John Walker - Immigrant

I send here a photo of our Family leaving Oxford Main Railway Station in November 1946 on our way to BAOR (Bielefeld).
We traveled from Oxford to London.
London to Harwich  Docks. Boarded The Empire Haladale bound for Cuxhaven.
Arrived at Cuxhaven and the boat had to wait for an extra day to get into the port.Wrecks lying about from the War etc.
We were then taken to a Station to board a train.We were on that station for another whole day.
We all slept in the RTO's Office. Plenty of food and Tea no problem there.The next day we set off towards Bremen.
About 4 hours later we came to a halt.More damage on the lines so we have to get off at the nearest Station and again spend the night there.In fact two night.
This is as you can imagine all very exciting for use four children. I cannot  think what my Dear mother was going though.Bless her.She had never been further than a day at Brighton before this journey! Then has suit cases and four of us to worry about.Do have to say here that the Army personnel were very good at helping and looking after us.
So onward we go but from here we were in a 3 ton truck for miles .Then onto another train south towards our destination.
However although this was a good run it soon came to an end and we again got off and spent the night and the whole of the next day in a Hotel at Bassum.
Very nice but the surrounding area was quite badly bombed during the war and it was only just getting back to normal!.
We were driven from here to right down to Minden where we got a train the next day down to Bielefeld.That journey took ages and we did in fact spend one night on the train.
Again I say this was a exciting time for us children and it has always been in my mind. Most of the notes I have used were from my eldest sister and my Dear Mother.
We arrived at Bielefeld Station and were greeted by an Officer from my fathers unit.
We were driven in army cars to 22 Rosengarten Str. Wow.........after coming from a small house in north Oxford City to this was a shock.It was a four bedroom house.
Huge garden at the rear just outside the main Barracks.The officer telephoned my father from the house (yes we were on the phone another-Wow)
and in the mean time a lady who later became our Regular main organized Tea and food.
My Dear Father arrived by jeep.I loved that. Were we glad to see him again as the last time was back in Oxford when he told my mother of the move to the BAOR.which I think was back in the summer..
My Mother was  just about all in bless her.
My father was given a week's leave so we could all settle in.He had already done all the signing of the inventory as you do.The house was fully furnished.Even a piano.
I have very fond memories of that time as we were there for 4 years (army schools in the barracks under The RAEC.)before moving on to Bad-Oeynhasen (BAOR 1) for a year then onto
Hameln (with as I said a 8 month break in Ehrwald).Was by then going to King Alfred School Plon.
The maid I mention called Cristtel in Bielefeld was a wonderful person not only the maid but a family friend.We called her Auntie.
She had two daughters Ruth & Marles. Sadly her husband was called to the Russian front during the war but never returned.
I still to this day have contact with the daughters, sadly Auntie Cristtel died in 1993.

I have been back to see both Ruth & Marles a few times.They remember the party's we used to have at our house where not only English children came but a good many German ones to.
I will post up a photo of that later.

Hoping all this is of interest to you who are looking in.
The photo you see here is from The Oxford Mail taken at the time as this was news because I think we were the very first family to leave the UK to go to the BAOR as a Family. I do know a few family's went to Austria just before us.

Regards to Len as always and all others.

John.

Lovely story...

A fascinating insight into a piece of contemporary history.

Very interesting, thanks. Keep it coming.

Thanks John found this in the 30 Corps District Historical Records

John
This is from the 30 Corps District archives not your father's command, at the time he would have been Garrison Headquarters Troops command HQ BAOR with 1 Corps District for admin, my research has been major units and formations but should be able to produce a list of RE units in Bielefeld at that time for you shortly, have you got a copy of your father's records?
Best regards and keep up the stories

John, go to Steve's message, on the bottom left you will see a profile bubble. Click that and you can see 'send a private message'. Len

Gents.
Ref my post on our family (The Walker's) being in the BAOR Nov 1946 and we being the 1st as a family(ie with children) and I stated that there were others already in Europe from the UK before us (in Austria) see this below from Bob G on this forum ,Dated Oct 2010
Thank you again Bob.

I have taken this over from The King Alfred School thread .........as I see now that is not where this post should be.(well
the  part relating to being in the BAOR or in Bob's case Austria  as a family)

Steve Sorry..........perhaps you can delete the one I speak of.Thank you. ..I HAVE NOW DONE THAT...WOW ! I am Learning..

Regards
John..
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Bob G ; I too was at Plön from 1952 to 1954 in Temple, left to join up as an Apprentice at Arborfield. Only cavalry regt I served with was the QOH - 1971/72. We were an even earlier family to Europe after the war, we travelled to Vienna in Jan 1946, families were able to move to Austria before they started going to Germany.