Glamorgan Barracks Duisburg

The notorious, at the time, Emmett_Dunn murder took place here in 1953. Iwas there from 1961 to 1964 and I recall one veteran of 1953 still in residence in the Sgts Mess who would reminisce about those days but, with the passage of time, I can`t remember the details. Any relevant information anyone?

Also, is there anyone out there from 77 Tels Wksp REME of the years 1961 to 1964?

[b]Hi there, If you log onto the 36 Regiment Website at http://www.36regimentra.org.uk/ then the Duisburg page I have the history of the Emmett-Dunn murder in full.
Regards Keith

Hi Keith,

I was actually wondering, when I posted my message, if there was anyone out there who might be able to amplify your excellent article on the 36 Regt RA site.

As I said, there was an old (to me) REME S/Sgt from 56 Sta Wksp REME in the mess in 1964 who said he was there at the time, but, being young and foolish, I did not take much notice of what he said.

The fire picquet slept in the block where the victim was hung to make the murder look like suicide. Outside was a metal flagpole with a rope to run up the flag. On the rope was a metal pulley which in the dead of the dark night, with the picquet as the only occupants, rattled intermitently on the pole according to the wind. We would tell newcomers to the duty that this was the ghost of the victim. It was quite effective as a wind up.

Noted your message and I predated you at 77 from January 58 to January 59 a fleeting visit like many National Servicemen but good days. I was sorry to hear that the barracks had gone and the Unit before that.
I have over the last few years - not very activcely but regularly - attempted top unearth anyone else who was there and until your posting I hjad had no luck. In fact I had began to believe that the Unit had not existed . {Probably all my contacts had gone by the time you arrived - WO Kavanagh.George Owen, Jock Boyd, Blondie Wright. Sgt Ralph Brown RAOC and there was a raft of Germans plus the poor Welsh soul who had married a German woman and was having a difficult time - worked in the stores.
Anyone good luck,
George (Jock)

Hello I was wondering if you had received my message re 77 Special Tels? Not aiming for any ongoing conversations but wondering about the Unit . I was a Line Mechanic - distinctions which would have long disappeared!
regards
George (Jock) Runciman

Goldmohur wrote:

Hi Keith,

I was actually wondering, when I posted my message, if there was anyone out there who might be able to amplify your excellent article on the 36 Regt RA site.

As I said, there was an old (to me) REME S/Sgt from 56 Sta Wksp REME in the mess in 1964 who said he was there at the time, but, being young and foolish, I did not take much notice of what he said.

The fire picquet slept in the block where the victim was hung to make the murder look like suicide. Outside was a metal flagpole with a rope to run up the flag. On the rope was a metal pulley which in the dead of the dark night, with the picquet as the only occupants, rattled intermitently on the pole according to the wind. We would tell newcomers to the duty that this was the ghost of the victim. It was quite effective as a wind up.

[quote]

Only just noticed this thread.

There's a bit about Sgt.Emmet-Dunne-REME including a couple of pics.on my website at:

www.redcap70.net

Scroll down page to Article:Sgt.Emmet-Dunne.REME.BAOR

I was with 4 Inf Wksp between 58 - 60 & 77 Tels had a change of name during this period to 77 (Special) Tels, anybody else remember this?

Other units at the time were TTS (Technical Training School) REME & ACC School.

Just for the record,

I was based at Duisburg from nov 86 to Apr 89

units present at that time were

6 Sqn RCT
21 Sqn RCT
35 Sqn RCT
75 Sqn RCT
Reme unit.........cannot recall the number


6, 21, & 35 were made up from Bedfird MJs, MKs & TMs, + a selection of Foden tankers and Alvis Stalwarts, various Land rovers, 88" light weights 109" FFR, then a up grade to 90's & 110's

75 was radio based

also on site sharing 75's block were reme, cookhouse, RHQ staff,

Have got some photos around some where, i'll try to find them if you want


On aonther note.....

Who remembers "storming of the gate" ?

I was a late-comer to Duisburg '89 to '93. The squadrons mentioned were all sub-units of 3rd Armoured Division Transport Regiment RCT and the REME unit was 3rd Armoured Division Transport Regiment Workshop REME

I was at Duisburg briefly in 1956 so it was 4 Inf W/shops then, all these years I've remembered it as 6 Inf W/shops in which case I think 4 Inf W/shops must have been at Dortmund.

Mikey wrote:

I was at Duisburg briefly in 1956 so it was 4 Inf W/shops then, all these years I've remembered it as 6 Inf W/shops in which case I think 4 Inf W/shops must have been at Dortmund.

[quote]
In early 1958 was there a workshop in Duisburg which taught a two-week MT course for people who might become MTOs without, up to that point, knowing anything about motor vehicles?
On one day participants were taken to a local Auto Union factory to see cars being built. I particularly recall horrific (or so they seemed to me) conditions in the paint shop! No doubt paint shops in factories were all like that in 1958! Best wishes.
Locating

I can recall the vast amount of smog and industrial pollution in the area in 1961 - 4. Reminiscent of more recent pictures of what was Eastern Germany.

Also, when driving around and passing the entrances to some of the industrial works, they looked like scenes from hell. I gather that most of this heavy industry, like that in UK, is now a thing of the past.

to kiethraa,exelent site for 36 regt,[now comes the part where i ask a favour],i am trying to trace a photograph of a 5.5inch howitzer complete with tractor unit and tender,if thats the right teminology,[i need this info to try and settle an argument,thanks for your help,dave.

I can give you a pic of the 5.5 but not the rest unfortunately.

For Gold Mohur. A name from my Aden past, who were you with there? The Ord. Depot or elsewhere, and when?
I was in HQ at Steamet Pt. first, then moved to Singapore Lines, REME Technical Services.

Does anyone have a good photograph, or photographs, of the front gates of Glamorgan Barracks please?

I have been asked if anybody might have one through the Admin side of the main site.

Paul.

The pictures can be found on the website of 36 Regiment Royal Artillery.

Goldmohur wrote:

The pictures can be found on the website of 36 Regiment Royal Artillery.

Thank you for that. The information has been sent on to the person concerned.

Paul.

5701 wal wrote:

Just for the record,

I was based at Duisburg from nov 86 to Apr 89

units present at that time were

6 Sqn RCT
21 Sqn RCT
35 Sqn RCT
75 Sqn RCT
Reme unit.........cannot recall the number


6, 21, & 35 were made up from Bedfird MJs, MKs & TMs, + a selection of Foden tankers and Alvis Stalwarts, various Land rovers, 88" light weights 109" FFR, then a up grade to 90's & 110's

75 was radio based

also on site sharing 75's block were reme, cookhouse, RHQ staff,

Have got some photos around some where, i'll try to find them if you want


On aonther note.....

Who remembers "storming of the gate" ?

My first posting out of trade training was to 11 sqn RCT at Duisburg in 1971. Other transport (6 & 21) sqn's had their own REME attached too. I think that it was in late '72 that all the transport squadrons amalgamated and the workshops pooled under the name of 4 Div RCT wksp REME. I remember the 'storming of the gates' very well, one of our tasks in the workshop was to manufacture and fashion some ornamental keys to offer the civvies to get into camp. Don't remember much after that..........too much beer in the naafi!!! Would be great if you could dig out the photo's.

Hi Paul,
I was at Duisburg from Jan 70 until November 72. I was in RHQ and was 2ic`s (Maj Chinn) clerk, and seem to remember Capt Adey? who was REME, and I think Jeff Baxter who was his clerk. I still see some of the lads from the Radio/MT troop of HQ Sqn as I was billeted with them

I have just come accros these posts. I was in Glamorgan Barracks 1952-1954 with 113 Petroleum Storage Platoon -a small unit of 30 who were billetted there but worked in the requisitioned part of
a German bulk storage installation on the banks of the Rhine. Other occupants of the barracks were Technical Training School REME, 4 Inf Workshops REME and the ACC school arrived in 1953. 'Micky' Emmett-Dunne was CSM of 4 Inf Wksps and was a huge man who for some reason or other seemed
to prefer drinking in the Corporals club. His favourite tipple was pints of beer mixed with creme de menthe!

'Titch' Walters was the MTsgt of TTS - a tiny rotund man and it was initially adjudged that he had
committed suicide by hanging himself. It was many months later, after I had left,that the case was
re-opened and Dunne was eventually convicted of his murder.

Iwould interested to hear from anyone who was their in thoseyears.

I was National Service posted to Glamorgan Barracks in Autumn 1957-59 to REME base workshops as an A Mech (tank Mechanic). For the next 18 months I had the very best time of my life, EVER. Looking back it was the rough equivalent of the modern gap year, England in 1957 was very restrictive for a young man and my parents were quite strict my apprenticeship was like the labours of Hercules, I had more freedom in Germany than at any time in my life. The barracks were far superior to any I had been in during training, I shared with 3 other lads in our own room, I think we even had a rug on the floor and old fashioned double glazed windows. Anyone remember the German Storeman called Yup, he issued bedding, laundry etc. He was huge and was reputed to be ex SS physical training instructor, I think he was a bit shell shocked which had made him appear a bit simple and he revelled in his strength and particularly his reach. His favourite trick if he met you coming down the corridor was to stretch his arms wide, he could touch both walls and block your way which amused him, he wasn't at all aggressive just a simpleton showing his size, a chuckle and you were on your way again. We also had an RAOC detachment who handled all stores and logistics and for some inexplicable reason they mostly came from Glasgow, were very short very wide and immensely strong and aggressive and had an absolute consuming hatred for Germans. I saw one of these guys held up by Yup, no hesitation straight right punch into Yup's belly and the giant lay sprawled on the floor. Never saw him to the corridor trick again.

Manxmac

Welcome

Your personal memories of your time in Duisburg are most welcome. Think Yup has been mentioned elsewhere in another topic on this site Anything you can add will be most useful.

Thanks for the welcome.
Re reading the previous comments about the relationship at Duisberg between the German population and the camp triggered some more memories also associated mainly with the Glaswegian contingent of the RAOC.
The story was that shortly after the war the Black Watch were occupying Glamorgan Barracks, the Scots hated the Germans and took every opportunity to fight with the civil population, some Scots lads got badly hurt and arrested by the German police. This incensed the remaining Black Watch squaddies who returned to barracks broke into the armoury armed themselves and went back down town, shots were fired and the rumour was that a German died, this was sometime in the 1940s. The Germans referred to these lads as "Poison Dwarfs". By the mid 1950s everyone bar the RAOC had a reasonably good relationship with the civilian population and we were welcomed in the Bierkellars and dance halls, the only downside was listening to German veterans war stories, amazing how they all fought with Rommell in the desert. Most weekends our Sunday morning slumbers were interrupted by a forced ID parade held on the parade ground in front of the Tiger display tank, once we were on parade in pyjamas, greatcoats etc the German police and MPs would arrive accompanied by a collection of profusely bandaged Germans who would identify the Scots lads as their erstwhile opponents. Beer was available in the NAFFI but was forbidden in the barracks so I was surprised to see crates of beer being stacked in the RAOC section of the corridor. By mid may there was a sizeable stack of beer and no sign of any disciplinary measures, one night the Jocks started singing their favourite songs Scottish Soldier etc. The concert culminated in the ballad of "Our Brave Lads Who Went Down In The Hood" followed by a mass exodus down town of the entire Scottish contingent followed later by the inevitable ID parade. The date was May 24 the day that the battleship HMS Hood was sunk, out of a crew of 1500 there were 3 survivors! The MOD had not learnt the lesson of the "Pals" battalions in the 1st world war. The overwhelming majority of the Hood's crew were from the Glasgow area.
This motley and disagreeable crew were commanded by an amazing RAOC officer who disciplined them very harshly over a short period their sentence entailed a huge amount of PE and endlessly running round the camp perimeter. This would be particularly difficult task for the very short stocky Glaswegians, the unusual feature was that their CO ran with them. As a result they adored him and would have followed him to hell and back.

I arrived there in Nov 61 after the departure of REME. I was RAOC but certainly not of the fraternity described. Departed in Aug 64.

We arrived there as a unit from England where we had occupied a Victorian era slum barracks. Like you I was amazed by the quality of the accommodation and of the freedom to roam and the pleasures outside. We spent more of our time in the city that we did within the barracks and our relationships with the locals were in the main excellent. Air trooping had just got underway so we had two nice long leaves in UK via Dusseldorf each year. Life was pretty good, notwithstanding arduous schemes in Northern Germany.