Berlin Infantry Brigade (UK)

[haze99]

This is to any of the UK folks who frequent this site. Did anyone serve in the British Infantry Brigade in Berlin, Germany?

I know the UK had four or so barracks and one airbase RAF Gatow. One of the barracks had the Spandau Prison on it. (Until Rudolph Hess died, then it was demolished.)
What units were in Berlin? And at what barracks were they located?

Any first hand or research information would be nice!

Cheers!!

[Steve Andrews]

The Royal Hampshire Regiment were there in the late eighties. I didn't join until 1990, but a fellow firefighter at work was there. He used to see Hess strutting up and down. I'll ask him this week for dates and barracks.

[XASA]

I was in the U.S. Army Berlin Brigade ASA Field Station Berlin from 1966 to 1969 as a German translator. We worked with Brit intelligence on Teufelsberg (Devil's Mountain). Enjoyed the Berlin NAAFI Club's inexpensive alcohol (a shot of whiskey cost the equivalent of eight cents) and its truck delivered snacks that included fish and chips.

Couldn't tell you what infantry units made up the 5,000 man strong British contingent (nor those of the American Brigade or the French) because, to be frank, it has been 35 years. I can say all three nations troops were highly visible in the city since it was the height of the Cold War.

I don't know about the Brits and the French, but for Americans it was a great duty station if only for Berlin raucous nightlife and beautiful women.

[haze99]

Besides the RAF being at Gatow, the UK had these barracks in West Berlin/Berlin.

Wavell
Brooks
Smut
Montogomery

One is now in use by the German Air force,(not sure which one) the others are empty. Gatow is closed and is a aircraft museum.

[haze99]

A decade ago today (June 18, 1994) the Allied Forces in Berlin, Germany held their last parade. And within a month would leave the city after 49 years of defensive service.
The soldiers of the US Army's, Berlin Brigade, the UK Army, Berlin Infantry Brigade and the French Armee's (?) marched for the last time down 17 Juni Strasse. Bringing to a close, the presense of Allied Military Forces stationed in Berlin, since the end of World War 2. (the Russian forces would also have a smaller parade, in the eastern portion of Berlin)
:D Great job guys, thanks for the memories!

[big80a2]

didn't they have this quite cool camo paterns on there tanks...
urban camo?

[Flagg]

I know two ex-USAF SIGINT types who spent a couple of years in West Berlin in the 1980's...they rave about how cheap and how much fun it was.

They've got some crazy stories too...like how when they traveled from West Berlin to West Germany they didn't have to pull over for the East German Police...they would just give them the finger.

[haze99]

Yes, chat those gents up! They will have quite a unique experience to speak about!
The USAF was also in West Berlin, the 7350th Air Base Group was at Templehof Air Base. Within the 7350th ABG was the 6912th Intelligence Squadron and the 1946th Communications Squadron. The 7350th ABG was deactivated in Jan. 1993 and Templehof became a civilian operated airport in June 1993.
There were a couple of facilities, other than Templehof, that your friends would have worked at. But, I do not recall them?

[Dave-Berlin]

dug up this pretty old post but thought s.o. might be interested in the website i'm currently puuting online:
http://www.western-allies-berlin.com

[Rod2102]

This is to any of the UK folks who frequent this site. Did anyone serve in the British Infantry Brigade in Berlin, Germany?

I know the UK had four or so barracks and one airbase RAF Gatow. One of the barracks had the Spandau Prison on it. (Until Rudolph Hess died, then it was demolished.)
What units were in Berlin? And at what barracks were they located?

Any first hand or research information would be nice!

Cheers!!
I served in the REME in Berlin from 1956 to 1958(then known as Berlin Independant Brigade)Initially at the REME workshops in Spandau then attached to the 1st battallion Royal Welch Fusiliers in Kladow.(Montgomery Barracks?)The 1st battallion RWF took over from !st Cheshire regt and in turn was followed by the 1st Royal Scots.Other units I recall during this period were The Lancashire regt.The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders,The Black Watch ,The Royal Inniskillin Fusilliers ,The 1st Independant Royal Tank Regt (these then handed over to a cavalry regt but I don't recall which) There was also a large contingent of RASC plus units of the Royal Signals,RE,and RAOC and obviously RMP. If there is anything else you would particularly like information on please E-Mail me at Rod@majahtek.com

[Hellfish]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure battalions and regiments rotated their assignment to Berlin, so the units present would vary from year to year. The US Berlin Brigade (199th Seperate Infantry Brigade) was a permanant unit.

[Dave-Berlin]

my website (posted above) does have most units listed:
http://www.western-allies-berlin.com/units/units

the british brigade had three infantry battalions which rotated every two years. the armo(u)red squadron usually (the kings hussars stayed in the city after the reunification until all forces left) every three years. that makes the british unit listing very long.

the us berlin brigade was not the 199th inf brigade although both were seperate brigades. bbde even had its own to&e.

btw there's also a listing of installation on my site ;-)
http://www.western-allies-berlin.com/installations/barracks/barracks

any questions or comments are welcome.

[jojo]

I served as a corpsman attached to 3rd Bn Royal Green Jackets (Light Infantry ) at Brooks/Wavell barracks in Spandau between Jan 75 and Dec 76. Brought up in a poverty-stricken coal-mining area in the North of England I thought I'd died and gone to heaven!