Maple Leaf Barracks

In searching for information for a page on the main site, I was sidetracked by a reference to Danish Forces moving into a Barracks in Aurich (There are other references, but I will put those on the relevant pages).

The name is given as Maple Leaf Barracks, and there is a web article that gives that name as well (I will post a link to it later).

Also, there are a couple of photogaraphs on Flickr from user name y10k. Unfortunately, it won't let me register so that I can try contact the user to ask if I could use the photos.

Does anyone know anything about these Barracks?

Here are the title pages of the article in German - http://d-nb.info/987352008/04

and translated into English - http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://d-nb.info/987352008/04&ei=af7VSo6XC4SD4Qa6sJ3fDA&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=5&ct=result&ved=0CBkQ7gEwBA&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522Cardigan%252BBarracks%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Paul.

In 1945 the Canadians in Maple Leaf Barracks included the Royal Winnipeg Rifles whose key task was to assist and support the Canadian War Crimes Commission which had its offices and Court in the Barracks.

Also housed there were  Queens Own Rifles of Canada, Regina Rifles, and an NCO School.

A photograph of twin brothers (Ribenese from RWR) outside Maple Leaf Bks in Sep 1945 is here:

http://italiancanadianww2.ca/images/uploads/catalogueimages/4055/dicea2011-0018-0010.jpg

When the Canadians left Germany in May 46 responsibility was handed over to
52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division command 1st Corps District, with research by JPW and myself we have established the following units in Aurich.

156th (West Scottish) Infantry Brigade arrived from Burgsteinfurt west of Osnabrück in Apr 46, coming under temporary command 3rd Canadian Infantry Division CAOF.

The brigade HQ was in Maple Leaf Barracks with 4th/5th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers until disbandment, replaced by HQRA 7th Armoured Division with 3rd Regiment RHA for a short time then replaced by 21st Anti-Tank Regiment RA, research of original historical records for 1st Corps District now indicates this regiment was renamed 4th Regiment (Anti-Tank) RHA late 46, however this was short lived and the regiment was renamed 10th Anti-Tank Regiment RA in Apr 47.

The Danish Brigade Group arrived May 47, their brigade HQ was in Jever and an Infantry Battalion in Aurich with command 7th Armoured Division until disbandment Feb 48 then to Hannover District, the Danes left for Itzehoe, Schleswig-Holstein in Nov 49

57th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment is also recorded in Maple Leaf Barracks Aurich...more research is required…it became 74th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment in Apr 47 and recorded 74th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Dec 51 part of 5th Army Group RA (AA) that did not arrive until 1951, so not sure who was in Aurich after the Danes left!

Could it be that Maple Leaf Barracks became Blucher Kaserne, that being the case it probably lay empty until 1961 when the Luftwaffe occupied it?

http://www.relikte.com/nds_luft/div04.htm

Pretty sure it is

Blücherkaserne
Skagerrakstraße 10
26603 Aurich

The 1944 map clearly shows a single large barracks complex in Aurich, the period of time that needs confirmation is Nov 49 to 1952, according to the book "The British Army in Germany (BAOR and after) an organizational history 1947-2004", BAOR quit Aurich Apr 55

Please treat this as a holding reply

As Steve knows for the past five years I have been studying, inter alia. the deployment of the Canadian Forces and others in the Ost Friesland. Thanks to a variety of sources and very helpful input from our Canadian contributors such as Dan Martell, Bob Ritter, Ciphers and Hardrations I have a pretty good impression of the Allied presence in the town from May 1945 till the late 1950's. lndeed I currently have a list of 27 units British, Canadian and Danish who were based in the Barracks ranging in size from Divisional Headquarters through virtually complete Canadian Infantry Brigades to finally single Regiments. The Barracks was never idle/derelict.

The history of Aurich as a military Garrison town goes back to the Napoleonic era and the name Blucher Kaserne was the traditional name for the Barracks complex and was I belief in use in the late 1890's.

More to follow in due course.