|
| |
|
1st Bn Duke of Edinburgh's Royal
Regiment
(Berkshire and Wiltshire)
|
|
BERLIN |
|
Berlin Brigade
|
 |
1971-1973
July 1971 found the battalion firmly established in Brooke
Barracks situated in the Charlottenberg District of West Berlin.
They relieved the 1st Bn Royal Regiment of Fusiliers from whom, by a
coincidence, they had also taken over from in Minden five years
before. Whilst in Berlin one of the commitments was the guarding of
Spandau Prison with Rudolph HESS as the solitary inmate, and also
providing the train guard for the British Military Train that ran
from Berlin to West Germany. Exercises were carried out in Schleswig
Holstein, Putlos, Sennelager in West Germany and La Courtine in
France. The Battalion had a notable success in winning the Army
Infantry Skiing Cup in 1972. Having been warned off for posting to
Northern Ireland in July 1973, the Battalion commenced training,
concentrating upon individual skills. The Battalion left Berlin on a
high note achieved by its training and discipline and also its
'Finale' which was an historic pageant held in the majestic
Kongresshalle, depicting 'Maiwand', 'The Opium War' 'Copenhagen' and
other highlights of Regimental History.
|
|
 |
|
The
'Iron Curtain' Berlin 1971 |
| WATCHING
'YOU' WATCHING 'US' |
|
 |
 |
| East
German Border Guards, Berlin 'Watching us' |
1st
Bn D.E.R.R. Reece Platoon 'Watching them' Berlin Border |
|
 |
A General image of the Combat uniform and equipment
worn by the Battalion at the relevant time in Berlin 1971 to 1973. It
shows the rear of the Combat equipment, fighting order,1958 pattern
Equipment, & General purpose Machine gun. |
| "Artwork
by Mike CHAPPELL from the Osprey Men at Arms series No 108, British
Infantry Equipments 1908 - 80 © Osprey Publishing Ltd" |
|
|
| Regimental
Sporting Achievements in Berlin |
| SEASON |
SPORT |
RESULTS |
| 1971/72 |
Hockey |
2
Div Championships, runners up in B.A.O.R. |
 |
| 1972 |
Orienteering |
2
Div Champions, runners up in B.A.O.R., best Infantry Bn in Army |
 |
| 1972/73 |
Boxing |
Berlin
Brigade Champions |
Sgt
MEHRLICH, Army Lightwieght Boxing Champion 1973 |
| 1971/72 |
Football |
Winners
of 2 Div Major Unit Knockout cup |
| 1972/73 |
Football |
Winners
of Berlin Brigade Major Unit Knockout shield |
 |
| 1971/72 |
Skiing |
Winners
of Infantry cup |
INFANTRY
ARMY SKI CHAMPIONS 1972
Front
Row. Cpl JONES, Sgt HICKS, Lt Col CRABTREE, Sgt LUCKWELL
Rear
Row, Pte GILDER, Capt BRADLEY, Cpl MORGAN (Absent Cpl KEEGAN) |
| 1972 |
Safe
driving |
Cpl
Jefferies wins Brigade best Male driver |
Cpl
JEFFERIES receiving his prize from the Brigade Commander for the Berlin
safe driving Competition, Brooke Barracks 15th October 1972 |
| 1972/73 |
Squash |
Equal
first in Berlin Brigade squash league |
| 1971/72 |
Rugby
7- A- Side |
Winners
of the Brigade competition |
| 1972 |
Swimming |
Winners
of Brigade Major Units Competition, runners up in 2 Div, B.A.O.R.
finalists |
| 1972 |
Tug
of War |
2
Div and Berlin Brigade 100 Stone Champions |
| 1972 |
Water
polo |
Berlin
Brigade Champions, runners up in 2 Div |
|
BERLIN TIMELINE |
| EVENT |
TIME/DATE |
| Bn to Berlin |
June/July 1971 |
| Maiwand Celebrations |
July 1971 |
| Ferozeshah Parade |
17th September 1971 |
| Visit of Col in Chief |
28th October 1971 |
| Bn to Sennelager |
October
1971 |
| Bn
on Exercise 'Quick March' Schleswig - Holstein |
15th
Nov - 2nd Dec 1971 |
| Bn
become Infantry Army Ski Champions |
January
1972 |
| A
Coy Exercise 'Snow Queen' |
22nd
Jan - 2nd Feb 1972 |
| Mortar
Plt to Stetten, train with 46th Regt of Infantry (French) |
March
1972 |
| DERR
Cooks enter BAOR cooking competition (Came 5th) |
7th
April 1972 |
| 3
Plt A Coy to Hohenfels to train with 4/18th US Infantry |
17th
April 1972 for two weeks |
| Allied Forces Parade |
13th May 1972 |
| Queens Birthday Parade |
8th June 1972 |
| Ferozshah
Parade and OCA visit to Bn |
23rd
June 1972 |
| Mortar
Plt Concentration Munsterlager |
End
of June 1972 for 2 weeks |
| Anti
Tank plt to Putlos for 1 (BR) concentration |
June
1972 |
| Exercise
'Beechnut' La Courtine, France |
23rd
July - 6th August 1972 |
| Composite
plt from the Bn completed a 2 week commando course (French) in Harz
mountains |
August
1972 |
| B
Coy to Sennelager |
August
1972 |
| C
Coy to Sennelager |
September
1972 |
| B
Coy inter coy shoot with 'B' 4/6 US Infantry |
22nd
September 1972 |
| C
Coy arrange inter coy competition with 46 Regiment d' Infanterie |
September
1972 |
| A
Coy to Putlos |
October
1972 |
| Allied
weapons meeting |
19th
October 1972 |
| Prince
Charles visits Bn |
30th
October 1972 |
| Exercise
'Dragons teeth' Schleswig - Holstein |
November
1972 |
| Exercise
'Snow Queen' |
January
1973 |
| Training
for N.I. Starts |
January
1973 |
| C.O.s
Exercise 'March Hare' |
12th
March 1973 |
| Company
Training Haltern |
19th
March 1973 onwards |
| Bn
to Sennelager |
March/April
1973 |
| Exercise
'Blue Murder' |
April
1973 |
| Farewell
pageant to Berlin |
2nd
May 1973 |
| Bn
to UK |
14th
- 19th May 1973 |
| KAPE
Tour 'Operation Friendship' |
7th
-24th June 1973 |
| SPECIAL
ORDER OF THE DAY |
| Brigadier
P.A. DOWNWARD, D.S.O. D.F.C.
Commanding Berlin Infantry Brigade |
|
Next week we say goodbye to 1st Bn Duke of Edinburgh's
Royal Regiment (Berkshire & Wiltshire) at the end of their tour in
Berlin. During their time in Berlin Infantry Brigade they have earned a
name for their superb ceremonial parades, and for the many friendly social
events at all levels throughout the Battalion
The Regiment has enjoyed considerable prowess in the
sporting field both in team and individual sports, particularly hockey,
rugger, soccer, water polo, swimming and latterly boxing and squash. They
have proved themselves a Regiment of very high standards in everything
they have done, be it in training, sports administration or social
activities, and every man has reflected the high morale of the Battalion
by his smart bearing and cheerfulness.
The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment leave behind a
high reputation that will be long remembered in Berlin, not only by the
Allied Military communities, but also by the civilian population with whom
they have established such close ties. I am most grateful to them for all
they have done in Berlin and I wish all ranks and their families the best
of luck in the future, particularly in their forthcoming tour in Northern
Ireland. |
|
