ANTI-AIRCRAFT RANGE TODENDORF, SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, BAOR

8^th July 1956 to 23^rd September 1957

(Contributed by George MILLIE)

Aerial photographs taken from a US Army L19 light reconnaissance aircraft

based at Todendorf 'A' Camp, exclusive domain of the US Army

Todendorf 'B' and 'C' Camps

(above and below) - Permanent Staff quarters and PTA (Pilotless Target Aircraft) Wing

Todendorf 'C' Camp

(bottom right of photo) - Main Gate and Guardroom

Todendorf 'D' Camp

(left of photo, south of the road) - The Sans-Souci Bar

A Pilotless Target Aircraft being prepared for launch from the catapult ramp

The truck in the background is fitted out with the radio control transmitter.

This photograph was taken at Putlos, further along the coast from Todendorf

Mourning the sudden death of two Pilotless Target Aircraft

(left to right) - Lance Bombadier Mayles, Captain R.K. Westmacott RA (pilot), Sergeant Keepence RA (pilot),

Staff Sergeant Jones REME (engines/airframes), Gunners Milson, Lawson and Jones,

Corporal G.A. Millie REME (radio control equipment)

Flying a Pilotless Target Aircraft on Todendorf Range

Corporal G.A. Millie REME and Captain R.K. Westmacott RA (pilot)

Winter 1956 - The Frozen Baltic Sea

"Swimming not recommended!"

Skiing near Todendorf

(left to right) - Corporal Goddard RAMC, A. Daniel (civilian), Gunners Button & Girdwood,

Lance Bombadiers Groombridge & Pettigrew, Corporal G.A. Millie REME, Gunner Milson,

Bombadier Foord, Lance Corporal Edge REME, Gunners Farrar & Lea

January 1957 – Norway

Lunch party at Holmencollen near Oslo given by the Norwegian Ski Association

(at head of table) Lieutenant, Norwegian Army - our ski instructor

(left, nearest camera) Corporal G.A. Millie REME,

(right, nearest camera) Lieutenant Colonel Martin Burnett RA, CO Todendorf

The History of Todendorf

[With grateful thanks to Chris MOLESWORTH (49B) & Elke of Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, 15^th December 2002]

Todendorf was first mentioned in documents dated 1259, the name probably deriving from a certain lord Todo, it being quite common to attach the name of the village head to dorpe (village), hence in all probability the origin of the name. Even before this date the area was occupied, as finds in the local graves and surrounding woods testify. Sometime between 1540 and 1573 the village was made a Dominalgut, best described as a communal area, which was later converted into individual plots, these being long term leased, between 1766 and 1784, thus explaining the outlying nature of the surrounding land. The village was self governed, the property lease-holders having equal voting rights regardless of the size of their holdings, the whole being overseen by a Bauernvogt, the equivalent of a farming leader, the first being In 1774, a man named Jochen Wilhöfft. After Schleswig-Holstein became a Prussian province in 1867, the Bauernvogt, whose term of office had been for life, became the Area Overseer, being elected for a six-year period, and a proper road system started, electric power being available from 1913 onwards, and the first farm machinery introduced to the area.

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