Victoria Barracks
THE ABANDONED MILITARY SITE IN GERMANY
Victoria Barracks are Fort Victoria and Fort Louis, two military bases hidden in the forest of the German town Werl.
From 1956 to 1970, the base was used by the Canadian armed forces. Here were unmarried soldiers housed. Whereas, the married soldiers lived with their families in a Canadian settlement in Werl.
The camp had a radio station. CAE or, Radio Canadian Army Europe, was the first Canadian Radio station in Germany.
In 1970 the Canadians handed over the barracks to the British Rheinarmee. Fort Victoria was renamed Vittoria Barracks. Fort St. Louis and Fort Anne were renamed Albuhera Barracks. Since 1994 the buildings are abandoned.
An old rumor was, whilst handing over the forts, the French Canadians wanted to sell off the ice ring, but the Brits were not interested. After they tried to sell it for just a pound, the offer was refused again. Because of this, the Canadians responded by bulldozing it.
The two churches, the former Globe cinema, the gym and squash rooms, the bowling alley and the many living quarters were left to rot. I visited this camp in 2016. Local news reports say that both camps were demolished in 2018.
