BFBS Memories

Some fond memories about BFBS. One of my former favourite radio station.

Britisch Forces Radio used to broadcast via strong FM frequencies in the north west of Germany. And, of course, in Berlin. For the younger ones: Remember, this country once was occupied!

Unlike on AFN, the hosts aren‘t members of the army. The German studios were in Herford, I remember their phone numbers: 05221-81006 or 81007. The news first came from the BBC, later from commercial IRN.

In 2010, BFBS closed down in our region. As I read on the internet, in Berlin this had already been the case in 1994 when the Allied Forces went away.

As a pupil, I woke up to the Breakfast Show, which American and German radio call „morning show“.

When I wasn’t at school, I listened to „BFBS Gold“ with Dave Windsor. He played classic hits and oldies in the style of the old pirate stations. There was no other oldies station receiveable at that time.

In the earlier days, I remember they used to broadcast John Peel’s Radio 1 show. But that’s long ago.

Anyway, I remember shows like „Late Night with Arabella Seymour“, „The World Wide Rock Show with Cal Sutherland“, „Forces Finest“, „Connect“, „Sim’s Sunday Show“ and „The Late Glen Mansell“. The latter has sadly passed away. He did the late show on a workday. You could phone him and send him emails. Did quizzes and played requests. There’s nothing like that on nowadays radio, whether in Germany or Britain.

Some weekend before Christmas, BFBS used to do the charity show „Wireless for the blind“. People could donate for blind people and get their song request. This always went for days.

That’s what comes to my mind spontaneously when I think of BFBS.

Most of the British Forces have left Northrhine-Westphalia. So there’s no need for BFBS any more.

Today you can listen online to any station in any thinkable language. That‘s kind of nice, as well.

 

PS: When I was at school in England in 1999, I would surf the then BFBS website. A schoolmate from England came up to me and asked me: „BFBS? What does that stand for? Bl**dy F***ing Bullsh*t?“