Ironside Barracks were an ex Luftwaffe supply base north of Celle. Situated at Scheuen, it was in poor condition with unsuitable buildings to house all the parts of a regiment as required. It had originally been named Freiherr von Fritsch Kaserne whilst in German hands.

Home to:

7 and 11 Ordnance Field Parks ?-1977
14 Signal Regiment (EW) 1978-1985 (1)

(1) The Regiment arrived at Scheuen in April of 1978, after leaving Tofrek Barracks Hildesheim. This still left a Troop from 1 Squadron at Trenchard Barracks (accommodated here), with the rest of 1 Squadron remaining at Langeleben until the Regiment moved in its entirety to Taunton Barracks in early 1985.

I believe that it was the former closed home of 7/11 Ordnance Field Park and was quite derelict. As the only Electronic Warfare Regiment in the British army and with our soldiers scattered right across the Corps front it was a credit to its founders that it formed at all. At the time, the British Army were experts in disbanding units but had very little idea of what was involved in re-constituting one. It was a priority A task for BAOR but with very little money forthcoming, its formation represented a mammoth task . We opened and used the Trenchard Bks Officers’ Mess in Celle.

Shortly after the advance party had moved in prior to our occupation; I recall driving up to the camp with the CO (Lt Col IOJ Sprackling, later to become Major General and in my view one of the best and most able COs in the Corps) who commented upon the newest piece of equipment that we had was the electronic barrier on the front gate, which was obviously brand new. On the way out we were stopped by the Guard Commander who said that he had the CO of the panzer battalion (based next door) on the telephone. I took the call and he formally asked me to convey his greetings to the CO and to welcome us to Scheuen. He then hastily added that the new barrier on our gate had been erected in the wrong camp and that it was his and he would like it back. He didn’t get it though.

Fred

I was the last CQMS of 7 Ordnance Field Park (OFP). The rear party consisted of two SNCOs and 9 ORs, 2 x 4 tonne lorries 1 x 10 tonne lorries and an Eager Beaver and of course a German civvy named Heinz Schmidt (the names have been changed to protect the guilty!) . Together we closed down 11 OFP and later 7 OFP handing the barracks over to the Royal Signals in 1977. Now Heinz lived on Arloh Straße, Scheuen, almost a full three hundred metres from the main gate of Ironside Bks and the German panzer training depot, 34 Panzer Bn. Heinz married a girl by the name of Ilse Müller who’s father just happened to be the head /controller of all things electrical, mechanical-or building wise from 1934 until the Brits arrived in 1945, when he handed over the keys and all inside lock stock and barrel. In front of the barracks between the rail crossing/panzer loading and the Soldatenheim area was wooden accommodation for German women who spent six months at a time under duress making patron for the Wehrmacht (ammo). This area was a munitions fabrik or in English an ammunition manufacturing facility. It had been hidden in the woods along with all the concrete storage magazine and associated paraphernalia. All around the barracks were signs in old German script reminding us of the danger of Brand-und Sprengstoff (explosives). And how do I know this? Well the Schmidts are Godparents to my now 30 year old daughter.

Anyhow, a certain S/Sgt CQMS went to get rid of 6 rounds 1″ Verey flares in the woods. He found a culvert with some water in, started to get rid and as he was about to let no 4 go a dragon fly came into his line of sight …..thinks to himself … your mine … bang .. flare hits water at a different angle and flies over his head into a big bracken stand! Thinks ….. it’ll go out in a bit … not a chance … upshot, forest goes up in smoke rapido, tries to put it out with jersey heavy wool. On looking up, only got the arm left. Time for bed said Zebedee it took the Bundeswehr 3 days to get it under control!

Not forgetting, we had a detachment of MSO personnel who provided a walking patrol around the perimeter of Ironside Bks and also the ammo dump, held for 94 Loc Regt RA and other teeth arms units. They had a dog section with the most vicious war dogs around, the worst being a white alsatian called Omo. The place was so big we needed a Rover to get around it.

Jack Frost