Sergeants' Mess Closedown, 8 May 1993

Attached is the seating plan for the 23 Base Wksp Sgts Mess closedown
dinner on the 8 May 1993. Note there are no ranks showing and no top table,
we were all equal. What a night!!!

Courtesy of AD Taylor

how nice to get pictures of 23 base wksp i served in there from 26/3/1962 till 15/9/1965.i was billited at dortmond and we used army tspt daily to go to work, that place sure was big and the raoc stores section were fed at the canadian service mess,.cant remember what year we were confined to camp as a curfew was on the germans were angry for some reason calling us giftswerg????? (poison dwarfs). thanks for bringing back some good memories, ,,,,darky

Well, it was a good experience all round. Especially the Mess functions. I wonder if anyone else reads this though?

rgds........ mboote@lycos.com if anyone anywhere of the crowd wants to get in touch and swap stories over a beer or two

There are some familiar names there. I served with REME 1975 - 2000. J Royle

Twas a strange posting, especially on promotion to Sgt. Cropped hair and bulled boots were not order of the day I recall. Had 3.5 years in a wonderful Mess (when not barred) with some stars. Played soccer for the town, and still visit Clive & Gabbi Arnephy when Wolves FC are on Sky tv. Bar the Wksp and the Mess, Wetter remains the same. German innovation has converted the MQ's into stylish accommodation.

I still nod my head each and every time I pass the Mess. Pants posting but I suspect the social side memories will remain with the majority of us for many a year.

I am still residing in Dortmund (Tonylord@web.de), another soldier free zone...more pants!

My last posting was 23 Base as WOic RAOC Stores Section from 1987-91 and I enjoyed every minute of it.
I attended the closing dinner and most of the names are familier to me.Bill Simpson my guide and mentor and Alex Kelly were sat opposite me,I was staying at Gordon Ferguson's place in Witten and remember we got back about 9.30 the following morning,so I must have had a good night.

How good to keep a history of these places. I was at 23 Base Wksp as Chief Clerk from 1985 to 1990 and met my wife to be there! I actually discharged myself after 23 years in the Forces. Don't miss it a bit! Tony Lord was my Orderly Room Sgt. I would have preferred to make him Sgt major as he terrified people! Clive Arnephy was a scream! Had some good sessions in the mess! I am now in Guatemala, Latin America serving as a missionary and can be contacted on JeffMills@pobox.com or

Hi,
I am Danny Donovan and I have worked as a PTO in 23 Base Wksp REME from 1987 until 1991. I have just found this page and I was interested to know where this seating plan for the closedown dinner came from. I know for a fact, that Bill McDougall and myself were not guests of the night. Anyway if somebody wants to get in touch with me, feel free to do so:
d.donovan@t-online.de.
I am still living in Germany (Iserlohn) with my wife Ute and my two kids Jasmin and Christopher.
Hope you are all O.K. Love to hear from you

Danny

Danny Donovan wrote:

Hi,
I am Danny Donovan and I have worked as a PTO in 23 Base Wksp REME from 1987 until 1991. I have just found this page and I was interested to know where this seating plan for the closedown dinner came from. I know for a fact, that Bill McDougall and myself were not guests of the night. Anyway if somebody wants to get in touch with me, feel free to do so:
d.donovan@t-online.de.
I am still living in Germany (Iserlohn) with my wife Ute and my two kids Jasmin and Christopher.
Hope you are all O.K. Love to hear from you

Danny

Danny,

Have you taken a look at:-

http://baor-locations.com/23BaseWorkshop.aspx

Paul.

Was 23 Base Wksp REME located at Wetter? Or am I, again, mixing my locations up?

If so, I'd be interested in hearing from those that were there in 70/71 and who might recall 3 Canadians working out of Wetter.

My dad was one of them -- WO Victor G. Lock -- another was WO (?) Ken Gourlay, and I'm afraid I have forgotten the third fellows name but he was a Sgt, I believe....or maybe a Corporal....

The guys were the Last of the Mohicans, as it were, Canadian types wrapping up the Brigade Area Close Out following the Canadians move to the Black Forest Region (Lahr etc). My Dad was in charge of the logistics of it all. At that time we had left Soest (sadly, as far as I was concerned) and were living in Iserlohn.

I was the only Canadian kid still in the old Brigade Area, as mentioned elsewhere on this site. Quite the experience!

Stephen Lock wrote:

I was the only Canadian kid still in the old Brigade Area, as mentioned elsewhere on this site. Quite the experience!

You might be wrong on that Steph. A bud of mine was on the crew that was wrapping things up. He was a gunner type from 1 SSM Bty RCA. They had a daughter about a year old then (my God-daughter now RCMP) He probably worked for your Dad on that job. I know he rotated back in Feb. 71 just before I was posted back to Germany.