RAF Rheindahlen

The former Royal Air Force Station Rheindahlen, more commonly known as RAF Rheindahlen, was a non-flying Royal Air Force military base, part of the Rheindahlen Military Complex (JHQ Rheindahlen) in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany - part of British Forces Germany. It was named after the nearby town and railway station of Rheindahlen. In the 1950s & -60s, it was more commonly referred to as RAF Mönchengladbach, Rheindahlen being the Army's name for the same JHQ. It was unusual in that the land was publicly accessible, with public transport routes and even German civilian mail service (Rheindahlen 2).

RAF Rheindahlen
JHQ Rheindahlen
The Band of RAF Germany perform at the RAF Police Dog Trials on the RAF sports fields at JHQ in September 1974
RAF Rheindahlen
Location within Germany
Coordinates51.174538°N 6.309348°E / 51.174538; 6.309348
TypeBarracks
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
Operator Royal Air Force
Site history
Built1954
Built forWar Office
In use1954-1993
Garrison information
OccupantsRoyal Air Force Germany

History

Established after the headquarters of RAF Second Tactical Air Force moved from Bad Eilsen when Joint Headquarters Rheindahlen opened in October 1954, it served mainly as the administrative support centre for the headquarters of Second Tactical Air Force until 1 January 1959 when it became the headquarters of Royal Air Force Germany. It was disbanded in 1993 and amalgamated with the other military support units at Rheindahlen.[1]

The Station Headquarters (S.H.Q.) were located on the south side of Queens Avenue in a crescent of 3 buildings (nos 139, 141 & 143) with the RAF Flagstaff on the small lawn in front. Most of the RAF units (Messes, billets, M.T., Stores, Medical & Dental Centre and sports facilities) were located in the same area of Joint Headquarters Rheindahlen though the many elements occupying JHQ were not confined to specific areas.[2]

After the disbandment of RAF Rheindahlen in 1993 the facilities were occupied by the British Army, as HQ United Kingdom Support Command (Germany) until the military left and the whole Rheindahlen Military Complex was handed over to the German federal authorities on 13 December 2013.[3]

See also

References
  1. RAF Rheindahlen, Germany; Workers' Daily Internet Edition; Year 2002 No. 13, 21 January 2002 at
  2. BAOR plan Series GSGS 5116B Edition1
  3. "JHQ eine Fotoausstellung". Stadt Mönchengladbach (in German). Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2014.



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