REME Workshop

Click onthe title to reveal a painting by David Rowlands showing 12th Air Defence Regiment, RA Workshop, REME in 1989 at the Rapier Compound

Aerial shot in 2009

Image sourced off the internet

Richthofenkaserne Timeline

Stab(n): Staff or HQ(s),

Gruppe(n): Group(s)

Staffel(n): Squadron(s) 3/4 Sqdns. of 12/16 aircraft

Single engine Fighter (Hunting) Wing: Jagdgeschwader - JG
Twin Engine Destroyer Wing: Zestorergeschwader – ZG
Combat team for special use: Kampfgruppe zur besonderen Verwendung – KGzbV
Night Interception Wing: Nachtjaegersgeschwader – NJG

Storm Squadron: Sturmstaffel

Airfield Command: Fliegerhorst-Kommandantur

Anti-Aircraft: Flak.

Battery(ies): Batterie(n)

Unit titles, if given; are in italics

• 1934: Luftwaffe moves in to establish an airbase (Fliegerhorste) alongside the airport and is known as Richthofenkaserne.
• 1936: Apr. JG134 Horst Wessel (Stab, 1 Gruppe) arrives with Arado Ar 65, 68’E/Fs & Bf109 B/D’s
• 1938: Jul. JG134 Horst Wessel (4 Gruppe) arrives with Arado Ar 68's & Bf 109's. Oct. JG134 Horst Wessel re-titled JG142 Horst Wessel (Stab, 1 & 4 Gruppen) with Bf109 D’s
• 1939: Jan. JG142 Horst Wessel re-titled ZG142 Horst Wessel (Stab & 1 Gruppe) with Bf109 D’s
  May ZG142 Horst Wessel re-titled ZG26 Horst Wessel (Stab & 1 Gruppe) with Bf109 D’s
  Aug. ZG26 Horst Wessel (Stab & 1 Gruppe) departs and civil flights cease.
  Nov. ZG26 Horst Wessel (Stab) returns with Bf109 D’s & Bf 110’s
  Nov. JG26 Schlageter (Stab & 1 Gruppe) arrives with Bf109 E’s
• 1940: Jan. ZG26 Horst Wessel (Stab) departs
  Feb. JG26 Schlageter (1 Gruppe) departs. Feb. ZG26 Horst Wessel (3 Gruppe) arrives with Bf 109 D’s & Bf110’s
  Mar. ZG26 Horst Wessel (Stab) returns with Bf110’s
  Mar. ZG26 Horst Wessel (3 Gruppe) departs
  May ZG26 Horst Wessel (Stab) departs
  May JG26 Schlageter (Stab) departs
  May KGzbV101, KGzbV104, KGzb106 arrives with Ju52’s & KGzbV105 arrives with Fw200’s, Ju90’s & JuG38’s
  Jun. KGzbV101, KGzbV104, KGzb105 & KGzbV106 partially disband (Stabn remain with some staffeln till 1941). All aircraft to training schools
  Jun. JG26 Schlageter (Stab) returns with Bf109 E’s
  Jun. JG26 Schlageter (2 Gruppe) arrives with Bf109 E’s
  Jul. JG26 Schlageter (Stab & 2 Gruppe) departs
  Jul. JG3 (3 Gruppe) arrives with Bf109 E’s
  Aug. JG3 (3 Gruppe) departs
  Dec. JG54 Gruenhertz (Stab & 3 Gruppe) arrives with Bf109 E’s
• 1941: Jan. JG54 Gruenhertz (Stab) departs
  Feb. JG54 Gruenhertz (3 Gruppe) departs
  Feb. JG26 Schlageter (1 Gruppe) returns with Bf109 E’s
  May JG26 Schlageter (1 Gruppe) departs May Flak-Brigade z.b.V (Stab) formed
  Jun. Flak-Brigade z.b.V (Stab) re-titled Flak-Brigade X (Stab) Jun. JG51 (4 Gruppe) arrives with Bf109 F’s, then departs within a month Around 1,000 Wehrmacht/Luftwaffen troops are stationed
• 1943: Feb. Flak-Brigade X (Stab) departs. May 22 Flak-Division formed. Oct. Sturmstaffel 1 formed with Fw190 A’s
  Dec. JG1 Oesau (1 Gruppe) arrives with Fw 190 A’s
• 1944: Feb. JG1 Oesau (1 Gruppe) departs
  Feb. Sturmstaffel 1 departs
  Apr. JG300 Wilde Sau (2 Gruppe) arrives with Fw190 A’s. Apr. Fliegerhorst-Kommandantur A (o) 4/VI formed
  Jun. JG300 Wilde Sau (2 Gruppe) departs. Summer. Flak-Regiment 124 (10404 & 10405 Flak-Batterien) arrives
  Sep. JG300 Wilde Sau (staffeln of 3 Gruppe) arrives with Bf109 G’s
  Sep. JG3 Udet (1 Gruppe) arrives with Bf109 G’s, then departs within a week
  Sep. JG4 (Stab) arrives with Bf109 A/G/K’s & Fw190 A’s
  Sep. NJG1 (Stab: Ju88 G's & 4 Gruppe: Bf110's, He219's & Ju88 G's) arrives
  Oct. JG300 Wilde Sau (Staffeln of 3 Gruppe) departs
  Oct. JG77 Hertz As (Stab) arrives with Bf109 G’s
  Nov. JG4 (Stab) departs
  Dec. JG77 Hertz As (1 Gruppe) arrives with Bf109 G/K’s
• 1945: Jan. JG77 Hertz As (Stab & 1 Gruppe) departs
  Mar. NJG1 (Stab) departs
  Apr. All units that remain; surrender

Information sourced and researched from the internet and edited by the Blogmaster in a simplified way for researchers and other interested parties to understand. Groups from Sqdns. along with entire Sqdns. moved in and out of the airfield throughout WW2

Napier Barracks Timeline

• 1945: 2879 Sqdn., RAF Regt. arrives
• 1946: May 2879 Sqdn., RAF Regt. disbanded & 2757 Sqdn., RAF arrives briefly, then departs. Aug. 1st Bn., Border Regt. arrives. Oct. 1st Bn., Border Regt. departs
• 1947: Feb. 157 Infantry Brigade re-formed as 5 Inf. Bde. Aug. 5 Inf. Bde. renamed 5 Inf. Bde. Group. Sep. departs. Oct. 2nd Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers arrives
• 1948: Feb. 2nd Bn., RSF departs. Jul. 2nd Bn., RSF returns. Oct. 1st Bn. cadre amalgamates with 2nd Bn. & re-titled 1st Bn. RSF.
• 1949: Feb. 1st Bn., RSF departs. Dec. 23 Field Engineer Regt., Royal Engineers (2, 5 & 38 Fld. Sqdns. & 21 Fld. Park Sqdn.) arrives
• 1950: Aero-Clubs e.V. formed by brothers; Theo & Hans Hengsbach. NATO prohibit powered flight
• 1955: NATO permits powered flight
• 1956: Aero-Clubs e.V. (Dortmund Aviation Club successor) departs for Dortmund-Wickede Airport
• 1957: Mar. 47 Guided Weapons Regt., Royal Artillery (3, 4 & 31 GW Btys.) arrives with 47 GW Regt. RA Signals Troop, Royal Signals in support
• 1958: 23 Fld. Engr. Regt., RE disbanded & 1 Army Group Royal Artillery Signal Sqdn., Royal Signals arrives
• 1959: 1 AGRA Sig. Sqdn., RS re-titled 218 Sig. Sqdn. (AGRA), RS & 26 US Army Missile Detachment arrives in support of 47 GW Regt., RA
• 1960: Jan. 31 GW Bty. departs from 47 GW Regt., RA. Sep. 218 Sig Sqdn. (AGRA), RS disbanded. Nov. 47 GW Regt., RA Sig. Tp., RS re-titled 256 Sig. Sqdn. (GW (Fld.)), RS in support of 47 GW Regt., RA
• 1961: 27 GW Regt., RA (6 & 23 Btys.) arrives with 257 Sig. Sqdn. (GW (Fld.)), RS in support of 27 GW Regt. RA and supported by 26 US Army Msl. Det.
• 1964: Mar. 47 GW Regt., RA re-titled 47 Missile Regt., RA. Mar. 27 GW Regt., RA re-titled 27 Army Missile Regt., RA
• 1965: Oct. 47 Msl. Regt., RA departs. Oct. 256 Sig. Sqdn. (GW (Fld.)), RS merges with 257 Sig. Sqdn. (GW (Fld.)), RS
• 1966: Dec. 27 Army Msl. Regt., RA departs with 257 Sig. Sqdn. (GW (Fld.)), RS
• 1967: Jan. 34 Light Air Defence Regt., RA (11 & 58 Light Anti-Aircraft Btys.) arrives. Jan. 36 Heavy Air Defence Regt., RA (56 & 60 HAD Btys.) arrives with 260 Sig. Sqdn. (Surface to Air Missiles), RS (654 & 655 Sig. Troops (SAM)) in support of 36 HAD Regt., RA . Feb. 26 US Army Msl. Det. Disbanded
• 1968: Mar. 36 HAD Regt., RA departs with 260 Sig. Sqdn. (SAM), RS. Apr. 12 LAD Regt., RA (9 & T LAA Btys.) arrives
• 1969: Dec. 34 LAD Regt., RA disbanded. Dec. 22 LAD Regt., RA (42 & 53 LAA Btys.) arrives
• 1970: Jan. 58 LAA Bty. to 12 LAD Regt., RA. Jan. 11 LAA Bty. to 22 LAD Regt., RA. Mar. 22 LAD Regt., RA departs
• 1971: Jul. 12 LAD Regt., RA departs. Jul. 36 HAD Regt., RA (10 GW & 111 HAD Btys.) returned with 260 Sig. Sqdn. (SAM), RS in support of 36 HAD Regt., RA
• 1977: Dec. 36 HAD Regt., RA disbanded with 260 Sig Sqdn. (SAM), RS. Nov./Dec. 22 Air Defence Regt., RA (11, 42 & 53 AD Btys.) returned
• 1985: Jan. 12 AD Regt., RA (9, 58 & T AD Btys.) returned. Mar. 35 AD Bty. for 22 AD Regt., RA re-formed. Oct. 12 AD Bty. for 12 AD Regt., RA re-formed. Nov. 1 Artillery Brigade re-formed
• 1992: Jul. 22 AD Regt., RA departs . Jul. 16 AD Regt., RA (11, 14, 30 & 32 AD Btys.) arrives
• 1993: Apr. 12 AD Regt., RA re-titled 12 Regt., RA (T Bty. re-titled T/Headquarter Bty.). Apr. 16 AD Regt., RA re-titled 16 Regt., RA (11 Bty. re-titled 11/Headquarter Bty.) & 1 Arty. Bde. disbanded
• 1995: Sep. 12 Regt., RA departs. Dec. 16 Regt., RA departs
  
  (Accompanying REME Workshops to RA units throughout. Plus, other supporting units; APC, APTC, AGC, ACC, RAOC/RLC, Education, Chaplaincy, Medical & Dental Corps')

Information sourced from the internet and researched from other resources with sheer detective work!!

Royal Air Force Regiment 1945 - 46

2879 Squadron, RAF Regt.

2757 Squadron, RAF Regt.

2879 Sqdn.: After forming in June 1943, this unit moved to the continent in November 1944 under the 2nd Tactical Air Force after converting to a rifle role. After serving in Vitry, Brussels and Eindhoven, the sqdn. finally moved to Dortmund in 1945, possibly at the end of the war and at Brackel-Dortmund airfield; whereupon the unit disbanded in May 1946.

2757 Sqdn.: This unit was also in Europe during WW2 as part of 2TAF and found itself briefly in Dortmund in 1946, possibly taking over from 2879 Sqdn. or alongside the unit until 2757 Sqdn. move onto Bonn?

Information sourced and edited from the internet

Napier under development c.2007

Not a familair entrance!

' Come on, own up; who's artwork is this?'

Waterlogged celler after demolishment of the building

What was in its last days; 12 (Minden) BHQ

The old RAOC/RLC workshops.

BVB 09 Borussia Dortmund's training ground with the Air Defence Domes of RAGTE in the background.

Photos courtesy of Peter Kronfeld of Foto Community - Germany and sourced from the internet. Click on the title to view furthermore photos.

Aerial view of Napier April 2006

Latest aerial view showing the training pitches of BVB 09 Borussia Dortmund FC. Since this latest view courtesy of 'Google', the buildings to the west of the camp have long gone; if not all throughout Napier now?