HISTORY OF EMBLEM STATION
“Antwerp is the pistol on the chest of England”
Napoleon Bonaparte
There has been a British Army presence in Belgium in one form or another since Elizabethan days. Indeed Antwerp has been liberated at least three times by British Troops, once by the Duke of Marlborough around 1700, the Duke of Wellington following Waterloo and finally the Allies in September 1944. The RAOC even claim a presence in Belgium dating back to 1844. It can even be argued that the British Army has always used the port of Antwerp to maintain its troops on the continent. This was again borne out following the D-Day landings in Normandy and the British push North to take Antwerp from the Germans. On 4 Sep 44 the 11th British Armoured Division liberated Antwerp and by then it had advanced over 300 miles in 39 days. 11 Armd Div was now at the end of a logistic trail, which stretched back 350 miles to the Normandy beachhead. When OP MARKET GARDEN ended in failure, it became evident that until Antwerp Port was opened, “logistic drag” would prevent any further large scale operations by Montgomery’s 21st Army Group.
Following the capitulation of Nazi Germany in 1945 the resultant “peace dividend” was relatively short-lived. In the early 1950s the Cold War had resulted in the re-location of major British Military facilities to the West of the river Rhine. In 1950 it was also decided to pre-position military stores and vehicles in Belgium, essential for the reinforcement of the 1st British Corps. This led to the negotiations between the Belgian and British Governments, leading to the basic agreement concerning the installation of a British Base in Belgium. On 3 Jan 51 a conference was held in Brussels. At this conference it was agreed to situate the British Base in the LIER/HERENTALS area to the East of Antwerp, known as The Campine, with good access to road and rail networks. This area also suffered of high unemployment and the prospects of recruiting approx 3,500 labourers in peace time increasing to approx 5,000 in times of tension/war time, was welcomed by the Belgian government and local population. The BE MOD appointed 2nd Direction des Batiments Militaires (DBM) in Antwerp to execute the entire project. The Project Officer was Col J ROOVERS BE Army Engineers.
On 2 Mar 51 building on the 23 acquisitioned sites for the housing of the depots and camps started, giving priority to the POL, Ammunition, Ordnance and Engineer depots. The first funding of £ 200,000 was agreed by the then War Office on 30 Mar 51. On 7 Apr 51 the British Services were constituted in an organization called “Claims & Hirings – NW Europe” which later became “Claims & Hirings Belgium and Holland” and based in Antwerp in the 2 DBM buildings. The first British troops arrived and were located in temporally accommodation in Berlaar and Eeklo. The first 70 Locally Employed Civilians were recruited at the Fort of Kessel on 15 Apr 51. The project was given the name “Operation GONDOLA” and was completed in 1953. A total of 86 km of fencing and 96 km of road were constructed.
The Detailed Agreement on the Establishment of a British Military Base in Belgium was signed at Brussels on 12 Nov 52. The agreement lists the construction of the following storage sites:
3 Base Ordnance Depots (BOD) (Broechem, Lier, Ranst & Vremde)
3 Base Ammunition Depots (BAD) (Lichtaart, Tielen & Kasterlee)
3 Vehicle Reserve Depots (VRD) (Noorderwijk, Olen & Tongerlo)
Petrol Reserve Depot (PRD) (Grobbendonk)
Engineer Stores Depot (ESD) (Geel)
Base Supply Depot (BSD) (Herentals)
Local Supply Depot (LSD) (Herentals)
Reserve Stores Depot (RSD) (Berlaar)
Survey and Medical Depot (Olen)
3 Workshops (Emblem, Olen & Noorderwijk)
It further lists the construction of four camps for the billeting of troops and office accommodation for the Staffs for the management of the above depots. Each camp was complete with Officers and Sgts messes, JRC, chapel and fire station. These camps are as follows:
Camp A in Emblem (15 ABOD)
Camp B in Grobbendonk (HQ Advanced Base & 3 PRD)
Camp C in Olen (16 BVD)
Camp D in Tielen (5 BAD)
This agreement also included the building of 150 SFAs to house the married and accompanied military. 50 in Lier and 100 in Herentals, which were completed in 1955. The agreement further lists the overall bill for the entire project, namely £9,300,000.
In Jan 1952 the British Military Base in Belgium became officially known as the Advanced Base British Forces and its first commander Col JKM GORDON. The HQ Advanced Base Staff was located in Camp B in Grobbendonk This was also the location of the Medical Reception Centre (MRS), Dental Centre, Cash Office and D Det 905 Field Security Section, the local Int Corps unit.
Its main peacetime role was to store and maintain the vehicles and Pre-positioned Unit Equipments (PUEs) for mobilisation use. Its war role was to receive the UK based units earmarked to reinforce 1 BR Corps in Germany, arriving by sea, rail and road. The units were then issued their vehicles, PUEs incl G1098, ammunition, food and reserve fuel. The units were then staged at the Grobbendonk Training Area, a large area of woodlands complete with railhead and metalled roads situated along the Albert Canal between Grobbendonk and Herentals. Once called forward the units then moved to the GE/NL border in convoys along the two Main Supply Routes (MSR), one via Turnhout and Eindhoven to Venlo and the other route via Leopoldsburg, Peer, Bree and Kessenich to Venlo. The Advanced Base formation badge was taken from HQ 21 Army Group (single gold sword on a red cross and blue background). The strength of the Advanced Base were 400 military and approx 3,500 Locally Employed Civilians (LEC). Its postal address was and still remains BFPO 21.
The main RASC units which made up the Advanced Base British Forces were as follows:
15 Advanced Base Ordnance Depot (ABOD) with sub-units in Broechem, Lier, Ranst and Vremde.
5 Base Ammunition Depot (BAD) in Tielen, Lichtaart and Kasterlee.
16 Base Vehicle Depot (BVD) situated in Olen, Noorderwijk and Tongerlo.
3 Petroleum Reserve Depot (PRD) in Grobbendonk.
302 Engineers Supply Depot (ESD) in Geel, situated on the Retie Road at Camp Kievermont.
40 Supply Platoon located at Wolfstee Camp Herentals.
5 Supply Reserve Depot located at Berlaar.
60 Station Workshop REME in Olen.
In Mar 1970 a major re-organisation of the Advanced Base took place. The ESD Geel, the 3 BADs in Lichtaart, Tielen en Kasterlee, the Survey & Medical Depot in Olen, the RSD depot in Lier, Camp B in Grobbendonk and Camp D in Tielen were all closed down. The BOD and VRD amalgamated into a single unit Ordnance Depot Antwerp (ODA). The Advanced Base British Forces was re-named British Forces Antwerp (BFA) and came under command of HQ Rhine Area in Düsseldorf. Its first commander was Col CA des N HARPER CBE. HQ BFA took the formation badge from the Advanced Base, but added the “hand of Antwerp” in the top left hand corner. Both HQ BFA and HQ ODA moved to Camp A in Emblem. Its total strength was reduced to 260 military and approx 2,000 LEC. Camp C in Olen became a transit camp for use by reservist units training in peacetime. The peacetime and wartime roles of the Advanced Base remained the same for HQ BFA, albeit more use was to be made of the Channel Ports, Vlissingen and Terneuzen, as Antwerp was considered to be a prime nuclear target. HQ RCT, formed in 1965, and located in the Kloosterstraat in Antwerp also moved to Emblem in 1975.
In 1975 the following units were part of British Forces Antwerp:
HQ RCT incl 602 Tpt Unit (A,B & C Tp)
Emblem Det 16 Sig Regt incl 601 Sig Tp
40 Area Cash Office RAPC
Emblem Det RMP
Emblem Det 99 PCS RE (BFPO 21)
MRS Emblem RAMC
Emblem Dental Centre RADC
Emblem Det SIB/RMP
41 Sy Sect INT CORPS
ASU/ASA Low Countries RAOC
Labour Advisor and Legal Employer (LALE)
Civilian Employees Pay Office (CEPO)
Property Services Agency (PSA) Low Countries.
Defence Land Agent (DLA) Low Countries
NAAFI Herentals & JRC in Emblem
Emblem School BFES
In 1980 the title British Forces Antwerp changed to the British Communication Zone. (BR COMM Z). The HQ Staff was upgraded to a one-star command and directly subordinate to HQ BAOR. Its new formation badge was based on the 21 Army Group/HQ BAOR badge of two gold crossed swords on a blue cross on a red background flanked by the Belgian and Netherlands flags. There were minor troop and LEC reductions and no major changes in role. Its HQ however was subject to more intense war role exercises, especially during EX CRUSADER (1980), EX SPEARPOINT (1982) and EX LIONHEART (1984).
In Oct 1987 a great honour fell upon the BR COMM Z when Ordnance Depot Antwerp was granted the Freedom of Herentals. This honour was granted both in recognition of the British troops, which liberated Herentals on 23 Sep 1944 and the 35 years of continued good relations between Herentals and its British military community. This was the first such honour by a Belgian town to a British Army unit in Belgium. The Belgian MOD had to grant special permission for ODA to march “swords drawn, bayonets fixed, bands playing and colours flying” as the Belgian Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) does not allow foreign allied forces to carry weapons outside the military property in Belgium. On 2 Oct 1987 the Freedom Parade took place. A sword was presented to the town of Herentals and ODA received a Scroll granting the Freedom.
On the sport and social scene the British military presence in Antwerp Province have made their mark since 1953. Highlight of the year was the Queens Birthday Parade and Reception, first in Grobbendonk and later in Emblem Camp, with usually HM British Ambassador to Belgium taking the salute. The annual Liberation of Antwerp celebrations were well attended by the members of the British military community, both at the Antwerp Tattoo at the Town Square and the Royal British Legion wreathlaying ceremony at the Tank Memorial in Wilrijk. The Victory in Europe (VE) Day celebrations in May and Armistice Day on 11 Nov were more wreathlaying ceremonies undertaken by the British military each year. Strong links were maintained with the British Consulate in Antwerp and HM Honorary Consul General in Antwerp, an appointment instigated by Wellington, was usually dined in and out in both the Officers and WOs & Sgts Messes. The crews of RN vessels visiting Antwerp Port were always invited to take part in sports and games functions organised by their Army counterparts. The BFA rugby club The Bulldogs and the military cricket club formed the nucleus of the present Antwerp rugby and cricket clubs. The military dinghy sailors were associated with the Turnhout Watersport Club VVW. Sailing was done on a flooded gravelpit along the E34 and RE Volunteers built a clubhouse and boatshed during their Annual Camps. Even polo was played at Het Loo camp in Broechem and very popular with the Asian community in Antwerp.. And last but not least the Olen Military Golf Club is now the Witbos Golf Club and the 9 hole golf course extended to a 13 hole course, with the prospect of becoming a full 18 hole course. In honour of the military golfer founders, competitions such as the REME and the Waggoners Cup are still played annually.
Following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War it was announced in 1991 that the BR COMM Z would close completely as part of the “BAOR drawdown”. On 19 Sep 1991 Ordnance Depot Antwerp held their final Freedom parade in Herentals. A Union and RAOC Corps flags were presented to the people of Herentals for their safekeeping. The last CO Lt Col STONE RAOC presented the Burgomaster of Herentals with a painting which had hung in the Officers Mess in Emblem since 1953. In response the Burgomaster presented Lt Col STONE with a pewter plate specially engraved for the occasion.
Upon completion of the drawdown the British military presence in Emblem continues. In Mar 92 the last unit HQ RCT became the UK Movements and Liaison Staff (Low Countries) (UK Mov & LS (LC)) and remained in its 1975 building in Camp A in Emblem. Annex V to the 1952 “GONDOLA” agreement, which lists the buildings in Emblem, known as the Emblem Enclave and the quarters (SFA) in Lier to remain in British hands, was signed on 6 Apr 1992. All other property was then handed back to the BE MOD in accordance with the 1952 agreement.
On 5 Apr 1993 the Formation Parade of the Royal Logistic Corps was held in the historic townhall of Lier in the presence of HBM Ambassador in Belgium Mr GRAY CMG and Mr VANHOUTTE, the Burgomaster of Lier. The Parade Commander on that historic day was Lt Col AJC FISHER MBE, the first commander of the newly formed UK Mov & LS (LC). Following the parade a splendid reception took place attended by all unit members and their families, which now occupied the remaining quarters in Lier.
The operational capability of the UK Mov & LS (LC) was duly tested in Sep 1997 during EX RHINO REPLEN. During this exercise some 3000 vehicles and some 5000 troops destined to reinforce 1 UK Armd Div were moved through the Low Countries. Both the deployment and the recovery phases of this major exercise were a great success.
In Jun 2002 a small reception was held in Emblem to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the GONDOLA agreement. The Burgomasters of Herentals, Lier and Broechem were in attendance and the unit borrowed the Herentals Freedom Sword and Scroll for display in Emblem. The reception was also attended by a few Belgian guests, who joined as LEC in 1952 or shortly afterwards.
Since the amalgamation of RCT and RAOC into the RLC, the present serving members of the UK Mov & LS (LC) rightfully hold the Freedom of Herentals and the legacy of once being the largest employer in the Campine Area of Belgium. Although the present military personnel are few, strong links with the British community in Antwerp still exist through the Antwerp Branch of the Royal British Legion and the Antwerp British Community Association (ABCA). Those interested in golf are, as part of the Emblem Military Golf Society, free members of the Witbos Golf Club. And the Emblem Station dinghy sailors are affiliated to the Belgian Army Watersports Club BRABO with off-shore facilities at Burcht and in-shore sailing at Wuustwezel.
Sadly in January 2006 the decision was made to close Emblem Station and to re-locate the units based there. This so-called “alienation” was to be completed by September 2006. The main unit, the UK Mov & LS(LC), moved to JHQ Rheindahlen, but left its two Belgian members based in Peutie with the Belgian Army Logistics HQ. The Security Detachment and the Defence Estates Office moved to the UKSU at SHAPE in Mons. The Emblem Enclave on the Oostmalse Steenweg in Broechem/Ranst and its Service Families Accommodation (SFA) in the Kemmel Straat in Lier were finally handed over the Belgian Ministry of Defence on 21 November 2006. The end of an era.