Albuhura Barracks Werl

robbo2439 wrote:

The last British unit in Albuhura Bks and the Annex across the road was 1st Bn Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, from August 1991 to June 1994. At the end the whole complex was left with the regiment. When the camps were handed over by the head sheds to the civies I was the last man out at 1144hrs; I know this, after being nagged to clear my stored boxes I found the old guard report I never handed in; I was the last Guard Commander. The Devon and Dorsets moved from Werl to Barker Bks Paderborn.

That's very interesting. You occupy an important place in history as the last soldier to walk out of the former Fort St Louis cum Albuhara Barracks where I served up until June 1965.

Is the annex you mention the former barracks that I understand has been made into a golf course? We called it Fort Anne and was home to 4 Fd Ambulance and an ENTAC-equipped anti-tank coy.

I joined the Devon and Dorset in Sept '92' from another unit.
It was always referred to as the 'Annex'; it was the golf course side.
The amoured vehicles and LAD wksp was based.

I believe a small party of Canadian Vets came for a look see! as they had heard it was due
to close.

robbo2439 wrote:

I joined the Devon and Dorset in Sept '92' from another unit.
It was always referred to as the 'Annex'; it was the golf course side.
The amoured vehicles and LAD wksp was based.

I believe a small party of Canadian Vets came for a look see! as they had heard it was due
to close.

Looking at Google Earth it appears the vehicle compound was still there when the image was recorded in 2004. But that was almost 7 years ago, so who knows?

The road that is Labelled 'Am Golf Platz' on the right hand side was the main entrance. Half way down that road on the right is a green field, this is where the wksp sheds once stood and have since been taken down; there's also no guardroom by the look of it! It's just dawned on me that the other thing that is no longer is the old ice ring that was at the bottom of the road.

Rumour control had it that when the Canadians moved out, they tried to sell the ice ring to the Brits and they refused to buy. The Canadians offered to sell for a pound just to say they got something for it and the Brits still refused, so the Canadians gutted it and rendered it unusable.
Typical Brits although I served almost 24 years serving in the British army, I could never work out the headsheds thinking!

robbo2439 wrote:

The road that is Labelled 'Am Golf Platz' on the right hand side was the main entrance. Half way down that road on the right is a green field, this is where the wksp sheds once stood and have since been taken down; there's also no guardroom by the look of it! It's just dawned on me that the other thing that is no longer is the old ice ring that was at the bottom of the road.

Rumour control had it that when the Canadians moved out, they tried to sell the ice ring to the Brits and they refused to buy. The Canadians offered to sell for a pound just to say they got something for it and the Brits still refused, so the Canadians gutted it and rendered it unusable.
Typical Brits although I served almost 24 years serving in the British army, I could never work out the headsheds thinking!

I was in Werl last Christmas and went back to the camp. My Son still lives there and is a member of the Golf Club. Where the Wksp Shed used to be is now a driving range for the Golf Club. The club house is still there but has grown some-what. The tank garages are still there, they are now industrial units. The whole place on that side of the B63 has changed. The barracks on the other side are now in total ruin and quite frankly have not changed at all. When the British Army left they were in a pristine condition, seems such a waste of time and effort. Where the old boiler house used to be is now a "Trendy" cocktail place. I left Werl in 1992 as the last RMP, there seemed to be at that time an indecent haste to close things down. We have yet too learn.

If you was the last RMP I probably spoke to you at some time, I used to speak to a full screw with black hair (narrows it down) quiet a often down on the patch, he was there to the last at the RMP station by the Naafi on the patch. Did the RMP’s then have a Det that travelled to and from Paderborn or somewhere till we cleared out totally? My mind is a bit shot now so names and that come and go (even the wife’s). I did not live on the patch but on the German estate.

Hi Recce
Last time I saw the camps was in 2003 when I was going up to the Werl Cemetary to pay my respects to some of those I knew. When we passed the Forts location both Forts on your side of the road were just bush as far as I coud see. Fort St. Louise was some sort of industrial park. I well remember going up to curl in the rink in Werl in the 60's. I was last over I didn't get a chance to go up, but intend to next time. I did my Jnr. NCO's course in Fort St Louise, there was also a Holiday Shop there ( CANEX store for the expensive stuff) 4 Fld Amb. was in Fort Chambly by then.

I was there with the Royal Scots as my first posting for three years .Lovely place its a pity its run down played golf in the annex and had a few toasties and beers at the LAD bar used to walk through 113 Provo Company to get there...Ahhhh the memories!!!!!

Robbo2439 - I see you joined Devon & Dorsets in the 1990's. My late Dad was in the old 1st Bn Dorsets in the 1920's & 1930's and I was born in the Married Quarters (No 23b) of the Depot, Dorchester. Useless information I know etc.

Not really, Jimsigs - it's all relevant!

Here you go Jim, a little bit of nostalgia .. a friend of mine was also in at the same time as your dad ... badge is a bit bulled ..

Len (Ciphers)

Hi Len,

many thanks for that. I've got an old Dorsets Badge in a drawer with other nostalgic bits & pieces. Last time I visited Dorchester with one of my Sons, we popped into the old Depot which is now a museum and went down to where the married quarters were and they were building a small housing estate.

Would one of the admins sort the title of this thread please...

Robbo & Len,

Further to my late Father being in the Dorset Regt, here's a photo of him and my late Mother taken on the veranda of the Married Quaters at the Depot in Dorchester, around the early 1930's. Notice the washing hanging up near the railings.!

Blimey Jim !

That's the same SD that I had to wear in Boys, 1957.

(Apart from the belt of course).

Jim, did your Dad ever serve in Mesopotamia ???

Len (Ciphers)

Brum,

Ditto. We used to wear the same in 1949. Read somewhere that the reason we boys were put into WWI SD uniforms, because there was a surplus. So some QM's/Central Stores must have had those stocked up from around the early 1940's when the Brit army went into BD. The Signals boys before me dating back to the WWII were wearing the old SD then.

Hi Len,

No not Mesopotamia. However with the Dorsets he served in British Army of the Rhine in the 1920's, near Koblenz. He came out of the Army in 1936 for a few months but for some reason rejoined into the Worcestershire Regt. They did Guard duties at the Tower of London during the Coronation year of 1937, then they were shipped out to Palastine in 1938 moving down to Eretreia in 1939/40 before moving upto Egypt to join the Eighth Army. Most of the battalion were either killed or taken prisoner during the campaign of around 1942/3. A new 1st battalion was formed in the UK ready for D Day.

Quote :

That's the same SD that I had to wear in Boys, 1957.

Same as me Brum ,but around 60/61 an open necked version was issued., as seen on the A/T RSM



Note ..No collar dogs on this version

Robbo & Len,

Further to the photo of my Dad in Dorset uniform, here is a photo of him taken in the Middle East around 1941, having rejoined the Army in 1936 with the Worcestershire Regt and newly commissioned from WOIII (Yes, WOIII - Platoon Sergeant-Major)

brum wrote:

Blimey Jim !

That's the same SD that I had to wear in Boys, 1957.

(Apart from the belt of course).

Snap, it was still being issued in 1962. They must have had a huge store somewhere!


Have a great trip to the States next week, Jimsigs.

jimsigs1 wrote:

Robbo & Len,

Further to the photo of my Dad in Dorset uniform, here is a photo of him taken in the Middle East around 1941, having rejoined the Army in 1936 with the Worcestershire Regt and newly commissioned from WOIII (Yes, WOIII - Platoon Sergeant-Major)

Fine figure of a man Jim, good regiment too !

Just wondering. Next to his ribbons there seems to be the palm leaf denoting Mentioned in Despatches but as far as I can see it's mounted on the material of his tunic. (I can't see any ribbon there). Any idea what it is ?

brum

Brum - quote wiki
"Soldiers of the British Empire or the Commonwealth of Nations who are mentioned in despatches but do not receive a medal for their action are nonetheless entitled to receive a certificate and wear a decoration"

A former JRSM at the Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Signals received this late 60 as a Signalman for brave conduct while still serving as a Junior Leader

Gordon - open neck SD
A former CO of the Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Signals Denbury arranged to have SDs tailored "in house" to open neck with collar dogs for the Champion Troop and Junior Seniors until Spring 62 when No2 dress replaced SDs but the output prior to this were in BDs for graduation

Best regards
Steve
www.denburyjuniorleaders.com

Thanks for that Steve.

I suppose I always thought that the palm leaf would go on the relevant campaign ribbon.
But there again - mentioned in despatches in BAOR...... roger !
Even so, I have never seen the palm leaf mounted on the tunic like that.

Re. the SD.

We Junior Gunners got a bit of white ribbon sitting above our Troop Colours to signify Champion Troop.
Collar dogs seems a bit flamboyant. The white ribbon gave us MASSIVE street cred !(to quote the modern idiom).