Napier Barracks

Photos of Napier Barracks should be up and running this coming weekend - kind courtesy of the guys of 36th Regiment RA. Keep your eyes peeled!

Some upto date photos here http://www.22oca.org.uk/germany.html

maybe worth asking for permission to use/ spreading the word on their site.

Hi All,

I served with 12 AD Regt. in the 80's in Napier, visit my Blog: http://napierbarracksdortmund.blogspot.com/

Some photos:

Try again -

Why have elephants got Big Ears - because you won't pay the ransom!

Seriously, if you want to send some photos, my address for the Blog is: Tangerinenick@aol.com

Merry Chrimbo Noddy

what about 24missile/26field up on th B1 suicide junction(now long gone along with the barracks) Tramstop right outside the camp straight in to town....and back again! and the taxi-rank outside 26!

Hello to Ex-Squad,
I don´t know those professionel terms (and am natural prey for ciphers...), but I think you mean those buildings opposite to the main cemetery (and its tram station - you wouldn´t recognise it!):
- which first became accommodations for asylum-seekers,
- and are now completely demolished in favour of a new quarter called Stadtkrone Ost ("crown of the city east", pfffhhh...)
There are lots of new streets discharging into Auf dem Hohwart, bearing names like french way. greek way etc.
What has it been before? will you please translate for a non-jackboot-wearer of german language?
Thanks from Dortmund

Welcome Andrea,

What is it you wish "translated"

It is the same the world over, the services all have their own slang and names for different areas, equipment, foods, etc.

For example:-

Fallingbostel - "Falling-bar-stool"
Osnabruck - "Osnatraz"

Paul.

Oh sorry,

I see - better specify. What is 24missiles/26field?
The B1 suicide junction is well known to me, I had to cope with it as a pedestrian and gratulated me when that ended without damages.
Nice spellings. I love that. Did you know the natives pronounce Fallingbostel as Fumbossle?
I pity all the Tommies who had to cope with the local dialect.
Andrea

Andrea,

Just received your reply. It is a bit late to try and answer now so will leave it until later.

Paul.

Andrea,

Now that I am awake again, I will give you the meaning of 24missile/26field.

24missile means 24th Missile Regiment Royal Artillery who were based in Dortmund (Ubique Barracks) between 1972 and 1977. They were disbanded in 1977.

26field means 26th Field Regiment Royal Artillery, who were based in Moore Barracks between 1972 and 1989.

Dortmund, and the surrounding area, was home to numerous Artillery Regiments over the years, many of which are now disbanded, amalgamated, or in suspended animation. And as you well know, many of the Barracks are also no longer there, either demolished or converted to other purposes. Take a look at the various Barracks here:-

http://baor-locations.com/dortmund.aspx

I hope that answers your question.

Now a question for you

Do you know anyone who may be able to help in confirming Barracks locations, or Regiments that may have been in Dortmund from 1945 omwards, or anyone who may have old photographs of Barracks etc?

Paul.

Hello Paul,

thank you for the explanation. The link was helpful, and I recognised the spots. Not much has changed since then. The 1950s - my father was still in his teens... and took it for a sport with the local youngsters (around Hannover) to challenge british soldiers ... not the canadians, they were too old and thus too strong. Or was it the other way round?

As for the photos ... and old ones ... I personally haven´t got somebody at hand. But on wednesday I´ll meet someone interested in the local history. Maybe he´s got useful connections.
I`ll see to it.
Regards to - wheres that? North Ireland? - Limavady
from Dortmund

andrea wrote:

Hello Paul,

... The 1950s - my father was still in his teens... and took it for a sport with the local youngsters (around Hannover) to challenge british soldiers ... not the canadians, they were too old and thus too strong. Or was it the other way round?

(snip)
- Limavady
from Dortmund

Now that I am considerably older than I was 30 years ago and living as a Canadian Army Brat in various location in NRW (just outside Hemer, out along the Hoennetal, in Soest and Iserlohn before returning in 1973 to work in Soest) I find it...interesting...so many of the young soldiers and even some of the older teens who were sons of soldiers so often got embroiled in fights with members of other garrisons.

The Canadian soldiers, and teens, for instance found great sport in engaging Belqian soldiers in fights almost every weekend or whenever the opportunity arose.

As I recall, many of the young conscripts in the Belgian (which we referred to as "Belgique") army were quite perplexed as to why a fellow NATO soldier wanted to haul off and beat the daylights out of them...

When I returned in 1973 to work in Soest I managed to hook up with a British family I was previously acquainted with when my father was stationed in Iserlohn, closing out the remaining Canadian Brigade Area and transferring whatever to the British. The daughter and I became quite good friends (not romantically, btw) and spent many evenings at a specific disco in the old city of Soest.

The Palette was frequented quite heavily by Belgigue soldiers and a few British squaddies...the squaddies despised the Belgiques and often initiated fights. The DJ would just turn up the music LOL

I don't recall -- but then my memory may very well be highly biased -- of anyone ever picking a fight (as in initiating one) with Canadian soldiers, although the same cannot be said for the Canadian soldiers...young, bored and often drunk (bad mix)...and certain units had reputations of being 'scrappers' and not anyone one would want to mess with.

I never really understood the animosity, to be honest.

When I returned to Germany to work and befriended a few Belgique soldiers, a few of whom were back in Soest for a second or third tour and well-remembered the Canadians, I found them to be great companions, fun, warm, and just generally nice fellows to spend a few hours trading stories with.

These are fotos from last week from the Napier Barracks..
It`s everything away only the Gasoline Station near the Rapier Club is safe.








The Gym :





From here you can look over the complete Area :

Today I will make new photos of the area. Cause there is a new rotaric traffic. In the middle of it you can see the 2 lions statues which stood close-by the officers casino.

Somewhere else...on this site I believe...are shots of the Napier Lions, somewhat the worse for wear too, sadly.

Actually, i'm surprised somebody hasn't "liberated" them for use in their own garden or as decorative pieces at their front door but then I'm guessing they weigh a ton and are probably very firmly rooted in the ground...precisely so they wouldn't be swiped back in the day!!!

In behind Napier (I think it was Napier) was Cornwall Comprehensive School. The old school, as far as I know, is still there but is now the Europa Schule. The central teaching block is there but the rest of the campus is totally redone. I attended 6th Form at Cornwall circa 1971-72.

Thank you Napier12. An excellent blogspot well worth exploring!