38 (Berlin) Field Squadron Royal Engineers

Did not serve in Berlin but travelled with my family there from Willich in 1976 in my BFG car for a long weekend stayed with a good mate from my Royal Signals days Jim Moore who served with 229 Sig Sqn Berlin in the late 60s and was given the 'civilian' tour of Berlin very interesting trip

Update thanks to ‘The History of the Corps of Royal Engineers’ Volume X and XI

up to Oct 48
159 CRE (Works) Lt Col D Bathe
398 + 402 DCREs
338 Construction Squadron

Oct 48 to Apr 50
Sappers in Berlin were reorganised CRE Berlin Lt Col RC Graham
DCRE Berlin
RE Detachment Berlin

RE Troops Berlin
Smuts Barracks
Apr 50 to Oct 57
8 Officers 86 other ranks and 300 civilians
Works Services + Plant unit + Engineer stores depot
E&M det + Movement, Postal & Transport dets
Field Troop

38 (Berlin) Field Squadron
Oct 57 to 1994
The squadron was formed from RE Troops Berlin and 38 Fd Sqn on the disbandment of 23 Field Engineer Regiment Napier Barracks Dortmund its cadre of 1 officer and 10 other ranks arrived with the squadron trophies

Back in Spring 1949 after a partial lifting of the blockade 38 Field Squadron came to the British Zone to give a demonstration of assault river crossing to British Troops in Berlin

circa 1960 consisted of
SHQ + Engr Park + Plant Tp + MT Tp + Trg Wing + Fd Tp with 3 sections

6 Apr 66 - A Soviet Yak 28 a Firebar fighter plane crashed into the Havel river in the British Sector the squadron took part of the recovery operation using wheeled cranes on Heavy Ferries while the salvage was being carried out repeated demands by the Russian authorities to take over the work to prevent close examination on the remains of the plane by Western eyes the handling of this difficult task was rewarded and the OC Maj RM Hutton was awarded the MBE and a member of the RE Diving Unit from Kiel earned the Commander-in-Chiefs Commendation

Under the 1977 Restructure Plan the role of the squadron remained unchanged though the parent location was renamed Berlin Field Force until 31 Dec 80

Officers Commanding
1959 Maj O McC Roome - 1961 Maj EN Ross-Magenty - 1963 Maj DP Cadoux-Hudson - Oct 65 Major RM Hutton
Jun 67 Maj MHR Glover - Aug 68 Maj JR Yerburg - Aug 70 Maj RMR Luxton…

Squadron Sergeant Majors...

Cheers
Steve

Steve,

Sent you a PM with a link I found whilst finding info on a totally diiferent subject

Enjoy.

Paul.

Served with 38 (Berlin) Fld Sqn, 1978 - 1980.

Great time, enjoyed the place. Oh the Schultize (? spelling) Beer 50pfg a bottle.

Only pain was the building the practice "boom bridge", in case of another blockade.

Used to practice on level ground as would be expected on the autobahn, but come the actual exercise some peanut always picked a road in the Grunwald, with a huge camber, ergo, extra time chocking up the bridge to the annoyance of some plum.

Pretty good really considering we had practiced on the parade ground in Smuts Bks and used to get photographed by the Russians.

Oh well, their friends now, according to the UK Government.

Mike

Hi... For anyone serving in Berlin RE around 1980 and possibly Hameln before that, does the name Roy Griffiths mean anything to you... I'm just interested to hear about the old times, I was Born in Spandau Nov 1980