The Life Guards, 1945/6

Peter

Welcome and thank you for your kind offer

I am sure I am not the only one who would welcome any photograph you have which will help identify exactly where the Regiment was in Luneberg and Goslar in 1945.

I'm not very good with IT but I'll give it a go. I have about 300 photo's of the regiment from 1945 -47 most of them are in Goslar, Bad heartzburg? and Wolfenbuttel. Perhaps someone could put me right with the names. The above 6 photo's are all from the Goslar billets between August and September 1945. I will post a few more later today.

Pete.

The Sergeant mess, Goslar, Sept 1945, the Squadron area Aug 1945 and the lone soldier is in the billets at Goslar Aug 1945.

The officer with the sling is called Cooper, the photo was taken in Sept 1945 Goslar.The other photo's are July, August and September.My Uncle Bill is on the right with his arm leaning against his mate on the 4th photo.

All these were taken in Goslar in August 1945.

Peter

Thank you for postings these photos.

Plenty of homework for "the team" to get their teeth into and it confirms our earlier thoughts that the Regiment was split into number of locations during their time in Goslar and not based at the old Luftwaffe airfield camp to the north of the town.

These are from September 1945 in Goslar.

All these are from July 1945 in Goslar. The soldiers name who has climbed onto the statue is Ferguson. These are the only photo's I have with info on the back from Goslar, there's many,many more from there and I will put them up within the next few days.

Thanks for keeping the photos in such good nick and giving us the chance to see some immediate post war insight.

Alan

The photo's have been stored in my uncles attic for over 60 years and the scanner that I'm using is not very good. The photo's are in pristine condition and hopefully I would like someone to scan them properly so they can be preserved forever. I have over 300 photo's all of the Life Guards in Germany, Palestine, Egypt and Cyprus from 1945- 47. I also have some German/ Nazi propaganda photo's/ cards that looks as though they were cellotaped on the walls of the billets in Goslar and it looks like (probably ) my uncle or his mates tore them down and saved them.

Peter,
I have sent you a PM.

Alan

Peter

Many thanks for taking the time to post all these great photos. They are going to interest a lot of people. Your efforts are much appreciated.

Note that the regiment was known as 1 Household Cavalry Regiment (1 HCR) during WW2 and consisted of personnel from both the Royal Horse Guards (RHG) and the Life Guards (LG). On 17 July 1945, the two regiments 'unmixed', with all RHG personnel moving to 2 HCR at Bruhl, and all LG personnel moving to 1 HCR at its various locations. Not until 26 September 1945 did the War Office approve the official redesignation of the regiment to the Life Guards.

You may be interested in these dates taken from the 1 HCR/LG War Diary:

20 May 1945:  HQ and D Sqn moved to Goslar (other sqns were based in other towns)
18 Jun 1945:   D Sqn replaced by A Sqn
19 Jul 1945:    HQ, B & D Sqns at Goslar
26 Sep 1945:   Entire regiment of Life Guards concentrated at Top Barracks, Wolfenbuttel

I look forward to seeing the other photos!

Dave

Dave,Peter

Thank you very much for your latest postings, much appreciated

Peter
One small point I think the individual with his arm in a sling is a Corporal of Horse (Sergeant equivalent) not an Officer, the two Household Cavalry Regiments did and still have their own unique rank structure/titles, Dave will doubtless correct me if I am wrong.

Excellent photos many thanks to Peter56 for sharing “the camera does not lie” and many thanks to dml34 had found some of the detail with the 30 Corps District War Dairies

RHQ + HQ Sqn + B Sqn – GR RC849700 requisitioned accommodation south-west of the town
A Sqn – Wolfenbüttel
4 Aug 45 – Marienthal north of Helmstedt relieving 10th Survey Regiment RA
C Sqn – Wolfenbüttel
D Sqn – Arbeitsamt (Labour Exchange) in the town

Will add your detail also have the following
13 Jul 45 – Bonn command Guards Division to reorganise along with 2nd Household Cavalry Regiment RAC
23 Jul 45 – Life Guards Armoured Car Regiment to 13th Infantry Brigade of 5th Infantry Division – this shows the information depends on which file you look in!

Further detail from 8 May 45
9 May 45 – 1st Household Cavalry Regiment RAC from 30th Corps Troops to 5th Guards Armoured Brigade of Guards Armoured Division
RHQ – Himmelpforten north-west of Stade
23 May 45 – Riede south of Verden returns to 30th Corps Troops command Corps Commander RA
30 May 45 – Goslar (thanks had a later date)
27 May 45 – A Squadron to Oschersleben south-west Magdeburg command 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division to 5th Infantry Division 9 Jun 45 to Goslar 18 Jun 45

Will be some time before getting to 30 Corps but this detail really helps in the research to piece together the early days of BAOR

https://britisharmyingermany.com

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1st photo is my uncle on guard at Wolfenbuttle Oct 1945 ( sorry duplicated )
2. Montgomery Barrack, April 1946
3.Wolfenbuttel Nov 1945
4. Orderly room, Mongomerey, April 1946
5. Bad Harzburg 1945
6.Bad Hartburg Aug 1945
7.Bad Harzburg Sep 1945
8 My uncle Bill  (arms folded ) with Joe Bad Hartzburg Sep 1945.
9. Stables (Life Guards ) Bad Harzburg Sep 1945.
10. Wolfenbuttel Nov 1945.
11 Bad Harzburg Aug 1945.

The above photo's are the last ones with information written on them. Here's a few images on postcards, I still have about 150 from Germany to upload on here. Does anyone know where is the best place to post the Palestine, Cyprus and Egypt photo's?

Peter, Great photos, especially a 'Day with the Horses'.

Ref the photos from further a field. This site was created really to encompass in the main, Germany, with slight deviations to other 'Theatres of Service' to fit in, without breaking the thread topic being discussed.

In this case, my own opinion would be to continue and add photos here, as this gives a potted history of how things progressed post 1945, for the Regiments being discussed in this particular thread.
                                                                   

Peter, I suggest waiting for a site Admin to give their opinion!

Thanks again Alan

Fantastic photographs of contemporary history. They are of particular interest to my son who was the Farrier Quartermaster Corporal with the Life Guards (Not in 1945 I hasten to add!!).

I agree with Alan, why not post them to the Non BAOR Section and let us all enjoy them. Many of us served in those and other postings not covered by sites as well run as this one.

Thanks Peter, great photos, agree with the lads best post here under the Non BAOR Section.

Peter

These photographs are indeed a fantastic contribution to this site and bring back happy memories of bygone way of life now gone for ever.

Look forward to seeing the non BAOR photographs, many BAOR units were based in those garrisons as indeed were a number of contributors to this site. Can I suggest you publish them in three separate batches entitle possibly Life Guards Palestine, Life Guards Egypt and Life Guards Cyprus?

Thank you















all once again for all the information you have given me. Here's a few more from Germany.

This has been a great trip you're giving us Peter. I've much enjoyed seeing the photo's and the write ups. Much appreciate as I know others have.