Born in Iserlohn 1953

A big hello from Michael Cosgrove, now living in France. I do not know exactly when BMH ISERLOHN became a military hospital, but I can affirm that it existed on the 26 September 1953, because that's when I was born there. My father was Sgt. John Cosgrove of the RAF and my mother was Brigitte (was) Malick. Does anyone remember either of them? (Unfortunatly my father died at 42 years of age in 1966 when I was young (11) so I don't have many memories of his war years. I think he was a radio operator on bombers. My mother died shortly afterwards. She had been in the Luftwaffe and she met my father whilst on guard duty in the prisoner-of-war camp where he was being held. She was murdered in Lincoln by anti-German drunks who hadn't even fought in the war).

My parents and I lived in the Iserlohn/Hemer/Hoennetal area during our first tour circa 1959-62, spending the last year of that tour in Soest (we repeated the pattern in 1969-72, pretty much).

I know BMH Iserlohn was well-established as a Military Hospital by the time we arrived for our first tour.

I know, too, families -- at least Canadian families -- were starting to accompany their men to West Germany circa 1953/54. However, I am not that familiar with the history there as, like Michael, I was born in 1953 (albeit in a small Ontario Canada town called Picton) so I have no idea when BHM Iserlohn was first a hospital. I do know it was never under direct Canadian control/administration, but always under British (and as a Canadian I found the 'nursing sisters' with their veiled headgarb and starched bib aprons to be quite interesting in appearance. Our nurses also wore starched whites, but minus the nun-like veil fluttering out from the back of the nurses cap).

As the British were in this region prior to the Canadians arriving, i.e. immediately after the war, I'm guessing BHM Iserlohn was set up in the late 1940's or very early 50's (i.e. 1950-52).

Sadly, there is next to nothing on the Net about BMH Iserlohn.

Have a look here
http://www.qaranc.co.uk/bmhiserlohn.php

Mikool wrote:

A big hello from Michael Cosgrove, now living in France. I do not know exactly when BMH ISERLOHN became a military hospital, but I can affirm that it existed on the 26 September 1953, because that's when I was born there. My father was Sgt. John Cosgrove of the RAF and my mother was Brigitte (was) Malick. Does anyone remember either of them? (Unfortunately my father died at 42 years of age in 1966 when I was young (11) so I don't have many memories of his war years. I think he was a radio operator on bombers. My mother died shortly afterwards. She had been in the Luftwaffe and she met my father whilst on guard duty in the prisoner-of-war camp where he was being held. She was murdered in Lincoln by anti-German drunks who hadn't even fought in the war).

Interesting history your Mom and Dad had Mikool. It would have made for interesting reading if they were here to write about it and share it. I've been to Lincoln it's a beautiful city, but as in many places there are those who have no sense of responsibility in life or for life. I hope to be in Lincoln in 2010 once again. Thankyou for sharing this with us.

Steve. Just had a look at qaranc .co.uk. The photos taken by Angie Coot brought the memories back. I know Angie (card at xmas etc) I married Q/pte Berwick (we still are ) and we are still in touch with the other girls. The bloke in the photo, Walter Holden was my room mate. I think the photos were taken just after I had gone back to Colchester, I was one traing block ahead of the girls in the photo and was rotated back.

Hi, my name is Lyn Gameson. I was born on November 1st 1965. I was christened Glynis Simister but people call me Lyn now as I don't like my first name.

It was fascinating to see pictures of BMH Iserlohn where I was born but I'd never seen it before.

Can't remember my late father's rank at the time but he left the army in 1974 as a WOII.

welcome lyn,hope you find this site as interesting as i do.my daughter was born in bmh iserlohn a few years after you in 1980....graham..

On the subject of when BMH Iserlohn became "operational". I also have no definitive answer but it was a going concern when I was born there in August 1950.
Mike

First known as Argonne Barracks No 6 Military Hospital have some history here
http://britisharmyiniserlohn.blogspot.com/2009/06/argonne-barracks-1945-to-1994.html
Cheers
Steve[/url]

The BMH Iserlohn history on the qaranc .co.uk site is quite good. I enjoyed the pics from 1970/71 as that was when my parents and I lived in Iserlohn and Mom worked part-time in the 'tuck shop'. She quite enjoyed the cheeky squaddies who'd come down to get cigs, chocolate and newspapers.

Of course, being Canadian she was the one with the accent! Several young squaddies would give her the gears about being "An American". (anathema to my mother, by the way!).

When she corrected them by telling them she was Canadian, the usual response was "Oh, well...same thing!"

One day she got fed up with that and so when a young squaddie came out with the "Same thing" comment she replied,

"Oh...well, I suppose being English you wouldn't know the difference between an American accent and a Canadian one...."

"I'm not bloody English!!! I'm Irish (or Scots or something....probably Irish since it was the Irish Rangers who were in the area)" came the heated reply.

"Oh, well....same thing...." Mom replied dryly. The other women, and a few 'regulars' roared with laughter and she was never called "an American" again!! Score one for Dear Ol' Mom!!

As for the large Eagle at the entrance (and I've mentioned this elsewhere) it is, of course, a Third Reich Eagle (or at least a Second Reich (Kaiser)) but has long since had the swastika chiseled off.

Now, if it is an Imperial Eagle rather than a Third Reich (although the style does suggest Third Reich) then it was 'taken over' by the Nazis who inserted a swastika between its talons, but I am pretty sure it was Third Reich.

I am glad the eagle itself was never smashed or removed as it really is quite a striking piece of sculpture...no masterpiece, of course, but good. Many of these eagles, sans swastika of course, can still be found on a variety of buildings throughout Germany, many re-adapted for Bundesrepublik use, even though the Federal Eagle is quite different in style from the Nazi and Imperial Eagles.

I always found it interesting, too, that the Federal Republic of Germany (and the eastern Democratic Republic) retained the use of the eagle as the official emblem.

Here is MY photo of the BMH Iserlohn Eagle taken in 1958 -- you can still see the mark of the Swastika ---