Military Chat

Possibly not strictly military but...... my late mother in law Vera Owers Sutherland, taught in a British school (I think a primary school) in Germany certainly in 1950 and possibly before that as well.
I have a photograph of her there dated 1950 but can't read where it is.
I'm trying to find out which school and where it was. I've contacted various organisations without success.
Has anybody any ideas as to how I could track down this information?
I understand that from about 1947 local LEA's handled these placements. I have contacted Sunderland LEA but as yet no response.
Lynne

Lynne here are some links for you.

http://www.sce-web.com/page/default.asp?title=Home&pid=1

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/service-children-s-education

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/service-children-s-education

I am ex WRAF and am aware of the service schools. Germany had British schools all over the country. Almost every army or RAF unit would have a primary school, there would have been scores in the 50s/60s.

You could try Friends Reunited as service schools may come under them or Forces Reunited. Ex pupils often name their teachers - think this is your best hope.

I know in later years it wasn't LEAs who posted teachers to the different service schools but couldn't say about the 1940s/50s.

Where I am now has several forces schools 2 would be for seniors and at least 3 for primary, that's on a small island, so you see how many Germany would have had.

Hope you find out where she was.

:-)

Thank you so much. I have just received an email from Archives in Sunderland but no success there I'm afraid. Will try some of your links.

Lynne,

Is it possible to scan the information written on the photo and either send it as a personal message (PM) or put it into the photos on this site, so we can take a look.?

I know a family whose children attended Service schools in Germany around that time and maybe one of them would recognise the wording.

Gwyn

I will try Gwyn. I have the picture stored on the computer but have never placed a photograph on the site before.
Thanks for the offer.
Lynne

This info might be of help

Summary of British Forces Education Service Secondary Schools

Boarding
Prince Rupert School Wilhemshaven 1947-1972
King Afred School Plön 1948-1959
Windsor Schools Hamm 1953-1983

Day (details incomplete)
Berlin 1947-50, early 70s-1992
Hamburg 1947-52?
Queens Rheindahlen 1955-1987
Cornwall School Dortmund mid 60s
Gloucester School Hohne 1960s onwards
Kent School Hostert 1960s-1987
Kings School Sundern 1960s onwards
Lancaster School Osnabruck 1960s
Prince Rupert School Rinteln 1972 onwards
Edinburgh School Münster mid 1960s
Windsor School Rheindahlen 1987 onwards

Mr Peter Watson
I notice that you mention the B.F.E.S. School "Prince Rupert". There was one other which was in existence from 1949 to 1959, and that was "King Alfred School" located on the shores of the Grosser Ploener See in Schleswig Holstein. This school was the best in Germany -I know because it was mine!

There was also a school at Hohne but cant remember name of it

Also - Kings School, Gutersloh. (Secondary)

Edit:
Andrew Humphrey Primary, Blankenhagen (Edit too late, didn't open until 1970s)
Trenchard Primary, Gutersloh
Also one at Harsewinkel - can't remember the name, possibly Haig..

Been doing a bit of goggling and:

http://www.archhistory.co.uk/taca/schooling.html

Looking for a subject? | The National Archives www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-subject/ The National Archives is the UK governments official archive. ... British Army ... Education history records held in the UK • Elementary and primary schools

Yes Thanks Ron - I've tried those as well without success. Apparently about 1947 the placement of teachers abroad was given to the local LEA's. I've contacted Sunderland which is where Vera was from again without success.

I've also contacted the town hall at Bad Neuheim (which is what the name looks like) again no success.

I am hoping that there is somebody out there who can recall her and/or the area or school.

Is there a possibility it was an American Military school?

Bad Nauheim seems to be in the portion of Germany mainly occupied by American Troops, with the British further north.

I have found your picture of 'Aunty Vera' by trawling around Google and see that the children are celebrating Halloween. I would have thought it was more an American festival during the early 1950s than a British one.

Do you know you might be right. That hadn't occurred to me. It's certainly another strand to follow.
Thank you

I Googled: "Bad Nauheim american military school" and had a look at fol sites:

FAHS, Where We Lived - Frankfurt American High School www.frankfurthigh.com/history/subpages/fahs_housing.htm Great site: http://forgotten-frankfurt.blogspot.com/ US Installation/housing recent photos ... I too was an ARMY brat 1969 ( age 13) in Bad Nauheim 1969.

Alvin York Village housing US Army - Bad Nauheim - Wikimapia wikimapia.org/12554178/Alvin-York-Village-housing-US-Army Alvin York Village housing US Army (Bad Nauheim). Germany ... Former Alvin York Village housing area Bad Nauheim ... I went to this school from 1959 to 1962.

Overseas Schools / Alumni Assoiation - DODDS World Reunion www.doddsworldreunion.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6… 27 Sep 2013 ... Overseas (Past and Present) and Some Military Stateside Schools/ Alumni Associations. If you do not ... Ansbach American High School - Katterbach, Germany ... Bad Nauheim Elementary School - Bad Nauheim, Germany

There was an email link but I don't have Outlook Express so could contact the above site.

Could also try goggling "American army brats in Germany"

Hope you get the info you seek.

Thanks Ron
Have contacting the organisation you mention. Awaiting replies. I know 1950 is a long time ago now but you never know, somebody might have some old photographs.

Lynne

It does sound very possible that there is an American link, but just in case it was a British school, I'll post this link as a possible resource.

http://www.ioe.ac.uk/services/932.html


Gwyn

Thanks. Just had a quick look and the site has a lot of information. I really need to know the name of the school. Many of the schools had names which bore no connection to the base or town they were servicing.
I put in Bad Neuheim in the general search and there was only one response which was a German lady visiting from Bad Neuheim.
It's probably worth a closer look.

Lynne

Lynne,

Don't know if this will help, but have a look at this entry I found on Google. It might be worth an email.

http://www.aoshs.org/bschools.html#Bad Nauheim ES

I think if you are entering Bad Neuheim, you may be missing some things on Google.

Elisabeth

Edit: another site
http://www.classmates.com/places/school/Bad-Nauheim-Elementary-School/22600681

Thanks Elizabeth
Had found the first site and sent an email but as yet no response. Also found the second site but found it impossible to enter as I didn't have the requested information to log on.
Thanks a lot

Lynne

Have just found out that Vera initially taught at a school in Hamburg in 1947 - 1948. Again it is proving difficult to find out any information, you would have thought that it was out there somewhere.
There was a post in her local English newspaper about her asking for shoes for the children she was teaching.
Anybody any ideas?

20th December 1946,Sunderland Echo.

Two Sunderland teachers are going to Germany where they are to teach the childen of British Service men,
They are Miss Ethel Thwails of ------Roker at present on the staff of Redley Junior School and Miss Vera O Sutherland of 23 Woodland Cresent now at Plains Farm Junior Mixed School.
Both teachers have been seconded by Sunderland Education Authority for duty with the British Forces Education Service,

Miss Sutherland expects to go in April. (1947).


Concidering how many BFPO there were in Germany she could have taught at any of them,,,,,,,,there were RAF and Army troops based all over along with their families.

Dussledorf,
Rheindahlan.
Munster,
Herford.
Hamburg.
Monchengladbach.to name a few bases.