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Forces sweethearts

If you have a family member in the Royal Navy, RAF or army, find support from other Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Any info on Abingdon or Gutersloh.

32 replies

angel387 · 04/01/2011 11:25

Hi. I'm new here. DH is in the army and Abingdon and Gutersloh are his choices for his next posting.
We have a 12 year old ds, a 9 year old dd and a baby on the way and have never lived in married quarters before. I change my mind each day over where I think would be best. Could anyone please help with some info on housing, schools anything really that might help.

OP posts:
vintageteacups · 04/01/2011 13:51

Gutersloh is lovely - have visited friends there and we also had a posting to Germany.

German life is fab for families and children - everything is geared towards family time over there and the army organises loads of stuff for wives and families to do - more than in UK as less support from wider family etc.

Not sure how long you'll be there for? Will it be the last couple of years out there? Bases in germany are all coming to an end over the next few years - not sure how long Gutersloh has left?

Make the most of it whilst you can - you may not get another chance to go to germany otherwise.

Abingdon - oxfordshire - lovely but if it were me, I'd go with Germany.

Original poster
angel387 · 04/01/2011 14:39

Thank you for the reply. Everyone is telling me Gutersloh so think I'm going to have to be brave and just go for it :) I'm not very good with change. It looks like it would be a 3 year posting and like you said it would be our last chance to go to Germany.

We've discussed it with the kids and they seem quite excited at the idea of Germany. I think my mind could almost be made up :)

OP posts:
vintageteacups · 04/01/2011 14:47

Do you speak german?

Original poster
angel387 · 04/01/2011 14:55

No but if we do get a posting out there then we would try and learn some basic german. Have you any idea what the schools are like around that area? I think that's one of my main worries, how the kids would settle in.

OP posts:
vintageteacups · 04/01/2011 14:56

Sending you link for the schools - have you been onto the HIVE website for Gutersloh?

vintageteacups · 04/01/2011 15:01

here

Half way down page are links to schools Smile

Original poster
angel387 · 04/01/2011 15:43

Thank you. We found info on the senior school but not the junior schools so the link you sent is a great help :)

OP posts:
vintageteacups · 04/01/2011 16:22

Hopefully someone will be along to chat to you more spefically about Gutersloh but in the mean time, please feel free to ask about life in general in Germany/quarters

madwomanintheattic · 04/01/2011 16:23

we were at mansergh barracks, not prb, but used the facilities at prb as well.

abingdon v close to 'home' for us, but only know it as an raf station from donkey's years ago lol. Grin spent a long time at brize - know the area well, but not the camp itself.

vintageteacups · 04/01/2011 16:23

Oh - and don't forget, just because you ask for Germany, doesn't mean you'll get it!

whoops - sorry just reread your first post - assume your dh has been in the army for a while - just not lived in MQs?

I don't mean to sound patronising Smile

Original poster
angel387 · 04/01/2011 16:46

That's ok :) I know if we put Germany we might not get it but just wanted to feel happier about putting it as our first choice.

To be honest I'm happy with what I've heard about both places. The schools in Germany look really good.
I've heard the quarters are nicer in Germany though?

OP posts:
vintageteacups · 04/01/2011 16:52

It depends I guess.
Not sure if your DH is an officer or not however, the quarters for all ranks tend to be large, spacious and well thought out.

Many have a cellar -great for the washing.
Our's was off camp and owned by a local german guy who rented it out to the army.
It had an upstairs laundry room which was fab. And two lovely large hallways.

Some people are housed in flats but even they are very spacious.
Your children will absolutely love the theme parks and wild animal parks.

madwomanintheattic · 04/01/2011 16:59

we moved from a one bed flat to our first mq in gutersloh. it was enormous. (three bed and huge attic, and 5 rooms in the cellar, as well as the usual on the main floor). dh marched in a few weeks before i got there and put our extremely small 12 inch portable tv on one wall and the sofa on the other. we couldn't even see it. Grin

there are mq's all over the place, so it depends a lot on unit/ rank etc. ours was just outside the wire at mansergh and lovely.

vintageteacups · 04/01/2011 17:00

madwoman - don't suppose you could pop across and take a peek at my moving house thread too do you?

Original poster
angel387 · 04/01/2011 17:03

DH is an officer. Large and spacious sounds good as our house is tiny, think that's the main reason I've come round to the idea of MQ's.
I've seen that there are quite a few theme and animal parks and you're right the kids would love them.
I'm definitely feeling happier about it, just got to try not to get my hopes up now :)

OP posts:
vintageteacups · 04/01/2011 17:06

On our form, we put NOT Germany and then, due to special circumstances and the other officer not being able to go, we were told to go. I was distraught! However, it was fab in the end and I want to go again. Don't think there'll be a chance now though as once dh finishes next job, the places he could have gone, will have moved back to the UK Sad

Original poster
angel387 · 04/01/2011 17:11

I had to laugh at the small tv and the sofa :o That is exactly how we will be.

I'm also abit worried about if he had to go on tour for 6 months and being in Germany away from family. What sort of things do the army organise for families to do?

OP posts:
vintageteacups · 04/01/2011 17:16

There are plenty of family BBQs/parties.
Welfare support is generally good when they're away too.

Lots of stuff on for the kids/trips to theme parks/swimming lakes etc and the community is so welcoming and friendly (generally) that there'll always be someone to pop in and have coffee with or pop to the park with etc. As your children will both be at school, you could apply for a job on camp, especially if you're a nurse/health visitor etc. They also have admin jobs/supermarket jobs etc. Or just enojy the posting and don't work.

The education centre usually provides German lessons for wives too - or at least they used to.

You will have to do a driving test to make sure you understand the differnet road system. I got one question wrong so he told me to have a little think and go back, sit down and redo that question - then I passed.
Other than that - all the banking stuff/local area/moving in stuff/German law etc will be sent to you in brochure before you moev (you might have to download it?)

vintageteacups · 04/01/2011 17:18

Sorry -went off on a tangent there.

If he had to go away, you could have friends and family to visit (space them out a bit).

You are also entitled (I think you still are if they have't cut it) to 3 trips back a year so you could save those up for if he's away.

Original poster
angel387 · 04/01/2011 17:39

I think I've definitely made up my mind. I'll let him know tonight that we will be putting Germany first. I'll have a very happy dh :)
Thank you so much for your help. Fingers crossed we get it although I'm sure we would be just as happy with Abingdon. Like you've said though this would be the last chance to do Germany.

OP posts:
FanjolinaJolie · 05/01/2011 07:18

Gutersloh if fab. We were there 2004 - 2006 and loved every minute.

Original poster
angel387 · 05/01/2011 12:59

Hi. Back again. We also have the choice of Bielefeld. DH has been told it's better than Gutersloh but what do you ladies think?

OP posts:
vintageteacups · 05/01/2011 13:14

Sorry - had friends in both but cannot contact them today for enough of a comparison for you.

Hope someone else comes on.

I think one friend's dh worked in Bielefeld but they lived in Sennelager.
There were numerous primary schools and some were mainly used by officers/some soldiers etc and there was a big hoo ha over where to live /which school etc. I don't think there are 1/4s on camp at Bielefeld but could be completely wrong!!! So I'd wait for someone else to ask Grin

FanjolinaJolie · 05/01/2011 16:06

If your DH is working in Gutersloh don't take a quarter in Bielefeld as it's a good 20 minute drive.

DH is an officer and we had a fantastic large quarter on Top Patch (literally across the road from the barracks and the Naafi)

madwomanintheattic · 05/01/2011 16:15

dd1 was born in bielefeld. Smile dh was at 26 in gut, it's not that far. i was driving to the hospital every day for scans for a month at 8 mos lol.

sennelager is quite sweet. lovely pony club.

mm, schools. i have a friend whose ds1 started school in bielefeld and got caught in the 'catchment/ offs v ors' scenario. in the end the ds did get into the 'right' school, but on the first day they put him on the wrong bus home, and he didn't arrive at the bus stop where his mum was waiting. at 4yo. on his first day of school.

the driver tried to make him get off with all the other kids and he kept saying 'i don't live here' and crying. he took him back to the school in the end and she went and picked him up.

but don't let that put you off. Grin

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