AAC Flight
.jpg)
2 and 3 Sqn Garages
B Troop, 3 Sqn and P Troop 2 Sqn garages.
Bravo Troop Garages - I spent some time here as well but, don't remember sharing the space with any other troop. After all, we had two squash courts and nineteen vehicles to get in here. I served in Bravo Troop. 3 Squadron from December 1973 to about May / June 1979. Being an "operator" the garages were not normally part of our domain. However, because of a decision not to use RCT drivers for our Auto 40's and MCVF's I was trained as an HGV driver and from then on drove MCVF Oscar on exercise. I continued to drive the vehicle on exercise even after becoming the vehicle commander as did the Foreman of Signals commanding the Auto 40.
Tony Gaynor ex-Royal Signals
Above and below - HQ MT, QM's and Cook House.
Courtesy of Mr Steve Wright
Regarding the photos of Shiel and Caithness Bks Verden. This was my first posting as a young REME Craftsman. I was posted there in March 1973 and at the time it was 1 Div HQ & Sig Regt. I initially was a REME Clerk in HQ REME and then moved over to the LAD. So I lived in both Barracks.
The LAD was accomodated in Shiel Bks on the top floor of the main block as you entered the barracks and we shared the RMO cookhouse facilities.
I left Verden in December 1974.
Ian Loftus
Guard Mounting - Caithness Barracks 1976. Recognise anyone?
Photograph courtesy of Tim Hopkins ex-A Squadron 1 Div HQ and Signal Regt Royal Signals
Looking through photos from Caithness Barracks I spotted a B&W photo in which I featured - "It's Me!!!!"
Photo was of an honour guard and titled "Mounting Guard" - I am the soldier in the centre of the group (there being seven I am number four whichever end you start counting from) I remember being selected for several of these - at least three. Would possibly have had to do more but made sure that I was quite a busy bod in those days.
Tony Gaynor ex-Royal Signals.
On Exercise somewhere in Germany.
Public Relations Exercise or "Do I have to Sarge??"
Photographs courtesy of Tim Hopkins ex- A Squadron 1 Div HQ and Signal Regt Royal Signals
In Caithness Barracks the ammunition store must have been some form of auxiliary stable (perhaps blacksmiths??) as I remember the rings on the walls of the building, inside and out. The buildings used for our vehicles were obviously ex stable blocks with the associated rings etc for tethering horses.
Jim Toms
I was posted to 7 Armd Div Sig Regt at the end of March 1952 and served with the REME LAD. The workshop was located on the edge of the sports ground and next to the large iron gates (I never did see them open!) at the side of the road to Shiel Barracks. I was posted back to the UK on 22 Aug 1953. We lived on the top floor of the guard house barrack block, just inside the main gate.
John Banks
I was at Caithness Bks from Aug 82 - Aug 86 serving with 1 Sqn as a Radio Relay Operator. Whilst stationed there I was told that the original occupants of the barracks were a Horse Drawn Artillery unit. This was supported by the stable like setup of the basements under each of the accommodation blocks and the wide doors at one end of each block.
With reference to the photograph of 2 and 3 Sqn garages. The garages at the far end of the block, if I remember correctly, are 1 Sqn's. The photo captioned "AAC Flight" looks like the parade ground, taken from the POL point, with 1 and 2 Sqn garages at the far end. The ramps we used for getting under our wagons can be seen in front of the 1 Sqn garages. Behind the garages was an open area, with a helicopter landing pad. Behind that was the REME LAD workshop. There was a massive collection of wood and combustibles, each year, for the 5 November bonfire and fireworks which took place on the grassed area around the helicopter landing pad.
N J (Heff)Heffernan
LCpl - 24466694