Hello All, The headline photograph on the sites’ Home page caught my eye; I perceive what I believe to be nine or ten vehicles parked on the “square” in front of the block. Is this so? If it is when was vehicle access to the square created, and what was its’ route? Because of the lie of the land I presume any access road must have turned right off the entrance road into camp and run in front of the NAAFI then left onto the square. Incidentally about what year was the photograph taken? All the best. Dave T.
_________________ Dave Thomas 2 Sqn 13 SR, '63-'66
Terry Wright our first secretary brought the photo to our 1st AGM/Reunion at Garats Hay, Woodhouse on 4 June 1994.
I believe it was taken in 1992(click here for full photo). Also see HERE and HERE
Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 104 Location: In the Danny Eck
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:26 pm Post subject:
Hi Dave,
The photo was taken a bit earlier than 1992, must have been 1989 or 1990. Not sure who took the photo, I seem to remember our US liaison officer wanting an aerial picture.
I am pretty sure though that the pilot of the chopper was our own Al Moyes, an I Corps Sgt linguist who transferred to the Army Air Corps and was stationed at Hildesheim, he was very obliging when we wanted air photos and such.
I gave a copy to Frank Mitchell in 1992, that is the one posted on the Website.
Here I have the partner picture to it, from this perspective you can see the approach road better, turn right before the POL point. I think I remember the road from my first visit to Langeleben in 1975, so if you don't recognise it, then that dates it to late 60s to early 70s. _________________ John Richardson
Joined: 08 Jun 2006 Posts: 408 Location: Hanham, Bristol, England
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:07 pm Post subject:
Hi Tom and JR, thanks for the time and effort you put into your replies, it confirmed my suspicions that there were cars on our hockey pitch, and the location of the access road. I left in ’66 at which time the POL point was further up the main drag (I think) on the other side of the road, perhaps the Viper can confirm or not as the case may be. Also they seem to have grown a few more masts in the adjacent field, but it really is very hazy. All the best. Dave T. _________________ Dave Thomas 2 Sqn 13 SR, '63-'66
Joined: 06 Jun 2005 Posts: 210 Location: Sunderland
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:40 am Post subject:
Hi gang,1965 the POL point was opposite to where it is now on the photograph(across the road) and to my mind our parade ground come hockey pitch was situated nearer to where the POL is now on the photograph and just about outside of the squadron office,s,there was definitely no road going in front of the O.R.s mess and NAAFI,just a footpath,hope this helps,best regards from Ken.
Joined: 08 Jun 2006 Posts: 408 Location: Hanham, Bristol, England
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:37 am Post subject:
Hi Guys, Thanks for that Ken, I thought my query might wake you up. I don’t think they’ve moved the square/Hockey pitch, it’s just where I remember it to be, they have however put a fence around it, and in doing so have cut off access from the top right hand corner down to the entrance to my block (B block I think), that fence would have saved a lot of to-ing and frow -ing fetching the hockey and volley balls when they got whacked out of court in frustration. There is also another building in there, between the POL point and the square, what purpose did that serve? Also in evidence is the incinerator (without a fence?) which I don’t remember being there in the good old days. So apart from having turned the swimming pool through 90 degrees and rebuilt the Officers/Sgts mess accommodation, the camp is just as I left it. All the best. Dave T. _________________ Dave Thomas 2 Sqn 13 SR, '63-'66
Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 104 Location: In the Danny Eck
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:34 am Post subject:
David Thomas wrote:
There is also another building in there, between the POL point and the square, what purpose did that serve?
That was a store for jerry cans. I think that was the last building to be erected in the camp, for health & safety regulations, before that the cans just stood out in the open behind the POL point. Must have been built about ?1986.
The aerials in the next field belonged to 54 SU RAF, who regularly came down to Langeleben on deployment from Scheuen/Celle. They manned a position over the other side of the setroom from us. _________________ John Richardson
Joined: 08 Jun 2006 Posts: 408 Location: Hanham, Bristol, England
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:23 am Post subject:
Cheers JR, I thought it might have been associated with the POL, I guess it must have been an open air barn type affair to allow ventilation. For much of my time in t’Army, the rules were that Jerry cans full or empty were kept in the open air. Several times I staged through major ordinance depots to refuel convoys, to be confronted with acres and acres of jerry cans many of them in the advanced stages of decay. When it wasn’t chucking it down with rain, the sun would be blazing down on all these jerry cans raising the temperature of the petrol inside very nicely. I’m rather glad I didn’t work there on a permanent basis. All the best. Dave T. _________________ Dave Thomas 2 Sqn 13 SR, '63-'66
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