Tour 2 RAF Brüggen now Javelin Barracks

[@joichiroSaiba-i7j]

I was on MT Tankerpool 74/77. Then 431MU 86/90.Great memories.. Thanks for putting these up!.

[@carydickinson4466]

Great to see these! I was US Army stationed at RAF Bruggen 1972 to 1974. Many great memories! Met and became dear friends with a RAF family. We have watched our children and our grand children grow up together through visits back and forth between the UK and the US.

[@nickcastings1568]

I was a child there in ‘71 to ‘74. How many US servicemen were there and were you there to look after Phantoms? I remember trying my first American beer at the H block where the American guys were billeted I think it was Colt 45, they were having a BBQ. First time I’d met an American, first time I’d seen a BBQ!

[@ScooterPAK]

My dad was stationed here '78-'81, on XXV Squadron, though we lived in wickrath, on his days off my dad would take me to bruggen and visit his squadron. I remember his squadron being quite a drive to get to, but for the life of me looking at aerial pics of it now i can't place where it was lol. I knew we used to drive passed 14 Squadron to get there.

[@Wally-H]

My dad was stationed here in the 1950's, working on heavy plant machinery and runway maintenance. Today he went back to Bruggen for the first time in over 60 years, for a look around. Great nostalgia for him. I believe there were Super Sabre's and Starfighters on base during his time

[@guidoniesten8184]

0⁰

[@joncawte6150]

That brought back some memories. Many an drink drank in the rugby club and the naafi. 52 field sqn (c) RE, 89-92 we shook the place up when we arrived. Within a short period of time all the raf 'units' had nice new brick bbq stands.😂 200 Royal Engineers.

[@jamescoleman8287]

Stationed there 96-98. And the tour started from 37 Sqn RAF Regt compound! It was purpose built, for once to house Rapier FSC - the Regt was used to hand-me down buildings and it had everything - even a purpose built bar! Forgot thatI have spent many years living on bases and all in all it was better than people woud imagine. Even saw the Malcom Club!

[@balanaidoo7526]

I was a pilot there on 213 Canberra Strike Squadron from Jan 1964 to Jan 1967. The opposition were 80 PR Squadron. Used to practise driving on snow in the revetments in my new red 1965 Alfa Romeo Guilia Sprint GT. Was posted out onto the Vulcan captains course but came back for 4 days to get married in Bruggen Station Church to the Station accountant WRAF officer. Happy days. Now just a sad and empty tour of a ghost of a place. Never go back to where you were once happy! Did go back for the final closure of RAF Bruggen. Sad!

[@PaulO-1703]

Thanks. Was there 87-89 on 17 Sqn, great to see the old HAS site

[@SergeCaelers]

I did the 'Brügge 10' twice there... remember lots of British people there....drinking lots of beer :)

[@stevecocksey8125]

I was on MT Tankerpool 74/77. Then 431MU 86/90.Great memories.

[@sandraburns2010]

My dad WO Raymond Burns ,..then a C/T Gen Eng would have loved these,sadly passed now, thank you for sharing he was there in the late 60,s,..we lived in Wickrath x

[@sandraburns2010]

G4018091 i remember his service number

[@petemulhearn7787]

Thank you so much for taking the time to make these two videos. I was stationed at RAF Bruggen from July 1967 to Dec 1969 and it was amazing to see the place again. Brought back many memories.

[@iansherwood5357]

My father was stationed there around 1975, Sgt G.J. Sherwood in relation to radar. I went to Douglas Bader school, which was officially opened by Sir Douglas Bader in 1975 with me making a presentation to him aged 8!

[@nickcastings1568]

Did you have an older sister named Tina?

[@stanbirkinshaw8687]

Stan Birkinshaw June. 2019 I was stationed at RAF Wildenrath (425 ASP) in 1961 and relocated to 431 MU RAF Bruggen because Widenrath was in the process of closing down. From 1962 till 1964 I worked as a Supplier Material at 431 MU and I was very surprised (from this video tour) to see, and recognize 'exactly' where I worked- the storage sheds, the railway receiving & shipping building opposite the PASCO building next to the tiny Guardhouse at the gate. I wonder how many out there remember such details?

[@simoncampbell-smith6745]

I was there from 1990 to 1993. I loved that camp. First on 431MU then 37Sqn RAF Regt.

[@ideas66]

Stationed there Jan 1980 to Dec 1981 on 431MU in MT servicing. The site stored many and varied vehicles in a state of readiness for war. Jaguar squadrons (20, 31, 14 and 17) were based on the main station at that time. A lot of birdstrike incidents i seem to remember. 35 years on (in 2015 when this was taken), it all looks very familiar . . . Thanks for posting

[@randomguy9893]

I was there 88-92 in its heyday saw the end of the Cold War and the Berlin Wall come down. First gulf war, detachments to Decimomannu, World Cup 1990 and goose bay to name a few.

[@gringotom242]

Thanks for putting these up!

[@Starfishcentral]

I lived here from 1988-1992 as my father was stationed here in supply squadron..

[@stanbirkinshaw8687]

Stan Birkinshaw June 20 2019 Ref; my first comments Thanks to the folks who made this Tour 2 video, especially driving through A site at 431 MU. Brought back memories (as though it was yesterday) and I was 19 years old at the time! I learned to speak German and made many good friends with some of the civilian workers that I worked with in shed 1 and 20. So sad to see everything so deserted, no people, no activity. I would mention some names of folks that I got to know in case anyone reading this would recognize anyone, but alas, many of them have probably long passed away. I would mention that the senior Commanding Officers of 431 M.U. at the time were; Wing Commander McFarlane and Sqadron Leader Lewis. Thank you again to those who did this tour.

[@paulgregg3547]

I was there in the Summer of 1970. Bruggen was beautifully maintained despite its huge area. It is sad to see it removed so completely.

[@grahamfuery93]

Thank you for the posts a trip down memory lane 05-09

[@wanderingbox7971]

was there 87 to 89 and 94 to 96 best years ever

[@dennisthompson1817]

I was there as a Cpl late 70s in SHQ living in a MQ just behind SHQ. Shame the Canberra was phased out and we got the super noisy Tornado. Disturbed our tea breaks Far worse was the redeployment of the Lightning Battle Flight for Quick Reaction Alert from Gutersloh while their runway was resurfaced. Damn noisy things early hour of the morning!

[@nojiggs-fg1dg]

Miss this place. 362 Tedder first family home

[@davegoldsmith4020]

At 18:42 the low building was the Tornado Drop tank servicing bay, the low green building under the blue roof was the drop tank testing bay I was the SNCO of the bay from 1989 to 1993, The air terminal was built after I left, before that it was a large fabric hangar full of gliders.The taller building to the left of the tank bay was the Pylon bay where the Tornado wing pylons were serviced

[@usawankers]

I lived here from 1968-71...my father was in the met office.

[@michaelharvey9468]

Great memory's from this place. Class posting at 7 Signal Regt from 2004-2007. Criminal seeing the state of the place on this video.

[@fynn6660]

Now there are living Refugees. I think its a good use for that huge „city“. Its a shame you cant get in there so easy. Would love to have a look around especially on the huge flying area. I‘m living in Overhetfeld next to Brüggen.

[@cod4masta22]

how difficult is it to get in? I lived there for 8 years and would love to sneak back in and check it out

[@livingladolcevita7318]

79/81 for me at 431mu great time, very much missed the crack, fun that is. Strange to see my old accomodation block

[@716tommo]

got posted to bruggen as an LAC back in Nov 1999, loved every minute of my 2 years out there was spoilt by getting overseas. tear in my eye when i left, shame to see the place run down as the imminent closure approached.

[@jadenisgay3210]

My dad was stationed there 86-89 worked at gef best posting ever. We lived in elmpt it’s such a shame to see it like this just like my old school Windsor upper in hostert. If anyone knew my dad John irving it would be great to hear from u xx

[@daveboston5929]

I must have been there same time as you. SAC on 31. Remember very little of it looking back at these videos. Too many Wobblies in the footy club I reckon. 😅

[@michaeldiorocker3303]

Want to visit the place also....can you drive on base ??

[@Gibbo263]

4:50 Did my year 10 works experience at REME there

[@manfredschyma9706]

Impressive video! It helps me a lot while designing the former RAF Brüggen Air Base end of the 80s for flightsimulator, thank you so much for sharing... BTW: Does anybody here know where the Gate Guard Jag was placed?

[@markbyrne26]

It’s now outside Norfolk County Council offices in Norwich

[@robw3027]

So what is the scoop now? The Army is using some of the base? There isn't a soldier in sight through this video. Sad is how I feel watching it. The RAF should have maintained one base minimum in Germany with at a minimum two fighter squadrons in residence. If nothing else it would have kept an RAF operational presence on the continent, and acted as a staging area for ops. in Eastern Europe, the Baltic states or elsewhere.

[@primus.interpares]

@Rob W. No, there is no military usage of former RAF Bruggen anymore. Only a few hundred refugees are living there right now (though it had been said, up to 2000 of them might be coming). The real issue is, that years after the airbase had been given up by the RAF, there is still no feasible plan of what to do with this huge place! Such a waste of existing infrastructure!

[@alebatte]

@@primus.interpares the only thing to do is to crush the place down with bulldozers. I know...it's bloody difficult, and super expensive. But this area looks just like an enormous piece of junk.

[@primus.interpares]

@@alebatte That ist what they have started with in the meantime. Part of the old storage buildings has been dismantled already and there is a plan now, to sell the whole plot to an investor. A major part shall remain as natural reserve, some 150 ha shall become business/industrial estate and another part shall be used for installation of wind turbines and a photovoltaic power plant. Honestly, I do not believe in this plan, until they really finish it and I fear, the same will happen to Javelin Barracks as happened to the Kent School estate nearby. Sold to different investors a couple of times and none of them finished, what they had planned to do with it. However, I am sure, they all managed to grab some tax benefit from that, though......

[@alebatte]

@@primus.interpares thanks for your reply! I admit that I'm not even British...and I came on this video by mistake. By the way, this should be the fate for all the Cold War abandoned bases in Europe...to be crushed down! All of them are useless...and a waste of space.

[@robw3027]

@Peter Mitchell Likely did. Crazy though, and mighty short sighted, that at the least one based was not maintained. Continental presence, staging base for other operations including Baltic.

[@OldhamSteve52]

Bruggen 10 a good road race in the 80’s, top field, first 25 usually sub 53 mins.

[@RAYMOND65DH]

thanks i have not lost my memo on 2000; happy to see it ,only i not see al ; lot of more is there the swimming pool and golfclub and

[@astralsebidknowledgebase2353]

Looks really run down since I was there in the early 70s on 17 Sqdn Phantoms.

[@geraintroberts565]

There from '72 to '74 Dental Centre.

[@tijger11]

Is this tour still availible ?

[@tijger11]

@Peter Mitchell OK thank your for your answer.

[@dennisthompson1817]

whoops. not Tornado. Phantoms they were. sorry. memory going!

[@phoenixdawn217able]

To see all that work then just abandoned .. Makes no sense it worked for years everything could of been extremely useful considering we’ve now drafted in the military over a pandemic!