I spent many happy years living in Churchill Barracks and drinking and socialising in the town of Lippstadt. This experience has left me many happy memories, and due to the amount of beer and Jim Beam drunk, quite a lot I have forgotten.
Churchill Barracks was the only barracks in the town of Lippstadt and was the home of 22 Signal Regiment which supported 1(BR) Corps providing trunk communications in the Corps Rear Area. During my time there our neighbours in camp were 27 Field Regiment Royal Artillery equipped with the M109 and M110 guns. Being a small number of British in a reasonable sized town we seemed to get on quite well with the locals and I'm sure there are quite a few ex-pats living there today.
After the British army left Lippstadt in the early 90s the camp stood empty for a long time. I looked around 1997 and was very disappointed to see that the gates were locked windows were smashed and the roads were starting to overgrow. I was recently passing through and had the chance to stop off to see if things had improved. I was pleasantly surprised.
The Guardroom, one of the buildings that is still empty. I still remember the room in the attic where the guard rested. You had to walk round the back of the building to go up the stairs but there was a 'fireman's pole' to get down to the guardroom in a hurry. The main entrance to camp is now for pedestrians and cyclists only. I have found a couple of pictures that compare the guardroom as it was and how it is now.
The prisoners exercise yard at the side of the Guardroom has had the wall removed giving access to the cell windows and the guardrooms back door. I wonder how many SUS (Soldier Under Sentence) have wished for that to have happened at some time?
The Globe Cinema has now been converted into a church. In the background the old 22 Signal Regiment RHQ can be seen. It is also one of the buildings that is still standing empty. All the garages have been demolished and houses built and most of the outer fence has been removed.
The old 4 Squadron block as with all the main accommodation blocks has been converted into flats. The Sqn car park and the hard standing where we used to parade is now all grassed over and looks very pleasant.
Around the back of the blocks has been turned into a garden type area and balconies have been built on to many of the flats. My room, which I had the pleasure to share with 'Fat Albert' was on the top floor on the left in the corner. In the summer most of the troop used to sit on the window sills and have a few beers in the sunshine. Today this would probably be against some 'Health & Safety' regulation.
The old 2 Squadron block showing parking in front of the new flats. The POL point, vehicle park and garages which would have been behind me in this photo are all no longer there. I have found a picture that compares this part of the block with an older view of the same place.
Around the area where the single soldiers NAAFI Club stood, houses have been built in what has become quite a quiet corner of the camp area. All that is left of the Club is the plant room and clock tower.