West Riding Barracks 1958 to 1963

Anyone know who was here between these dates?

And any other units that were there as well, outside of those already noted, all years.

Paul.

Hello my name Alan Breakspear, Was called up on 24april1958 did 8weeks training at oswestry shropshire then to woolwich for 4 weeks after that posted to 45 Field Regt RA at west riding barracks Dortmund Germany, Went by boat Harwich to Hook of Holland then train to Dortmund. My number was 23557639 and worked in BHQ MT office with a Sgt Owens, Battery Sgts name was Page. Still got my army book 111 (discharge book) .Used to go to the Stonk Club run by the WVS (good food) situated down road from main gate,Also from traffic lights used to turn left walk about 10mins cross road (trams run in middle) to a german pub dont no name for Food and Drinks (also very quiet). Was Demobed on15 may 1960.

ALAN.BREAKSPEAR wrote:

Hello my name Alan Breakspear, Was called up on 24april1958 did 8weeks training at oswestry shropshire then to woolwich for 4 weeks after that posted to 45 Field Regt RA at west riding barracks Dortmund Germany, Went by boat Harwich to Hook of Holland then train to Dortmund. My number was 23557639 and worked in BHQ MT office with a Sgt Owens, Battery Sgts name was Page. Still got my army book 111 (discharge book) .Used to go to the Stonk Club run by the WVS (good food) situated down road from main gate,Also from traffic lights used to turn left walk about 10mins cross road (trams run in middle) to a german pub dont no name for Food and Drinks (also very quiet). Was Demobed on15 may 1960.

Welcome Alan. We hope you visit often and enjoy the Forum.

Take a look here:- http://baor-locations.com/WestRiding2.aspx

Bring back any memories??

Paul.

Hello. Forgot to say i was a Gunner in the RA. Ref BAOR Locations West Riding Barracks ,Very interesting reading and photos, and looking at the photo of BHQ i can see the window of the MT office i was in (brings back memories) . Now its all gone. Is there any more reading about west riding barracks available . Thank You Alan.

ALAN.BREAKSPEAR wrote:

Hello. Forgot to say i was a Gunner in the RA. Ref BAOR Locations West Riding Barracks ,Very interesting reading and photos, and looking at the photo of BHQ i can see the window of the MT office i was in (brings back memories) . Now its all gone. Is there any more reading about west riding barracks available . Thank You Alan.

Alan,

If you look at http://baor-locations.com/NewLinks.aspx it is the links page for the main site of BAOR Locations. Halfway down the middle column there is a link to the Napier Barrcaks blogspot. It is obviously about Napier Barracks in the main but there are various links to other RA Regiments, etc. but the link to creedomilitaria shows a couple of old photographs of West Riding Barracks.

Paul.

ALAN.BREAKSPEAR wrote:

Hello my name Alan Breakspear, Was called up on 24april1958 did 8weeks training at oswestry shropshire then to woolwich for 4 weeks after that posted to 45 Field Regt RA at west riding barracks Dortmund Germany, Went by boat Harwich to Hook of Holland then train to Dortmund. My number was 23557639 and worked in BHQ MT office with a Sgt Owens, Battery Sgts name was Page. Still got my army book 111 (discharge book) .Used to go to the Stonk Club run by the WVS (good food) situated down road from main gate,Also from traffic lights used to turn left walk about 10mins cross road (trams run in middle) to a german pub dont no name for Food and Drinks (also very quiet). Was Demobed on15 may 1960.

Hi Alan
We were in Dortmund at the same time, I served in 11 Coy RASC next door, from 1959-1061. Used to go to the Stonk club too. I can't place the pub you mentioned, but I used to have Cutlet and Brat Kotaffel in the
Op hoffe where he tram turned right to Dortmund city centre.
Do you remember this http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=41807
It was posted on here by Paul a short while ago.
Just read your profile I was born in Reading but left there to join up in 1959
Cheers Jerryjavascript:emoticonp('')

Hello Jerry, Many thanks for your information, We walked many times to the city and had meals somewhere (cant remember) as you turned right to go into the centre.
"Ref Explosion" I think it was early on a sunday morning ,We were all woken and taken to the site and put on stand by (i remember it was very cold) can still remember .Its 50
years ago, and thanks for the video.
Thanks again Alan.

Jerry & Alan,

Hi guys,
I`ve just been going over your `posts again, and Alan, i have to say, like Jerry! I also do not recall there being any pubs along that road, into Dortmund.

As i recall, the nearest watering hole, to the barracks: was to the `left of the Main gait, with the guard room on your left shoulder, as you walked along. There was a small hamlet, or village if you like. It was called (Urder) or Herder, i don`t know if either spellings are correct, there were two road bridges you had to go over. The first being a tarmac surfaced, but open - sided bridge, this took you over the railway sidings, at the boundary to the stocking grounds, which held above it all the Coke and Coal, huge stock piles of the stuff. The other bridge being quite a solid affair, being made of all steel plates and rivets.

When you got over the second one, the pub was straight in front of you, and on the corner to your right.

It would probably have been about a half mile walk. It was the first pub i had ever been in, that had free salted peanuts, set out, in dispensers on all the tables `there for the taking.

The alterative of course, was the Stonk Club.

I have lots of pictures, from those times, and will post them, if we can get the assistance of Paul at some time, when obviously, he is not to busy.

Stitch.

Hello to
Stitch, and Len (Ciphers).
Many thanks for your letters, Of my time in west riding i never turned left leaving the main gate, only to the right then either to the stonk club or to dortmund. And i am sure we used to go to the crossroads turn left and a short distance down the road on the right side we used to go to this place for drinks and playing cards, the locals were friendly and there was no trouble.I know my memory is not what it used to be,but i can't place it anywhere else.
(Now if i am wrong then where did we go ???)
"Help Needed With This One Please"
Thanks, Alan.

Sorry Alan, Munster and Bunde were my stomping grounds with a short time spent on Bad Oyenhausen ... but mostly spent swanning all over the German countryside on exercises .. it was a busy time in BAOR during the early 50's, not a lot of time to explore, and we were still viewed as an 'occupier' which is what we were in fact.

Len (Ciphers)

Sorry Len (Ciphers) Got names wrong should have been Jerry, i did say my memory is not what it used to be ?.sorry again.
Alan.

Hi Alan,
I think we all suffer from the grey matter reduction.
As I said we were on the main road Route one, we were in Ubique Barracks. turn left at the guardroom to the stonk club and Dortmund. Another place for a drink was Aplerbeck. I remember meeting some Yanks there, they were "on exercise"!!! staying in a "guest haus!!"
Cheers Jerry

Hello Alan,

You`re: saying `you never turned to your left, on leaving the barracks, but only to the right, not a great adventurer then.

At 71 years of age, as you are now, it`s fair to say, your wage packet would likely as not, have been pretty much the same as mine, `at that time. Thirty shillings a week, with half of that being taken from you, by way of the soldiers credits.

This then `left you with fifteen shillings in your pocket, if you were lucky enough, not to have too pull out `for incidentals, boot "polish dusters and suchlike, as indeed one had too.

What i`m saying is, you walked every where, and any where, so as to hold onto the jingle in your pocket.

Taking you back to the pub in question, which i can`t recall, if as you say, you would go to the right, and onto the Stonk Club, which was hugely popular with the soldier of the day: you could also go straight over that junction, which as you know, was to the bottom of the road. There on you took in the playing fields, and married personnels quarters, not forgetting the cinema, to be also down that way.

At the bottom of this road and to the left, there was a clutch of small dwellings, amongst which was a small shop.
In this shop, you could have your `radio repaired exchanged, or you could purchase a new one.

It is possible, that this little hamlet, was greater than i can recall, and may well have held more properties than previously i had believed, there to have been. It could also be the case, that further development had taken place, after we had left, in December 1955.

Alan, i should tell you, i`m also called `Alan` and that i shall hit my 75th birthday, within the next 32 days, God willing of course. I`m hopeful you enjoyed your look round the West Riding Barracks, I had that page put up, in December 2008.

Should have brought a few memories back for you!!!

Stitch,

Hello Stitch,
You say you left in 1955 did you mean dortmund,if so a lot could have changed and happened (and i think it did) before i arrived in a new intake to 45 Field Regt RA at west riding in 1958.I was asigned to RHQ Battery and to work in the MT Office.
On arrival we were taken to our rooms kitted out, then to the canteen for a meal, and at a given time we had to be back at the battery where an officer gave a short talk about the regt and what we can do and can't do .
Two things comes to mind.
"one" A street in dortmund the red light district was out of bounds.
"two" A village close by where a Fight between some locals and Soldiers had taken place and now to dangerous, and that to was out of bounds. If anyone was caught at those locations you were put on a charge .Thats the reason why when leaving the barracks it was to the right.I have seen your photo's and yes they do bring back memories.
Thanks, Alan.

Hi Alan,

Yes we left Dortmund, and were bound for the Woolwich barracks `Blighty`. They held us over for a further ` ten days or so, before being formerly discharged from whole time National Service.

Thereafter `you would then report to your local T/A units.

That done, you were now a free `spirit` or so one had believed!!! for within the space of six months, most of us, were back in uniform, and getting ready to be shipped out to the Suez Canal.

Taking you back to the business in hand, yes there was a lot of development, and rebuilding throughout Dortmund, not to mention the outlying district, for they were currently building right outside the garrison wall, away to the left of the Main Gait when i left. Yes, i have a picture of that building work in progress, and yes i will put it up, if i ever manage to overcome the hurdle which prevents me from doing so.

As for the street in the red light district, it was known as the Linienstrasser there was also a place of i`ll repute behind the railway station, in Dortmund!!!, and yes i have a picture of that also, no not of the funny place, but of the Station.

Stitch.

I was posted to LAD 14 Fld. Regt., RA in 1964.
The main memory I have was that the LAD (which housed the workshop with offices and living accommodation above (not forgetting the club in the cellar!) and it was directly behind the changing rooms for a sports field.
I believe it was Thursday evening when it was all women. We had the cleanest windows on the camp!