1971–1973 West Berlin
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.
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’s anti-tank platoon at this time was one of the best in Germany having gained over 15% more hits than any other unit in BAOR in the anti-tank concentration at Putlos. They gave a fire power demonstration to the remainder of the Battalion at the end of the exercise. Before the Battalion left France the Commanding Officer announced that the next posting was as a resident Battalion at Ballykinler in Northern Ireland.
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.
| 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. |
| 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 |
Lt Col D. T. CRABTREE
Lieutenant Colonel W.G.R. TURNER M.B.E.
CSgt/W02 P J Ferris, R Hamps September 1970 – January 1973
CSgt RAG Coveney May 1973 – January 1975
| Corporal | Leahy J W | 08 March 1973 | NI | Read Obituary |