Minden

1 DERR in March 1969 - in Minden

The CO had decided that a commemorative brochure should be produced to mark the tenth anniversary of the formation of the Regiment and the end of the Battalion’s tour in the mechanized role in Minden. The Bn 2IC was given overall responsibility for planning and Capt T M A Daly was appointed as the Project Officer responsible for ‘making it happen’ (despite naively believing he was ‘safely out of sight’ in the Sig Pl hangar having escaped from the ‘conveniently close’ desk of the Asst Adjt/OC Drums Pl in BnHQ).

The brochure was 250mm wide x 200mm high and contained 20 white pages between plain but ‘glossy’ ‘DERRblue’ covers, on the front one of which was the DERR badge and the full title of 1 DERR (less the ‘numbers’ parenthesis) in gold. The first 6 pages described ‘The History and Customs of the Regiment’ and the last 14 contained 13 colour photographs, 12 full-page and one a centre-fold covering 2 pages.

The first photograph on Page 7 was of ‘The Colours’, held by DMaj W S Morris in parade No 1 Dress standing in front of a wall in the Officers’ Mess on which was hung a leopard skin. On the floor in front of him and on small tables either side were items of regimental silver including the Windsor Centrepiece presented by the Royal Borough of New Windsor in 1960 (see paragraph 56 above), and the model of an FV432 APC which had been commissioned by the Regiment’s Officers in 1968.

The final photograph on Page 20 was of ‘The Regimental Band and Corps of Drums’ in parade formation in No 1 Dress, with the Drums (DMaj + 23) in front except for the rank of 4 glockenspiels which was at the rear of the Band (Bandmaster + 25). The Drums were wearing No 1 Dress caps not the new helmets, the badge plates for which had not been received (see paragraph 36b above)

In between those 2 photographs were 10 separate group photographs of: The Officers; The Warrant Officers and Sergeants; The Corporals (+ the RSM in the middle of the front row); The Lance Corporals (there were too many JNCOs for a single group; again, + the RSM); and the personnel of all ranks of each of the six companies in the order Command, A, B, C, Support, Administrative. The Sp Coy photograph included a 120mm WOMBAT antitank gun with a drill round on either flank, and two 81mm mortars in the foreground, but otherwise no weapons were included in any of the group photographs. The Bandmaster and BSM were away when the group photographs were taken, but other Band senior and junior ranks were present. Personnel from other Regiments and Corps who were on the strength of the Battalion, or attached to it in the Royal Signals Detachment and the LAD REME, were included in each relevant photograph. The Padre and Doctor were not, as in BAOR Garrisons they were ‘centralized assets’ not on the strength of or formally attached to the Battalion unless it was deployed on an operation.

The Officers

The Warrant Officers & Sergeants

The Corporals

The Lance Corporals

No 10 (Mess) Dress, without headdress, was worn in the photographs of The Officers and of The Warrant Officers and Sergeants (except the DMaj standing in the centre of the latter who wore parade No 1 Dress, including the cap, and carried his parade staff, as the ‘Colours’ photograph had directly preceded this one). In the other groups all ranks (including the DMaj) wore No 2 Dress with No 1 Dress caps. As well as the first and last photographs, members of the Drums Pl were in the Comd Coy photograph and that of the appropriate rank grou

Command Company

A Company

B Company

C Company

Support Company

Administrative Company

The centrefold on Pages 10 and 11, captioned “The Battalion”, was a wide-angle photograph of the entire Battalion, plus the R Signals detachment and LAD REME, drawn up on the Square with its weapons and vehicles, all ranks wearing combat clothing (with berets not helmets) and equipment (‘assault order’, so 58/66 pattern belt, yoke and ammunition pouches only). The 5 assault pioneers were wearing ceremonial leather aprons over their combat suits and carrying axes not personal weapons. The Drums Pl (the Battalion Reserve Pl) was in combat kit with personal weapons not instruments, with its 4 APCs (Callsigns 85,85A/B/C) in a box formation in the centre of the Square as the focal point of the Battalion layout, and between them was the DERR Band in No 1 Dress with instruments. Setting up the ‘photo-shoots’ was not a quick task. It took time to ‘compose’ each differently-sized group into a balanced picture, even with the encouragement provided by the RSM and CSMs. The photograph of The Officers was taken on the Officers’ Mess lawn but all the other 9 group photographs were taken in the same location on the Clifton Barracks Square. It was necessary to ensure that as far as possible the light levels for each photograph were the same. A period of at least 90 minutes had to be allotted for each group but some well-organized choreography, including sequencing to allow time for dress changes, permitted several to be taken in the short ‘full daylight’ window available in NW Europe at that time of year. Even so, more than a single day was required and that meant the ever-changing weather in March became a factor. And the Battalion’s several programmed training periods away from barracks from mid-March loomed large, along with Band & Drums commitments, all the while having to bear in mind that from April individuals were scheduled to start moving to the UK.

A fully professional set of photographs was demanded, something regarded as beyond the resources of the Battalion Photographer, or even MOD/Army PR, so a commercial photographer was sought. After researching several studios in the area, one based in Minden was hired. The elderly German owner spoke little English so was accompanied by a very attractive young female assistant who was fluent in the language – and proved a great asset in keeping the attention of the all-male subjects who were in the camera’s viewfinder.

The weather was on side for once, no days were lost, and the photographer, with a very impressive array of cameras and lenses, soon had several ‘takes’ of each group to allow for ‘spoiled’ shots or any problems encountered in developing film negatives and printing from them (no digital previews and little chance to adjust an image in 1969).

That just left ‘The Battalion’ photograph, preparation for which was in a different league.The Bn 2IC and the Project Officer had prepared a layout, got it approved by the CO and set about measuring and marking the Clifton Barracks Square. There were over 100 vehicles to fit on it, only a dozen or so of which were Landrover size, the rest being tracked armoured vehicles or large/heavy wheeled machines (many of the latter being permanently fully loaded in order to meet the BAOR rapid deployment requirement). The trailers which most wheeled trucks pulled when deployed were not included.

The Battalion’s vehicle availability level was extremely high after the Winter maintenance period and before the training season had a chance to reduce it, and the photograph shows that. The exception was the STALWARTs, only about 50% of which were available due to an acute spares shortage throughout BAOR, particularly of wheel stations for the 6-wheel truck. That is the reason that the mechanized companies have only a single STALWART not 2 in the photograph, as clearly a vehicle without one or more wheels could not be included. (Note. An attempt was made by HQ BAOR to alleviate the spares shortage in the short-term by ordering the cannibalization of 6-wheel FV603 SARACEN APCs which shared some parts with the STALWART as another member of the FV600 series of vehicles. The SARACENs had been replaced by FV432s and were now on ‘hard target’ parks at the anti-tank ranges. A decision which was probably regretted when those SARACENs not already in use as targets had to be rapidly recovered for re-deployment in Northern Ireland after Op BANNER demanded greater protection for troops than that provided by a ‘soft-skinned’ vehicle, but using tracked ‘tanks’ in the form of the current FV432 APC on the streets of the UK was politically unacceptable.)

The Bn 2IC, equipped with an ‘Apparatus Loudspeaking’ (ALS) from the Signal Pl, and sat atop the cab of a 4tonne truck, was driven all over the Square directing an APC here or a Scout Car there to move forward/back in accordance with the plan. No Hollywood mogul could have done it better.
The positioning of the vehicles was completed – eventually – on the late afternoon 2 days before the scheduled ‘shoot’. The positioning of personnel and support weapons would be rehearsed on the following day, but first the CO had to approve the layout.

The photograph was to be taken from an attic window at the very top of ‘Minden House’, the block housing the Junior Ranks Dining Hall and Kitchens on the ground floor and the WOs & Sgts’ Mess on the floors above them. It was a long way up and gave a clear view of the entire Square. It had been planned that the Regimental Flag would continue to fly from its pole immediately below on the edge of the Square as the downward ‘photographer to front rank’ angle was such that the flag would be above even the furthest vehicles at the end of the Square. However, once the scene was viewed ‘for real’ it was clear that having the pole bisecting the Square was unacceptable and the CO ordered it to be removed.

The RSM summoned a working party. It was the end of the afternoon and the Battalion had stood down. The Duty Dmr had sounded the ‘Men’s Meal’ calls and hundreds of living-in junior ranks were swarming to their Dining Hall, the entrance to which was directly behind the flagpole. The CSM and Orderly Sgt of the Duty Coy were busy preparing for mounting the BnHQ Guard at 1730, but at the Guard Room due to the Square being covered with vehicles. So the task fell to the Provost Sgt who arrived with the Duty Regimental Policeman and the 4 ‘Soldiers Under Sentence’ (SUS) who were currently imprisoned in the Guard Room. The flag was lowered by the Duty RP as normal, but earlier than the traditional time of Retreat, and with no bugle call.

It was unlikely that the pole had been lowered since last painted, which may have been some years before, and a swift call for help from the LAD’s Duty Fitter was required to shift the bolts. The SUS were not exactly musclebound warriors who were able to hold the heavy metal pole steady and at one point it was touch and go whether it would fall backwards and block the doors to the Junior Ranks Dining Hall (in which the evening meal was now in full swing), or forward and do lasting damage to the foremost of the vehicles on the Square, the CO’s Landrover. With instructions emanating from ‘above’ (literally) from CO, 2IC and RSM (the Project Officer having deemed it politic to refrain from helping), it clearly became all too much for the Duty RP, a strapping NCO, who ordered the SUS to push the CO’s Landrover back a length, lined up the 4 of them as ‘catchers’ along the expected fall-line of the pole (ignoring the apprehensive expressions on their – and everybody else’s – faces) and applied his strength to the base of the heavy steel pole as it slowly toppled forward pivoting about the sole remaining bolt.
Success! It was removed and laid in the gutter of the road out of the photograph frame. The SUS were doubled away by the Pro Sgt, while the Duty RP stared with dismay at the white paint flakes and rust stains covering his No 2 Dress. Undoubtedly his less than happy demeanour would have communicated itself to the SUS that evening. At least with the flag already lowered he wouldn’t have to do that at 1800 hours, but a somewhat bewildered Duty Dmr was wondering what he should do about sounding ‘Retreat’ at that time, which was rapidly approaching. It was a different ‘health & safety’ world in those days, but it’s still probably safe to say that the CO was not alone in being relieved that ‘no SUS was harmed in the staging of this pantomime’.

The following day was spent placing hundreds of soldiers in/on/around vehicles, and directing which way each man with each type of weapon should hold it. The crew which travelled in each vehicle was in front of it except the commander who was in the cupola or turret and the driver in his seat, both ‘head out’. In the case of wheeled ‘soft-skinned’ B vehicles, commanders and drivers stood at the front on the appropriate side. In BAOR the standard utility trucks, the ½ tonne short wheelbase Landrover and the 4 tonne Bedford RL were left-hand drive, so drivers of those are on the right as viewed in the photograph. (Note. Older generations will have known those trucks as ¼ ton and 3 ton respectively before they were increased with the stroke of a pen after a Study into Ammunition Rates and Scales confirmed the long-held suspicion that the Army didn’t have the capacity to lift its ammunition stocks in wartime; though the change to the slightly smaller metric tonne limited the increase.) By the end of the day every member of the Battalion was aware of what he should wear/carry and his position for the next day’s ‘actual’.

Or almost every member. The decision had been taken in the mid 1960s to establish a Families Officer for Infantry Battalions in BAOR and 1 DERR had one of the first; a senior Major from the Royal Hampshire Regiment with a fine war record. His was not a combat appointment so he was not established for a weapon, but he did not want to be the only soldier to parade without one, so the Project Officer agreed with the Major’s suggestion that he could be armed with his own magnificent 300 years old Arabian silvered musket (which was fully serviceable, the touch-hole having recently received the attention of the Battalion’s armourers). It was probably fortuitous that he was positioned to the rear of the Drums Pl and Band, so too far back in the photograph for the

CO to notice, as on the day he turned up wearing a beret and a brand new combat jacket but over Service Dress trousers with long World War 1 pattern puttees up to the knees, and brown boots.
Concern now turned to the weather forecast. It can still snow or freeze at that time of year in Northern Germany, and that would cause reflection problems off the ground/faces/vehicles for the camera. A sprinkling of snow was expected that night so with the advice of the photographer the shoot time was slipped to late morning to give time for any melting of snow/frost and/or drying out of surfaces. However, that was a fine judgement as it was necessary to beware of any appearance by the mid-day sun, which would be low in the sky over the Sgt’s Mess Block and shining directly onto the faces and reflecting surfaces on the Square if it was a cloudless day. In the event, it was uniformly and only slightly cloudy, so bright enough but with no bursts of strong sunlight, and the Square had mostly dried out.

The assembly of personnel next morning went remarkably smoothly, the swift withdrawal of every weapon in each company’s armskote being facilitated by the card system used for Exercise QUICK TRAIN (see paragraph 17 above). Last minute adjustments were made by the Bn 2IC, initially with the ALS which seemed to have become welded to his hand, but towards the end (when the batteries ran down) by unenhanced voice, rebroadcast through the RSM and CSMs.

At last it was ready, and the CO took up his position in front of Callsign 9, his Landrover. To take this shot it was necessary to hang the elderly photographer out of the attic window. It was a considerable height above the ground and he did not appear totally reassured by the toggle ropes tied round his waist which were attached to the equally elderly wooden window frame. Several takes were soon in the can, the CO was content, and the order given to put away the toys. Controlled chaos then ensued during frantic efforts to clear the Square as an ominously dark snow cloud settled over Minden, soon joined over Clifton Kaserne by a thick cloud of fumes from the exhaust pipes of over 100 powerful engines. A few days later the Project Officer visited the photographer’s studio to view the initial prints. Every photograph had developed so there were choices available for each, though despite all the measuring and the use of a ‘weitwinkle’ (wide angle) lens for the Battalion on the Square, on the left all but the venturi of the sixth WOMBAT anti-tank gun was lost and on the right all of the sixth 81mm mortar. The group photographs had only a single embarrassment where an officer seated in the front row after a rapid change into Mess Dress had failed to fully button his trouser fly, but the photographer’s assistant stifled her giggles to explain that they could paint out the white undergarment.
After an interesting hour or 2 poring over a table of photographs with the CO and 2IC, the Project Officer had direction on which version of each was to be used, and was authorized to trim the foreground of the Battalion on the Square photograph to fit the double page. The texts for the brochure were already prepared so the photographer and the printers (J C C Bruns) were told to go ahead.

The printer’s proof required only a couple of textual corrections, was approved and a print run of 725 brochures ordered. They were delivered shortly before the Battalion left Germany and copies distributed to all ranks who wanted one. The cost was 10 Deutsche Marks (25 shillings at the then exchange rate, or £1.25 as it would be post decimalization), payment continuing to be recovered through acquittance rolls once the Battalion was back in the UK (and British Honduras, Malaya and Londonderry).

A copy of the brochure is held in the DERR Archive. The centrefold in that is the fullest width version of the ’Battalion on the Square’ photograph (it is reproduced in MMp36). A narrower version is in J21p10 and was a trial shot of the vehicle layout on a previous day, so without troops. A copy of the fully-manned version was used on the dust cover of Cold War Warriors, but with the sides trimmed to fit the book. Ironically, the Bn 2IC on the extreme left and the Project Officer as RSO on the extreme right of the front row – the producers/directors of this extravaganza – were both casualties of that haircut.

The negatives of each of the photographs were deposited with the PRI 1 DERR in carefully marked envelopes, and the remaining brochures divided between the PRI shop and RHQ DERR for the museum shop. Regrettably, by 1981 the PRI could no longer find the negatives. It is possible that they were passed to RHQ DERR at some time but no trace of them has been found in the DERR Archive. The original printers’ proofs of each photograph were retained by the Project Officer as the PRI could see no use for them.

However, the brochure does provide a remarkable pictorial record of the people and equipment serving in 1 DERR in March 1969. Being a CO’s parade, there were next to no ‘absentees’, certainly no key individuals; to have 34 members of the Officers’ Mess and 54 members of the Warrant Officers & Sergeants’ Mess in Station on the same day was a feat in itself.

[Afternote 58C. In 1970 the by then former CO, Lt Col T A Gibson, had asked the by then former Project Officer to obtain an enlargement of the ’Battalion on the Square’ photograph. The largest size available was 24 inches wide x 20 high, costing £12.12s.0d, plus an extra 3 shillings to give the photograph a matt finish which reduces the effect of light fading. A copy was made by a studio in Richmond, North Yorkshire, and thereafter it hung on a wall in a frame wherever Lt Col/Col/Brig Gibson served. It went with him when he retired and returned to his homeland, Australia. In 2020 it was still with his family, though sadly its condition had deteriorated due to age and the effects of frequent moves and climate changes. It was the only enlargement made. In the Autumn of 2020 the original printers’ proofs of each photograph, which had been retained by the Project Officer, were placed in the DERR Archive.]