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Control Commission, Germany, October 1945-1946. Mary Holmes' Memories
After the defeat of Germany in 1945, a Control Commission was set up to support the Military Government, which was in place at that time. This Military government was gradually phased out and the Control Commission took over the role of " Local Government. It was responsible for Public Safety and Health, Transport, Intelligence (which included rooting out Nazis), housing etc. The advanced HeadQuarters was in Berlin. Recruits had to be 21 and were recruited from, civil servants and foreign office and demobbed force's personnel. The Control Commission gradually replaced the Military Government, becoming in fact the "Local Government".
Mary Holmes joined the commission just after her 21st birthday; she was posted to a division, which was at Bunde, near Bielefeld in Westphalia.
Working in the office was much the same as being at home. Life in general was certainly very different. The staff lived in an army type mess with army cooks! It was thought that some of the food meant for the staff ended up on the very active black market.
Uniform was worn (which was neither shape nor make) and army type rules had to be obeyed. There was a curfew at 9.00p.m. No fraternisation with local people was allowed. Germans had to step off the pavement to allow the British to pass by.
One compensation, was the social life, friends were made with work colleagues or ATS, many of whom, when demobbed returned to serve with the Control Commission.
Weekend passes were available to Paris and Brussels. On visiting Brussels for the first time Mary was amazed at the variety of goods in the shops compared with the shortages in Britain.
There were many parties, mainly organised by males competing with different and wilder ideas to attract the very few females available. To reach the American zone (where the best parties were) you had to travel through the Russian control points where security was very strict. The curfew had to be carefully adhered to or you would be stuck there all night and not get to work on time the next day!
Sadly Mary's mother became ill and she returned home to take care of her parents and siblings.
Mary came across many characters during her time there. One girl bought a Dachshund and decided to take it home when she went on leave. She drugged the dog with aspirin and took it on board ship in a zipped up shopping bag!
Another girl took tea and sugar and coffee from the mess (everyone wondered why there never was enough to go round) then took it home to sell. She then bought aquamarine gemstones to mount on silver obtained by melting silver spoons, which she had brought from England, returning to England on her next leave with jewellery to sell!
Comments
goint through my late fathers papers I have come across a letter written by Major General D. Stuart authorising travel through the zones in berlin onto Vienna from the Indian Military Mission Advance HQ in Berlin to Alied Control Centre in Vienna. My father, Mr. AA Gwynne was a driver and also going along was Major D. Stuart, Colonel S.M. Shrinagesh, Drive Pt. J. Gaston,Inniskilling Fusilliers. My father was in the R.A.S.C. Do you need if this would be of interest historically. I have various other similar documents.
Posted by: mrs sylvia manns at February 25, 2007 11:28 AM
Hi just a few words, I think your site is great as a dunston lad, it has reminded me of my time at Taylors,and at clayton&davies I still live in gateshead. My cousin's daughter said that I know about Victoria Hopper, in fact I know very little my phone no. is 4403342 do you have any info on an explosion at dunston old power station in or around 1944/1950ish??? I believe 2 men were killed.
Frank
Posted by: Frank Wilson at March 11, 2007 10:25 AM
Thanks for your comment, Frank. We don't know anything about the Dunston Power Station explosion but will try to find out.
Posted by: Whickham Web Wanderers at March 18, 2007 8:17 PM
This is not so much a comment as a question for those who may remember.
My father was an Intelligence officer in the CCG in Berlin (and other towns). I am writing a book, which is part memoir/part novel, about those times. My question is, when were familes first allowed to go to live in Germany from the UK?
I would also be very grateful for any other stories about the NAAFI, the life, the blackmarket and anything else anyone can tell me about the time.
Posted by: Julia Underwood at February 8, 2008 6:29 PM
My father was on the staff of the CCG in Berlin. We joined him as a family from England in Nov.1946. My understanding at that time was that we could have gone earlier, but my father was not prepared to have us with him until there were some schools for the children of British staff. Several of my peers at school had been in Berlin for some ,months before I arrived. I hope that this information is of help to you.
Posted by: Jean Smith at March 20, 2008 6:08 PM
I have photographs of my father the late
Captain John Terry CBE MVO RN., in one of his albums/scrapbook under the heading
CONTROL COMMISSION FOR GERMANY (BRITISH ELEMENT).
I have no knowledge at present what he was doing there at that time (1947). It could be merely a visit by the Imperial Defence College to HQ BAOR.
If anyone knows anything different or remembers my father, I would be very interested, as I am gradually trying to piece together his extensive Naval career.
Regards
Posted by: Charles E Terry at March 27, 2008 6:52 PM