British Frontier Service

It would be interesting to hear from former members of the British Frontier service and read about some of their experiences on the former GDR border and so on.

From what I've read and been told, they played a huge role in settling border disputes and generally keeping things as peaceful as possible with a common sense attitude (as opposed to the odd BGS hot-head who wanted to start a punch-up) due to their military experience as senior NCOs and WOs as well as their linguistic abilities and local knowledge.

Any takers?

gallahad wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Frontier_Service

Good site Gallahad. I remember in 67 having to deal with them for buying a new Fiat. For some reason you got papers from them in Bonn, drove to the Dutch border in to Holland remove the German plates, took the brown paper off the Canadian plates, drove back into Germany and it was all legal. Don' t know what the reason was, but I do remember thinking how there uniforms closely resembled navy togs.

Yes, they've done a good job on that site. They mention David Spears' book "The Ugly Frontier" as a reference. It's been out of print for a million years now, but if you find it in a used book store somewhere, it makes a very interesting and informative read.

My only dealing with them was at Dusseldorf Airport when they came on the bus and stamped "Cancelled" on the status of forces page in my wife's passport - the one that got dependents into the MLS and NAAFI - before we boarded our RCAF Yukon for an interminable trip to Trenton, Ontario. (Interminable due to the mother and father of all hangovers. See earlier post re: party at the gasthof in Wickede the previous night).

As like you I was suffering one good hangover. But I don't remember seeing the BFS stamping any passports. That was in Dec 68. Those Yukon's were one special way of traveling. They had just changed the ruling about having to wear uniform, so it was a comfortable trip that way. I think after that I only wore the old woollen battle dress one more time.

Maybe your eyes weren't quite open yet, or they changed the procedure after June '65. I guess we should mention that the Yukon was a Canadian version of the Bristol Britannia. Were the seats still facing aft when you came back?

That's an interesting Link, I never had any dealings with them though

Good site Gallahad. I remember in 67 having to deal with them for buying a new Fiat. For some reason you got papers from them in Bonn, drove to the Dutch border in to Holland remove the German plates, took the brown paper off the Canadian plates, drove back into Germany and it was all legal. Don' t know what the reason was, but I do remember thinking how there uniforms closely resembled navy togs.

It was the clearing of the German purchase tax the cars were exported and re-imported with an import licence for sometime now vehicles supplied from within Germany are cleared of tax with an abwicklunsgchein with the NAAFI as the procurement agency US and Canadian forces had their own agencies the "British Frontier Service" does exist today in a different form "Customs and Immigration" and import and export licenses for BFG private vehicles are supplied by them and they act as the link between the military and German authorities and veterans living in Germany get authority to shop in the NAAFI from them hope this helps

Hardrations

You are correct, when the BFS organisation was set up as part of the Control Commision Germany their first Commander was a former Naval Officer, naturally he adapted the appropriate RN uniforms for BFS use

I recall an article in the 90s in Soldier Magazine and seeing one of the ay JHQ RheinD.

On Border Patrol the BFS guy told us of a couple of incidents in which he was involved.
An East German work team was renewing the demarcation poles along the River Elbe. The East German Border at that point was at the edge of the water on the far side of the river. The BFS man said he would not allow the East Germans to step a few feet into West Germany to facilitate the erection of these poles. They had to stand in the water, with the BFS guy almost straddling the pole, while swinging the sledge between his legs.

I applied to join the BFS on my run up to demob in 86, I got a very nice letter telling me that they weren't recruiting at the moment but would keep my application on file. Do you think I should send them a reminder

train guard to berlin goods train 5 rounds per man had stand off with rusky saved by train whistle they had k47s

recce83 wrote:

Maybe your eyes weren't quite open yet, or they changed the procedure after June '65. I guess we should mention that the Yukon was a Canadian version of the Bristol Britannia. Were the seats still facing aft when you came back?

My apologies for missing your msg on this recce. I'm fairly sure the seats were facing towards the front. My last flight in a Yukon was in Feb. 71. They had the 707 in service then but it couldn't land in Norway for return of troops from the Northern NATO Defense exercise. The Yukon's were in storage in Trenton prior to being shipped of to South America. Apparently the D of D still owned them so flew one over to get us. In July of 71 I was posted back to Germany, the 707's still had that new car smell.

Steve, would you or someone else be so kind as to confirm that UK veterans living in Germany are allowed to shop in the NAAFI (if they can find one !)

malaboman wrote:

Steve, would you or someone else be so kind as to confirm that UK veterans living in Germany are allowed to shop in the NAAFI (if they can find one !)

Please go to http://www.bfgnet.de/BFGVets.html for details it is a long process took me several months to get the pass then waited the British authority letter then off to my local Zollamt to get the final two pieces of paper to enable me to shop at the NAAFI have been busy moving so not yet had a chance but due to go to Bad Fallingbostel this week so will shop for the first time since late 1979 will then have to pay the tax at my local Zollamt by the 5th of next month...hope this helps

I was at the ATC Dusseldorf Airport from 1967 - 1972 we had a couple of BFS chaps there to cover mainly incoming flights but they were also present at our MFO Depots, I did some time at the Ratingen one, they would select boxes at random for checking, once a name was selected they would check all boxes in that consignment, they did an excellent job and often came across items that were not allowed (for whatever reason) they also spent time with us in the little club we had below the ATC Building. Very happy memories

JPW wrote:

Hardrations

You are correct, when the BFS organisation was set up as part of the Control Commision Germany their first Commander was a former Naval Officer, naturally he adapted the appropriate RN uniforms for BFS use

Have found this entry in Historical Records held at Kew

Wef 22 Jun 47 responsibility for the Anglo/Russian demarcation line passed to CCG, patrols by Brit troops only being carried out at the request of CCG; requests being made as a result of "incidents"

The last British Troops to regularly patrol the border were 10th (Prince of Wales's Own) Royal Hussars RAC of Schleswig-Holstein Sub Area command Hamburg District for operational command of the Russian border north of the River Elbe, it is recorded they were under operational command of 4th Independent Armoured Brigade for this task