Built –
Type – Wehrmacht, purpose unknown
Original name – Otto Weddigen Kaserne (famous WW1 U-Boat Captain born in Herford), later after the Earl Harewood
History –

Updated 24 July 2024

Home to:
HQ 21st Army Group Support Services 1945 on (1)
1 HQ Signals (2)
1 HQ Signal Regiment (2)
2 Line of Communication Signal Regiment (2)
HQ BAOR Signal Regiment (2)

(1) arrived from Süchteln west of Krefeld 3 Jun 45 – Rear HQ arrived from Belgium 7 Jun 45
(2) arrived from Bad Oeynhausen 19 Jun 46 – redesignated 1 HQ Signal Regiment 15 Jul 46 – redesignated 2 Line of Communication Signal Regiment 1 Dec 46 – redesignated HQ BAOR Signal Regiment 15 Jun 48 – moved to Krefeld Jan 58

More to follow
Source: 21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine to Mar 49

Part II

German
Pz Abwehr Abteilung 6 (until the start of WW2)

British
12th Royal Lancers 1955-1956 (1)
12th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA Jan/Feb 1956-Oct 1957 (2)
1st Royal Dragoons 1956-1960
Life Guards 1960-1962
Royal Horse Guards 1962-1966
4th Royal Tank Regiment 1966-1970
5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards March 1969-June 1970 (3)
3rd Carabiniers 1970-1971 (4)
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards 1971- 1973
14/20th Kings Hussars 1973- 1976
1st Royal Tank Regiment April 1976 – Nov 1982
13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary’s Own) 1982-1987
16th/5th Queen’s Royal Lancers 1987 – Nov 1992
9th/12th Royal Lancers 1992-1994 (5)
The barracks is now used as a storage facility with no unit based here. (6)

(1) In February 1956 the regiment was re-posted to Northampton Barracks, Wolfenbüttel where the mechanised regiment serving in Dingos and Armoured Scout Cars played a part in border patrols.
(2) From Taunton Barracks Celle, the unit spent less than two years here before moving to Churchill Barracks Lippstadt.
(3) Dates given by RDG Museum.
(4) 3rd Carabiniers amalgamated with Royal Scots Greys on 2 July 1971 at Holyrood, Edinburgh, to form Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
(5) Last RAC unit to be based here.
(6) See entry from Harewood Scaley below

These barracks were initially home to an Armoured Recce Regiment and were equipped with Armoured Cars (Ferret/Saladin). During the early 1970’s these wheeled vehicles were replaced by the CVR/T family of vehicles.

WWII era

Courtesy of Preussendave

This barracks was home to my regiment, The Royal Horse Guards 1962 – 1966. We handed over to 4 Royal Tank Regiment. I visited the camp on duty in 1988 and the unit at that time was 16th/5th Queen’s Royal Lancers.

David O’Halloran Lt Col (Retd) Late The Blues and Royals

Otto Weddigen Kaserne

This photo (above) is of the Regt. vehicle and maintenance Park. All four squadrons would have parked their vehicles in these garages, that’s A, B, C, and HQ Sqdrs. Every working day while we were in camp there would have been maint. parades and we would work on our vehicles until lunchtime.
In the distance on the left is the Officers’ Mess to the right is HQ Sqdr. block with the Guard room below. Directly across the road was a swimming pool, only used on special occasions.
The Photo was probably taken in the early part of 1959 because in the foreground you can see a brand new Saladin armoured car unpainted, that is to say without the BAOR camouflage. This was about the time that the Regt. was re-equipped with the new Saladin. Previously we had the Daimler Armoured Car vintage WW2.
The Daimler had 52 grease nipples and we had to know every location and the name of the part it lubricated. Every six months there was a C.I.V (civilian inspection vehicle). If you were found to have 4 grease nipples dry then you were on a charge!

Courtesy of Mr John Breese, 1st Royal Dragoons.

This photo is of the main drill square (bashing for the use of ). On the right is the Sergeants Mess. to the left is C Sqdr. block and at the rear B Sqdr.

Courtesy of Mr John Breese, 1st Royal Dragoons.

I remember these barracks well. I joined my regiment, 14th/20th Kings’ Hussars, in the summer of 1973. The pubs we used were Udo’s on the left of Mindener strasse as you went out of the main gate, and the other pub was Colin’s which was near the big NAAFI shop. Colin’s wife would let you leave your beer mat behind the bar till you got paid and I was on guard the day she came into camp with a carrier bag bulging with unpaid beermats demanding to see the adjutant! The local brew Herforder pils was a great drink and when we went on exercise we always packed some in our vehicles.

Duncan

The saddest thing about the whole affair (14th/20th Kings’ Hussars leaving Harewood Barracks) is that dear old Bosna Grill (Balkan restaurant) over the road is no more. I remember when my regt first got to Wolfenbuttel me and a mate did a 200 mile round trip just to have a Bosna Platter again. When we ordered the head waiter remembered us and even guessed correctly what our order was going to be. We’d been away for 3 and a half years!

HM

1 RTR on parade just before leaving for Bovington in 1982

Courtesy of Tony Hart, ex 1 RTR

1st Royal Tank Regiment was based at Harewood Barracks from April 1976 – Nov 1982. During that time “Op Humane” was carried out. The barrack blocks were completely gutted and transformed from cockroach infested WWII style blocks with 8 man rooms and long, long corridors to the modern “flats” with carpeted floors and fire escapes. As a single soldier at that time it was fantastic to be in the first group of occupants to move into the brand new accommodation.

Tony Hart ex 1 RTR

Harewood Barracks during the 1970s during 1 RTR’s residence.

Courtesy of Tony Hart ex 1 RTR

The 2 photos of Harewood (above and below) were taken from the window in my room looking over the transport office in the foreground towards the block that contained the NAAFI and I think maybe the Q store. Winter and Summer of 1970.

Courtesy of Paul Darke

Courtesy of Paul Darke

I’m sure that’s our barracks in 1957/58 – and probably beyond – after I got demobbed there. Only we called the road in front of the gates – the Ringstrasse. And wasn’t the swimming pool just opposite to the guardroom and next to the workshops? I think I could still crawl back from the NAAFI up the hill in the dark on a black rainy night. But now I would need some help getting upright!

Mike Ex-LanceJack, Education/Intelligence Centre, HQ Troop, HQ Squadron, 1st The Royal Dragoons, BAOR —- a long time ago…. in another life..

A photo of “A Squadron” Royal Horse Guards (The Blues) on the square of Harewood Bks, Herford in 1965 , ready to move out on exercise. The long building in the background was the REME LAD Workshops. the third group of men from the right is “A Squadron” LAD. I am back row right in that group

Courtesy of Craftsman Les (Jock) Duff.

I read your page on Harewood Barracks in Herford and can happily inform you that far from being used only for storage, it is, in fact alive and kicking! The barracks is home to 211 and 212 Sig Sqn’s both of which are part of 1 (UK) Armd Div Sig Regt, and 11 MI Coy, as well as the WO and Sgts’ Mess for 1 (UK) Armd Div HQ and Sig Regt, (although the mess members are the only personnel accommodated at Harewood Barracks.) Further to some of the other posts re Harewood, the pool is still there and by the look of things the camp infrastructure hasn’t changed in the last 20 -25 years. Hope that you find this helpful.

Harewood Scaley

I was posted to HQ BAOR Signal Regt at Harewood Bks in 1952. The Regiment changed its names a couple of times during the period 1952-’54. It changed from HQ BAOR Signal Regt top HQ Northern Army Group Signal Regt then to 18 Army Group Signal Regt.

Whilst there we used to man a Receiver site and Transmitter site just outside Bad Oeynhausen. All I can remember is that they were a few kilometres apart, were very near the autobahn and consisted of brick huts down a path from their respective main roads with a security gate.

Would love to know if these still exist and their original location, plus anybody who might remember them.

Jim Purdy