NORTHAG Signal Troop (Canadian) - Beethoven Strasse

As I was reading some posts in the forum, I came across a reference to Beethoven Strasse. Apparently, this is the street where the Canadian Signallers, and their families, were housed in Wickrath. We would have been there in 1962/63?

I was only 4 years old at the time, but I still remember a bit from then. The ship we took to get to Germany was called "The Homeric". I don't remember where we disembarked.

As for Beethoven Strasse, I remember we lived in the last building on the right, as you were leaving the community. Each of these buildings had spiral staircases, in lieu of the traditional staircases that led to the second floor. As an aside, I can't remember if they had 2/3 floors, but I remember the spiral staircases.

The buildings were all serviced and maintained by a retired British WW2 veteran named, "Willie." I remember him for several reasons, but mainly because he was a good friend to my mother and father. He was superintendent to the building(s), and he also looked after the families if the lads had been called out (my mother told me, that he took this seriously). If I recall correctly, Willie was also a boxer, and I remember my parents telling me that he could handle himself extremely well.

We were also there during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I only found out, years later, just how close we came to war back then. My mother told me about all the women in our building convening in our apartment, and listening to the radio to see whether we were going to be flown back to Canada. I don't remember that, but my late mother told me I was with her on that day.

I remember the names of some of parent's friends. One family was "Jewers" and the other "Tremblays". We kept in touch with them for many years after we returned to Canada.

If anyone has any recollection, or if anyone knows specifically where these units are in Wickrath today, please let me know. They've either been renovated, or they could have been replaced outright, I honestly don't know either way.

Thanks in advance,

R.