Birdwood Barracks - Bunde

Birdwood Barracks - Bunde

https://servimg.com/view/12623223/20
Home to HQ 6 Armoured Division

and
HQ 6 Armoured Division Signals Regt

HQ 6 Armoured Division and HQ 6 Armoured Division Signals Regt. were the first occupants of the newly constructed Birdwood Barracks located at Bunde in 1952.
https://servimg.com/view/12623223/18

Once the handover of the newly completed complex was accomplished the drive to become operational went into high gear both at Divisional and Regimental levels, and the camp swiftly took on the appearance of a well run British garrison.

While the Divisional Headquarters occupied the ‘top’ end of the complex the lower half was the home of the Divisional Signals Regt. with Colonel Tulloch as Commanding Officer and WO1 Jimmy Derwent as the Regimental Sergeant Major.

By May of 1952 we were ready for our first Admin Parade and it took place under cloudless skies with all the ‘pomp and circumstance’ we could muster. If you look closely at the officers on parade you will notice the black armbands being worn in deference to his late majesty King George VI.

https://servimg.com/view/12623223/19

As an aside I am the right marker in the photo with RSM Jimmy Derwent immediately behind me.
[img][/img][img]

No offence Ciphers but wouldnt the feller to your left been a better right marker? Big lad!

Battle dress and boots highly polished. We had it soft compared to you guys, us younger ones that is.

ciphers wrote:

Birdwood Barracks - Bunde

https://servimg.com/view/12623223/20
Home to HQ 6 Armoured Division

and
HQ 6 Armoured Division Signals Regt

HQ 6 Armoured Division and HQ 6 Armoured Division Signals Regt. were the first occupants of the newly constructed Birdwood Barracks located at Bunde in 1952.
https://servimg.com/view/12623223/18

Once the handover of the newly completed complex was accomplished the drive to become operational went into high gear both at Divisional and Regimental levels, and the camp swiftly took on the appearance of a well run British garrison.

While the Divisional Headquarters occupied the ‘top’ end of the complex the lower half was the home of the Divisional Signals Regt. with Colonel Tulloch as Commanding Officer and WO1 Jimmy Derwent as the Regimental Sergeant Major.

By May of 1952 we were ready for our first Admin Parade and it took place under cloudless skies with all the ‘pomp and circumstance’ we could muster. If you look closely at the officers on parade you will notice the black armbands being worn in deference to his late majesty King George VI.

https://servimg.com/view/12623223/19

As an aside I am the right marker in the photo with RSM Jimmy Derwent immediately behind me.
[img][/img][img]

Great photos Ciphers
Working on history of Royal Signals in BAOR can you confirm the following is correct
"6 Armd Div Sig Regt formed UK May 51 moved to Hammersmith Barracks Herford Mar 52 then later in 1952 to Birdwood Barracks Bunde disbanding Jun 58 becoming 20 Armd Bde Sig Sqn"
Steve

tea bag stop taking the mick,we are the same age but my first uniform was battle dress, horible,itchy,things.iwas aboy soldier i think the army were trying to get rid of them.

Sorry Guy's, that post was not intended to be made. I had tried to enter it on BAOR Locations, Bunde but you cannot post there as an individual, Webmaster's job, so I deleted it, how it came up I don't know. Yes Teabag, Lofty Hetherington is on my left and was eventually killed in Malaya I believe, he was my driver for a while at 6 Div Sigs HQ .. as for him replacing me as Right Marker, it was a little more involved as the whole Regiment was on parade and I was centre marker with all ranks dressing on me, I'm 5' 7", but 'good things come in little parcels' I'm told. As for the reforming of 6 Div Sigs, I arrived in March 52 and was temp attached to 11 Armd Div at Wentworth Barracks, Herford, we were spread around until Birdwood was built .. The Division started to assemble from 1951 onwards building up to operational strength by 1952 when the Divisona and Div Signals moved en-masse to Bunde.



6th Armoured Divisional Signal Regiment

1952

Feb reformed at Birdwood Bks, Bunde, Germany.






1953 - 1957

Germany: Birdwood Bks, Bunde.






1958

Germany: Birdwood Bks, Bunde. June disbanded at Bunde.

Steve .. you probably already have this, but just in case ..

The formation of NATO in 1949 had the BAOR as the British land force contribution. In September 1950 saw 11th Armoured Division reformed on German soil. I Corps was also reformed a year later, after its disbandment in 1947. 1951 saw the recreation of 6th Armoured Division in Great Britain, with it being moved to Germany in 1952. At this point the BAOR consisted of the following:

1st Corps (Bad Oeynhausen)

6th Armoured Division
7th Armoured Division
11th Armoured Division
2nd Infantry Division

British Troops Berlin
Rhine Army Troops

Hamburg District
Hanover District
Rhine District

5 Army Group Royal Artillery (Anti-Aircraft)
School of Artillery, BAOR
Engineer Training Establishment, BAOR
RAC Training Establishment, BAOR
Rhine Army All Arms Training Centre
Aquatic Training School, BAOR
On 29 November 1952, the Headquarters of Northern Army Group (NORTHAG) formed. This NATO creation saw the BAOR being placed under its command. The ceased to by an occupation force and became responsible for the northern front from Hamburg to Kassel in the event of a Soviet invasion. To view a summary of the British Army in 1952 please click here.

During October 1954 HQ BAOR reallocated from Bünde to Rheindalen. Only a month earlier had seen the first large scale NORTHAG exercise, appropriately named, Battle Royal. The BAOR at this point still consisted of 80,000 troops.

1956 Saw more major changes to the BAOR. Brigade groups took over from divisions as the smallest operative units. This was the first major step towards the army of today, with a brigade group comprising of armour, infantry, an engineer squadron and armoured reconnaissance regiment, opposed to divisions comprising of solely infantry of armour ( the first case of mixed brigades being used effectively was near Soltau, April 1945, by 4th Armoured Brigade, led by Brigadier Carver). Also during this year on 1 April, 11th Armoured Division was reorganised into 4th Infantry Division. This consisted of:

10th Infantry Brigade Group
11th Infantry Brigade Group
12th Infantry Brigade Group

It was decided in 1957 that the British Army defending Europe from the Soviet threat should reduce down to 64,000 (still over three times of what remains today). The following year 7th Armoured Division was given the prefix of 5th and 6th Armoured Division amalgamated with 2 Inf Div who moved from Hilden to Lubbecke where the HQ was locate in TAX House.

Between 1958 and 1960 National Service came to an end and further reductions in manpower took place. With 55,000 men, the restructuring of the BAOR took shape in the for of three divisions of two armoured brigade groups and five infantry brigade groups.

In June 1960 came the creation of the 1st Amoured Division, formally 5th Armoured Division. Under its command came 7th and 20th Armoured Brigade Groups.

And in Oct 12 1964 I arrived in Germany. NATO was now ready for anything

NATO breathed a sigh of relief when I left in Dec of 1968.

That wasn't a sigh, they were giving you the bird .....

Len(Ciphers)

ciphers wrote:

Steve .. you probably already have this, but just in case ..

The formation of NATO in 1949 had the BAOR as the British land force contribution. In September 1950 saw 11th Armoured Division reformed on German soil. I Corps was also reformed a year later, after its disbandment in 1947. 1951 saw the recreation of 6th Armoured Division in Great Britain, with it being moved to Germany in 1952. At this point the BAOR consisted of the following:

1st Corps (Bad Oeynhausen)

6th Armoured Division
7th Armoured Division
11th Armoured Division
2nd Infantry Division

British Troops Berlin
Rhine Army Troops

Hamburg District
Hanover District
Rhine District

5 Army Group Royal Artillery (Anti-Aircraft)
School of Artillery, BAOR
Engineer Training Establishment, BAOR
RAC Training Establishment, BAOR
Rhine Army All Arms Training Centre
Aquatic Training School, BAOR
On 29 November 1952, the Headquarters of Northern Army Group (NORTHAG) formed. This NATO creation saw the BAOR being placed under its command. The ceased to by an occupation force and became responsible for the northern front from Hamburg to Kassel in the event of a Soviet invasion. To view a summary of the British Army in 1952 please click here.

During October 1954 HQ BAOR reallocated from Bünde to Rheindalen. Only a month earlier had seen the first large scale NORTHAG exercise, appropriately named, Battle Royal. The BAOR at this point still consisted of 80,000 troops.

1956 Saw more major changes to the BAOR. Brigade groups took over from divisions as the smallest operative units. This was the first major step towards the army of today, with a brigade group comprising of armour, infantry, an engineer squadron and armoured reconnaissance regiment, opposed to divisions comprising of solely infantry of armour ( the first case of mixed brigades being used effectively was near Soltau, April 1945, by 4th Armoured Brigade, led by Brigadier Carver). Also during this year on 1 April, 11th Armoured Division was reorganised into 4th Infantry Division. This consisted of:

10th Infantry Brigade Group
11th Infantry Brigade Group
12th Infantry Brigade Group

It was decided in 1957 that the British Army defending Europe from the Soviet threat should reduce down to 64,000 (still over three times of what remains today). The following year 7th Armoured Division was given the prefix of 5th and 6th Armoured Division amalgamated with 2 Inf Div who moved from Hilden to Lubbecke where the HQ was locate in TAX House.

Between 1958 and 1960 National Service came to an end and further reductions in manpower took place. With 55,000 men, the restructuring of the BAOR took shape in the for of three divisions of two armoured brigade groups and five infantry brigade groups.

In June 1960 came the creation of the 1st Amoured Division, formally 5th Armoured Division. Under its command came 7th and 20th Armoured Brigade Groups.

Thanks Ciphers
1 Corps District Signals later Regiment was in Mons Barracks Iserlohn until disbandment in 1947 appeared unrecorded by the Royal Signals have got the Royal Engineers units 1947 to 1994 now working on the Royal Signals and help would be appreciated
Regards Steve
http://royalengineersbaor.blogspot.com/

ciphers wrote:

That wasn't a sigh, they were giving you the bird .....

Len(Ciphers)

Unfortunatly you're probably right Len. Ahh well, it was a good 4 years and educational to.

I was in 4sqn RCT in Birdwood,higher up the road from you signallers,from 75-78

First unit to occupy Birdwood Barracks, Bunde, 1952

Len (Ciphers)

saw a plaque like that in the officers mess on the wall len but did not know the relavance of it at the time,it was amongst a lot of other plaques.

i was duty driver at the time and having just passed a staff car drivers course spent a lot of time hanging about the mess driving officers home after functions.

nice to see your photos of what the camp looked like 10 or more years before.

There was a 6 Div Badge (the armoured fist) as a brick in the fire place in 2 Div Signal Regt Officers' Mess.

The main website shows 652 Sqn AAC in Birdwood "circa 1976". I was in Birdwood (OC A2 Tp, 2 Sqn, 2 Div Sig Regt) from 1968 - 70. The AAC Sqn was formed by an expansion of the Div Flight ( number unknown) during that time - 1969, I think.

On SOXMIS, following the 1968 Soviet invasion od Czechoslovakia, an angry German mob tried to gain entry to the SOXMIS compound and succeeded in breaking windows in the house by heaving bricks. A guard from 1 D&D was sent from 12 Inf Bde in Osnabruck to protect the compound!

Only tankard like it in existence, made for me by a Native Indian in Vancouver around 1970. Possibly the last bottle o Remembrance Ale as well.