What happend to RAF Brüggen? 

Just like me who is now in the process of dying , I will take those happy memories to my grave as they have lived so long within my heart, so many things to remember, Roermond , Elempt , Munchingladbach, curry sauce and chips , oh to be young and happy , but it seems everything has a time and place. Sending best wishes to everyone who ever walked before and after me on that happy place called RAF BRUGGEN

I did 3 tours there with my family between 1984 and 2001. A total of 12 years. 31 Sqn, 14 Sqn and Eng Ops. Lived in Elmpt for two tours and in Quarters on base for one tour. Best years of our lives and loved all of the people there particularly the local populations in the area. Thank you for making and sharing this video.

Spent 10 years here best posting ever !!! 1989 -1999

My dad was stationed here from August 1998 to January 2002, we lived in Elmpt for six months before being moved to RAF Wildenrath where I attended Andrew Humphrey Primary school. My teachers were Ms Moscrop, Mr Wright, Mr Gibbs (or Sir) and Miss Butt. I have fond memories from RAF Bruggen, Wildenrath and JHQ and would give anything to relive my time there

My whole childhood I was in this camp and it was amazing. Everyone knew each other and you had nothing to be scared about. I wish I could go back just to visit my old home again and my old school, the bowling alley, the youth club... basically everything. I was so upset when we had to leave and I still think about it to this day and all the happiness it gave so much people around me. I also remember going to the school carnivals and I won in year six. I was so proud of myself because it was the first thing I had ever won. I also remember the golden times and the golden awards. I remember riding my bike on the air fields with my family and always having to catch up with them haha. This place has so much meaning to everyone that was part of this camp and I wish we could see it again. I miss you Elmpt 😭❤️

Lived there Roermond and Elmpt then onto the camp 1963 to 1967, us kids had so much fun and many adventures in and around those forests, we found so many war relics. It`s changed so much, alot of what is now abandoned, was not even there back then.

Thank you for the fantastic video. It's a shame about the large abandoned RAF air base. To have to watch the disintegration of the area today makes me angry and sad at the same time. Even if I wasn't stationed there personally, it must have been a great location for the soldiers and their families. Sometimes I wish that we could turn back the wheel of time to further intensify friendships between the English, the Dutch and us Germans.

Best 3 years of my life spent here. Many of them in HAS 18 and 19. Thank you for taking the time to post. So many memories.

Hi first went to Bruggen as a wet behind ears gunner with 37sqn Raf Regt on deployment in 1974 and again in 1975, wonderful times in Germany.

Thanks for posting this. I was stationed at RAF Bruggen 1980-1983 as an aircraft technician. I'm sure other folks have covered the endless Tachevals during this period, it was arguably the most dangerous time of the cold war. One interesting event occurred whilst I was stationed on 14 squadron Jaguar jets. During a tacheval my secondary role, as a SNCO was looking after the aircraft in my nominated HAS. Myself and another airframe tradesman had just finished a fairly extensive repair to a Jaguar. It had been damaged due to negligent towing out of my HAS when the ground power was attached. My aircraft deployed during the taceval and I later found out that the aircraft we had spent two days repairing had been accidently shot down by a Phantom from Wildenrath. All that work for nothing, still, at least no one died. The pilot managed to bang out ok. Loved my time at Bruggen and Roermond was excellent for shopping.

Thank you for shooting and posting this - saw my old house and the one remaining school out of the three I attended there 🙂 The shops and bars we visited... the places I used to play and ride my bike...

Worked there from 1976 to 2001 as a civilian. Lived in Holland and crossed the border every day. I believe I was the guy who switched the lights off on my way out.

how strange to see after all these years, I was posted to 431 MU 1979/81 had a fantastic time how sad to see it in this state. So many memories. Thanks for posting, Danke

1st posting was here back in 2004, a bit of a shame to see it without cars in the H blocks, Block 52 FTW! Thanks for shooting, good memories were made here.

431 M.U. 1973 -1976, Brings back many happy memories of Elmpt and Roermond. Thank you for posting.

Was there in 1970-72 with my husband. He worked in 431MU. We lived in St Joost, (Holland) then Suchteln and finally Bruggen village. My 2 eldest went to playschool and school there. Good times.

I loved it at Bruggen. My dad was stationed here and was on 31 Squadron, my mum worked at 9 Squadron. We lived off camp in a flat at Alterkirchweg. I worked at the Officers Mess and then at the N.A.A .F.I. I met my husband who worked on 9 Squadron, we had to find a flat ax we didn't have enough points for married quarters. We found one at Niederkruchten. We were at the end of the runway, could've opened our living room window and bedroom window and tornadoes could've flown straight through to land. Can honestly say it was the best and happiest time if my life. Wish you could turn back time, I'd love to be there again. Wonderful friends and memories.

A sad sight. I was an SAC MT driver stationed at nearby RAF Laarbruch from 87 to 90. Visited Bruggen dozens of times. Wildenrath also. Great days of RAFG. Sad its all gone. Last period of the goldern era of the RAF.

Great video. Loved my time at Bruggen. Lived on Dowding road and left for Coningsby at the end of 1999.

1990-93, the best 3 fucking years of my life. I could almost cry when I think what a brilliant, care free life we had in RAF Germany. It felt you were existing in a permanent eutopia and not just in another country and another RAF base. Get rid if this fucking shite sound track pronto!

Thank you for showing us my dad was on 31 sand and we had great times barbeques were great the fire engine used to come and give us rides we used to go to barnes Wallis school we left there in 1993 great place as I remember

Great filming! I was there 65-67 loved living on that camp and in Germany. Lots of happy memories, thanks for posting 👍

I spent a week there in about 1970, when I was in the ATC. That's when they had Lightnings, and hadn't long been equipped with Phantoms. When the RAF still had an airforce. I'd like to see some of the underground facilities.

Thanks, great upload! Was telling a friend today about my visit to RAF Bruggen in 1981 as a space cadet - fun times :)

left there when I was 5 back in 1991, used to live in Dorthausen Flachsbleiche street, Still remember the chippy van driving around ringing his bell, miss those days.

Ran the Bruggen 10 when posted to The Netherlands 86-89. Three happy years. It was my best 3 year yin the RAF.

RAF Bruggen. 7 and 16 Sigs at Javelin Bks (kaserne). Great Vid. The Golf Course and the German trench systems and bunkers were still there in 2009. RIP Charlie Booker. There was twice as much underground as there was on the top of Javelin Bks. Roermond was a fantastic place, loved the purple palace in town.

I used to play golf at the RAF Bruggen course for the years I was based at JHQ Rheindahlen - I wonder what happened to it..? Would love to do a visit of JHQ and Wildenrath and of course play the Bruggen Golf Course just one more time - happy memories..!

I remember in February,1986 taking part in a NATO Tacvale Exercise at RAF Bruggen, when in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. It was so cold, and glade I had a Noddy suit for an extra warmth !. Those were the days when the U.K. had an Air Force, which had a Martime, and SAM capability.

Thanks for posting this wonderful film, spent 4 very happy years at Bruggen, didn’t quite see my house as we lived of base in a flat on Alter Kirchweg, seeing RAF Bruggen again brought back so many wonderful memories, and a few not so good, but that’s a different story. Thanks again, you brought a big smile to my face. 😀👍🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Thanks for posting - the drone footage gives a perspective i never saw on the ground - how huge the base was. I was at 431MU Bruggen as an SAC Mt Mech between January 1980 to December 1981 - great posting/formative years. Endless Tacevals, LOA that paid for a nice car, a bit of Gliding in a Blanik not far from the QRA, all good. Sorry to see its state now that so many of the buildings have been knocked down. Life goes on, it will be re-purposed.

Remember carrying out ADR exercises there in the late 70's, there were Jaguars on base then. Project I enjoyed most was emergency fuel supply, worst part was puncturing the SSM's Landrover tyres on my home made stinger when he was bringing soup to where we were dug in, because we have been bounced by drive through RAF Regt Rovers, least the SSM saw the funny side.

Wonderful documentary, Marcel!

I grew up here as a kid left in 2007

Played rugby against the RAF there for the police back in the day. Fantastic times never drank so much beer 🍺 cheers to all who served

I lived there '89 to '91 and '95 to '99, my father was ASF both times I believe. We lived in Elmpt at Alterkierchweg and then Grunewald Strasse. I remember those days so fondly, we seemed to live a different time and world altogether.

I am a 64 year old lady, as a teenager i spent three years there when my dad was on 19 squadron Lightenings. I used to walk daily to the Malcom club and NAAFI for papers and food. My mum was a bus escort. They were the happiest times of my life with weekly visits to Reormond and the hair dresser’s in Elm. Sad to see the base now.

My dad was stationed there '78-'81 on XXV Squadron, bloodhounds. Though we lived in wickrath my dad would take me to bruggen on his days off, and show me about the place, something that he couldn't do when posted to Neat in norfolk. Such a shame to see what's happened to bruggen and rhein-d

Moderately interesting point. The 1980s RAFG was bigger in every way than the current RAF. Tax free Golf GTI anyone 😿

Spent the first 2 years of my life here. Don't have many memories since my main job was making my parents life miserable.. 1963-1965

In Brüggen habe ich während meiner Elektrikerlehre Ende der 1970er die Kabel in den Barracken saniert. Und bin mehr als einmal durch die Heraklitplatten an der Decke gebrochen weil wir unter'm Dach waren

Played football there many times in the inter services league mid 70’s

Good times, based here 88-92 in the air photographic section (SCIEL). Plenty of detachments to Deci, goose bay and first gulf war, never a dull moment always something going on.

Anyone watching this who remembers ERIC the python mascot of 14 Sqdn around 1998 ish..... he's still alive! now resides in a theme park in Strathclyde, Scotland! Amazing

This is a long shot, but I'm wondering if anyone knows where Wohnwagen-Ecke was (proprietor Peter A. Taylor) as it specialised in renting out caravans to Brits, particularly services families, late 1960s and early 1970s at least. The leaflet says it was 500 yards from RAF Brüggen but doesn't say if that's from the main gate. It also says it was on the route 230 from Mönchengladbach to Roermond, but no map was provided. Just curious, because several childhood holidays touring Europe started and ended there!

Lived in Elmpt from 1990-1999. Went to Cheshire and Windsor school (at JHQ). Looks like a town from The Last of Us today, but it will always look better in my memories.

Trying to find the right words here... Back in the early 90s, i was a young boy out on the fence of runway 27 . Waiting for the Tornado GR 4's to return or leave.. watching, dreaming in the summersun, the GR4's were about to get their grey paint jobs back then.. it kinda feels surreal to watch this video, i was riding with my bike about 60km when i was 14 - 16 years old to get to this place. I remember that i had to leave cause it was about to go dark outside and i know i had a long way back to my aunts place (RIP), when i crossed the first fields close to the base, four tornados came back straight from the direction where the sun touched the horizont, the whole sky was painted in orange colors. I instantly jumped of my bike while the ground was shaking because of the powerfull engines of the Tornados, they did some touch n go's like always..i just starred into the endless sky with the Gr4's thundering above my head, only memories remain. Still got some old analog photos i took back then.. it all feels surreal right now. Time pass by... Thank you

Good music.

Hey, great Video ^^ wich Drohne you used?

Enjoyed my time at RAF Bruggen in 2000, I actually landed there on a trooper. Didn't enjoy it so much when it was gutted and became javelin barracks though.

Colyn Alderman Was at Bruggen 1962 - 1964 80 Squadron Canberra PR7`s So vibrant then so much activity with NATO and on going competitions, 1964 when the squadron bell disappeared after an exchange visit with a USAF squadron to Bruggen. Presentation by Princess Margaret of the Squadron colours in June 1964

Wow, what a difference to being there in the cold war period 84-86. The place was buzzing. 14 sdn jaguars were still there and 31 sdn tornado gr1. Me, Tornado Nose Radar techy in the bay. Those exercises though......

Fantastic video, I served here 1984 to 1987 on 431mu cat 3 aircraft repairs. If I was to come over do you know if I could get access on to the base. Apologies if this has already been asked 👍

Was a regular away fixture for Brussels British RFC in the 70s

Was living in RAF camp in bruggan ibin

went to school at barnes wallis then leonard cheshire lived in bracht but dad was in army dont think he served in bruggen we lived in op de haag

Btw, what's the tune that starts 9:18? nice sunday vibe :)

Tour of duty 431MU 72 to 75 live out in Holland Town of Roemond beautifull days visited same a few times

Prachtige Beelden. Wilde graag op termijn een wandeling maken langs deze plek. Is er een gedeelte toegankelijk of is het streng bewaakt?

Are all the RAF houses being used, lived in by others or empty? Thanks.

Good to see the hangar where the Garrison Labour Support Unit used to hide all the stuff they stole

The British Army will never recover from leaving Germany it was the start of their demise as a fighting force!

What was there purpose of the massive bunker/fortified building at 00:02:57 ? There is a similar building on former RAF laarbruch. I always wondered what this was used for.

Thank you for this video, brings back some very happy memories of my second tour of Germany. I was on 9 squadron from 1988 - 1992, although it was also tinged with sadness as a few people were murdered by the IRA while I was there, but we managed to have a good time, my sons went to the schools on camp too. I lived in Roermond and Elmpt, I dont remember the dual carriage way though, I remember a Schnelle outside the camp gates and I used to be able to cycle to work.

I asked the owner, if it'd be possible to visit this place.. It's not - very disappointing! 🙄

Is it possible to visit this place, as it's even not visible on Google Maps...?!

Was there in 2005-08 7th sigs 231 Sqn. so many memories the very last minute was where I worked, all the aging sheds have been torn down with only their concrete bases remaining. 😢 does anyone know if you can still get on the site?

Is the US Army Communications tower gone? Was stationed there in 1972-1974

The Runways look in good condition

god man that damned music

Loved that place. My best posting.

Is het mogelijk om het terrein op te rijden via de hoofdingang op de Nollesweg ?

It looks to be still in pretty maintained condition albeit without aircraft(s). Possibly to be use during escalation of emergencies?

Is it just open to anyone now? I worked at the QRA and SSA and have always wanted to visit to wander around. I remember during Lionheart the Paras tried to attack the QRA and after we played the warning tannoy about us having live ammo and being prepared to open fire, they ran away. They did CS us though.

Home

can you just go there now? or who manages that now. I would like to walk around, always been very impressive to pass by. and as a little boy looking from the woods to the runway.

Kann man das frei betreten?

I wonder if the Pukka Pie vending machine is still there...😁😁

Mir doof das das nicht in Brüggen ist sondern in Elmpt

M wife drove the Mally wagon around Bruggen from 1989-93 if you ate a curry pasty she sold it to you

Is 1:23 Cheshire middle school?

my dad was R.A.O.C SO WOULD HE OF WORKED AT RAF BRUGGEN

It's a pity drones are not used for filming airshows.

nog maar 997