KINGSLEY BKS.

I was stationed here in the mid to late 70s. The Units at that time were-
HQ 11 ARMD BDE. 211 SIG SQN, 4 ARMD DIV FIELD AMB. 20 ELECT WKSP, 741/742 TACP(FAC), RMP, EDUCATION CEN and COMMCEN
The vehs being used were-Sig Sqn- AFV432/434/439, Fld Amb- AFV432 and Tacp- FV103(Spartan) 00FF93 and 01FF54.One Tacp CPL who will remain nameless but not blamless, decided it was time for a track change on his Spartan,to save time he would change both at the same time, needless to say the said Veh. careered down the LAD ramp trackless and collided with with the other Spartan(little damage, but his cred hit rock bottom)
I fondly remember the SHACK and LISA'S, in fact nearly 40 years on my Wife still makes LISA'S wonderful Cutlets!
Sadly the Camp was vacated and is now used by Small Businesses, so, all that we are left with are our memories and brilliant Sites like this.
I leave you this observation-YOU ONLY REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES !!
CERTA CITA, S**T OR BUST.

In 1975 HQ REME was also in Kingsley Bks, they occupied the upstairs rooms of the 20fld wksp headquarters building.

Let's not forget the Royal Engineers who had a presence in the form of the Postal and Courier detachment located next to the Dental Centre. This detachment was always kept busy handling all the mail traffic for Minden, Buckeburg and Rinteln.
Who can forget Blondie our counter clerk who's reputation for customer care was legend!!

I SPENT NEARLY TWO YEARS AT KINGSLEY BKS, 1961/62 IN THE CATERING CORP, AND ENDED UP AS THE BUTCHER FOR THE WHOLE BKS. SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND I HAD FRIENDS IN THE M.P'S - SGTS/OFFICERS MESSES , I ALWAY'S REMEMBER BIG TAFFY FROM THE R.E.M.E MOST MORNINGS HE WOULD COME INTO THE KITCHEN FOR HIS SIX RAW EGGS IN A MUG OF MILK, AFTER A NIGHT IN MINDEN, I USED TO LEAVE HIM ABOUT MIDNIGHT, I THINK HE LASTED ANOTHER COUPLE OF HOURS. WAS ALSO IN TOWN WHEN THE CAM,S (POISON DWARFS) HAD A GREAT NIGHT OUT.

The poison dwarfs, that's a blast from the past, so called 'cos they all seemed to be short, skinny, 17 yr olds, although many looked about 12. Having taken drink they were the epitome, and forerunner, of the boozed up, mindless yobbo we hear so much of today. All that was missing then was the shell suits and baseball caps.
Was their "night out" the running battle over the Weser bridge from the town to their barracks? I believe that escapade was the last straw and they were confined to barracks for a long time, then were banned from crossing the bridge into town.

The Inf battalions were gated by 11BDE COMD on alternate weekends so as to avoid them clashing in Town, I think the two Battalions at the time of the incident were:-
DUKE OF WELLINGTONS and 1 CHESHIRES

I WAS THERE 76 TO 79 II ARMD THEN TASK FORCE GOLF HAPPY DAYS 10 MARK ALLEY KLIENER PARIS SCHNELL IMBISS ON STIFFS ALLEY EXCUSE THE SPELLING!!!!!

Hi I was there from 71 to 73 in RCT got local discharge at end of service and staye in town in a flat called Bill's beer keller next to the Army cinima.
Happy days

johnA wrote:

Hi I was there from 71 to 73 in RCT got local discharge at end of service and staye in town in a flat called Bill's beer keller next to the Army cinima.
Happy days

Tell us more johnA

Paul.

Well not a lot more to say,while I was stationed there I remember we went down to south Germany as staff for those who where sent on a skiing exercise and we stayed in a little town in a pub. the cellar was a bakery and the top floor was full of our bunks, The ground floor was the pub.
We woke up to the smell of fresh baked bread and fresh coffee great times

Does anyone still visit Minden was is it like now?
I worked in Bill's beer kellya from 73 to 74 it was next to the picture house.

Hi John you are using the RASC cap Badge as your Avitar.
Try this one which is Rct

Cheers Jerry

Kingsley is now 'freiland', private enterprises.. Guardroom is now a cafe, or was when I last returned. We used to live near the Prinz von Br barracks, near Dutzen. Most barracks I have gone back to have been given back.. Returning this year, pictures to follow...

Was at Kingsley Barracks 1979-81 REME attached to 211 Signal Squadron
Electrician----Anyone remember any of the following
Geordie Mac
Flash
Tom Shaw (pioneer corp)
Johno (pioneer corp)
Terry Newman (reme)
Micky Morgan (reme)
Ian Saul (reme)
Plus many more good people that I served with!!!!

arters wrote:

I was stationed here in the mid to late 70s. The Units at that time were-
HQ 11 ARMD BDE. 211 SIG SQN, 4 ARMD DIV FIELD AMB. 20 ELECT WKSP, 741/742 TACP(FAC), RMP, EDUCATION CEN and COMMCEN
The vehs being used were-Sig Sqn- AFV432/434/439, Fld Amb- AFV432 and Tacp- FV103(Spartan) 00FF93 and 01FF54.One Tacp CPL who will remain nameless but not blamless, decided it was time for a track change on his Spartan,to save time he would change both at the same time, needless to say the said Veh. careered down the LAD ramp trackless and collided with with the other Spartan(little damage, but his cred hit rock bottom)
I fondly remember the SHACK and LISA'S, in fact nearly 40 years on my Wife still makes LISA'S wonderful Cutlets!
Sadly the Camp was vacated and is now used by Small Businesses, so, all that we are left with are our memories and brilliant Sites like this.
I leave you this observation-YOU ONLY REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES !!
CERTA CITA, S**T OR BUST.

Know the vehciles well did many repairs on them EX REME

Know the vehciles well did many repairs on them EX REME

I was among the first to serve in Kingsley Barracks when they were opened in 1956. We Royal Signals were moved there from Melitta House, a cockroach-infested former coffee factory. What a delight to live in clean, modern buildings!

Sgmn

Welcome, there are a number of contributors who are familiar with the Minden area (I spent some significant time there in the mid/late 60s based in Kingsley Barracks)

Intrigued by your remarks about the opening of Kingsley Barracks, what unit were you with at the time?

Were you aware that the Factory was first taken over by the Royal Navy in May 1945 as Headquarters Allied Naval Command Expeditionary Force (HQ ANCXF) and given the name HMS Royal Henry? Did it have an Army name in your time prior to the move to Kingsley Barracks/.

JPW,

Thank you for the welcome....

I'm afraid my memory fails me on certain matters, one being which were my serving units! I do recall being transferred to Minden from Bunde.

I didn't know of the naval connection, and I don't recall an army name, it was just Melitta House. But that could be my memory letting my down again....

Sgmn

Welcome to the forum...should be 61 Lorried Infantry Brigade Signal Squadron part of 6 Armoured Division with the Signal Regiment at Bunde...in 1958 the brigade moved to 4 Infantry Division as 11 Infantry Brigade Group

Member Ciphers was at Bunde in your time

Regards
Steve
http://royalsignalsbaor.blogspot.de/ - needs updating!

Maybe this will jog Sgmn's memory ..

Len (Ciphers)

Someone did that to me yesterday Len, when I came off the roundabout without signalling!

You probably deserved it ..

Len (Ciphers)

Cheers, Ciphers. I do indeed recall that flash! Don't remember much more, though. I suffer (if that's the word) early onset dementia and get a bit confused now and then.

I went to Bunde from Newton Abbot (Signals depot at that time) in '55, and moved on to Minden early '56. I was attached for some time to a tank unit in Detmold, 9th Lancers, I think. I do remember dodging guard duties there by appointing myself "duty battery charger" and sleeping in the battery-charging hut in order to "keep an eye on things" The SSM was none too happy but I contacted my CO in Minden who backed me up!

Hi Sgmn, I was there a little before that '52-54 mostly at 20 Armoured in Munster with a couple of stints at Bunde (Div HQ) and a short attachment to HQ BAOR in Bad Oyenhausen.
Can recall all the Op Immediate and Flash messages between Brigades and Div HQ when we had to bug out on a scheme, ran into 61 Lorried Inf Brigade a couple of times as well as 27 Cdn Inf Brigade, we certainly got about a bit in those days. I guess you would have been easily spotted in the 'battery charger uniform of acid bleached and holed denims', I know our guy was, Signalman Barclay was the bane of our QM always changing denims because of the acid damage.

Len (Ciphers)