Wyvern Barracks

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Royal Scots Grey 1946 – Mar 1952
8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars 1952 – Oct 1958 (1)
24 Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery 1956 – 1957 (2)

Handed over to German Army and renamed Schliefen Kaserne (now part of Lüneburg University) 1958

(1) Amalgamated with the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars, to form the The Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars in 1958.
(2) In Dec 1955, 24 Missile Regiment, Royal Artillery, moved from Carlisle to St Barbara’s Barracks, Lüneberg. They were equipped with towed 5.5 inch Howitzers. In September 1957 they moved to Assaye Bks, Nienberg as part of 1 Army Group Royal Artillery (1 AGRA). On 15 September 1960 it re-roled as a Missile Regiment and was composed of 51 (Kabul 1842) Msl Bty, 34 (Seringapatam)Heavy Bty, 2 (Hinds) Heavy Bty and 76 (Maude’s) Msl Bty. 24 Missile Regiment moved to Barker Bks, Paderborn in 1962.

I was posted to Lüneburg in early 1958 to the 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars LAD. At that time we occupied three barracks in Lüneburg:

WYVERN BKS

This was located to the east of the town centre on Bleckeder Landstraße and accommodated two major units – 8 KRIH equiped with Centurion MBTs and 24 Medium Regt RA with I believe towed 5.5 inch guns. The Barracks were typical Wehrmacht bks probably built between the wars, they are currently used partly by the Bundeswehr and by stadt. The 8 KRIH moved to Hohne in autumn 58 amalgamating with the 4th Hussars to form the Queen Royal Irish Hussars, as a result I was posted to 112 Coy RASC LAD in Verden. 24 Med Regt moved later to Nienburg in 1957 to eventually become 24 Missile Regt RA.

ALMA BKS

This was located further east adjacent to the airfield, I believe they were ex Luftwaffe bks. In 1958 the HLI were based there as lorried infantry, unfortunately I do not have any further information on them apart from the fact that when in town we always sat a table near the Gastätte door as you could guarantee a punch up when the jocks were in the same place. I do not think they were replaced and the bks reverted to the German forces.

WORCESTER BKS

These bks which were located to the south of the town centre and were occupied by the South Staffs, again as lorried infantry. These barracks were the same as Wyvern in that they were typical Wehrmacht bks built between the wars. I am not sure but I believe the South Staffs were also the last British occupants. The bks are now the University of Luneburg. By about 1960 there was no longer any British Forces in Lüneburg. I have looked through my old photos but do not have any of the bks

Bob Gregory