Kitchener - Caterham - Cavalry - Marine Barracks
Original name - Seefleigerhorst Kaserne
Home to:
HQ 29th Armoured Brigade - May 1945 to Feb 1946 (1)
8th Battalion Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own) - May 45 to Jan 46 (2)
404th District Command RE (DCRE) - dates unknown renamed Kitchener Barracks
Garrison Royal Engineer Battalion - dates unknown
HQ 31st Armoured Brigade - Feb 1946 to April 1946 (3)
3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) - Feb 1946 to Apr 1946 (4) renamed Caterham Barracks
16th/5th Queen's Royal Lancers - Mar 1946 to Oct 1946 (5) renamed Cavalry Barracks
Which units were here late 1946 to Jan 48?
Thanks to JPW for the following research
HQ 2nd later 16th Independent Parachute Brigade Group Feb 1948 - Sep 1948 (6)
2nd later 16th Independent Parachute Brigade Group Signal Squadron Feb 1948 - Sep 1948 (6)
Headquarters Norwegian Tyskland Brigade - Sep 1948 to Apr 1953
Signals Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade - Sep 1948 to Apr 1953
Military Police Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade - Sep 1948 to Apr 1953
Transport and Stores Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade - Sep 1948 to Apr 1953
Medical Units Norwegian Tyskland Brigade - Sep 1948 to Apr 1953 (7)
Workshop Company Norwegian Tyskland Brigade - Sep 1948 to Apr 1953 (8)
(1) The first British troops in the town were 83 Group who established HQ in Hotel Stadt Hamburg and shortly after HQ 29th Armoured Brigade command 11th Armoured Division arrived and moved in to the Town Hall disbanded Feb 46
(2) To UK or disbanded Feb 46
(3) HQ 31st Armoured Brigade formally 79th Armoured Division command 8th Corps District disbanded Apr 46
(4) From Lehmkuhlen command 4th Armoured Brigade to Newcastle Barracks Hamm Apr 46 then command back to 4th Armoured Brigade
(5) From Austria Tessendorf Camp Klagenfurt to UK Lulworth Camp Oct 46
(6) From UK and renamed HQ 16th Independent Parachute Brigade Jun 48 to London Barracks Hannover Sep 48
(7) Norwegian medical personnel were also employed in the local civilian hospital (8) The workshop was based at the nearby RAF Schleswigland – Jagel
We (16th/5th Lancers) were on the outskirts of the town of Schleswig. The Schlie, an inlet from the Baltic, forms a sort of harbor at Schleswig, and the Luft Marine barracks was situated on the Schlie. From the roof of our barracks building we could see the town and the church spire. We were just starting to use civilians in the offices at that time, and they used to cycle in from Schleswig.
Courtesy of Larry Conroy, Ex 16th/5th Queens Own Lancers
A picture of my cot next to what was left of the windows of the Luft Marine barracks we took over. Those were the first sheets we'd ever had. They came from the German barracks stores. The cot, the locker - everything was German Marine issue. When we moved in it was a bullet-riddled mess.
Courtesy of Larry Conroy, Ex 16th/5th Queens Own Lancers
A picture of three of the 16th/5th in dress uniform prior to a full dress ride for the locals - which never came off.
Courtesy of Larry Conroy, Ex 16th/5th Queens Own Lancers
.jpg)
Above - a buddy sunbathing on the wing of a Blom Und Voss sea plane which had been strafed and wrecked right where it was anchored. More shot up planes can be seen in the background. We started swimming amongst these wrecks and diving into them as soon as we got there. We found some very amazing things.
Courtesy of Larry Conroy, Ex 16th/5th Queens Own Lancers
.JPG)
Two more buddies on a small sea wall on the Schlie (a camera shy German boy stands behind them.) We were fighting his older brothers in that area -- ex Hitler youth and young ex-SS, who formed together as "The Were Wolves". They were dedicated to getting the top brass Nazis out of Germany into Denmark. The local mansions were stopping off places to load gold, silver, jewellery wine, art -- anything that could be used as currency. A very small group of us got the job of finding and digging the stuff out, and stopping the escapes. Pretty hairy duty actually, but great for the adventurous amongst us.
Courtesy of Larry Conroy, Ex 16th/5th Queens Own Lancers