A nice example of a
British Army of the Rhine
Military Driving Manual
and
Berlin Occupation Formation Badge
1945 to 1955
On August 25th 1945 just three months after the
surrender of The Third Reich,
The British Army of the Rhine (BAOR)
was established as an immediate post-war Admin HQ
in support of the British Zone of Occupation
of Northern Germany, which covered
Schelswig-Holstein, Hamburg,
Lower Saxony & North-Rhine Westphalia.
In addition to occupying Northern Germany
Britain was also one of the 4 victorious Allied powers that along
with France, America & Russia, carved the German Capital Berlin,
(by now deep in to Soviet territory),
into 4 zones of Allied Occupation, the British Zone of Berlin including:
Wilmersdorf, Charlottenburg, Tiergarten & Spandau
Under the BAOR umbrella, the British also established in 1945
The Control Commission Germany
which was tasked with operating
Government, Policing, Housing & Transport
which operated right up until the new
West German Government was formed in 1949.
under its leader Konrad Adenauer.
However BAOR continued to operate until the end of
The Cold War
in 1993, when it was reduced in size and the following year it became
British Forces Germany.
Printed in Germany by BAOR in 1955, the
'Manual For Drivers In Germany'
was a soft-covered 62 page booklet printed by
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps
(and measurng approx 7" x 5")
that was issued to all British military personal serving in
Germany part of the Occupation Forces.
Whilst the
2nd Pattern Berlin Garrison Formation Badge
in black & red cotton was worn as a battle-blouse shoulder insignia
by all British Occupation personnel serving in Berlin
up until 1949.
Two very nice surviving items from British BAOR troops
serving in Germany between 1945 and 1955.
(Colour Image courtesy of The Tomahawk Films WW-II Archive)
Thanks for looking..!