Memories of Germany

[gnplummer421]

I've noticed quite a few folks here have spent time in Germany at some point in their careers. I have to say, it is sad that we no longer serve there. Getting posted there was the highlight of my time in the forces, and I have so many stories and memories from that place. It would be nice to be able to share some of these experiences. For instance, how many of you visited the "Dutch Corporals mess" in Bergen - Hohne? I remember a turtle tank that was in there, but instead of water I think it had mostly beer in it...the other thing I remember was all the Concerts there...went to Pink Floyd in Mannheim in 1988..it was open air on a hot summer's night..lots of schnapps and stuff, it was a magical mystery tour for sure...

 

[gnplummer421]

Ok no takers so far eh? maybe I'll share another story then...On exercise, somewhere near Grafenwhor. We stopped in the middle of the night on a Country road..Sgt Major tells us to put a guard out and get some downtime...I try to sleep but getting that feeling that I may have to go for a walk with the shovel (no toilets nearby. It is pitch black, and after stumbling about looking for a good spot for awhile I dig my hole and do my business. Next day we wake to find out that we are parked beside a Grave Yard!! You can imagine the shock...I had nightmares about that one...

PS - I did go back to relocate my deposit

 

[Denise C.]

So many memories but all in a bit of a blur!!  I attended several outdoor concerts; Frank Zappa, Santana, to name a few.
I was an military brat and went to Paris and the Swiss Alps on my school trips.  Not too shabby.
But mostly I remember the beer, the beerfests, the volksmarchs, the castles and the friends.  No one had phones in those days (76-80) so everyone just visited unannounced.  We didnt have TV so we listened to good music.
I worked at the base hospital and made 600 marks a month, plenty to party it up.  Those were definitely the days.

 

[xo31@711ret]

I was in Lahr only for about 6 weeks on my phase II TQ3 medic after I LOTPed back in '88. Only souvenir I had was a watch I paid about 5 marks for. In 6 weeks I spent over 3 grand 'seeing the sights' and such (nothing illegal). What a freakin' blast for a single dude.

 

[GUNS]

I remember Bergan-Hohne well but it was before your time. Our sleeping accommodations were less than the norm. We were given the outer shell of a mattress cover and directed to a room full of hay. How comfortable the mattress was depended on how much hay you stuffed into it. Not sure what Dutch mess it was but they had a "bell" next to the bar. Whoever rings it buys a round. In those days we were getting close to 4.50 Marks to the dollar. With only four Canadian soldiers and two Dutch in the Mess, buying a round was not a problem. Unfortunately, word spread through the Dutch soldiers that the Canadian soldiers were "buying rounds" at the mess.
When it was closing time, the Dutch Mess was full of four not so sober Canadian soldiers and half of the Dutch soldiers in the camp were "out of it". Next morning after parade our BSM took the four of us aside and told us the Dutch CO was not pleased that half of his soldiers were drunk on morning parade. We never visited the Dutch Mess again.

I've noticed quite a few folks here have spent time in Germany at some point in their careers. I have to say, it is sad that we no longer serve there. Getting posted there was the highlight of my time in the forces, and I have so many stories and memories from that place. It would be nice to be able to share some of these experiences. For instance, how many of you visited the "Dutch Corporals mess" in Bergen - Hohne? I remember a turtle tank that was in there, but instead of water I think it had mostly beer in it...the other thing I remember was all the Concerts there...went to Pink Floyd in Mannheim in 1988..it was open air on a hot summer's night..lots of schnapps and stuff, it was a magical mystery tour for sure...

 

[GUNS]

Here's a true story- While on REFORGER in Germany we were deployed in a farmers field and it was early morning. There was a  mist hugging the ground and one of our Sgt. had to do his business. Sgt. takes the shovel and disappears into the mist. The sun had been up for awhile and the wind was rising.

You can imagine everyones reaction when the mist disappears rather quickly and our Sgt. was caught with his pants down in the middle of a farmer's field on a now bright sunny day. ;D

Reaction of Sgt. - none, he completed his business and went back to work.

 

[alfie]

Had leave in 76 through Lahr, 4 of us rented a car and drove around Europe for 2 weeks. Sadly we were not alolowed to visit any communist countries. Remember a little out of the way Gauhst house we stopped in for supper, we went in sat down and were being eyed suspiciously by the locals. One of the gang went out and got his jacket with the Canadian flag on it, treated like royalty after that.
Also remember ABBA was big back then only english tune on the jukebox.

Someone had a website with pics of Lahr today, very sad ...thanks to PET and the rest of the LIbs. 

 

[George Wallace]

Someone had a website with pics of Lahr today, very sad ...thanks to PET and the rest of the LIbs. 

Unfortunately......It was Brian Mulruney and the Progressive Conservatives who closed down Lahr and Baden.

 

[vonGarvin]

I lived in Seelbach from 82-83.  I was an exchange student, going to Scheffel Gymnasium in Lahr near some PMQ patch.  Most of my friends were German, but I had a hoot!

Went back to visit "die Familie" in 91.  Ran into an old friend on the Marktstraße in Lahr.  He told me about the goings on at the JRs that night: mud wrestling.  So, I went, naturally.

Let's just say it was a WHOLE lot better than the entertainment we were getting at the Maritime Club back then!

 

[lostrover]

Great memories...........
Attached BDF in 91-92, sad days at times, stockpiles of 10T MAN trucks, and all kinds of imaginable holding being auctioned off.  Refusing to rent a Citogen or VW Polo, as they sounded way too bad only to find out on leave in Heidleburg a VW Polo is a VW Fox in North America.  Canex was a ghost town, the bearded lady at the Harveys at the AMU, mornings at the triple C, terrace, and number 1.  Realizing the porn shop by the Black Horse pub got torn down before we had a chance to visit, never realizing there was a huge one by the Kaserne.  Best mess food ever, fresh baked goods every morning, spending the day at the gate in the rain, getting back to the shacks and doing laundry only to realize you left a croissant in your pocket.  Lots of amazing memories, and some wild times, still plan on going back for a visit.

 

[Blackadder1916]

...getting that feeling that I may have to go for a walk with the shovel (no toilets nearby. It is pitch black, and after stumbling about looking for a good spot for awhile I dig my hole and do my business. Next day we wake to find out that we are parked beside a Grave Yard!!

You can imagine everyones reaction when the mist disappears rather quickly and our Sgt. was caught with his pants down in the middle of a farmer's field on a now bright sunny day.

Hopefully this thread won't degenerate into a 'potty post'.  

Having done unit recce and manoeuvre clearance for FALLEX a couple of times, it was always important to consider sanitation arrangements, particularly when playing in an RMA.  If we were lucky, we could get good locations inside towns (especially beside gasthofs) or at a sportzplatz where you could use the changing rooms for toilet and shower facilities (for a fee).  On those occasions when we had to set up in the fields/woods, hopefully the 'Scheißemeister' got there in time with the portapotties.  I recall occasions when the farmer, whose property we were on, witnessed acts like those above and went into the familiar 'Manöverschäden' routine.

The Scheißemeister could be a useful ally for purposes other than the obvious.  On a large scale exercise, his 'ops centre' not only knew where everybody was (or was supposed to be) but also knew future locations where he was to drop the boxes.  During one FALLEX, I had a couple of beers with a Scheißemeister at a gasthof near Hohenfels. When I kidded him about his profession and the difficulty using it to impress women, he responded by saying that all the army s*** made it easy to impress women, he simply had to tell them that he made over DM300,000 a year.

 

[George Wallace]

Going to Frieburg and visiting Mcdonald's for a Big Mac and a Biere.  ;D

Really threw me for a loop when I came back to Canada and was sitting in a restaurant and was asked if I wanted anything to drink.  "I'll have a beer" said I.  "What kind?" asked the waitress.  "A large one" was my natural response.  "No!" she said, "What type?"  "Oh! Yeah!" I thought to myself. "Now I have to think."

How about all those Stazi agents selling Bratwurst and pommefrits at the Railheads?  And SMLM cars.

 

[Stewpid]

Got of the plane in Germany in 88.....Got off the plane in Ottawa 93 with a hell of a hangover....and they gave me a medal???!!! I wish I could remember half of what happened..... ???

 

[Old Sweat]

My time in Germany goes a long way back to when 4 CIBG was part of 2nd British Division. We used to exercise at Munsterlager up near Bergen Hohne. We did a lot of good soldiering and had a lot of fun, even if we were wet most of the time because of the liquid sunshine on the North German Plain.

One special memory - I was promoted Captain unexpectedly in May 1967 (this was not the mass Hellyer Captain event of a few months later) while serving in A Battery, 1 RCHA. As the junior captain in the regiment and almost the junior captain in NATO, I had the honour of commanding the saluting battery that fired a 100 gun salute as part of the 4 CIBG commemoration in Fort York on 1 July 1967. Edward Campbell may remember the day as well.

 

[Red 6]

Graf in the Summer, Graf in the Winter. Hohenfels in the Spring, Hohenfels in the Fall. Reforger in the Fall, Reforger in January. Who sees the pattern here?

 

[Denise C.]

Yes I remembe reforger, although I didnt remember what it was called.  All the guys would pack up and leave for 6 weeks or so and leave us gals back in Lahr with nothing to do but drink and party.  Oh ya, we did that when they were here too!!

All kidding aside, it was hard on the women saying goodbye and passing the time.  No wonder so many marriages ended or suffered.  I certainly dont miss that anymore.

 

[Northern Ranger]

I have very fond memories of Germany and it being the country of my birth made it great, visiting Grand Parents and such.  I must say that I enjoyed hoping on a train and hitting Paris and Amsterdam, it was a three week holiday and what a time we had.  Aside from that, being with the Guns we did allot of Guns Salutes but the ones that hit home where the ones at Vimy.  I recall have about 20-25 WWI vets at most and today I read that the last ones is now 106 years old.

 

[Red 6]

I'm heading back to Germany in about three weeks for a reunion and I can't wait!

 

[Denise C.]

Oh my god, I am soooo jealous.  Have some spatzel for me!!  Most dishes I can recreate but thats been elusive.  Have a great time.

 

[gnplummer421]

I am envious also, I miss Germany terribly. The wish and hope is that I will be able to take my daughter there and show her the Base (or whatever it is now) and show her all the places we used to go. For some reason I keep thinking that my tour there were the best years of my life.

For now, I will just look at pictures and reminisce.

Gnplummer421