Wietzenbruch

Hello all,

I'm new to this website and forum. I served at Celle with 73 Aircraft Wksp REME between 1974 & 1977, specifically at Wietzenbruch Airfield. As there doesn't currently appear to be any photos of this location on the website, I thought I'd upload the few that I have:



This first photo was taken in 1976 before the workshop finally closed in early 1977 when it amalgamated with 71 Aircraft Wksp REME at Detmold.



This next image was taken in 1976 in the workshop's hangar and shows a variety of aircraft being serviced.



Lastly, this shows a workshop parade in 1975 on the occasion of the award of Bundeswehr marksmanship medals to members of the unit shooting team. I am third from the left in the six-man shooting team.

If anyone's interested, I have the full-resolution originals of these photos, plus others taken at the medal presentation parade.

BTW, just a thought, but given the Army's long presence at the airfield, perhaps the relevant page of the Locations section should be renamed "Wietzenbruch Airfield" rather than "RAF Celle"?

Cheers,
Hutch

Hutch wrote:

.....BTW, just a thought, but given the Army's long presence at the airfield, perhaps the relevant page of the Locations section should be renamed "Wietzenbruch Airfield" rather than "RAF Celle"?....

Hutch,

The RAF Celle page was put in place to show the RAF units that used the airfield until its closure.

If you can supply details of the Army presence on the airfield (units, was it known by any other name, etc) I will gladly form a page to be added to the Celle page in Locations. If you wish to send the photographs to me, they will be included (as space permits and relativity).

Paul.

Hi Paul,

The RAF occupied part of Wietzenbruch Airfield (most of which was being used by the USAF) from 1945 - 1957 during which time the Royal Signals also had a presence there with one of their Electronic Warfare Squadrons. The airfield was never actually closed, but was handed back to the Bundeswehr when the RAF vacated it in 1957.

In 1968 the British Army re-established their presence at Wietzenbruch Airfield with the formation of 73 Aircraft Workshops REME. This unit remained resident until its disbandment and subsequent amalgamation with 71 Aircraft Workshops REME at Detmold in early 1977.

The official Bundeswehr name for the Wietzenbruch camp was Immelmann Kaserne - I recall driving past the big bronze name plate on the gates into the camp on a daily basis.

Let me know where to send the various Wietzenbruch photos and I'll e-mail them to you.

Hutch

Hi mates!

I found this list on Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_former_units_and_aircraft_of_Celle_Air_Base
It contains only partly Squadrons and their approximate deployment of years.

Perhaps it helps you to continue.

Hutch wrote:

.......Let me know where to send the various Wietzenbruch photos and I'll e-mail them to you. Hutch

Hutch,

You can e-mail them to me. Just go into my profile and click on the e-mail button.

Paul.

Oliver (Trince) wrote:

Hi mates!

I found this list on Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_former_units_and_aircraft_of_Celle_Air_Base
It contains only partly Squadrons and their approximate deployment of years.

Perhaps it helps you to continue.

Oliver,

I used that, in conjunction with other information, when I entered details on the RAF Celle page on the main site.

Paul.

Hi Oliver,

Thanks for your additional input.

The Wikipedia reference is pretty accurate as far as I can tell, but there are some definitely suspect alternative sites out there too. One that I came across yesterday, Citizendia, says "RAF Celle was also known as "Wietzenbruch airbase", probably due to its very close proximity to Wietzenbruch" (?), and then goes on to further say "The RAF disestablished the station and it was closed down in the late 1950s. At some time afterwards, the British Army moved in, and called it Taunton Barracks Celle" (???)

Hutch

Paul wrote:

Hutch,

You can e-mail them to me. Just go into my profile and click on the e-mail button.

Paul.

Thanks, Paul, will do.

Hutch