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Det 2 Ind Pet Sta Pl RASC
5 Pet Depot (Berlin) RASC
5 Petroleum Depot RASC, Pionierstraße, Spandau – 1949.
Courtesy of Mr David Carpenter FICE
Known only as the Petrol Depot, “die Britische Benzinlager”, between Pionierstraße and Falkenhagener Chaussee (now Falkenseer Chaussee, I think) to the East of the OHE raiway line or “Bötzow-Bahn. I served there myself from June 1948 to September 1949, first as O i/c Det 2 Ind Pet Sta Pl RASC and then as OC 5 Petroleum Depot (Berlin) RASC, out on a limb in Pionierstraße, Spandau.
The Depot, which stored and supplied all packed petroleum products and supplied bulk fuels from our dedicated storage in the Deutsche Shell and Betelag (later Occidental) tank farms, which had road, river and DR rail access. The German Army had left us a very fine engine shed (behind the flagstaff in the heading photo) but not the Diesel loco to go with it, so we turned it into a Guardroom to accommodate the 24 hr infantry guard we were given after the Blockade began.
Until then the overnight security had consisted of one of our own men in the small gatehouse and another patrolling the well-lit but vast perimeter alone! They were armed and, I was told, one had earlier shot at a thief who’d cut the fence, fortunately missing him. But the word got round among the local villains that these toy soldiers were dangerous when roused! Continued below……
Avus Petrol Station – 1949
Courtesy of Mr David Carpenter FICE
Avus Petrol Station – 1949
Courtesy of Mr David Carpenter FICE
Soldiers of 5 Petroleum Depot manning the Avus Petroleum Station at Messedamm – 1949
The two young soldiers on the left (above – sorry, their names escape me) were 18 year old National Servicemen with the trade of Issuer. They did a 24 hour “stag” at the Petrol Station from 0900 hrs, being visited twice or three times by their NCO and sleeping behind the office. The Station closed from about 2000 and reopened at 0600, though issues could be made at their discretion overnight (several of the NCOs and I lived on the Depot, with the phone switched through, if they were doubtful about entitlement).
The two rogues on the right were Cpl Machin (NS, also Issuer, responsible for the Avus Petrol Station and more; poor chap, the office girls thought his name was a hoot) and Dvr Dart (Short Service Regular), who drove anything, superbly. His own vehicle was a 15 cwt 4×2 Ford WOT 2 but he was also the driver of my Austin PU (officers, at least in Berlin, were not normally allowed to drive themselves, absurdly following a Wehrmacht precedent. I was never caught sinning by the Redcaps but others were).
Courtesy of Mr David Carpenter FICE