Sennelager NAAFI

jim wrote:

Quote :

Hi Rocky.
Yes the bloke on the left is Ron. I met up with him years later and he had been moved to 57 Station Wksps in Paderborn when the new unit took over from the Scots DG.

I went out with the lads in the Tanks on more than one occassion. As you said it may have been 'Chalk' but the noise inside was amazing. Just like someone was outside with a sledge hammer. Plus the impact when it hit, certainly made the tank rock.

Nobby, are you telling me there were people inside when those were being used as targets?

Jeez, and what's chalk?

Thats right mate. The Target tanks were manned. I remember being out n Sennelarger ranges one day and it was blistering hot. During the lunch break, we opened the hatches to try and cool down. The first that we knew that they had begun fring was when we heard the 7.62 hitting the tank. We had to call check fire to enable us to close the hatches.

jim wrote:

Quote :

Hi Rocky.
Yes the bloke on the left is Ron. I met up with him years later and he had been moved to 57 Station Wksps in Paderborn when the new unit took over from the Scots DG.

I went out with the lads in the Tanks on more than one occassion. As you said it may have been 'Chalk' but the noise inside was amazing. Just like someone was outside with a sledge hammer. Plus the impact when it hit, certainly made the tank rock.

Nobby, are you telling me there were people inside when those were being used as targets?

Jeez, and what's chalk?

Jim, the MILAN training warheads were filled with chalk as opposed to explosive and it was usually bright pink in colour. There was no mistaking a hit. The Cent was simply a moving target for the Inf AT platoons, which was crewed by two blokes and who drove around (for that added touch of realism) until the Infanteers got bored/ran out of ammo. Not a job I ever fancied myself.

Blurry hell, sod that for a game of soldiers then, I'll stick with clerking thanks.

I can`t tell you when the NAAFI moved from Schloss Neuhaus to Sennelager but a friend of mine works for NAAFI and works in the NAAFI in Barker Barracks Paderborn.I also got friends who work in the NAAFI Store in Detmold.I can tell you that the NAAFI Max in Sennelager is still there and has gone huge.They also did alot of decorating in there!As soonest I found out I will let you know!

Is NAAFI MAX like Tesco Metro in the UK? where smaller stores are called Tesco Express?

The NAAFI MAX is the big NAAFI Store yeah.As farest I am concerned NAAFI is part of spar in the UK.Usually the NAAFI is only a little shop but in the MAX ya got cardstores,clothingstores etc.!

Hi Trish
Looking forward to getting my Veterans Pass and permission to shop as the Sennelager NAAFI Max as it is just over the hour from Iserlohn and no need to book into a camp...for what it is worth I'm guessing your Grandad was in 1 RTR at the end of WW2 part of 22 Armd Bde if the records are correct they moved to Hobert Barracks Detmold Jul 46 part of 7 Armd Div later renamed 7 Armd Bde in Jan 47
Cheers
Steve

NAAFI do not trade on camps within the UK anymore, and SPAR has the contract to do so where a camp is not under a PAYD contract where all retail in that camp is controlled by the same company (i.e. Sodexo)

That sounds about right Mike.The little shop outside WTC in Warminster was a Spar too and so was the one just outside camp in Bulford and Tidworth.
Steve I really cotuldn`t tell you.I didn`t even know which regiment he was in until my husband found some sort of military ID of my grandad which shown his capbadge.
I know that he was in Germany during the war and that he were stationed in Berlin-Spandau during the war at some point.The regiment must of been somewhere in Liverpool before the war cos thats where my Grandad was from and where he joined.I know that he got posted to Germany n that my dads eldest brother was born in Bad Oeynhausen.My Grandad got injured thou during the war and lost eyeside so he had left the active duty.My grans ( gran is german )mum thou turned ill and they returned to Germany where my Grandad worked civil for the army in Detmold and fixed helicopters.The guy on the picture was my grandad as a young lad and I am hoping that maybe someone recognises his face.I know one person on here knew him so I guess thats a start.

Trish, as next of kin you can request, for a £33 fee I believe, your grandfathers military records from the government - if you (or anyone else) wants their or their nok documents please ask, I am more than happy to explain the procedure for all three services.

Its a £30 fee, and details are available on-line @

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

Thank you very much Mike!

mushroom wrote:

Could anyone tell me please when the NAAFI in Sennelager moved from Schloss Neuhaus to its current location.

I am sure it was 1980 but my mate Fat Bob reckons it was 1983ish.

There is a five pence piece on the outcome.

Thanks.

I worked on the cosmetic counter in the Naafi at Schloss until Oct 1984 so it must have been 1985.

I wonder if they will ever introduce a veterans pass in order to gain access to NAAFI clubs and shops in the various camps around the UK.It would be a nice way for veterans to stay in touch with various units etc in or near where they live and perhaps they can shop cheaply and boost the sales for those organisations.Just a thought folks what do you think?

Jock

Sadly the old NAAFI system ceased in the UK 15 years ago. The SPAR organisation took over the Families shops, not sure who runs the Canteens/mini shops inside the Barracks but presumably it is part of the package of services (including catering) by the various Civilian Contractors in accordance with current MOD/Government policy.

What's this NAAFI MAX all about? I tuned into this thread because I have some fond memories of the NAAFI at Normandy Barracks, and yes it must be said, some not so fond memories lol. The NAAFI was as NAAFI's go... pretty dire tbh. Being largely a training camp the NAAFI could get a tad 'lively'. Sadly the RMP were quite literally around the corner, a tragic bit of planning.

We once had our company 'Christmas Ball' at Sennelager NAAFI, we usually hired a suitable civilian venue for the event. However the IRA were making a bit of a nuisance of themselves in Germany at the time (I think this was 1987 or 88) so it was decided the security risk was such that we had to party in a secure environment, I have to say, anyone who thinks Normandy NAAFI is a secure environment has never been to Normandy NAAFI.

rucjock21 wrote:

I wonder if they will ever introduce a veterans pass in order to gain access to NAAFI clubs and shops in the various camps around the UK.It would be a nice way for veterans to stay in touch with various units etc in or near where they live and perhaps they can shop cheaply and boost the sales for those organisations.Just a thought folks what do you think?

Tbh Jock I havent given the NAAFI a second thought and I've been out twenty years. I don't think I would want to shop in a NAAFI today. I seem to remember the UK NAAFI was quite expensive, I was never a big fan of the modern NAAFI, well not in the UK anyway.

Yes UK NAAFI was a bit expensive and they had a cheek to say that they were a non profit making organisation and they would give you a hard-hearted discount after marking up the price in the first place.I found the NAAFI in BAOR a trifle bit cheaper than going out into the German shops.I have noticed that the American Veterans system have shops that sell there wares a good bit cheaper than the local shops and that they plough the profits they make back into their system so that they can purchase goods a good bit cheaper from suppliers etc.The veterans system in this country is laughable because it is non existant.Life in this country is a constant struggle for us in that we continue to vote for parasites to run the country.

Thieves broke into our local store and stole 20 crates of Red Bull. I don't know how these Bastards sleep at night!

Shelldrake wrote:

Thieves broke into our local store and stole 20 crates of Red Bull. I don't know how these Bastards sleep at night!

Superb.

I was in Sennelager on various courses in1953/4 - the first time direct from basic training in Aldershot - what a revelation, warm barracks and good food! The downside was that the RASC training centre was probably the biggest bullshit centre in Germany. On one visit , morning parades were accompanied by recorded martial music, much to the amusement of the Danes, who were probably the scruffiest troops in the world! The most annoying thing was that even on a two week course you had to change all your webbing to their colour and then change again on return to unit.

I dont remember much about the NAAFI but the Church Army was always good for a free cup of cocoa when you were broke! I do remember the cinema - we used to be taken there on a PE run in the snow and then mark time whilst the Sgt checked what was on that night.

All in all I'd say the All Arms Training Centre was not somewhere to look forward to attending.

Anyone else there at that tiime?

Hi,

I went to Sennelager, once in 1951 and again in 1952; believe 1 week, whole unit went [about 120 of us] arms training was great fun, dont remember where we stayed or what the food was like.
But do remember a NAAFI or maybe Church Army canteen, newish sort of building
Cheers Tony 40 FLD SQN RE

NAAFI Max Sennelager is still where it moved to (off Sande Strasse) when the Brits moved out of the Schloss
- the building(s) were re-provided by the town,  to encourage the move.
A complete Stables building was put in behind Athlone Barracks (ostensibly for cavalry horses for the Cavalry
Regts that would use the Barracks) - and kept alive between postings by the Paderborn Equestrian Centre  
- current address Thunerweg 1001 !  compensatory measure again for freeing up the Schloss Gardens.
The MSO and even part of GLSU were in the rear rooms of the Schloss itself  (NAAFI Staff had a hostel in
 Kaiser Heinrich Strasse - across from the Schloss and first road right after the river).  Some of the civil labour
(MSO were entitled to  barrack accn) moved in to buildings in Normandy Barracks, and others into parts of Alanbrooke Barracks (GLSU was upstairs in the Guard Room block)
The lead time from hand back to planning and replanting the garden area needed every
month of available time.  Brits cleared in 1984 and Garden Show in opened 1994!
The Schloss gardens were redeveloped as a Barock Garden for the German Garden Show (Land NRW Gartenschau) held in Schloss Neuhaus 1994  (from these pictures
(for those that know) the former NAAFI Bulk Issue store, Gifts and Durables and
Supermarket Building (in pics as "Schlosshalle") has been repurposed as Restaurant
and Bistro Bar and remains standing) - essential part of Schloss Neuhaus Schützenfest - when ever they start up again (post Covid restrictions)!

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-barockgarten-schloss-und-auenpark-der-landesgartenschau-nrw-1994-am-57167265.html

and 2014 - https://www.google.com/maps/place/Schloss+und+Auen+Park/@51.7462002,8.7115682,3a,75y/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipP5p7KFV-

https://www.schlosspark-paderborn.de/

and from the NAAFI

https://naafi.co.uk/ (Neckie - they haven't been in the Schloss in Neuhaus for more
than 36 years - the Normandy NAAFI Building is not so photogenic, but has been home for 77 years or thereabouts.)

https://m.facebook.com/Naafi-Max-Sennelager-158946637458860/reviews

Veterans in Germany - Shopping at NAAFI Max Sandestrasse Sennelager (ie outside the Wire) rules and so on seem to be here:

https://bfgnet.de/veterans/installation-access-pass.html

application form - not quite as long as a Visa application >

Please download the application forms from the Hive page 5 pages
in .pdf format.

"Veterans NAAFI Shopping Permit application"



Once completed please post both forms to:

Veterans Clerk
J1 GEO
Postfach 7125
33078 Paderborn