User:RALPH ROWLEY

I was first in Lubbecke in December 1956.I was posted there as a soldier serving B.A.O.R My role was as a Pay Clerk in the R.A.P.C. It had recently snowed and my first vision of Lubbecke,lit up with coloured lights,was of "Fairyland" I fell in love at first sight and 52 years later,there is love still in my heart. I joined circ 200 other British soldiers and we spent our days working at the old "Tax House" Many Germans worked alongside us and as a result,many friendships developed. We soldiers lived in lovely old 3 storey houses in Bahnhofstrasse.We ate at the Hotel Holland at the top of Bahnhofstrasse and our NAAFI was at the bottom of the street. Most soldiers drank the local Barre Brau at the many pubs in Lubbecke.Very rarely was there any misbehaviour and I thought that we were popular uninvited guests.We all looked forward to the beer fountain ceremony and many of us got rather silly taking advantage of the festival. Local Schutzenfests were also well patronised and local sports activities were joined in. My saddest memory was our marching through town on the Saturday in August 1957 when we left for Rheindahlen.Many locals attended our farewell and quite a few tears were shed. I feel we were good ambassadors for the U.K and wish this to go on record as a significant part of Lubbecke's recent History