Rheindahlen, JHQ Aug 2017 Part one of two NorthEast

[@bmused55]

Wow, at 1:43, on the right... that's Ballymena walk. The last house closest to the camera are 53 and 55. I live in 53 91 to 93. Used to have a lovely Plum tree in the back garden too, but it was taken away sometime in the late 90s. I used to play in the woods to the front of camera at 1:21. Fabulous memories. Such a shame to see it slowly overgrowing. Many, many memories. Those walls and streets could tell a story or two.

[@alanski99]

We lived at 36 across the road 64-69. We always played in them woods.Our Dave fell out of one of those trees and broke his arm.

[@andreastevens5009]

Great vid! Lived off base for my first 12 months (86 - 90) in MG Rheydt, Richard Wagner Strasse flats before moving into 3 Argyle Drive. Took full advantage of the Belgi Bar and Blue Pool each Friday after our weekly “Beer Call”. Was there when the wall came down, and before that when the IRA mistook a German Officers mess for a Brit one. From that day on everything changed i.e switching BFG plates for UK, searching under our cars for devices, Manning VCP’s etc. Regardless, RAF Rheindahlen was a terrific posting and this video is a really pleasant reminder of those great times!

[@jackrobbie1179]

This means so much to me - I'm going to show my future kids this I say this is where Daddy grew up. Seriously, thank you. Jack Dean, JHQ from 1995 - 2013

[@phill3425]

I worked in JHQ straight out of school (Queens School) my sister went to Kent... and my dad was in charge of the big signals tower. This is amazing and so many happy, happy memories as a child growing up in this place. Blue pool, small NAFFI, Big NAFFI. Astra, Globe cinemas. Remember juping of the 4th tower in the blue pool. getting drunk as a 16 year old in the blue pool bar, cant remember the name.....

[@markh384]

I lived at Devonshire Avenue when I was 9 to 11. We went there in 1975 I think. Remember watching Jaws at the cinema!

[@redmg02]

Excellent group of videos, bring back so many happy memories. Thank you.

[@ronnycosijns4120]

Amazing and such a long time ago. I did my Belgian military service and did some database programming in G1/G5 for HR. I had a lovely time here working together with so many different nationalities. Enjoyed all the great facilities and the participation in the Nato Marching Team. Sad to see that it got closed down.

[@timross6606]

I lived there in the 70s! You can just about see our old house in the trees beyond the NAAFI at 7:28. I went to Queen's School in those days. Thanks!

[@karenhenderson1462]

How poignant, memories came flooding back, we lived in Marlborough Road, I went to St Georges School then Queens lower (1970 - 72) and hung around those darn stables most of the time! lovely video

[@tonik_tzw]

The yellow building at 3:42 was the Military Intelligence Battalion building. At the bottom right of the main building structure of the Big House was HQ 1 Signal Brigade. MND(C) was at the opposite end on the top floor until it was disbanded in 2002. HQ ARRC took over most of the top floor of the building with the HQ BAOR departments residing in the majority of the bottom floor of the building. When I worked at HQ 1 Sig Bde (96-98), one of my jobs each month was to collect 30 boxes of paper from the store which was at the far right end of the building in the cellar. This was done in a single trip and it was bloody heavy! I had to go from the bottom right corner of the building at 3:42, up the long corridor, down the lift and along to the top right corner......and back again!

[@leighbanbury6137]

Brought back some old memories I was only a boy here my dad was in the RAF Sergeant Banbury had the best time of my life while stationed here

[@johnwebster3224]

When I went there in 1955 as an A.C.Plonk it was still being built - doesn't take long for nature to take back!

[@MultiRobertAdams]

Fantastic : never seen the NAAFI car park so empty ... a very well made Film Thanks

[@autumnrain7342]

So sad, my old house is on this. Ballymena Walk. It so vibrant and lively. 😢

[@beyondbabylon]

Haunting. So many memories. I was there when the IRA bombed the officers mess. Spent too much time in the Belgian beer bar, met my ex there, married and left the army and worked as a dependant in G2 division. Mixed feelings but great video. Thank you.

[@grunderhunter]

Spent my favourite four years here, lived on Shrewsbury road and went to St. Andrews. Left in '89 when my dad was posted to raf Uxbridge.

[@SS08947]

Pretty sure that is 5 Brecon Walk centre screen at 03:09, lived there 3 years up to 1968.

[@fredwhitefield]

Fantastic footage. I can still see Brecon Walk where I lived as a pupil of Queens School. Also takes me back with the neighbouring streets where I delivered Sunday papers for a few DM (remember them!). Fascinating- just seems like last week.

[@MrIanMiles]

So many thanks for this, JV. I have posted as below on another YT that I found this evening after my own pilgrimage to the place, which as you'll read turned out somewhat dispiriting overall. I didn't think to take a drone along with me, as it looks as though you must have done only a few weeks ago. Never having actively known the place in its heyday either (I would merely have been conceived there 60yrs ago this weekend, as happens) I was still moved to comment as follows ... I went to the Rheindahlen Military Cemetery almost by accident today (1 Sep 2017) since my parents had met at NORTHAG in the mid-1950s and indeed, it would have been pretty well exactly 60yrs today that I was conceived in the married quarters there (born early June 1958 at the Military Families' Hospital in Woolwich, Middx). The 'camp' is now closed to visitors with boundary fencing etc and all the housing visible from perimeter access is mouldering (gardens overgrown / run to seed, housing tired, drives & windows empty). Apparently the German Govt is housing some refugees well inside the large compound, but official security at the Queens Avenue entrance allows no access to anyone without biz within (even when I explained my story & connection). What most struck me about the cemetery, which I more or less happened to stumble across access to, was how many children of around my generation died in infancy or little beyond ~ in 1 poignantly recorded case, after only 10 mins ~ at the 'camp'. Setting out on a 350-mile round trip from elsewhere in Germany this morning, the last thing I would have expected from it would have been to discover my gratitude that I happened not to be one of those children born there where clearly, for whatever reason, so many didn't make it through. My father is long dead & my mother died last year (aged 87) so I doubt there's anyone I can ask. But if one of you earlier correspondents happens to pick up this thread I would be interested to take it a little further, as I'm sure you would appreciate. Indeed I was sufficiently staggered at what I discovered along the north edge of the cemetery that I took a handful of illustrative photos on my mobile that may have been the cases below, or others balefully like them. These are not (yet) on the computer I'm writing from, but I will in the circs gladly share images with anyone that has a genuine interest. The children's initials are/were JRC, CT (d. 60yrs ago this month, age unspecified), MC (b/d within 1 day in Dec.'67), and RDT ('lived 10 mins' 50yrs ago next week). Sad to say too, even the cemetery is not as militarily pristine as one expects actively maintained CWGC sites to be. All very sobering, not least on a sunny afternoon of what, meteorologically, is supposed to be the 1st day of autumn ...

[@k1er4n544]

6:32 if i remember correct further up that road was the main entrance in which there was a checkpoint

[@jdo1014]

It was still busy when I did the Long German language course in 2006-07. Good times, shame to see it now. BFG was great.

[@SgtRosier]

Used to live in Balymena walk back in 2000/2001

[@jsn1970]

If i'd only had enough funding to purchase JHQ, i'd revitalise it as a suburb!

[@heroicmiquio6327]

Ich habe sehr gute Erinnerungen die ich in meinem Herzen trage und sehr gute Erfahrungen mit Englischen Mädels und Jungs, wurde sehr oft mit genommen, Marlboro Club, Bowling, Freibad, Kino Usw. Wunderbare 18 Jahre die ich niemals vergessen werde...

[@naguerea]

I do miss my bed space!

[@phill3425]

We live in Ipswich walk near the little Naffi.

[@athame57]

Why are they actually leaving all this to go to waste?

[@stevo762002]

I lived there as a kid. Was there when the IRA bomb went off. I returned when I was in the Army and based in Padreborn for the summer show. When the Drone flew over 55 Argyle Drive where I used to live I was in tears :(

[@wendyharbour502]

Hi did you see people walking around at 3.00 mins ?

[@stephantubby8103]

Zombies methinks! The Walking Dead?? lol,

[@k1er4n544]

its wierd seeing this place so derelict if memory serves me well at 7:48 that was the naafi omg good times XD

[@keegan773]

What a waste. The place was vibrant, so alive in the late 60's.

[@timharrold4965]

stationed Rheindahlen 65 - 67 w/US Army. Many, many fond memories of NATO troops & my fellow Americans!

[@brianmilton895]

Seems like a waste to let such a facility go to seed like this when there are all those migrants looking for a roof over their heads.

[@DazzaGee]

Alas people remember it green, tidy clean and safe. Sadly the Germans are set to fill most of the housing with Merkel's Magic Million Migrants and I think we all know how it will look in a decade. Squalor, drugs, graffiti and crime which I'm sure will keep the local Polizei busy. Will end up pretty much the same as any other ghetto. Before you all scream 'racism' wait ten years and see the next video of the place. I apologize in advance if I'm wrong. But I don't think I will be.

[@user-ud3yw9dw8j]

@@DazzaGee knobhead

[@ScooterPAK]

@@DazzaGee we lived over in wickrath '78-'81, loved it there growing up as a scaley brat. My sis went back to wickrath couple of years ago to have a butchers, the married quarters at wickrath have turned into a sink estate, even the rottweilers would go round in pairs there now.

[@DazzaGee]

@@ScooterPAK Yeah, I had a pal who lived in the flats over at Wickrath, cycled over a few times from RheinD. How the local Germans must be praying for the old days.