army manoeuvres agility 1 & 2 w.germany 1949

[afranc]

Does any one remember the full scale army exercises of 1949 which took
place in Westphalia around Sennelager,Soltau,etc.?
I have not been able to find any mention of them in media reports and
considering the large scale of these exercises this seems surprising.
I remember driving a carrier into a massive tank trap in the dark whilst carrying Cocoa in tureens. About 3 of us were scalded as the containers burst open.A Lt.Pearsall and a private Hough are the only ones I remember. There were numerous photographers there at first light and I recall seeing plenty of them throughout the exercises. Was there some secrecy about this operation perhaps ?

[scully]

Hi,

In 1949-50 Lieut. A. G. Pearsall was with 'B' Company of the 1st Battalion. After leaving Berlin the battalion arrived at Gottingen in June 1949 as part of B.A.O.R. 30. Lieut.-Colonel A. H. Gillmore had toaken command of the Battalion in March 1949.

I assume that you were with 'B' Company as you mentioned Lieut. Pearsall. Other members of 'B' Company at the time where:
Capt. J. D. Reynolds, M.C.
Lieut. J. C. Whorton
2nd Lieut. C. E. Potts
2nd Lieut. D. May
2nd Lieut. E. A. J. Parry
CSM Rhodes, M.M.
Sgt. Wilson
Sgt. Marshall
Sgt. Partridge
Sgt. Hall
Sgt. Wilson
Cpl. Smith
Cpl. Bedford
Cpl. Kane
Cpl. Cawley
Cpl. Owen
Cpl. Tyler
Cpl. Douglas
LCpl. Cooper
LCpl. Seager
LCpl. Ramsdale
LCpl. Beardsmore
LCpl. Whittall
LCpl. Gordon
LCpl. Highton
Privates; Atkinson, Rowley,Lacey, Opie, Gill, Cooper, Keeling, Richards, Hart, Halton, Peart, Styles, Tolley, Whorton, Yardley, Bergin, Burks, Millard, Stredder, Ward, Hughes (this is not a complete list of names).

On the 26th August 1949 the Battalion found itself leaving Sennelager on cobbled roads heading for Soltau. Then followed 10 days traing with the Brigade. On a foggy September morning (1949) they took part in "Agility One" and "Agility Two" which consisted of two 7 day exercises in which the greater majority of troops in B.A.O.R. took part, including members of the Belgian, French, Norwegian and American Forces and also the Royal Air Force.

Hope this helps a little.

Regards,

Louis (webmaster)