889SU, RAF Schleswigland and Ludwigsburg Part 2
As I mentioned above we did spend summer days camping at Ludwigsburg, mainly to assess the site and eventually erect the mast for the G-H transmitter and receiver.
One summer (’56 or ’57 ?) the Cpl’s Club Committee (I think) organised a coach trip to Sonderborg in Denmark for a day on the beach. In the evening on the way back we stopped in Flensburg to visit a pub or two, a night club or two and, for some, a visit to “Five Mark Alee”. I think it should have been named “Five Minutes Alee”, as that was the average time spent there – but never mind. We all had a good time and it was nice to visit a different country.
In 1957 Renate and I became engaged and early in 1958 I told my CO. F/O George Fenn that we wanted to get married in August. Next thing I knew was told I had to apply to the RAF for permission, in spite of being over 21, so applied. Next told must speak with parents and get their permission! (George Fenn was very embarrassed by this and explained it was a blanket rule to all overseas military personnel as a precaution against marriage to any undesirables, e.g. communists.) I should have gone by military transport but George Fenn managed to rustle up a couple of warrants to fly to UK and back. Having got over that hurdle, the powers that be seemed determined to stop the marriage, posted me to a G-H site near Ingolstadt, which was in the American zone, where the personnel lived in a hotel. My stay there was short as the CO only wanted single men and I had turned up married. So we went back to Schleswig taking a few days as our honeymoon.
By this time the Ludwigsburg site was fully operational though personnel lived at Schleswig, commuting each day. Though married there was no chance of a married quarter so I was given permission to live at my parents-in-law’s house in Schleswig.
In the early 1960’s had a holiday in Schleswig at my parents-in-law. Drove out to Ludwigsburg and spent the day on the beach near the 889SU site. I tried to see if I could enter the site explaining had once been stationed there, but they would not let me in.
Early this century while on holiday in with relatives Hamburg and Suderbarup, visited some old sites. Drove out to Ludwigsburg and managed to find the site. The Alamo is gone. A large hotel built nearby and the whole area covered in caravan parks. It is now a major seaside resort. Spoke to a few locals but only vaguely remembered the RAF there.
The ‘Schleihalle had long been raised to the ground and new buildings built. The Stamphmülle was now an old people’s home. The narrow gauge railway station in town also gone. Drove out to Jagel. Where the old Guard Room was is now a car park. Stopped there and chatted with the guards on the gate – was not allowed in. They told me many changes had taken place, most of the old buildings, single and married quarters, NAAFI, mess etc replaced with new buildings. From there drove to the Bauenschenke and had a chat with Aki, while she cooked me a Bauenfrüstuck mit Bratkartofeln (yum! that brought back memories). Aki remember Gerry and especially Jim Wingett but could not remember me. She told me she had lost her daughter. I sympathised and asked how but Aki would not elaborate, perhaps too painful. My memory is fading so not sure about her daughter though there was a Lisa who worked in the NAFFI, who I believe, was engaged to a Cpl Evans RAF Police Dog Handler.
In 2011 was on holiday in Germany and intended to spend a day or two at Schleswig, and have another nostalgic look. Unfortunately a couple of days before cut open my head on car boot lid and had to have it stitched up. This delay meant I had to cancel that. Next year I am on holiday in Schleswig and will definitely look around, and take a camera.
I have other photos, especially Gerry‘s wedding. But in view of what happened later perhaps not appropriate to publish them.
I would love to hear from anybody who was there, and perhaps remembers me. My Email is ‘g8bgi@tiscali.co.uk’. Bruce Hepburn, formerly Evans, aka ‘Spider’
As I mentioned above we did spend summer days camping at Ludwigsburg, mainly to assess the site and eventually erect the mast for the G-H transmitter and receiver.
One summer (’56 or ’57 ?) the Cpl’s Club Committee (I think) organised a coach trip to Sonderborg in Denmark for a day on the beach. In the evening on the way back we stopped in Flensburg to visit a pub or two, a night club or two and, for some, a visit to “Five Mark Alee”. I think it should have been named “Five Minutes Alee”, as that was the average time spent there – but never mind. We all had a good time and it was nice to visit a different country.
In 1957 Renate and I became engaged and early in 1958 I told my CO. F/O George Fenn that we wanted to get married in August. Next thing I knew was told I had to apply to the RAF for permission, in spite of being over 21, so applied. Next told must speak with parents and get their permission! (George Fenn was very embarrassed by this and explained it was a blanket rule to all overseas military personnel as a precaution against marriage to any undesirables, e.g. communists.) I should have gone by military transport but George Fenn managed to rustle up a couple of warrants to fly to UK and back. Having got over that hurdle, the powers that be seemed determined to stop the marriage, posted me to a G-H site near Ingolstadt, which was in the American zone, where the personnel lived in a hotel. My stay there was short as the CO only wanted single men and I had turned up married. So we went back to Schleswig taking a few days as our honeymoon.
By this time the Ludwigsburg site was fully operational though personnel lived at Schleswig, commuting each day. Though married there was no chance of a married quarter so I was given permission to live at my parents-in-law’s house in Schleswig.
In the early 1960’s had a holiday in Schleswig at my parents-in-law. Drove out to Ludwigsburg and spent the day on the beach near the 889SU site. I tried to see if I could enter the site explaining had once been stationed there, but they would not let me in.
Early this century while on holiday in with relatives Hamburg and Suderbarup, visited some old sites. Drove out to Ludwigsburg and managed to find the site. The Alamo is gone. A large hotel built nearby and the whole area covered in caravan parks. It is now a major seaside resort. Spoke to a few locals but only vaguely remembered the RAF there.
The ‘Schleihalle had long been raised to the ground and new buildings built. The Stamphmülle was now an old people’s home. The narrow gauge railway station in town also gone. Drove out to Jagel. Where the old Guard Room was is now a car park. Stopped there and chatted with the guards on the gate – was not allowed in. They told me many changes had taken place, most of the old buildings, single and married quarters, NAAFI, mess etc replaced with new buildings. From there drove to the Bauenschenke and had a chat with Aki, while she cooked me a Bauenfrüstuck mit Bratkartofeln (yum! that brought back memories). Aki remember Gerry and especially Jim Wingett but could not remember me. She told me she had lost her daughter. I sympathised and asked how but Aki would not elaborate, perhaps too painful. My memory is fading so not sure about her daughter though there was a Lisa who worked in the NAFFI, who I believe, was engaged to a Cpl Evans RAF Police Dog Handler.
In 2011 was on holiday in Germany and intended to spend a day or two at Schleswig, and have another nostalgic look. Unfortunately a couple of days before cut open my head on car boot lid and had to have it stitched up. This delay meant I had to cancel that. Next year I am on holiday in Schleswig and will definitely look around, and take a camera.
I have other photos, especially Gerry‘s wedding. But in view of what happened later perhaps not appropriate to publish them.
I would love to hear from anybody who was there, and perhaps remembers me. My Email is ‘g8bgi@tiscali.co.uk’. Bruce Hepburn, formerly Evans, aka ‘Spider’