Birdwood Barrack, Bunde

New boy to site, found it by Googling Birdwood Barracks, Bunde.
Birdwood Barracks was opened in 1952 and its first occupants were HQ 6 Armoured Division who used the top half of the camp and 6 Armoured Division Signals Regt of which I was a member, occupied the lower half. Previously units of 6 Armoured Div Signals were temporarily stationed in Wentworth Barracks, Herford, the home of 11 Armd Division. Upon completion of Birdwood Barracks in early 1952 we were all reassembled there and became its first inmates. I will post some photo's of the first Admin parade held there for the Signals, I'm the right marker ..

Len Payne

Welcome aboard, ciphers.

You will find Birdwood Barracks plotted on Google Earth (please refer to the Google Earth page on this site for instructions, if you are interested).

There are a couple of things that you might be able to help us with.

1) Was Ostkilver Kaserne just the local civpop name for Birdwood Barracks? As you have said, it was a post-war new-build camp. I take it that there were no pre-existing Wehrmacht structures on the site. Would that be right?

2) Are you able to assist with the exact location of the SOXMIS site in Bünde? I've had a bit of trouble trying to plot it with the info available.

Street names, relative locations, nearby landmarks etc. Anything might help.

Cheers mate.

Len,

Have you had a look at:-

http://supersevern.forums-free.com/

or (soon to be closed down)

http://7fieldamb.4.forumer.com/index.php

Paul.[scroll]

To be quite honest we seldom got out to meet the locals in the first couple of months due to setting up all the new infrastructure of a Div HQ Sigs Regt. We were worked bloody hard and after duties it was generally a guard or piquet duty and a swift trip to the NAAFI.
I left Bunde after about two months and was posted to 4 Squadron in Gremmendorf Kaserne (York Barracks), Munster. We were the Signals contingent of 20 Armd Bde. I spent a couple of years there before being shipped out to Japan and Korea, after that Cyprus, home and Suez.
As for SOXMIS, again sorry.
Len

Hi Claymore,

ich denke, ich kann helfen:

Birdwood Barracks ist ein Neubau nach dem Krieg, keine alte Kaserne

Soxmis war in der Engelstraße am westlichen Stadtrand von Bünde
Liebe Grüße, Caterine

new boy here just found the site,the village at the top of the road outside the camp was called Ostkillver, all the german words many could muster on their first few trips back after a night in the town,ex "B troop 4sqn

What was much more interesting than Soxmis was the Private Bar/Club as you went into Buende on the right hand side. Squaddies could not afford the expensive beers but I had the good fortune to accompany a Major and see and sample its delights. Xmas 1964. It may have had a distinct East German flavour. Ha Ha.

Dulaigh wrote:

What was much more interesting than Soxmis was the Private Bar/Club as you went into Buende on the right hand side. Squaddies could not afford the expensive beers but I had the good fortune to accompany a Major and see and sample its delights. Xmas 1964. It may have had a distinct East German flavour. Ha Ha.

Hi Dulaigh and welcome! Tell us more.

B Tp, 2 Sqdn, 2 Div HQ and Sig Regt entertained after traditional Xmas Dinner served by Officers and SNCO's' The series of skits went down a treat. I was a Roman Centurian chipping out msgs in one skit and another skit had figures under a blanket. Quote Rodney is this what the common people call shagging ? Yes Ma'am.! Too Bloody good for them is'nt ! Unquote.
We were quite successful at sports and had an entire West Indian cricket team excluding the captain who was quite a good cricketer. The RSM had only one eye but could see more than most with both eyes. It was said he could run the Regiment as well as any Colonel. At the annual warrant officers convention our SSM distinguished himself by beating all entrants including a Computer to solve a complicated logistics distribution problem. When asked what he had done before the war he replied " a Bookies runner". 1964

Quote :

SSM distinguished himself by beating all entrants including a Computer to solve a complicated logistics distribution problem

I thought that was an RSM at their confference at 11 Sigs 64..There was an article in the Wire about it.

Gordon Quite possible. may be a slip of my memory. Our man was Danny Armstrong. In 1965 OC2 gave me the good news I would be attending the outward bound course in Norway in Jan/Feb 1966.I tried to substitute my mate Gaz for this absolutely shockingly horrible course as he was a first class athlete. FORTUNATELY a few months later over a dozen of us were despatched to 249 in Singapore, unaccompanied, to cover their various detachments, Borneo, Thailand etc. Goodbye Norway. Welcome the Fareast. Fortunately 249 had withdrawn their unit from across the LAOS border , Borneo was cooling and NE Thailand conditions were much improved for my turn. I was only meant for peace time soldering and doing good things for the natives. 1965.

I went to Singapore in 65 also, but fortunately not to the war mongering 249.I had a more civilised experience with 19 Sigs at RAF Changi..Were you at 249 when the RSM`s (18 Sigs) boots, Sam brown and pace stick were set on fire?

Gordon. wrote:

Were you at 249 when the RSM`s (18 Sigs) boots, Sam brown and pace stick were set on fire?

Was he marching really fast?

You can read the story here Shelldrake..

http://www.249signalsquadron.co.uk/tigertalesirsambrowne.htm

Gordon. wrote:

You can read the story here Shelldrake..

http://www.249signalsquadron.co.uk/tigertalesirsambrowne.htm

Bet he did his own kit after that. Had it been a Gunner he would have made sure that the arrows went to a different block!

If he was a gunner the arrows would have been on his uniform.

That reminds me. On my second trip to NE thailand involving demo to visiting Aussies I was arrested by very officious SNCO on my 7am rtn fm the village. As if the local C's were going to shoot us.Hardly. They might have shot the US. Anyway close arrest to Singes and before the 18Sigs CO. After few weeks I accepted his punishment of a fine. and asked for posting to Comcen which was okayed. my own office with 3 civvy Engs who helped me with studies preparing for my rtn to civvy street. By the way our txs were in Changi I think and possibly a test link ryryry to a dish I suppose. Was that 19 sigs. I wasn't there for the burning of the RSM gear but I can still enjoy the sentiments; even now that I have grown up. I had to get out of that marvellous institution to grow up. All my units were riots of fun with occasional bursts of consequent punishments including Field punishment. Still fond memories.

Dulaigh wrote:

That reminds me. On my second trip to NE thailand involving demo to visiting Aussies I was arrested by very officious SNCO on my 7am rtn fm the village. As if the local C's were going to shoot us.Hardly. They might have shot the US. Anyway close arrest to Singes and before the 18Sigs CO. After few weeks I accepted his punishment of a fine. and asked for posting to Comcen which was okayed. my own office with 3 civvy Engs who helped me with studies preparing for my rtn to civvy street. By the way our txs were in Changi I think and possibly a test link ryryry to a dish I suppose. Was that 19 sigs. I wasn't there for the burning of the RSM gear but I can still enjoy the sentiments; even now that I have grown up. I had to get out of that marvellous institution to grow up. All my units were riots of fun with occasional bursts of consequent punishments including Field punishment. Still fond memories.

'ang on. 'ANG ON !

This geezer keeps us in the dark on his history, etc. but he's clearly a Scaley.

Having been excluded from such elevated circles, I find myself asking - what the bleedin' hell is he on about ?

Don`t worry about it Brum,it`s scaley talk..TXS`s are transmitters Brum and Dulaigh, They were not at Changi..19 Sigs were Air Formation and didn`t soil their hands with such things as radios..They did however take over the RAF radio relay system in 1968 just before i left.

brum wrote:

Dulaigh wrote:

That reminds me. On my second trip to NE thailand involving demo to visiting Aussies I was arrested by very officious SNCO on my 7am rtn fm the village. As if the local C's were going to shoot us.Hardly. They might have shot the US. Anyway close arrest to Singes and before the 18Sigs CO. After few weeks I accepted his punishment of a fine. and asked for posting to Comcen which was okayed. my own office with 3 civvy Engs who helped me with studies preparing for my rtn to civvy street. By the way our txs were in Changi I think and possibly a test link ryryry to a dish I suppose. Was that 19 sigs. I wasn't there for the burning of the RSM gear but I can still enjoy the sentiments; even now that I have grown up. I had to get out of that marvellous institution to grow up. All my units were riots of fun with occasional bursts of consequent punishments including Field punishment. Still fond memories.

'ang on. 'ANG ON !

This geezer keeps us in the dark on his history, etc. but he's clearly a Scaley.

Having been excluded from such elevated circles, I find myself asking - what the bleedin' hell is he on about ?

Ich auch!! Over and Out, Innit!!

Anyway when John Colliers agent came to Bunde he measured us for suits which were delivered some wks later and fitted so we signed to pay on the never - never. However Johnny Gotsell wasn't present so agent left suit for him.The agent would come occasionally to collect our payments but kept missing Johnny. Eventually he met him and Johnny complained the suit was not right as one leg was too long and showed it to the agent. The agent returned it to John Colliers and came back a week later showing a letter requesting him to measure both of Johnny's legs and sure enough one leg was longer than the other. They also complained the pockets were full of tobacco and general detritus but Johnny said it was the agents mistake so he didnt now want the suit anymore. We were alot of misfits. 1964

"The window to watch".

Dulaigh wrote:

We were alot of misfits.

You've picked the right forum here then Boyo !

Gordon, That's the best story I've ever heard. I still have to laugh at that little fire. Now, How did the term Scaley come about. I thought it applied to Lancers or Hussars.