Documentary about BAOR life on Monday 22nd October BBC4

Dear All,

You my remember that I posted on this site a few months ago asking for stories about life on the BAOR bases for a documentary on BBC 4. Well the film has now been finished, and will be broadcast on Monday 22nd October on BBC 4 and is called TIMESHIFT: THE BRITISH ARMY OF THE RHINE.

I really hope you all watch it and enjoy it, and I would love to hear what you though of the film once it has been broadcast.

All the best,

Freddy Mercer
BBC researcher - Timeshift - The British Army of the Rhine

Thanks for the info Freddy, will be tuning in.

Looking forward to the program Freddy will post what I think. I suspect it will be first class.

Thank you Freddie Mercer for that information.Will tune in to BBC4 as instructed.

Freddie what's the chance I'll be able to Google it on BBC 4 after here in Canada? After all don't forget that the Canadian Brigade was part of BAOR.

Thanks Freddy, I'll be tuning in.

Checked in with BBC 4 and found that you cannot view from Canada unless you download BBC iPlayer, then according to the information you can view BBC TV programs in the 'colonies'.
Did that - then had to sign up with the BBC .. OK did that, got a user name and a password and .... nothing.
All I got was the same message about downloading iPlayer etc. I would like to view the program, so let me know if anyone else is getting the same results as I am.

Len (Ciphers)

ciphers wrote:

Checked in with BBC 4 and found that you cannot view from Canada unless you download BBC iPlayer, then according to the information you can view BBC TV programs in the 'colonies'.
Did that - then had to sign up with the BBC .. OK did that, got a user name and a password and .... nothing.
All I got was the same message about downloading iPlayer etc. I would like to view the program, so let me know if anyone else is getting the same results as I am.

Len (Ciphers)

I sent a PM to Freddie Ciphers to see if he can assist.

Took another look and it is only BBC 4 Radio we can get - No TV programs as yet, UK only.

Len (Ciphers)

ciphers wrote:

Took another look and it is only BBC 4 Radio we can get - No TV programs as yet, UK only.

Len (Ciphers)

Yeah just found that out to.

You can only receive BBC iPlayer if you have a UK IP address, I live in Germany and use a program called Hide_IP NG > http://www.hide-ip-soft.com/
It lets me connect to the internet as if I lived in the UK and lets me view BBC iPlayer, try it out. One years subscription costs $28

BigJock thanks for the tip...will be watching on Freesat was installed when we moved to the Cuxhaven Peninsular 2 years ago with a slightly larger dish getting all UK channels just the HD ones sometimes go down...thank goodness for modern technology

i shall have to get a new gas mantle to see this one , ginger

Looking forward to watching, hope the will show the old border patrols,

Thanks for all the comments. Please keep spreading the word! 9pm tonight BBC4.

I hope you managed to include all those that died on exercise and how many lives were lost over the cold war. I remember Ex Eternal Triangle, we got very close to calling it off because we lost an almost unacceptable number of soldiers and civilians. I watch tonight with interest.

I shall be watching this with interest.

Yes - very interesting. Just watched the whole program. It brought back many memories, some good, some indifferent, some bad. One thing during the mid 1960's on-wards was that very few Squaddies, including myself, never stepped out of barracks in uniform unless it was for duty purposes. The thing I didn't like was the field exercises or 'Quicktrain'.

We always went out of barracks in civvies, but we had to look smart - no jeans, T-shirts or mank order. At 28 (BR) Sigs St Tonis, we had to go through a cursory inspection at the Guard Room before leaving barracks for a pee up down at the local Deutche pubs etc. However, Rheindalen was always the place we headed for during off duty hours for the 'Queensway' Club (blue jobs), or the 'Malborough Club' (brown jobs). I never did get to be signed into the 'Queensway Club' by any blue jobs.

What I found interesting was that the larger garrisons in BAOR were 'little villages' in their own right, a bit like the American Forces organised themselves. One thing I did find out was that in Krefeld, near where 28 Sigs and 16 Sigs were, many Germans were still displayed anti-British sentiments even 20 or more years after the end of WW2. The barrack accommodations were always much better than some of the manky barracks back in Blighty.

One thing for sure, I am pleased that I didn't miss the opportunity to have been posted to West Germany. I never did have any problems with local Germans, the few that I did meet. I did learn German at school before joining the Army, so this gave me some advantage over those colleagues who couldn't speak German.

Old memories live on...... I have never been back to Germany after being posted o ut in 1968 for other postings.

Not impressed.
Seen it all before,newsreels etc,

Yes Gordon seen the majority of the newsreels before.Not impressed.I was amazed to see Brigadiers and Col's in the newsreels normally they are sitting in their nice plush offices or drinking brandy's in the mess.But when a camera team appear oot they pop to look important.

I have made arrangements to get it eventualy. So there Mr. BBC 4, put that in your pipe and smoke it.

I thoroughly enjoyed it but then, I am easily pleased. It would be nice, when we eventually pull out of BFG, for the BBC/ITV/Sky to produce a series. I always got the impression that BAOR soldiers were viewed in the same sort of vein as the "D Day Dodgers".

As stated above, 'seen most of the film sequences before' I think the subject matter, history of BAOR, is just too large to be covered in a one hour long program. I was posted to Osnabrück in 1963 and we did not stay in barracks while off duty, the very opposite in fact, we were off 'downtown' at every opportunity, I was a single soldier then so it may have been different for the 'pads'

Watched the programme last night and even though it was informative, i was a bit disappointed. I served in BAOR from 1982 -1997 on and off. During that time, the units of BAOR were deployed to the 1st Gulf War, Bosnia and so forth.
No mention of the era of BAOR during the 1980's -date really and the fact that the majority of the German population are now sad that the British soldiers have now gone from places, as they have lost a lot of revenue after our departure. I went back to Werl after the Army had left, and a few of the civilians that had known me during my time there were disappointed that we had left.

The program brought back good memories, only the smell of of polish in the barrack rooms
and that of the AFVs garages was missing.I was one that always went out, enjoyed going to Kiel to meet and dance with my girl friend. The program did not include the tension at the time
of the Hungarian uprising When many regiments were placed on stand. very good to see and the research well done Freddy.