Hi Ian,

Dave Ellis and I have now done our Laarbruch trip. We flew out from Stanstead at 07.15 23 Sept 09, arrived at Flugplatz, Düsseldorf Weeze (ex RAF Laarbruch) at 08.15, clocks forward to 09.15 and away we go.

We firstly walked from the terminal past 26 Sqn rock yard, down past MTSS, past 1 Sqn Rock yard to MT. MTSS looks like its being used as storage depot of some sort, no entry. 1 Sqn now a film stunt studio? MT trade training closed, totally overgrown. MT now being used as crash test site, (that's what we used it for), carried on past WRAF block, out of bounds (thats a first), Airman's mess now a civvy canteen. The rest of the camp, ie Mally, Gym, Families Club, Snoopy's, all the centre is now a civvy fire training area. We did walk in but decided to leave when we saw the fire engine rush up to an old train beside us.

We then went down Singly Straza. Some of the blocks and the Bowl are painted cream, most of the blocks are out of bounds with foreign workers living in them. Back out on the ring road, Sgt's Mess is now a restaurant, looks like it's for the fire training officers, Officers Mess trashed, big shame, back straight, civvy canteen, boarded up.

Back to Guardroom and Cop shop, both abandoned. Into camp by Guardroom, Astra abandoned, weird, looked through the broken glass and there was popcorn everywhere. Sparkasse Bank now used for, what looks like a creche or something. Church now a Museum. SHQ being used, didn't look what for, Post Office abandoned.

Turned round and walked back past Guardroom, and out of Camp. Mass First School had lots of cars outside, something going on, all Quarters abandoned, families NAAFI boarded up, new gate? looked good. Walked to Weeze, I must admit in my 31/2 years there I never did this walk, its a shame as it was a great walk. Wow has Weeze changed, we didn't recognise it at all. Little City gone, Tower Block gone, the town now has a bypass, struggled to find the Alt Weeze but found it in the end, that was a place I never had any problem finding when we were there. Walked around the town, very sad, no car dealers, no La Mamas, very quiet place. Kev's Bar is there. Kev is an ex RAF Copper, he has had a bar there since 1979, he looks exactly the same. He does B&B and has a camp site, look him up if you fancy a weekend out there (www.Kevins-Pub.de).

Well we had the best Jäger Schnitzel I've ever had, bus back to camp, the museum was now open. We looked around and found every copy of the Laarbruch Listener, looking through 81/84 we found the write up about the MT parachute course that we did. It had a list of all the names on the photo that I forgot. It felt really great to find a reference to yourself in a Museum. Does that mean I'm an old relic. We met several old RAF chaps also visiting, and 3 of the people who run it are also English and live out there, including Kev.

Another walk round the camp and back to the Terminal, there's a viewing area on the roof, we went and had a look round up there, its really strange to see the rest of the Camp, i.e. the Q, Bomb Dump, 15, 16 and 2 Squadron HAZ's and the perimeter fences on these areas are all still the same.

Back on the plane at 20.15, clocks back to 19.15, back to Stanstead and home by 22.30

Good old Ryanair, all for a 'Tenner' return including taxes, Brilliant day out, Dave loved it, he took pictures of his old flat in Weeze where he lived and decided to go back with M his wife for a weekend.

If anyone is interested in going with us next year drop me an email or call me 07775 832545, we may think about spending the night out there at Kev's place if there is enough interest.

Good old Laarparts, Great camp, Great people, Great times.

John Claxton
Dave Ellis