Built – ?
Type – Wehrmacht, Cavalry Barracks
Original name – Emilien Kasserne
History –

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20 Ordnance Field Park, RAOC

Closed 10 December 1992

Named Elles Barracks after Sir Hugh Jamieson Elles KCB KCMG KCVO DSO (1880-1945) who was a British General and the first commander of the newly formed Tank Corps in the First World War. There was also a part occupied by the Bundeswehr which housed a medical unit during the 70’s & early 80’s. I cannot be exact on which building(s) this was.

Road view of the new barrack block

I served at Elles barrracks 1968-1971 and it was 20 OFP who were stationed there not QDG. They were/are a tank regiment and were at Lothian barracks. There was a German hospital unit there and they were on the left hand side as you go in the gate just after our cookhouse building. We were only separated by a wire mesh fence. The building opposite the main gate was used for the officers’ and sergeants’ messes.

MS

Road view of old style barracks

I was stationed in Elles Barracks in 1965 as a member of 14 Sy Det of 5 Sy Coy. We were located on the top floor of the barrack block to the right of the entrance but at the far end. Members of the Det were members of the 20 OFP messes, including the Cpls’ Mess. I still have a tankard presented to me when I was posted from Germany to Malta in 1965. HQ Int Corps was located at 52 Gnisenau Strasse in Mönchengladbach until 1964 when it moved to the BSSO Block in the JHQ compound at Rheindahlen. It was completely self-contained and had the only Int Corps Sgts’ Mess in BAOR at the time. After the Int Corps left it became a teacher’s mess for Mönchengladbach station.

Pete Jefferies

Rear view of old style barracks

Stables