Munster Guard?

Subject: Munster Guard? 18/1/2009, 21:13

I remember my father once telling me a sory about a time his troop had to do something called "Munster Guard" but I cannot remember whhat the purpose of it was. confused

However, for some reason I seem to think it involved the US Army?

Can anyone shed any light?

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 18/1/2009, 21:17

Windsor Boy wrote:: I remember my father once telling me a sory about a time his troop had to do something called "Munster Guard" but I cannot remember whhat the purpose of it was.

However, for some reason I seem to think it involved the US Army?

Can anyone shed any light?

Was that not to do with the "weapons we didn't have"? and 8 Regt RCT?

Paul.

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 19/1/2009, 10:17

That rings a bell with me, yes I'm sure it was something to do with "The weapons we didn't have"

Subject: Munster Guard 19/1/2009, 10:43

A message from another member rang some bells with me too.

It was possibly "The weapons we didn't have" storage site at Warendorf, controlled by the US. These were for British use and would have been distributed by 8 Regt RCT and the Infantry Bn (in Oxford Barracks) moving them to the RA units who would send them on their way.

(Thank you JPW)

Paul.

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 19/1/2009, 20:10

The site itself was near a place called Ostbevern The US were based at Handorf (570th and 583rd) The British supplied the guards whilst the US controlled access to the site The guards was changed every 7 days and a troop would stag on at the site while another troop was based at Handorf camp 8 Regt supplied the transport to get the guards to and from the site and also the tpt to move the weapons about I've had a quick look on Google Earth but my memories are a bit faded now so I cant find the location of the site but I will keep looking

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 20/1/2009, 10:35

and the "Hemer" site guard? I know we were armed with live ammo for that one.

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 4/4/2009, 13:25

Paul wrote:: A message from another member rang some bells with me too.

It was possibly "The weapons we didn't have" storage site at ~~Warendorf,~~ controlled by the US. These were for British use and would have been distributed by 8 Regt RCT ~~and the Infantry Bn (in Oxford Barracks)~~ moving them to the RA units who would send them on their way.

(Thank you JPW)

Paul.

Warendorf was the Petroleum Depot, Handorf is the name you are looking for. The Infantry, due to lack of manpower, were replaced by Pioneers, and their role was defence of the "assets", while in transit. As you say, 8 Regt RCT had the movement task.

The Pioneers involved, were two companies, and they were co-located with 8 Regt in Portsmouth Bks in Munster.

8 Regt moved back to UK some years ago, and was based in Yorkshire, it is now back in Munster at Oxford Bks.

Private Number of posts : 3 Registration date : 2011-10-27

Simpson barracks was in Handorf just east of Munster on road to Telgte. Put Munster into Wikimapia area map comes up. I used to be OC'S Driver back in the seventies. Took him to the special weapons facility at Schirlheide. Its marked on the Wikimap to the south of Ost beveren. Dorbaum is marked as Lutznow.

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 4/11/2011, 23:16

Handorf - I remember it well. Boring week. If we weren't stagging on at the compound we were practising IS drills back at camp. At one point we even practiced securing a loaded vehicle by encircling it and with our backs to it we adopted the 'port arms' position. Anyone who stepped out of the cordon was not allowed to step back in. A right royal pain in the arse!

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 4/11/2011, 23:35

Are we talking the S.A.S. (Special Ammunition Site). 50 Missile R.A. did 6 months a year and 1 SSM Bty RCA did the other 6. The Yanks had the inner site all year and we did the outer site. Went up to it a few years back, just all grass and bush now. This was the site between Deilinghofen and Menden.

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 7/11/2011, 16:37

Hi there,
I remember doing at least 7 site guards in my time in BAOR / BFG....1980-2000.
Munster,Hemer-Minden and Sennelager.
Halt..........advance and be recognized........halt.......I recognize you as a member of the on site guard force.......advance.
lol
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

Private Number of posts : 3 Registration date : 2012-07-11

when i first went to 8 reg in 1965 we were put on 3 months guard at osterbeven 24hrs on 24hrs of and that was my worst time in the army it drove us all crazy but i have not hear the expression Munster guard before maybe it came in later as squadies have a knack of coming up with things like this.we were given live rounds and a dummy clip and if you felt you were going to have to use the live clip because there was intrusion into the perimeter you had to phone the guardhouse to request permission to use them which was a waste of bloomin time you could have been killed by the time you got a answer [img][/img]

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 12/7/2012, 20:20

Trevor

Welcome, there are a number of contributors who served in Munster at various times.

I was based in the Loddenheide complex in the late 60s/early 70s.

Don't remember Ostbevern ever being mentioned as a site guard but there was something in the Handorf area which require a permanent British military presence (this was your Regiment's side of the Garrison).

Private Number of posts : 3 Registration date : 2012-07-11

believe me osterbeven existed i will never ever forget that place as long as i live been trying to upload a photo of it but it seem like you have to be a member for a minimum of 7 days before you are allowed to send links and upload pics

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 13/7/2012, 16:08

Evening Trevor
Google Munster Osterbevern and you find it NE of Münster
Cheers
Steve

Private Number of posts : 3 Registration date : 2012-07-11

hi steve thanks for the info think i found the place we used to guard all overgrown no but i have scratched a itch thanks mate

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 15/7/2012, 08:04

Ostbevern-Schirlheide

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 15/7/2012, 08:37

another couple of images of Ostbevern-Schirlheide.

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 15/7/2012, 08:55

and one last one, just for old times sake. lol

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 15/7/2012, 09:37

Pretty much the same layout as the one at Menden.

Private Number of posts : 1 Registration date : 2017-01-13

I'm not sure if anyone is in need of any answers, or for that matter if I in fact have any, but I am one of the yanks stationed at Site Muenster Nord as we called it. I was stationed there from October 87 thru November 89.

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 15/1/2017, 15:34

Brerrabbit

Welcome

Your insider knowledge could be useful in the future. Incidentally do you have access to the secret store of hooch sometimes exchanged between British/US troops whilst on joint manoeuvres?

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 27/5/2019, 14:49

Back in the early 80s, I was REME att to 8 Rgt RCT at Portsmouth Barracks. We used to have 'active edge' called at least once a month. I was on the EVHA (empty vehicle holding area) fitter truck, it was our job to check the 4tonners for fuel and oil leaks between the two sets of gates before they were allowed in. I remember the pioneers lining up through the car park in 4R bayonets fixed facing outward as the packets of trucks came off the track. 70 Coy used to guard 13 Sqn, and 144 Coy used to guard 27 Sqn.

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 3/2/2021, 16:58

Was attached to 604 Signal Troop (a det of 3 men sometimes called 619 Sig Tp - never found out why. 604 was in turn attached to 8 Regt RCT. I spent my work day at Handorf the permanent garrison was 570th US arty and 583rd US Ord Coy. We were considered part of that garrison along with a couple of RCT duty drivers.

In the same building as us was what was called the site guard. This guard was made up from a variety of units who fulfilled the role for a month at a time. This consisted of standing guard at the nuclear missile warhead site at Ostbevern a couple of Kilometres away and having a back up contingent at Handorf itself.

I suspect strongly this was the, "Munster guard" you refer to. A very enjoyable detachment for me from our parent unit in Bielefeld which in turn was a detachment of 16 Sig Regt, Krefeld.

Munster was a wonderful place to spend some misguided youth moments.

I have a question also - I cannot find where Portsmouth Barracks were on Google maps - what was the main Strasse to the front of the barracks please?

Also cannot find the actual spot for Handorf (not Ostbevern) camp on the map either any advice is welcomed, thanks.

Subject: Re: Munster Guard? 3/2/2021, 17:46

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