RC & C of E Retreats

Can anyone remember where the RAChD Retreats were in BAOR? I remember that Bagshot Park in Surrey was the UK 'Depot' & Retreat but not Germany?

Mike

In the very early years of BAOR I have found evidence that each Corps or District had its own Church House or Retreat Centre as a focus for non demonination/rank free religous activities (families were included in later years)

Subsequently Church House Wuppertal was the focus for all BAOR, this moved to Lubbecke sometime in the late 70s/early 80s

Over to those with better memories

Preetz in the Locations Section is an earlier example which was used by units in the 8 Corps area (Hamburg/Schleswig Holstein)

And of course, many a bloke went off to these retreats,wherever they were, just was for skive. This big ROAC lad went to a retreat, eager to get away to the nearest pub, one of the padres asked him to partake in a bible study class on the Crucifixion. "Sorry Padre," he replied, " but I have seen the movie."

JPW wrote:

Mike

In the very early years of BAOR I have found evidence that each Corps or District had its own Church House or Retreat Centre as a focus for non demonination/rank free religous activities (families were included in later years)

Subsequently Church House Wuppertal was the focus for all BAOR, this moved to Lubbecke sometime in the late 70s/early 80s

Over to those with better memories

Preetz in the Locations Section is an earlier example which was used by units in the 8 Corps area (Hamburg/Schleswig Holstein)

Good morning
Just to add to JPW's post 1 Corps District Church House was south of Iserlohn in the woods just off the Kesbern road later Rhine District thanks to Alan Robson have this from the 50s

30 Corps District Church House was in Düsternthal near Goslar in the 40s

Regards Steve

I will start a page on BAOR-Locations in due course

i was at lubbecke early 1970 when church house became the main centre for the army chaplains dept.but i beleve it was a retreat prior to that




church house lubbecke.

The above article with photographs with Goslar mentioned. My wife comes from Langelsheim quite close to Goslar,a beautiful city to wander around.

In Autumn 1945 Church House 30 Corps was in the little village of Dellingsen roughly midway between Hildesheim and Paderborn. I suspect it was in either a requisitioned Schloss or large Country House, more details after I my next visit to the Prince Consort Library in Aldershot

JPW wrote:

In Autumn 1945 Church House 30 Corps was in the little village of Dellingsen roughly midway between Hildesheim and Paderborn. I suspect it was in either a requisitioned Schloss or large Country House, more details after I my next visit to the Prince Consort Library in Aldershot

If you scroll up you see the image have some more info but was going to wait until Mike produced the page quote "the mansion house of Düsternthal at Delligsen near Alfeld built in 1909 and was one of the country houses of the family of Von Cramm the Wimbledon tennis player a few years before the war it was sold to the German Government for use as a hostel for women land workers later a hospital"...more to follow the source is 30th Corps in Germany a booklet published 45/46...also a reference that each Div HQ had a Church House as well
Cheers
Steve

7Div/5Div/1Div Church House in the 50's early 60's was at Eystrup in the same village as the GOC's residence, Villa Strube. I was with 112 Coy RASC, Wksp REME in Verden at the time and went on a weekend visit in 1958.
Bob

BobG wrote:

7Div/5Div/1Div Church House in the 50's early 60's was at Eystrup in the same village as the GOC's residence, Villa Strube. I was with 112 Coy RASC, Wksp REME in Verden at the time and went on a weekend visit in 1958.
Bob

Could this be the place know a member of 1 Bn Fife and Forfar is in this photo and the unit was in the Verden area in 1946

[url]

Steve
From what little that can be seen of the building it looks familiar. If I remember correctly the grounds ran down to the river Aller.
Bob

Church House Verden 1947 was in the village of Druebber a photo is here:

http://www.schaapskopp.de/doerverden/displayCard.php?picsize=800&city=Druebber&category=Ansichtskarten&original=0&bild=Druebber-1947c-Kirchenraum-1l-3236x2080.jpg

The building used was the Heisenhof. south of Verden and Barme on the road to Eystrup - (B215) overlooking the R. Weser

A sketch map is here: http://www.schaapskopp.de/doerverden/index.php

More photos of Church House here: http://www.schaapskopp.de/doerverden/displayCard.php?picsize=800&city=Druebber&category=Ansichtskarten&original=0&bild=Druebber-1947c-ChurchHouseMainDrive-1l-3012x1842.jpg

Iserlohn Cjurch House: aerial view

http://www.ansichtskarten-center.de/nordrhein-westfalen/maerkischer-kreis-lkr/iserlohn/5860-iserlohn-fliegeraufnahme-church-house?VIEW_INDEX=22

and on e-bay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Iserlohn-Church-House-British-Army-of-The-Rhine-Germany-RP-Ref-14-351-/331637573464

or

http://www.delcampe.net/page/item/id,59660322,var,Iserlohn-Church-House-British-Army-of-the-Rhine--VF-D50468,language,E.html

Montgomery's original consideration was for up to 43 Church House/RC Retreat Centres to be set up in Theatre (BAOR, Berlin and the Low Countries).  
His Staff planned the manpower establishment for each place on RAChD advice to comprise a padre and assistant, and possibly a house steward (Ssgt) with 12 people as Drivers Mil), locally employed Cooks, Kitchen and Chambermaid Staff with Motor Car (often VW Beetle) and a minibus.  The offer was up to 1 week in an quiet living environment, not unlike an Officers' Mess, to give those who needed it; quiet contemplation, and a homely feel - the privacy never enjoyed in barracks or in the field, and access to a listener.  This all came hard on the heels of a change to Kings Regs that ensured that (except for Boys Units) the Church Parade was no longer compulsory, and in these houses no one was forced to be religious.

The result was that large private houses, large residential centres or  massive farm with adjoining gardens were taken over to house students and staff - and provided a popula and different escape from the Barracks.

So far identified:

RC: Bad Driburg, Cologne

C of E: Verden, Iserlohn, Wuppertal,

Multi-denomnational: Lübbecke

Paddy

To your list add

Anglican Preetz Schleswig Holstein (8 Corps subsequently Guards Division)

Pborn3 wrote:

Church House Verden   1947 was in the village of Druebber   a photo is here:

http://www.schaapskopp.de/doerverden/displayCard.php?picsize=800&city=Druebber&category=Ansichtskarten&original=0&bild=Druebber-1947c-Kirchenraum-1l-3236x2080.jpg

The building used was the Heisenhof. south of Verden and Barme on the road to Eystrup - (B215) overlooking the R. Weser

A sketch map is here:  http://www.schaapskopp.de/doerverden/index.php

More photos of Church House here: http://www.schaapskopp.de/doerverden/displayCard.php?picsize=800&city=Druebber&category=Ansichtskarten&original=0&bild=Druebber-1947c-ChurchHouseMainDrive-1l-3012x1842.jpg

Thanks Pborn3

Church House Verden (Drübber) - still showing on Google Earth/Maps

We have a Verden-Aller location here:

Gut Drübber also known as Der Heisenhof according to Wikipedia.de “1945 to 1949 the area was seized by occupying forces” can add more detail after researching the early days of BAOR

11 Jun 45 – HQ 30th Corps District moved into Eystrup to the south of Drübber then on to Neinburg a large requisitioned building in the town 20 Jun 45 with the tactical HQ briefly remaining in Eystrup

15 Jun 45 – HQRA 51st (Highland) Infantry Division arrived at Gut Drübber relieving HQRA Guards Division whose HQ was in Eitze south-east of Verden

15 Apr 46 – HQ 30th Corps District moved to Bristol Barracks formally Artillerie Kaserne Lüneburg

6 Jun 46 – HQRA 5th Infantry Division arrived at Gut Drübber relieving HQRA 51st (Highland) Infantry Division who disbanded with the division on 30 Jun 46

end Jul 46 – HQRA 5th Infantry Division move to Nienburg now in the former HQ 30th Corps District accommodation then by 31 Mar 47 to Assaye Barracks formally Mudra Kaserne Neinburg


Looks like Gut Drübber/Der Heisenhof became the Church House Verden from Jul/Aug 46 until 1949

11th hussars LAD, mid sixties, ASM goes into the LAD office, says to the REME clerk, "Corporal ****,
we have to detail one individual to attend one of them Retreat thingies, volunteer someone, someone who we can do without for a few days."
A week later Corporal ***** informed the ASM that his course had come through!!

csqnblackhat wrote:

11th hussars LAD, mid sixties, ASM goes into the LAD office, says to the REME clerk, "Corporal ****,
we have to detail one individual to attend one of them Retreat thingies, volunteer someone, someone who we can do without for a few days."
A week later Corporal ***** informed the ASM that his course had come through!!

Good one! I recall, in Colchester, overhearing the Bty Clerk talking on the 'phone to the ASM, he kept calling the ASM "Mate". When he put the 'phone down I asked him if he knew who he was talking to, he replied, "The LAD ASM", when I asked him if he know what ASM meant he said "The Acting Sergeant Major"!

A photo from 1963. Church House Lubbeke. Myself and my Cameronian companion, All the others came from across BAOR. marked. A welcome break fro Minden Bks routine
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