Is This the Location of the Former Fort Prince of Wales?

[exspy]

KenB and MM,

MM, I found a photo of your father under the D Battery group picture and have enclosed it here.  Unfortunately there was no member named Noble in any of the Battery group photographs.

Under the 'Sports in Review' section it states that the Regimental basketball team were the British Army Champions in 1966.  I've enclosed the page of photos of the team in action.

I acquired the souvenir booklet in 1972 from a Lieutenant DCD Milne of E Battery, 2 RCHA, then stationed in Gagetown.  I, as a young lad, had written to the unit asking for information on the Regiment.  Milne replied and enclosed the book in his letter to me.  I don't where you would obtain a copy now other than going to military shows and hoping you see one somewhere for sale.  In all my years of going to shows however, I have never seen one.  Unfortunately, mine is not for sale.  I will provide any photos from it if requested.

I also received a reply from a letter I sent to 3 RCHA at the same time.  It was written by the CO, LCol WD Wellsman, and included a ton of photos of guns and soldiers.  He also write a one-page description on how a light artillery regiment worked along with a link diagram with the personnel establishment on it.  Quite a treasure trove of information.  I've always been treated rather well by all of the artillery personnel I've ever met.

Hope this helps,
Dan.

 

[medicineman]

Exxpy,

Thanks much - I have seen a few of those pics of the ball team from a Beaver of the period, but hadn't seen the Bty photo. 

Cheers.

MM

 

[Old Sweat]

Re the 2 RCHA basketball team, which won the British Army Championship in 1966, in the regiment's previous tour in Germany 1953-1955 it also won the same title. Not only that, but at least one member of the regiment had played on both teams.

 

[Hardrations]

Been awhile since I've been here. Reading about  Fort Prince of Wales is interesting. I was there from Oct 64 to Sept 68 then in Fort Qu'apple until Dec 68. I was RC Sigs attached to 1 SSM Bty RCA. One of the best postings and units one could ask for. Since then I've been back 4 times. Once up from Lahr in 72 then as a civilian in 84,03 and 07. Been quite a few changes. In 84 the RSM of the infantry battalion (British) let me have a tour of Fort P of W. It was looking decidedly shabby. In my walk abouts in 03 & 07 all that is left of  Fort P of W is the chapel which now houses a sheet metal works. I do have a business card of the owner but misplaced it, but he and his wife (who is Irish) were most kind and let me tour the old chapel. He was in 07 adding a second floor with in the building for living accommodations. I have many photo's of this for those who care to see them. He had offered the old main doors to the RCA Artillery museum, but when I enquired on his behalf they had no interest in them. Then the old Post Office/Barber Shop/Pay office building still stands , the QM and most of the MT buildings other wise it is now an industrial site. There is a berm running from the site of the Air OP site up to Fort McLeod so as to lessen noise from the Bundeswehr training, but the Bundeswere have left Hemer. There is now no military at all left in the Hemer/Iserlohn area. Fort McLeod still has more buildings left when I was last there. There was refuges from the Congo living in some of the old barracks in 07. After the Brits left Fort P of W there were refuges from Rumania until it was torn down.
I have friend who married in Deilinghofen in 68 and has since remained there on getting out of the Cdn. Army. He keeps me up to date on what's happening. I was also fortunate in making friends among the German folks in Deilinghofen.
I have always thought that being posted in the Soest area was much better than in Lahr. We had better and more facilities, got 6 weeks leave a year not 4. We're a proper Brigade not the farce that King Pierre Trudeau forced on the Army. We were considered more of a light Division by the British and Americans than just a lone Brigade. We were a force to be reckoned with. What bugs me a lot is that the road leading into what was the main gate at Fort P of W is now England Strasse. OUCH.... That hurts.

The village it's self is now part of Hemer, many of the gasthofs are closed, but Gasthof Zum Felsenmeer (known as Friede's ) is still there. The Molly Bar is no more, it is a beer/booze/bottled water store, owned and managed by a former taxi driver who well remembers the Canadians. The Broadway Bar is now a neighbour hood friendly gasthof. No schneil imbisses any more, there was one in 03 but it's gone. And now to have a curry wurst mit pom frits is a bad experience. Not the way they used to be. The Ranch House in Hemer is gone but the building still stands with some other kind of club in it. The Sally Ann in Hemer is a lonely deserted building (as of 07). Still when the older German folks find out you had been posted in the area are pleased to reminisce and tell you that we're missed.

 

[Old Sweat]

Hardrations

Thanks for the update. It brings back a flood of memories of an era when we had a real army with a real front line role.

And maybe now is the time to mention the third unit based in Fort Prince of Wales. It was the 69th US Army Missile Detachment, which was the custodial unit for the nuclear warheads for the SSM and the British Missile Regiment station nearby.

 

[Hill_187]

Great photos!  I was interested to see my Godfather in the officer's mess photo, Jim Cotter and my father met at Staff College in the early '60's and are still in touch to this day.  Does anyone know if he was on that championship basketball team?  I know he played quite a bit of ball in his youth.

 

[medicineman]

If you mean Jim Cotter, yeah he was on the team.

MM

 

[Hill_187]

If you mean Jim Cotter, yeah he was on the team.

MM

Thanks MM!

 

[Old Sweat]

If my memory does not fail me, Jim Cotter was the person who played on both championship teams. He is still going strong in Victoria. If you wish, pm me and I can get you a point of contact that should lead to him.

 

[Hill_187]

If my memory does not fail me, Jim Cotter was the person who played on both championship teams. He is still going strong in Victoria. If you wish, pm me and I can get you a point of contact that should lead to him.

Thanks for the offer, O.S. - we're actually still in contact with BGen and Mrs Cotter, but I really appreciate the offer!  He's still a big basketball fan, though I think he prefers the college product to the NBA  ;D

 

[Hardrations]

Hi it's me again. I see lots of mention about basketball, but lets not forget hockey. The Artillery fielded one of the best hockey teams in 4 CIBG. Many members of the RCA were posted to Germany for that express purpose. There is a memorial plaque to the Canadian Hockey Assoc. of 4 CIBG for their assistance in getting the German league in the Hemer/Iserlohn area up and going. It is placed in front of what would have been the power plant. Also the plaque that was mounted on the church yard wall in Deilinghofen to honour the memory of the 4 Regiments of RCHA and 1 SSM Bty RCA that served in Fort P of W's has been moved to the location of the hockey memorial. I have never seen a plaque for the PPCLI and Queen's Own Rifles (Of Canada) any where in the area, as these were the 2 infantry units that served in Fort McLeod. Maybe some body should be checking that out.

Back to hockey. When the British took over the two camps they used the hockey rink for storage of PMQ/Office supplies. When they left Deilinghofen/Hemer/Iserlohn tried to get the rink for their use but this was refused. There is now a rink in Iserlohn.

 

[Hardrations]

http://usera.ImageCave.com/Hardrations/scan0001.jpg
This  image is of the main gate of Fort P of W's in 1964

I have two aerial photos taken from an L-19 by a Gnr friend of mine who was serving in 2 RCHA and scrounged a ride one day and took photos. They are of the SSM Bty MT Park and of the Pde. Sqr. in Fort P of W's. I'm having trouble down loading them right now

  I will attempt to get better copies of the RC Chapel in Fort McLeod on the day it was taken down  and the L-19 photos up.

If you look very carefuly in the back ground you will see three (3) rounded brick buildings where the Honest John  (762 mm) rocket motors were stored. I believe those buildings are still standing.

 

[Hardrations]

MT Park of 1 SSM Bty RCA in Fort P of W. Taken from an L 19 by Gnr. Bill Francis 2 RCHA 1965.

<img src="http://usera.ImageCave.com/Hardrations/1%20SSM%20RCA%20%20Fort%20P%20of%20W%201965%20MT%20Park.jpg">