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Barry’s Story

I Joined the Army in 1966 with the Royal Corps of Transport. During my 22 years, I served in several units across the world, one such unit was in Berlin, Germany BAOR. The unit was known as Brixmis, its mission was the Liason between the Soviet Army in GSFG and BAOR. The tour teams consisted of an Officer, a Snco and a Cpl (RCT) Driver (all known as the crew).

On one such tour of East Germany in late August 1976, we happened across an East German Army Early Warning site in the Lueg area with it’s gate open and barrier raised. The skipper (Capt) asked if I would be OK to take a look inside the site, and with a nod of approval I drove through the gate. We photographed all the equipment and on the way out the exit was blocked by a very irate East German Officer who tried to stop the car by hanging onto the wing mirror, he got two fingers into his eyes and he let go. We made a hastily retreat into the East German country side and around the village of Lueg.

A week later another tour car in the same area was subjected to a horrific crash, lead by the STASI and the East German Army. One member of the crew was detained in a local hospital for 2 weeks with horrific injuries. We later learnt that all mission car where subject to the NVA hit list. 

By Barry Darlington

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