Service of the British border

The Service of the British border (British Frontier Service) had been created in 1946 in the British zone of occupation in Germany and it depended on the allied Audit Board which controlled the occupied Germany.

Mission

It was in charge of the monitoring of the 610 km border between the West Germany and the GDR of the British sector, the famous Iron curtain, where it operated occasional patrols, to which united sometimes Belgian detachments or Dutch. The men was armed but did not carry ammunition at the time of their patrols to avoid all “provocation”.

History

Three hundred individuals all, practically resulting from the Royal Navy, were enlisted with its creation. With the passing of years, the political evolution which involved in particular in 1955 the end of the statute of occupation of the Federal Republic of Germany, then in 1973 the mutual recognition of both Allemagnes, caused a drastic reduction of the Service of the border. Manpower fell to 16 men, 4 only operative starting from city-bolt of Helmstedt. The others were distributed between Düsseldorf, Hanover and West Berlin. The service was dissolved with the German reunification.

The first director of the Service of the border, the captain Guy Maund was a sailor. It was him which chooses the Uniforme of its weapon of origin, preferring it with the uniform Kaki which equips the Army.

Source

the confrontation, the funny one of war at the borders of the East , Gilbert Joseph, Editions Albin Michel, 1987,

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