Horrocks Barracks was a military installation in Schloss Neuhaus, Germany.Horrocks Barracks, in: Programme for "Beating the Retreat For 211 MCAG RE at Schloß Neuhaus On Monday March 4, 1996".

Description

Horrocks Barracks was located in the grounds of Schloss Neuhaus, about four kilometres from the Paderborn city centre, and covered approximately 30 acres (12 hectares) of land. The barracks was bordered by the rivers Pader, Lippe and Alme ("Castle Island") and the Residenzstrasse.Horrocks Barracks, BAOR Locations. Retrieved 9 December 2022.

History

1257 – 1802: Beginnings and Palace of the Prince Bishops of Paderborn

Construction of the castle began in 1257 under bishop Simon I. zur Lippe (1247–1277). Around 1370 and after numerous attacks bishop Heinrich von Spiegel (1361–1380) built the still existing part of the castle ("Haus Spiegel") and made it the constant palace of the prince bishops of Paderborn."Schloss Neuhaus" in "Paderborn von A - Z", page 302, 2006, ."Studien und Quellen zur Geschichte von Stadt und Schloss Neuhaus - Band 1", 117 pages, Heimatverein Schloß Neuhaus 1909 e.V., 1994. Extensions are: "Haus Braunschweig" (1524–1526) "Haus Köln" (1534) which connected the first two buildings. "Haus Kerssenbrock" (1548–1560) "Haus Fürstenberg" and the four towers (1590–1597)

In 1736 the garden next to the castle was completed. It is now part of the Garden Heritage Network - EGHN.European Garden Heritage Network - EGHN: Schloss- and Auenpark Neuhaus, Retrieved 14 December 2022.

Additional historic buildings around the castle from that period are: "Marstall" (Stables, 1729–1732/1733, block 19A - 19E) "Schlosswache" (Guard House, 1733, block 1)

1802 – 1945: French and Prussian Use (Schloss-Kaserne)

The Kingdom of Prussia officially annexed the whole site 3 August 1802. In 1804 the Prince Bishop finally left the castle and moved to Hildesheim.

Before being used as a military installation the different buildings served as a cloth factory with 120 to 130 employees (1806-1819, Zurhelle & Delhas, from Lippstadt),"Neuhaus - Geschichte von Schloß und Ort, herausgegeben anläßlich der 900-Jahrfeier" by Dr. Franz-Friedr. Wurm, 1936, pages 71 and 72. a Royal Prussian Field Hospital (1805) and a prison (1810-1814, during the French period).

The "Schloss-Kaserne" was then home to 4th (Westphalian) Cuirassiers "von Driesen" (6 October 1820 – 17 August 1833)"Militärgeschichte des Paderborner Landes", page 40, 2009, . 6th (Thuringian) Uhlans (September 1833–17 March 1848, and 28 October 1848 – 16 May 1849)as above, page 41 20th Landwehr-Regiment Berlin (1849-1849) Depot of 3rd (Brandenburg) Hussars “von Zieten” (13 October 1840–1851) 2nd Westphalian Hussar Regiment, No. 11 (22 December 1850-1851) 8th (1st Westphalian) Hussars "Emperor Nicholas II of Russia" (24 February 1851–1919)as above, page 47 Reiter-Regiment Nr. 15 (1921–1945)as above, page 77

The following buildings date back to the Prussian use of the site:"Die 8. Husaren und ihre Garnison in Neuhaus und Paderborn", pages 66–69, 2001, .Site Plan dated July 1913 in : "Paderborn in historischen Fotografien 14; Links, zwo, drei vier! - Paderborn als Garnisonsstadt 1813 - 19 45, pages 12–13, 2020. "Kleine Reithalle" (1824, block 18, now the "Städtische Gallerie in der Reithalle") "Lange Stall" (1824, block 6, Garrison Stables during British use, demolished 1986)"Schloßstreit mit Mißtönen", in: Westfälisches Volksblatt no. 180, dated 7 August 1985 "Kompaniegebäude" (1876–1878, block 9, HQ 12 PLSU RPC, demolished 1992)"Für Stadtteil Schloß Neuhaus historischer Tag", in: Westfälisches Volksblatt, dated 21 July 1992 "Reithalle mit Stallungen" (1876–1878, blocks 10 - 12, NAAFI Shop, now the "Schlosshalle") "Waschhaus"/"Alte Kommandantur" (1883/1884, block 3, HQ 211 MCAG RE, now the offices of the Schloss- and Auenpark) "Block 20" (1935/1936, 420 MCLG RPC, now part of GSN Gymnasium Schloss Neuhaus) various buildings used as quarters, stables, stores and garages (NAAFI Bulk Issue Store, blocks 23 - 27 and 29 (except for block 27 it was decided in 1985 to have them demolished in 1986)"Schloßstreit mit Mißtönen", in: Westfälisches Volksblatt no. 180, dated 7 August 1985

1945 – 1992: British Use (Horrocks Barracks)

The site was captured by troops of the U.S. 9th Army 3 April 1945, at 18.00, during the Battle of the Ruhr Pocket.Chronik der Stadt Paderborn, Band III (1940-1945), pages 527, 533.in: Daily News, London, 4 April 1945.in: Dundee Evening Telegraph, Angus, 6 April 1945. The Battle of the Ruhr Pocket involved the British Second Army, part of the 21st Army Group. These two formations took over command at Neuhaus 5 May 1945, and became British Army of the Rhine 25 August 1945."The British Army in Germany (BAOR and after): An Organizational History 1947-2004", page 3, Graham E. Watson and Richard A. Rinaldi, 2005, . "The British Army of the Rhine", page 17, Peter Speiser for the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, 2016, .

For use by the British Army, the barracks was named after Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks. The allocated British Forces Post Office number was 16. Over the years it was home to several units. Among them are: 368 Works Gp RE (Royal Engineers) 1st Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment, 1946-1947"1st Norfolks now at Paderborn", in: Lynn News & Advertiser, dated 23 August 1946"1st Norfolks are a crack unit of the Rhine Army", in: Lynn News & Advertiser, No. 10,356 dated 20 December 1946"Norfolk cadets at Neuhaus schloss", in: Lynn News & Advertiser, dated 27 December 1946"The Royal Norfolk Regiment" by Tim Carew, page 140, Hamish Hamilton, London, 1967. 211 MCAG RE (Royal Engineers, June 1947–1992)"Correspondence - Jubilee Review Sennelager July 1977" by Major D P Aston, OC 211 MCAG RE BAOR, The Royal Engineers Journal, Volume 93, No. 3, page 189, September 1979, ."Construction Engineering in BAOR" by Major N Munro, The Royal Engineers Journal, Volume 102, No. 2, pages 106 - 109, August 1988, ."1988 Corps Annual General Meeting" address by the Engineer-in-Chief, The Royal Engineers Journal, Volume 103, No. 1, page 4, April 1989, ."The History of the Corps of Royal Engineers, Volume XII, 1980 - 2000", page 735, The Institution of Royal Engineers, Brompton Barracks, Chatham, Kent, 2011, ."Long Serving Regiment Beats Retreat in Schloss", Senne-Times, Vol. 23, No. 3, April 1996, edited and produced by the staff of 41 Army Education Centre on behalf of the Commander Paderborn Garrison. 420 MCLG RPC (Royal Pioneer Corps) 2 PCLU RPC B DETACHMENT (Royal Pioneer Corps), 1959-1983, redesignated in 1983 as: 12 PLSU RPC with CWG Wing (Royal Pioneer Corps), 1983-1992 NAAFI Shop and NAAFI Bulk Issue Store Garrison Stables (the Equestrian Centre then moved to Athlone Barracks) used by various units of Paderborn Garrison. Among them: 17th/21st Lancers (1962-1968)

1957 marked the 700th anniversary of the castle and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II gifted the community a pair of Thames swans,"German Town's Royal Swans", in: Belfast Telegraph, dated 21 June 1957 handed over by Major J L Jordan, OC 211 MCAG RE BAOR, in June 1957."Großer Bahnhof für königliche Schwäne", in: Westfälisches Volksblatt No. 140, dated 21 June 1957

In 1959 the British Forces handed back the Schloss itself to the Federal Republic of Germany. It was then purchased by the City of Paderborn 25 June 1964."Studien und Quellen zur Geschichte von Stadt und Schloss Neuhaus - Band 2", 279 pages, Heimatverein Schloß Neuhaus 1909 e.V., 2009, . and it was officially handed over to the community 19 July 1964.

The NAAFI shop at Schloss Neuhaus was in the spotlight 28 November 1981, when a 2-year-old child, Katrice Lee, went missing during a shopping expedition with her family.House of Commons, debate dated 8 November 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2023.

The NAAFI shop building as well as the NAAFI Bulk Issue Store buildings were handed back to the German authorities in November 1985."NAAFI wieder in Neuhäuser Hand!", in: Westfälisches Volksblatt No. 260, dated 9 November 1985 Before, the NAAFI shop moved to its present location at Sennelager and was officially opened 16 April 1985 by Brigadier Eric M Westropp, Commander 33 Armoured Brigade."Ein neues Zuhause", in: Westfälisches Volksblatt no. 89, dated 17 April 1985

Horrocks Barracks closed, after 47 years, 20 July 1992, when Brigadier Arthur G Denaro, Commander 33 Armoured Brigade, handed over the keys to the Mayor of Paderborn."Für Stadtteil Schloß Neuhaus historischer Tag", in: Westfälisches Volksblatt no. 167, dated 21 July 1992"Konversionsbericht Band IV - Zehn Jahre Truppenabzug und Konversion in Nordrhein-Westfalen" by the Ministerium für Wirtschaft und Mittelstand, Energie und Verkehr des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen, page 105, Düsseldorf, November 2000.

1992 – present: Landesgartenschau 1994

The whole Schloss-area was handed back to the German authorities in 1992 to create what was the "Landesgartenschau 1994". 211 MCAG RE undertook the construction of six twin city partnership gardens as a Military Aid to the Civil Community (MACC) task.Historical Notes, in: Programme for "Beating the Retreat For 211 MCAG RE at Schloß Neuhaus On Monday March 4, 1996". The former NAAFI-shop-building was first known as the "Bürgerhaus" and nowadays as the "Schlosshalle".

References