Updated 16 August 2024
Tax House
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HQ Control Commission Germany (British Element) – June 1945 to September 1949
More to follow
Source: 21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine to Mar 49
Part II
Headquarters 2nd Division 1959 – 1982
Tax House used to be the Tax Office (Steueramt) for Lübbecke and stood on the then Hermann Göring Straße. Following the end of the war it became the head office of the British Zone Administration. and the English translation from Steueramt became Tax House as every one including locals new it by its English name.
AllanJ
The photo above is of the staff of HQ 2 Div, outside ‘Tax House’, as the Head Quarters used to be known. The date is around 1964 and I believe that the GOC was Major General Wheeler.
Courtesy of Mr B Baldridge
I served in Lübbecke between 1975/76 after a pretty hectic tour in Lurgan, NI. I had been forced to leave REME after developing serious dermatitis working on the Panzers. When in Lübbecke, I served with 72 Intelligence Section, providing intelligence support to Head Quarters 2nd Armoured Division who were located at Tax House.
The building was a large mansion in the centre of Lübbecke some 3-4 kilometres from Tunis Barracks where the singlies like myself lived. I think, apart from a couple of garrison units, the barracks was primarily home to a RCT Sqn (later an Ambulance Tpt Sqn). The 2nd Armoured Division Signal Regiment (2 ADSR), who accompanied the Divisional Head Quarters on exercise and provided comms support were located at Birdwood Barracks, Bünde. My main recollection of Lübbecke, however, was that we used to drink in a small Gastatte opposite the barracks and the owner was a former member of the Waffen SS. Also, every year, the local brewery used to pipe beer to a fountain in the town centre and we would pay 50 pfennig to fill any container with beer; great fun when we brought along wheelie bins.
M
The photo above shows Tax House on fire. For the benefit of those under pensionable age the object being carried on the shoulder is a Gestetner Rotary Duplicator! Fortunately the fire of 1959 saw damage restricted mainly to the roof.
Courtesy of Major Edward Mills
The picture here shows the fire eating away at the roof.
Courtesy of Maj Edward Mills
I well remember that day as I was on Fire Piquet Duty at Tunis Barracks when the fire broke out. We arrived at Tax House before the local fire brigade and duly assembled the hoses which we had to connect to a water main on the opposite side of the road. Hoses were run across the road, into Tax House and up the stairs. ‘Water on’ was shouted and after a few seconds we heard ‘Water off’. The hoses had split. This happened about three times until we had ran out of hoses. Fortunately the fire brigade arrived and took over the job of putting out the fire.
Although the fire was in the roof, many of the offices were damaged by forcing open the doors to removed telephones, typewriters and any other equipment that could be carried out.
After the fire an extra Fire Piquet Duty was arranged for Tax House every day. Each Duty had to test the new supply of hoses and dry them out along the corridor floors in the cellar.
23553057 Private Brian Neal (Brummy)
One word; staff and cuts! Poor fellow. I know how he feels.
Courtesy of Major Edward Mills