Clifton Barracks | BAOR Locations

Updated 21 August 2024

Original name – Mudra Kaserne

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607th (Essex Regiment) Infantry Regiment 1945 RA

arrived from Walsrode east of Fallingbostel Aug 45 – Walcheren Barracks 27 Aug 45

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Source: 21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine to Mar 49

Part II

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German
Pionier-Regiment Nr. 16

British

Infantry
1st Battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry 1951 – 1953 (1)
1st Battalion Green Howards 1953-1955 (2)
1st Battalion Manchester Regiment 1955-1956 (2)
1st Battalion South Wales Borderers 1959-1962
1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 1962-1964
1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers 1964-1966 (3)
1st Battalion Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment 1966-1969 (4)
1st Battalion King’s Regiment 1969-1970?
3rd Battalion Light Infantry 1971-1976 (5)
1st Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regiment 1976-1980
2nd Battalion Royal Green Jackets 1980-1986
1st Battalion Queen’s Regiment 1990-1992 (6)

Royal Engineers
14 Field Survey Squadron circa 1947-1949 (7)

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
20 Electronic Workshop 1948-1953 (8)
87 Telecommunications Workshop 1953-1957 (9)

Others
Lancaster School

Closed 11 September 1992

(1) Departing for the West Indies in 1953
(2) 61st Lorried Infantry Brigade, which was part of 6th Armoured Division
(3) Arrived from Bindon Barracks Hameln to UK June 1966
(4) Arriving in June 1966 after being in Cyprus and Malta. Departing for Catterick in June 1969
(5) Arriving in November 1971 to re-role as a mechanised infantry battalion
(6) Equipped with 432 and Scimitar the Regiment was awaiting conversion to Warrior when as a result of the Options for Change Defence Review, The Queen’s Regiment was amalgamated with The Royal Hampshire Regiment to form The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (Queen’s and Royal Hampshires) (PWRR). The 1st Battalion was disbanded at Minden, West Germany, the 2nd Battalion held a final reunion at Canterbury and the 3rd Battalion disbanded in Cyprus. The two new regular battalions of The PWRR were formed at Colchester (1st Bn) and Canterbury (2nd Bn).
(7) Arrived from Moltke Strasse Bad Salzuflen to Catterick Barracks Bielefeld
(8) Moved to Clifton Barracks, Minden, in May 1948 after leaving requisitioned premises in the small farming community of Holzhausen (between Minden and Lübbecke), which had been occupied since August 1945
(9) Retitled 87 Telecommunications Workshop REME in 1953. Departed in 1957 for Kingsley Barracks, Minden

Mudra Kaserne as it was known in days gone by.

These two memorials can be found within the barracks. The one on the left is dedicated to Das 1. Lorthr. Pionier Battalion who lost 56 officers, 206 NCOs and 1654 privates during the First World War. On the right the dedication is to Unseren Toten Our Dead of the Pionier-Regiment Nr. 16 The battalions that belonged to this regiment being Pi. 169 (Pionier-Bataillon 169 – Engineers), Pz. Pi. 16 (Panzerpionier Bataillon 169 – Armoured Engineers) and Pi. 169 (Pionier-Bataillon 169 – Engineers). Can the contributor of these images please get in touch.

I was stationed in Minden at Clifton Barracks for 18 months in the early 1960s with 1st Bn The Worcestershire Regt. I must admit that none of the pictures were recognisable and in fact I could not even remember the name of the barracks, However google earth confirmed it was Clifton.

During my time there only one gate was in daily use and this was at the south east of the barracks. Directly across the road was a large Mercedes dealership. Looking at the satellite picture the main barrack blocks are still intact, I was interred in the south east block; the block due south was the cookhouse and JNCOs’ Mess. Catering Corp lived over the shop. To the west and behind the barrack blocks, now apparently demolished, were the MT garages and REME. I was regimental signals and we had the two northernmost blocks for our Humber (1 ton armoured) Pigs, Land Rovers and signal stores. We took delivery of LHD short wheelbase Land Rovers to replace the Austin Champs whilst I was there. On arrival in Minden we were transformed overnight to become motorised infantry and our first task was to train drivers for all the vehicles at our disposal. So under strength were we that at one stage practically everyone had a vehicle of some form. I had two; a Champ and a Pig.

Further West and behind the garages there was a huge sports field. Google shows it as having what appears to be roadways which were not there in my time.

The barracks were quite good with an early form of double glazing which was double windows, one opened outward the other inward. It had central heating which was super efficient and very welcome for the severe winters we experienced and the height of luxury after the wooden spiders we had at Norton Barracks in Worcester. The attic spaces, mentioned elsewhere on the site, were huge; pay parade was held weekly in one of them during the winter. Above our block we installed a bar in the attic.

With regard to the building with the antenna tower on it, I don’t recall seeing that at all, But then its 40 odd years ago it may have been there or a later addition.

Wrinkles

The year was 1969 with 1st The Bn The Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment (1 DERR) on parade.

During their stay in Minden, 1 DERR were roled as a mechanised infantry battalion as can be noted from the 432s on display. The 432s are MK 1 petrol variants which were painted olive green only. The 432s with oblong boxes on top are the command vehicles for each company and Battalion Headquarters. Support Company had 120mm Wombats and 81mm mortars. Each rifle company had a Carl Gustav anti-tank weapon, with each rifle section having a anti-tank grenade attachment. The other vehicles were Series 2a Landrovers, Alvis 6×6 Stalwarts, Scammel Pioneer recovery vehicles and the Ferret MK 2/3. The uniform was purely olive green, with the battalion strength of 1000 men.

Courtesy of Mr Patrick Webb