New Berlin Location?

I have just read a newspaper article dated 11th July 1945 regarding the occupation of Hermann Goering Barracks in Wedding district. A number of troops seem to have been billeted there, but it doesn't give any details.
A month later they became the HQ of the French Sector, 'Quartier Napoleon' and when the French left in 1994 it was taken over by the Bundeswehr are now known as 'Julius Leber Kaserne.

Can confirm from original documentation
25 Jun 45 – 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards from 5th Guards Brigade of Guards Division to 7th Armoured Division Braunschweig area as part of British Troops Berlin
4 Jul 45 – Hermann Göring Kaserne returns to 5th Guards Brigade 5 Aug 45

I can confirm Webmaster Steve's comments

7 Armoured Division had been selected to provide the first British Garrison in Berlin and to participate ifn the final Allied Victory Parade in the city in late July 1945

However 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards of the former Guards Armoured Division and a composite Battalion from the Canadian 2nd Infantry Division also participated in the parade but their stay in Berlin was very short.

The Grenadier Guards left Berlin in early August 1945 to return to their parent Division by now in the Rhineland south of Cologne.

Clearly "on the wagon off the wagon" 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards moved from Stade to Bonn 14 Jun 45 then to Braunschweig area 25 Jun 45, clearly this could have been managed better...

Steve

As we have discussed privately responsibility for the future British Berlin Garrison was a 30 Corps task and 7 Armoured Division (at the time in Schleswig Holstein under command 12 then 8 Corps) had been nominated for the role.

However the actual timing of the deployment was a political decision involving on one side Stalin and the Soviets, on the other the American, British and French Governments.

Clearly there was considerable prevarication and the 8 Corps War Diaries for late May 1945 show 3RTR being stood down from the commitment and at the same time the proposed Canadian Contingent was reduced from a complete Brigade to a composite Battalion (by then Canadian presence in Germany had been reduced from three to one Divisions).

Your 30 Corps War Diaries might give a clue as to what was going on

The first 30 Corps operational instruction for the British Forces to enter Berlin as always subject to change and should not be treated as the definitive Order of Battle…

Subject: BERLIN FORCE
Main HQ 30 Corps dated 17 Jun 45
Herewith list as at the present known of units to come into the BRUNSWICK staging area en route to BERLIN –

7 Armd Div
Tac Div HQ
131 Inf Bde less one bn
One sqn 11 H

Gds Div
1 Mot Gren Gds

1 Cdn Army
One Inf Bn
Adm units and dets amount to 48 all ranks and 13 vehs

RE Units
CE Berlin District – Berlin District – Lubbecke (1 Corps)
159 CRE Wks – Berlin District – Lubbecke (1 Corps)
188 CRE Wks – 8 Corps – Hamburg
216 Wks Sec – Berlin District – Lubbecke
402 Wks Sec – 8 Corps – Hamburg
672 Army Tps Coy – Berlin District – Lubbecke
552 A Tps Coy – GHQ Tps – Herford
688 + 718 Art Wks Coys – Berlin District – Lubbecke en route
806 Rd Constr Coy – Berlin District – Lubbecke en route
64 Rd Constr Coy (Airfds) – First Cdn Army – Varrelsusch
214 Pnr Coy (Airfds) – First Cdn Army – Varrelsusch
33 Stores Sec HQ – Berlin District – Lubbecke (1 Corps)
71 Stores Sec HQ – 8 Corps – Hamburg
25 HQ BD Coy – L of C – Brussels
141 + 147 BD Pls – 30 Corps
241 BD Pl – 1 Corps – Borken
242 BD Pl – L of C – Heerlen

Steve

Thanks for your comments

According to my 8 Corps data

The 8th Hussars and 3 RHA also of 7 Armoured Division also deployed to Berlin in early July 1945

9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry formed the 131 Brigade "Stay Behind Group" but deployed to Berlin at the end of July replacing the Grenadier Guards.

Suspect the very high proportion of Sapper units in the initial deployment was the need to create permanent habitable living accommodation for the future British Military Garrison within the bombed out ruins of Berlin

Given time should be able to produce an Order of Battle and unit locations for Berlin District in the early days

Berin settlin-in 1945


These two links might help to refresh memories(?), elaborate on family histories, pull-out more pictures and records:

http://www.western-allies-berlin.com/berlin-infantry-brigade

http://western-allies-berlin.com/publications/newspapers/berlin-bulletin/british-forces-in-berlin/british-forces-in-berlin

​http://western-allies-berlin.com/publications/other/detail/victory-parade#p2​

http://western-allies-berlin.com/publications/newspapers/berlin-bulletin/berlin-bulletin

and the US contributions

http://www.theberlinobserver.com/BO_frontpage.htm

http://www.theberlinobserver.com/BBde/BBcommandcharts.htm