I only thought that was some of the locations. Heading for 40 years ago does not help the memory much, and unfortunately I did not have that much time to spend in the location.

With hindsight ( ) I should have stayed a little longer, maybe then I could have been more sure of locations etc. but it did bring back memories.

The good lady made her usual comment about me remembering where places where by the location of bars etc. I did not tell her about the "Club" down the road from the NAAFI, was it called the Windmill or some such name?

Glad you liked them though. I would like to go back again, if I could afford it, at some time and spend a bit more time there. We did manage a quick visit to the Mohne Dam, as the wife wanted to see it. We seemed to visit the area when most of the area was closed though, a pity.

Paul.

You wouldn't mean the Ranch House would you Paul. That was the name when the Canadians were there. It was run by a Dutch fella in 68 when I left.

Hardrations wrote:

You wouldn't mean the Ranch House would you Paul. That was the name when the Canadians were there. It was run by a Dutch fella in 68 when I left.

It comes to mind that it could have been called the Candlelight Club. I think there was a garage/repair shop close by on the same side of the road. It was on the opposite side of the road from the end of Zepplinstrasse I believe.

Paul.

Stephen,

On looking again at the last photo, and reading your reply, I have come to the conclusion that the photo is not looking down Berlinerstrasse.

After copious helpings of Googlemap, I am now pretty sure that it is looking down Breslauerstrasse from the end of Posenerstrasse. I know that I was on the opposite side of the road from the NAAFI building.

And yes, Berlinerstrasse was on the same side as the NAAFI, which was on Zepplinstrasse, with Memelerstrasse running behind the NAAFI joining on to Fichterstrasse.

On looking at the map as well, Honnetalstrasse, coming down from Deilinghofen, turned sharp left over a level crossing and then sharp right past what was then a bar on the right hand side close to the corner and ran at the bottom of the slope below Zepplinstrasse. I think it passed the Police Station and then over another level crossing. Turning right led past the Commerzbank.

I have put an edit comment into the photo's where I have a better idea of their location now.

Paul.

Paul wrote:

Stephen,

On looking again at the last photo, and reading your reply, I have come to the conclusion that the photo is not looking down Berlinerstrasse.

After copious helpings of Googlemap, I am now pretty sure that it is looking down Breslauerstrasse from the end of Posenerstrasse. I know that I was on the opposite side of the road from the NAAFI building.

And yes, Berlinerstrasse was on the same side as the NAAFI, which was on Zepplinstrasse, with Memelerstrasse running behind the NAAFI joining on to Fichterstrasse.

On looking at the map as well, Honnetalstrasse, coming down from Deilinghofen, turned sharp left over a level crossing and then sharp right past what was then a bar on the right hand side close to the corner and ran at the bottom of the slope below Zepplinstrasse. I think it passed the Police Station and then over another level crossing. Turning right led past the Commerzbank.

I have put an edit comment into the photo's where I have a better idea of their location now.

Paul.

Thank heavens for Google maps, uh?

I only remember Zepplinstrasse because I traversed it so many times and, being 16, 17, 18 and then 20 later at the time, I was impressed Hemer had named a street after one of my favourite rock bands LOL

Berlinerstrasse I also recall because the youth club was located along it, in an old Quonset Hut (long since gone) just behind the school and down below a big old house up on the hill that none of us were quite sure what it was -- a orphanage or Home for Wayward Boys or an apprentices' residence...had been a fine house at one time but by the time the Canadians were there, let alone you fellas, it had seen far better times. We never did interact with the teenage guys who lived there, although some of our teenage girls were quite enamoured of them!

Breslauerstrasse I also recall, but that is about the extent of it.

Like you, I tended to rely on gasthofs, bratwurst stands etc to serve as landmarks.

The Candlelight Club rings a bell...although I don't believe I was ever in there as it probably had bit of a reputation...actually, when I was in Hemer (actually lived outside of Hemer, out along the Hoennetal, towards Balve) I don't think I ever went into a gasthof in Hemer itself...I'd go in for dances at the youth club and that was about it. Such a goody-twoshoes LOL

When my father was transferred to Soest, however, that all changed and I spent considerable time in several of the discos and gasthofs there. When we lived in Iserlohn in 1971-72 and Dad was wrapping up the Canadian Close-out and tranferring property and such to BAOR, I'd moped into Hemer, meet up with some buddies, and we'd go to a gasthof down in Stephanopel, enroute to Deilinghofen (Stephanopel was a primarily industrial area between Hemer and Deilighofen, down in the valley to your right as you'd head out to Deilinghofen). A neat little place called Katz. Great juke box!

Stephen,

I know the area you mentioned, although not necessarily the Gasthof by name. I did go down that road a few times, and remember a bar with a good juke-box. It could be the same one

Small world isn't it?

Oh to have had more time when I was there in 05!!

Paul.

Paul wrote:

Stephen,

I know the area you mentioned, although not necessarily the Gasthof by name. I did go down that road a few times, and remember a bar with a good juke-box. It could be the same one

Small world isn't it?

Oh to have had more time when I was there in 05!!

Paul.

As I recall, Katz was pretty much all by itself in amongst all these warehouses and factories...a rather desolate place after dark, but inside Katz it was warm and convivial and comfortable, although certainly not fancy!!

As I recall, it had two main rooms -- one on the side the bar itself was located and then another area, with maybe half a dozen tables give or take, just off to one's left as you entered (bar dead ahead). In back of that second area, towards the back of the building, was another room which we hardly ever used as it seemed to be where the locals liked to congregate.

Herr Katz, if indeed that was even his name, was a man in his 40s or 50s I'd say, tall, slim, quiet. As I think more of it, the name of the pub may even have been Schwartzenkatz (The Black Cat) but we just called it Katz.

what memories,as i said before i lived in the westiger hof for the first 18 months i lived in hemer(next to the shell garage)oppisite the rail crossing at the bottom of zeppelin strasse.when ziggy sold up(he moved to the sorpesee)the hotel was demolished.the candlelight was a dive when i was there but katz was quirky.i was 19 when i got there and mixed with the local lads and lasses even played football for a few local sides.moved into private quarters in hemer-westig before moving to soest in 1980.graham

hi i was based in both barracks, first peninsula bks from dec 1984 as part of 2LI. the Gordon Highlanders were in the next bks which at the time was Corruna bks or as the taxi drivers new them as camp 1 and camp 2. after the gordons left Corruna bks we took them over as peninsula bks was about to be developed for the royal tank regiment.they built a huge set of tank garages which as far as i know are still there as they are visible to the left of the camp, still visible on google earth . the RRF took over corruna Bks when 2LI were posted to tidworth(the place god will insert the enema when the world needs it). i also had the pleasure of living in the married quarters in hemer near the school and park. it was 4/4 danziger strasse. on another note does anyone remember the shnellimbiss down the bottom of the hill, it used to be on the right if you were driving to iserlohn , bit it did move opposite just before 89. the giros was gorgeous.
ray

stappie0304 wrote:

..... Corruna bks..... ray

If you are talking about D'hofen, I think you mean Barossa Barracks, Corunna was in Iserlohn.

Paul.

graham wright wrote:

what memories,as i said before i lived in the westiger hof for the first 18 months i lived in hemer(next to the shell garage)oppisite the rail crossing at the bottom of zeppelin strasse.when ziggy sold up(he moved to the sorpesee)the hotel was demolished.the candlelight was a dive when i was there but katz was quirky.i was 19 when i got there and mixed with the local lads and lasses even played football for a few local sides.moved into private quarters in hemer-westig before moving to soest in 1980.graham

I only vaguely recall the Candlelight, but yeah, I do seem to remember it was a dive and probably 'off-limits' (like that ever stopped anyone LOL). I don't think I ever went there...certainly not when the Canadians were in Hemer as my parents and I lived out on 'the economy' in a series of villages out near Balve (first Mellen, which had a population of maybe 100, not counting the cows and pigs, then Beckum which was next to Sans Souci) and I was not yet into sneaking off to the gasthofs, even when Dad would drive me into Hemer to attend a dance or social at the youth club on Berliner Strasse, in behind the school (Quonset hut). My gasthof going experience started when we moved to Soest Married Quarters. Ahhh, the memories

When we lived in Iserlohn, circa 1972/73, and I was attending Cornwall School in Dortmund and mopeding it into Hemer, I headed out to the pubs then and Katz was by far the favourite. It was "quirky", for sure. Funny little joint and I have no idea how the lads I hung with ever found it as it was easily a 15-20 minute walk from the Hemer married quarter area down in Westig/Stephanopel. I have no idea how they ever found it to begin with. As I recall, Noel and his mate had been taken there by some Canadians or something...there was a brief overlap between Canadians moving out and the Irish Rangers moving in, I think (don't quote me on that!). I forget the mate's name...Ian or something. A young skinhead chap, anyway who was President of the youth club for a spell (as was Noel who also worked at the NAAFI).

Where in Soest did you live, Graham?

stephen,in soest i was married and lived in ruploher weg.good posting,but nowhere as good as hemer/iserlohn.after sardinia hemer was my number one place.graham.

stappie0304 wrote:

hi i was based in both barracks, first peninsula bks from dec 1984 as part of 2LI. the Gordon Highlanders were in the next bks which at the time was Corruna bks or as the taxi drivers new them as camp 1 and camp 2. after the gordons left Corruna bks we took them over as peninsula bks was about to be developed for the royal tank regiment.they built a huge set of tank garages which as far as i know are still there as they are visible to the left of the camp, still visible on google earth . the RRF took over corruna Bks when 2LI were posted to tidworth(the place god will insert the enema when the world needs it). i also had the pleasure of living in the married quarters in hemer near the school and park. it was 4/4 danziger strasse. on another note does anyone remember the shnellimbiss down the bottom of the hill, it used to be on the right if you were driving to iserlohn , bit it did move opposite just before 89. the giros was gorgeous.
ray

Stappie--I well remember that schnell imbiss across from MLS/Canex/NAAFI. It was my first introduction to bratwurst and hot mustard and I was hooked!! Nothing like it after a night out drinking half-litres! That schnell imbiss must have been on that site for 40 years...he probably has a villa in Majorca by now LOL

graham wright wrote:

stephen,in soest i was married and lived in ruploher weg.good posting,but nowhere as good as hemer/iserlohn.after sardinia hemer was my number one place.graham.

Ruploher Weg....off the top of my head here, and without referring to Google Earth, so I might be wrong....was that the cul-de-sac (deadend street, we call them cul-de-sacs in Canada; sounds nicer than "dead end street") in behind the NAAFI? If so, there were two parts to it. Many many years ago it was one continuous street until CANEX built an extension on the south end of the store (CANEX became the NAAFI). The section in behind NAAFI was a nicer bit than the one on the other side, but that could well be because I was more familiar with the east side.

A British family that 'adopted' me when I was back in Soest in '73 lived over on that cul-de-sac and, when my parents and I actually lived in Soest on Kanadischer Weg (10-A, right behind the heating plant) the fellow who DJ'd our dances at the Teen Hut (a Quonset Hut located directly across from the heating plant and in behind the row of shops and The Milch Bar) and his family lived over there. I hung out with his sister a fair amount and, as Fate would have it, his dad ended up working with my dad as part of the 3-man Canadian close-out team based out of Wetter circa 1972 after all the Canadians went to Lahr, leaving me the last Canadian Army kid in NRW.

It's interesting how different postings affected us. For me Hemer was "okay" but as we lived several kilometres outside of Hemer, out along the Hoennetal, I was only in Hemer during the week for school and would get driven in the odd Friday or Saturday night to attend some social/dance at the Teen Hut in Hemer, so Hemer wasn't as...important, if that's the word I am looking for...as Soest was to me. Soest was "home". Soest was the city I yearned to get back to after leaving Germany and where I did return in '73 to work for 14 months. I loved Soest and miss it terribly, even still. It will always be a warm spot in my heart.

I'm with Graham. Dielinghofen/Hemer/Iserlohn are the best memories for me. Lahr/Kippenheim was okay and I made good friends there. But up north we had more rinks, more Canex's, more theaters, we weren't jammed into a smaller area. We also got six weeks leave a year. When the army went south they found out the RCAF got by with 4 weeks, bye, bye 6 weeks. Also the Brigade was considered a Light Division by BOAR and the Americans when we were up north. Down south in Lahr it was a joke, a bad joke at that. Created by King Pierre Trudeau. The Americans didn't want us, our war reserve was still up north, my litany of complaints can go on, so I'll stop. I remember overhearing a former CO of the Van Doo's in Germany telling a visiting Brig. General that the Canadians were in Lahr because of the closeness of Switzerland in case the balloon went up. Go figure.

stephen,ruploher weg was one of the roads off the road the naafi was on.when i was there it was all one way streets.when i was living there i moved from 13 to 9 when the quarters were refurbished.although only 4 doors away it was the hardest move i ever had to do.i borrowed a van from work,loaded it up and drove fifty metres to unload.got spotted by an RMP and was told to drive round the one way system the correct way.took for ever doing it that way.the van then broke down and i had to take everything down from the top flat down the road then up to the top flat in number 9.it was a bank holiday w/end and there wasnt a soul around to help.graham.

graham wright wrote:

stephen,ruploher weg was one of the roads off the road the naafi was on.when i was there it was all one way streets.when i was living there i moved from 13 to 9 when the quarters were refurbished.although only 4 doors away it was the hardest move i ever had to do.i borrowed a van from work,loaded it up and drove fifty metres to unload.got spotted by an RMP and was told to drive round the one way system the correct way.took for ever doing it that way.the van then broke down and i had to take everything down from the top flat down the road then up to the top flat in number 9.it was a bank holiday w/end and there wasnt a soul around to help.graham.

Ahhh,okay, now I have you placed (geographically, at any rate!).

As per your move...why does it all sound so typically Army? I mean, gosh, why do things the easy and logical way when there's a complicated, inconvenient, and troublesome method right at hand?

from my very short time in uniform(6 months in saudi during first gulf war)i found army logic some thing of a puzzle.graham.