Vogelsang Training Area Badge ID

[SpeedyHedgehog]

I've had this badge for probably 20 years, but I've never figured out it's purpose or which military issued it. The wreath around it is reminiscent of other Bundeswehr badges I've seen, but I know other countries used Vogelsang for training. It's fairly large - 3 1/8 inches, or 80 mm, tall and is made by Drago of Paris, a company that's been out of business for a few years, but made badges for a number of countries.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee337/SpeedyHedgehog/Vogelsang.jpg
http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee337/SpeedyHedgehog/VogelsangBack.jpg

[tercio67]

The Belgians ran Vogelsang.
(today Vogelsang is closed, it has been 'returned to nature' and is no longer a military training area)
You might want to aks in the Belgian military thread.

[theholeinthedonut]

The Belgians ran Vogelsang.
(today Vogelsang is closed, it has been 'returned to nature' and is no longer a military training area)
You might want to aks in the Belgian military thread.

But the badge is still there:

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/theholeinthedonut/Divers/Vogelsang/2007_04220014.jpg

It must be a belgian insignia as the belgian army used Vogelsang from first of April 1950 till the handover of the base to the BW on the first of january 2006.

I'm quite sure that it is neither a divisional, brigade or regimental badge.
http://users.skynet.be/Belgian.militaria/index1.html
My best guess would be that it is an non reglementary base badge, the sword representing the infantry component, the tank the armoured corps and the eagle recce or army air corps. But that is only a hypothesis, I will look into it later, got to work now.

[SpeedyHedgehog]

^^^^^
Great picture! I'm leaning towards it being a badge for cadre or instructors permanently assigned to Vogelsang. I wasn't aware it was run by the Belgians. Thanks.

[1Cie GevGn]

Apologies for the thread-highjack, but here are some pics I took just weeks ago. Might make some members nostalgic ;)

Had the pleasure of being guided by a collegue of mine who actually trained there a few times.

It's 2€ a visit I think, although bikes may pass without paying p-)

Entrance with the Belgian camp logo still above
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/7408/img3156c.th.jpg (http://img80.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3156c.jpg)
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/3793/img3157n.th.jpg (http://img18.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3157n.jpg)

Where they used to clean the tracks after FTX
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1715/img3159.th.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3159.jpg)

Paradesquare
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/1533/img3161s.th.jpg (http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3161s.jpg)

At the top of the hill you'll find this building, with a hint of the magnificent view
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/2251/img3165g.th.jpg (http://img150.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3165g.jpg)

This picture doesn't do the view justice, it's VERY impressive. There used to be a huge eagle-shaped forest on the opposing hills (from the Nazi-rea) It's gone now obviously.
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/5259/img3171e.th.jpg (http://img259.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3171e.jpg)
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/2463/img3177l.th.jpg (http://img105.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3177l.jpg)
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1958/img3180.th.jpg (http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3180.jpg)

The entire camp still holds many Nazi-relics, like this Eagle, but also statues of Thor with the hammer, murials in the pool, etc. This camp would be a training area for the Nazi party elite (1 of 3 of these camps)
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/1466/img3173.th.jpg (http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3173.jpg)

All the way at the bottom. The slope is much steeper then it seems! Driving our bikes down there on gravel was an adventure.
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6784/img3186.th.jpg (http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3186.jpg)http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6784/img3186.th.jpg (http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img3186.jpg)http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/116/img3188p.jpg (http://img18.imageshack.us/i/img3188p.jpg/)

This was the drive, with Vogelsang marked. Also visited the Nurburgring, but that's another story ;)
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/1662/39341893.jpg

[SpeedyHedgehog]

Nice pictures. Thanks for posting them.

[s1ggy]

Excellent stuff. I used to go to Vogelsang every year for 4 years when I was in Germany in the mid eighties for our annual two-week battle camp.
It was good fun. Excellent range across the lake, fantastic for night shoots with tracer ;-)
Loads of cool Nazi era statues etc scattered about the woods & an interesting museum run by the Belgique army.
My only complaint at the time was the poxy .2L glasses of beer in the Belgy bar. It might be enough for the Belgique army but not the roughty toughty British army :-)

[1Cie GevGn]

My only complaint at the time was the poxy .2L glasses of beer in the Belgy bar. It might be enough for the Belgique army but not the roughty toughty British army :-)

When I did an exchange with British Engineers in 07, we had a "social gathering" at the end of the last week at their barracks in Hameln.

Seems the roughty toughty Britons could only handle their HUGE pints of light water (oh sorry, beer), but a typical Belgian beer in .2 quantities seemed a bit too much for the boyo's...

:hug: