Mönchengladbach is the biggest city west of the Lower Rhine and situated in the middle of the Düsseldorf, Köln, Aachen triangle. It is also close to the Dutch border with Roermond and Venlo some 22 miles away. The Rheindahlen Military Complex known locally as JHQ (Joint Headquarters) was part of Rheindahlen Garrison and a suburb of Mönchengladbach. It became the home of the Royal British Legion Rheindahlen e.V. on its formation in 1992. Following JHQ’s closure, the branch relocated to Javelin Barracks, Elmpt Station, on the Dutch border (Roermond), which was formerly known as RAF Brüggen. In 2014 the Branch moved to Ayrshire barracks Mönchengladbach, our present location.
JHQ was custom built to house the Headquarters of the British Forces in Germany, which after WW II had been located in several spa towns in Northern Germany. In 1950 it was decided to establish a headquarters west of the Rhine and the present site was eventually chosen with construction completed in October 1954. It originally housed the headquarters of the Northern Army Group, 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force, British Army of the Rhine and Royal Air Force (Germany).
Mike Woodiwiss; who was the first Chairman, Maurice Usher; the first Secretary and Bob Francis; the first Treasurer, founded the Branch in October 1992. Branch meetings initially took place in the RAF Association Club in JHQ. In 1993 the Branch acquired a room in the Civil Service Sports Club (CSSC) building at 10 Reading Way, and in 1997 took over the complete building renaming it in 1998 as “The Lion's Head”.
The Branch acquired a Standard in 1995, which on 21 October of that year was dedicated at St Boniface Church JHQ. In 1997 the Branch was awarded the prestigious Royal British Legion 75th Anniversary Recruiting Award.
GOC UKSC(G) Major General Christopher Elliott CBE performed the official opening ceremony of The Lion's Head on 30 October 1998 and also witnessed the Partnership Ceremony between the Branch and the Krefeld/Mönchengladbach Branch of the German Army Reservists. He also presented a trophy and certificate to Celia Sholl for the painting by the students of Windsor School of a poppy mural on one of the walls in the Lion's Head.
The Rheindahlen Branch soon became well established within the local community. In addition to its primary aim of providing welfare assistance to ex-service personnel and their dependants, the Branch is always keen to make contact with the local German community and to improve Anglo-German relations.
In 2023 the prestigious KNOX SHIELD was awarded to the Branch in recognition of its outstanding contribution to BCS (Branch Community Support).
