Sounds and Smells of Deutschland

Cheers,

There's a picture, in a book I have, of the result of a "premature" in a M107.
I'm glad I wasn't around for that one !

TonyE wrote:

We visited a friend in Heillbron in 97 and came home via the Thueringerwald, as Teabags said the roads were atrocious and the villages still showing signs of WW2,but on the way out of town there was always a brand new car showroom.
In Rudolstadt (impessive castle there), we heard a tremendous noise coming down the road,it was a Trabbie with racing stripes going full bore(35 mph) and a sound system worth more than the car on full blast.
The big shock to us was that Eisenach,home of Soviet missile units,was only two hours away from Soest where we used to sit all fat,dull and happy in the security of our comfortable camps.

Just had a weeks holiday in a holiday camp near Ronshausen just north east of Bad Hersfeld, what a fantastic place, visited Eisenach which is a lovely place and has a fantastic castle, went to a few other places, the whole area is steeped in Cold War history. If anybody gets chance to go down that way have a look here. http://www.pointalpha.com/historischerort

Stephen Lock wrote:

Cripes, the things you learn years after the fact!!! I never knew Soest was so close to Soviet missile installations! I suspect the average Soester didn't either!! Hmmmm....may explain why we had a small American missile detachment at Soest (who none of us knew much about. A couple of teenagers from American families attended our high school, and apparently lived in "American Married Quarters" but to be honest, I have no idea where those even were!)

Most of the guys attached to the missile detachment were single, as I recall, and we just didn't see them out and about much. In the whole time I spent in Soest I only ever recall meeting one American soldier out in the discos, at that was after I returned to work in Soest in 1973. He was out on his own too, no pals with him or anything. He'd spent some time over in Viet Nam as well (not something one usually raised in the 70's!).

There was an American base outside Bueren just up the road from Soest, which was purported to be a missile site or the logistics base for a missile site. They had a number of quarters up there as well. The place was guarded by Belgian troops. You can find what's left of it through Google or if you look on Google Maps, you'll find traces of it in the forest just up the road from Bueren.

Here's one persons memories of the place:

http://www.whyhope.com/photos/germany.html

Well that's decided it for me, We are going to have a Holiday in Germany.

brum wrote:

Cheers,

There's a picture, in a book I have, of the result of a "premature" in a M107.
I'm glad I wasn't around for that one !

The M107's 175mm Shells suffered from a manufacturing defect, and all British & NATO stocks were withdrawn from service till they were re-worked at a German works to gauge and shave the copper driving band. These stocks were later sold to other armies such as Israel.

Both the M107 (175mm) Self-Propelled Gun and the M110 (8"/203mm) Self-Propelled [Heavy] Howitzer are based on a common chassis and were both replaced by the M109 (155mm) Self-Propelled Medium Howitzer in British service. The 8" M110 (HE) was last used in Gulf War 1.

Re, U.S. Army detachments:

The M110 8" Howitzer also fired the M422A1 (W33) Nuclear Shell, and each RA M110 Battery had a U.S. Army Detachment for these reason.

50 Missle Regiment, used the MGM-52 (W70) Lance Tactical Nuclear Missle, and had a U.S. Army Company attached to them.

Both Nuclear options were deactivated in 1990 and withdrawn in 1992

Recymech,you mentioning the castle in Eisenach reminded me of Wartburg,where Martin Luther hung out. We went there on that 97 trip, and what I remember most is the never ending flight of stone steps to get up there, and the bus load of German OAP's that went past us like mountain goats.Have they put a lift in yet?

I talked about this in another thread sometime back, but yes: we were out on a map excercise one day in about 1963. We found this newly-paved road running up the hill somewhere between Menden and Iserlohn. Being nosy as usual, we drove up and found the compound being built. Also a group of civvy-clad surveyers with very American accents doing some work. "If you're looking for the spot height", he said helpfully as he pointed to a marker in the ground, "it's right here".

In addition to 50 Regt and the other RA nuclear units, our own 1 SSM Battery RCA, equipped with Honest Johns, was stationed in Hemer at Fort Prince of Wales.

When we saw the double fence around the compound, the outer guarded by RA people and the inner by Americans, it didn't take too much use of the little grey cells to figure out what was in there.

I also recall seeing US Army types in Sennelager, and the odd but inevitable Anglo-American punch-up (to which we, being peace-loving boys, stayed strictly neutral).

Recce that location is now just an area of bush and grass. The Yanks completely gutted it out. I was attached to 1 SSM Bty RCA. We had to share the outer perimeter guard duty with 50th Missile for 6 months a year. I have a picture (not much to see) of it. We had a small guard room with sleeping area, radio room (our job) and an attached kitchen. We would do 24 hrs on. Then two days off. The back up guard was located in a barrack block in Fort Prince of Wales in Dielinghofen, made up of either infantry from one of the 3 Inf. Btns, RCHA or Armoured Regt. The SSM Bty as far as I know was the only unit in 4 CIBG that had a wet canteen in the barracks in Fort P of W because of this shift work. One of the best units in the Cdn Army at the time to be with. They were all completely mad. The difference between us and the old Airborne Regt. is that we didn't get caught.

recce83 wrote:

I also recall seeing US Army types in Sennelager, and the odd but inevitable Anglo-American punch-up (to which we, being peace-loving boys, stayed strictly neutral).

There was the 'Special Ammunition Site (SAS Site) on the edge of Sennelarger Traing Area (STG) that held 8" W33 Shells & W77 Warheads.

Combat Supplies Battalion held the Missile Main Assemblies (MMA) for Lance at Depot 90 and at Pombson.

39 Field Regiment RA at Atherlon Barracks had a US Army Detachment, and had 8" Howitzers in the 70's but 'Honest John' before that I beleave?

I used to shop in the small PX within the camp.

Mike_2817

Thanks for the info.

Actually my memories go back to the American 8in, towed by a Mack tractor, when we first "went nuclear".


brum

Before my time But when at 3 BAPD we used to use Layland Hippo 10 Ton Trucks that were designed to tow 5.5" Guns, and held 25Pdr & 5.5" ammo well into the late 70's

Dragging this back to its Original Subject . . . !

More the Sound than, (hopefully), the Smell !

Nothing better for breaking the ice when in a group of strangers.

Nothing better for expressing an opinion.

Nothing better for clearing the back of a Command Post.

Nothing better for raising a fit of giggling.

Gentlemen, let me remind you of Flatulence, Breaking Wind, The FART.

I remember, on an Admin Parade, a Gun Sergeant who came to attention, broke ranks, broke wind, then returned to the "At Ease". (Brave man, I think the RSM was his mate).

A fart was always greeted by an established set of comments - for example . .

"Parp !" "Twist"

"Parp !" "Fall in the officers"

"Parp !" "Check the breech !" (An Artillery one, that).

There are more but memory fails me.

Over and out !

(Parp !)

Brum, not foprgetting:-



"Parp !" "Officers Mess, Major Brown".

brum wrote:

Dragging this back to its Original Subject . . . !

More the Sound than, (hopefully), the Smell !

Nothing better for breaking the ice when in a group of strangers.

Nothing better for expressing an opinion.

Nothing better for clearing the back of a Command Post.

Nothing better for raising a fit of giggling.

Gentlemen, let me remind you of Flatulence, Breaking Wind, The FART.

I remember, on an Admin Parade, a Gun Sergeant who came to attention, broke ranks, broke wind, then returned to the "At Ease". (Brave man, I think the RSM was his mate).

A fart was always greeted by an established set of comments - for example . .

"Parp !" "Twist"

"Parp !" "Fall in the officers"

"Parp !" "Check the breech !" (An Artillery one, that).

There are more but memory fails me.

Over and out !

(Parp !)

'Parp'..............................'More tea Vicar? No just pass the cake bitch'!

I remember it was either:

Parp..... Stand fast the right hand marker

Parp..... (Artillary) Shot. Over

Followed by:-


"Parp!" "Shot, out!".

JUST A LOAD OF HOT AIR ,,,,,,,PLUS SMELLS

john mcmillan wrote:

JUST A LOAD OF HOT AIR ,,,,,,,PLUS SMELLS

sounds like a bunch of guys farting around

Shelldrake wrote:

Followed by:-


"Parp!" "Shot, out!".

How many wrongs make a right?

"Parp!".............No 1 gun clear ,Sir.

Parp........ Whoops... That doesn't feel right

Was that a wet one Hardrations?

Gordon. wrote:

Was that a wet one Hardrations?

Was up in Weston-Super-Mare in the60's on leave. Oh yes it was a wet one. To much Drum and Cock of the North

AT OUR AGE NEVER TRUST A FART