In 1955 Michael Wingate was CO of 59 Reg which became a field Regiment converting to Medium but trained on 25 Pounders at Redesdale Northumberland.
We moved as a whole regiment to Luneburg in Jan 1956 going by train from Carlisle to Harwich and by ferry to the Hook of Holland then by train to Luneburg to a cold German winter. The barracks were brilliant and warm.
We had to scramble and set up in gun positions in an hour . Somtimes had to stay out the night especially if Wingate was in a bad mood (he was cousin of Ord Wingate the Burma madman and Michael liked emulate Ord with the madness bit and make us stay out in the cold after the scramble to gun positions. Often people had no kit and bllankets. Happy days.
Luneburg was wonderful and in 1956 it celebrated its !000 years aniversary. Even brewed a special "jubiloumsbeer". If you got enough your face froze. I fell madly in love with Fraulein Bambi Timm. When I left the regiment she married Lt. Michael Nanson of the R.E (she had gone down market).
Happy days.
