Built – 1936
Type – Wehrmacht, Electronic Internal Intelligence.
Original name – Langermarck Kaserne

History – Langermarck Kaserne was built is 1936 and was used for electronic warfare/surveillance (internally directed) by the Wehrmacht, until Bielefeld fell to the Americans in March 1945. On transfer to British hands the camp became the Military Corrective Centre (aka MCTC and MCE), BAOR from 1946 up until 1958. It then became predominantly REME, until this day. The barracks took its latter name after the closure of the former Rochdale Barracks (bakery), for the simple reason that the town Rochdale is twinned with Bielefeld.

Home to:

Military Corrective Centre, BAOR 1946-1958
HQ Mov Ctrl RE
25 Tpt & Mov Regt RCT
HQ REME 1 (BR) Corps
1 Fd Wksp REME circa 1970’s
1 Corps Tps Wksp REME
20 Electronic Wksp REME 1989-1994 (1)
2 CS Coy REME 2006-present
3 Civ Wksp REME – present

(1) Located here from October1989 after leaving Kingsley Barracks, Minden. Disbanded in March 1994.

The uniform of the man on the right is that of a Belgian Captain from the Allied Demilitarisation Commission. This was instituted by the Völkerbund to control all German military activities. It existed until 1937. I imagine this was an inspection to see what the Germans were building in Bielefeld.

Courtesy of Pikey Pete

Block 1

Courtesy of Preussendave

I went there at the start of 1963. Started off repairing the BSA motorcycles. Memory is a bit cloudy but I remember that the Gym had been turned into a vehicle store. The CO used to keep his caravan type trailer in it. Complete with wall maps. As you looked at the Gym from the square, the cookhouse used to be on the left of it. Behind it was a grass plateau with an old swimming pool sunk into it. Near the swimming pool was some of the workshops. Outside the main gate, the No. 7 tram used to stop. We used to catch it to go into town to the Bahnhof. There used to be a Bar and dance place on the way called The Blue Lamp or Tavern. Lots of us went there.

Geoffrey

1944 The Guard Room as seen from Oldentruper Straße. The RAF never were welcomed visitors in Bielefeld.

Courtesy of Preussendave

We were both stationed there for some time recently (Phil and I) and had carried out an extensive photorecce of the site. You may be aware that the end of the building struck by the explosion (was it a direct hit?) is now the Sgts Mess Ballroom, a dual story addition to the building. I now think that it was built in the void left by the attack! The photos also provide Phil and I with more questions – not clear in the shots is evidence of something cemented to the wall, in line with the colour change on the lower few rows of bricks. I had thought that the Germans might have sandbagged to that height, but these shots give the lie to that theory.

A further gateway was added at some time post war, to the left of the building (when seen from Oldentruper). I believe that gate was added so that traffic wishing to access the workshops did not have to go through the jail.

Pikey Pete

The Guard Room, with the gate being seen on the left.

Courtesy of Preussendave

A view from across Oldentruper straße.

Courtesy of Preussendave

Guard Room again. I always though that the style of brick that can be seen towards the lower left corner was due to it being replaced after bomb damage. Evidently not.

Courtesy of Preussendave

Courtesy of Preussendave

Block 1

Block 1 Nazi Era,

Courtesy of Forgotten History

Sixth Sense, 1983