Langeleben

David Thomas · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:37 pm Post subject: Post NCO

Hi Ken, I was thinking today, as one does occasionally, of the time I took my turn as NAAFI NCO, going to Wolfenbuttle each morning, collecting the mail and rations, and running the bar in the evening. There was a guy whose full time job was supervising the bar, I think his name was Vince Regan. As far as I can remember he was not an operator, I think it more likely he was part of the MT. Do you remember him? Can you confirm what his ‘proper’ job might have been. All the best. Dave T.

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Dave Thomas 2 Sqn 13 SR, '63-'66

ken vipond · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject:

Hi David,oh i can remember Vince Regan,i am still in touch with Vince on a regular basis,Vince was part of the M.T. group but did various jobs like Ration truck,postman and local stud,i was best man at Vince,s first wedding to a lassie from Lelm,in fact you might remember Vince,s wifes sister,she was a reall stunner called Ziggie,Ziggie still lives in Lelm and her husband i think is the Burgermiester.Vince now lives in Wolfesburg with his new partener Anni,they are both retired now after a long and successful working life at V/W.A couple of years back at one of the Konigslutter reunions Vince took our little group on a tour of V/W at Wolfsburg and we had a fantastic day with Vince knowing all the ins and outs and speaking German like he never knew any other language,a cracking fellow and someone that i am proud to call my friend,hope that answers your Q.best regards from Ken

David Thomas · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:22 pm Post subject:

Cheers Ken, I thought you might know him. In fact you were discussing the VW trip with Stu when we were at Chester, but I didn't realise the guy who took you around was Vince. Small World isn't it. All the best. Dave T
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Dave Thomas 2 Sqn 13 SR, '63-'66

GerryK · Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:46 pm Post subject: Post NCO

I knew Vince even before Langeleben. Both he and Harry Housley(also MT), served thier apprenticeships at the same engineering company as I did. Metropolitan-Vickers in Trafford Park Manchester. I never returned to engineering, Harry did for a short while until he started his own driving school. Vince used his aquired skills in the power station at VW.

GerryK · Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 4:17 pm Post subject: Post NCO

Further to my last post, how many Posties can you remember?
I can start with Doc Clarke (RAMC attached), Hughie McErlaine, Jim Husband, Fraser Putt, Frank Mitchell, Jim Bisset, plus one more I cant put a name to !! Any advance? Question

paul croxson · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:15 am Post subject:

Posties??
When I was there letters were delivered by bare foot native bearers carrying forked sticks. How things have changed

Bob Wells · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:48 pm Post subject:

Paul did you say letters? They must have been the things my mother said I never wrote

paul croxson · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject:

I hadn't realised before Bob that you could write!
I don't recall you EVER filling in a log sheet. You were much too important for those sort of things. Talking of log sheets, do you recalkl Mick Bailey who usd to write beautifully - a sort of italic. I am always asking about him and the rape charge but have never got to the bottom of it. We shared a tent as you may recall

Bob Wells · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:54 am Post subject:

Paul I recall that we had a conversation regarding Mick way back in 2006. I was under the impression that he returned to Sheffield when he left Germany.

Bob

peter jones · Member Joined: 02 Sep 2005 Posts: 3 Location: stockport

Hi Paul, If I'm not mistaken, it was Mick BELL who was charged with rape. The day I left 1 wireless in May 1956 I wished him well; prior to his impending court case. He was sat on his bed playing his guitar and seemed quite cheerful. Like you, I've never heard any more about it since then.

kerby · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 4:15 pm Post subject:

Hi to the mid fifties troop. Thought I had better log in to add to those of you from 55/56. What memories. Keith ps sorry its short but I am at work.
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Keith Kerby (1955/6)

paul croxson · Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:00 pm Post subject:

thanks Peter but it wasn't 'Bell'. All of this happened in April/may 1955 as by 1956 I certainly wasn't sharing a tent with anyone sadly. (I loved them in the Spring and Summer with the flaps tied back) Bob, I think is right and he did tell me. Frankly when talking to Bob it was either at the Konigslutter or Loughborough Hotel and my memory does fade when alcohol is present which it is invariably so there.
Perhaps it was the same girl luring both innocent squaddies into accusations of foul deeds. Mike Bailey ceratinly wasn't guilty! I think it was Bob who told me that the accusations were finally withdrawn due to public pressure from the 'locals'.
Thinking back to the tents. One thing they didn't have was that wonderful aroma that the billets eventually had. Redolent of fearsome farts, fags, beer and unwashed bodies, not to mention boots and socks. I can almost recall it, coming back in after a mid - 8am.
Another bit of Langeleben folklore I recall was a nearby village which we were warned against entering as there was widespread secondary syphalis present. I do vaguely recall there were some extremely funny looking people around when we drove through (probably hoilding our breath).
Keith, hello. I have also just remembered those stainless steel buckets of tea brought round to wake one up before defending the free world. They must have been at 4am since we had far more important things to drink at other times.

Bob Wells · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:01 am Post subject:

Hi Pete The name Mick Bell struck a chord and set me searching through my old photograph album, there I found a photograph of the Mick Bell I knew when I was at Munster. I think we were on the same watch as the photo looked like one of those day off photographs. What I do remember about Mick is that he was an artist.

Bob 1954/59

Mike Hudson · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:23 am Post subject: Post NCO

Dewi Cariad, I hope you have taken note of the reactions to your simple question.A positive answer from the Viper and then all Hell breaks loose, great isn't it?
When 225 moved in we poor Spec Ops never did the run to Wolfenbuttel but did man the switchboard, which originally was one of the old 'Plug in Plug out' types. On my sojourns in there I got on famously with a husky voiced wench at t'other end (Wolf) named Christine. She had a voice that would have raised something on the dead, pure(?) velvet.
To cut a long story short Terry Tarring, a good mate and I arranged to meet her and a friend at the Tetzelstein. A Beetle pulled up and two lasses got out, one was slim blonde and gorgeous t'other was porcine and hirsute. I say no more and that type of luckstill prevails.
A certain Acting Singleman Shoreland did run the Sgts Mess Bar with help from yours truly and equally I the Kinema with him. Those were the days my friend. To quote Joel Grey in Caberet, Money makes the Vorld go around and it did. Forgive us Father for we have sinned but what the heck!!
Twisted Evil

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77 88 Old, Fat, Grey & Grumpy

David Thomas · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 7:41 pm Post subject:

Hi Mike, Great to see you back and in such fine fettle. Yes it is wonderful how these topics of our evolve, when putting up a new idea, it is never possible to predict what they’re going to lead to. Your story of the delectable telephonist Christine from Wolfenbuttle puts me in mind of Sally Traffic on the Radio 2 Terry Wogan show. She has a wonderful voice with dulcet tones to die for; but I believe a figure which in these politically correct times is probably known as “fuller”. All the best, Dave T.
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Dave Thomas 2 Sqn 13 SR, '63-'66


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