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Local Jever newspaper records old friends meeting up again in Jever in 2004.   L to R: Bernhard Helms, Helga Ihle, Wilma Helms, Herbert Frost, Ruth Frost, Eleonore Schröder.   (Thanks to Herbert Frost.)

Translation of Article:

Its All About Friendship

Memories: Briton Herbert Frost has been visiting Jever regularly since 1995

Jever: "It's about friendship", says Herbert Frost, looking around contentedly.   From 1953 to 1955, the 68 year-old Brit from Suffolk was stationed at the Upper Jever air base with the Royal Air Force.

Ever since then he has become attached to Jever , helped by the fact that three German colleagues of the time became friends for life.   "I have been writing Christmas cards and raving about Jever to my family for 40 years", remembers the pensioner.

In the mid-nineties, he heard about a friend of his visiting one of his German colleagues in Alhorn, and Frost decided he could do the same.   He has now been coming to the town with his wife Ruth on a regular basis since 1995.   However, at the centre of all his visits to Germany are his three German friends, Harry lhle, Heinz Schröder and Bernhard Helms.   The Germans were employed as tanker drivers on the base.   " We always had to wear green uniforms", remembers Bernhard Helms.   They enjoy reminiscing, "Actually not a lot has changed at the barracks since we were there", and he laughs, remembering that he found his former lodgings on the base straight away.   "The Café Rahrdum is also still there", enthuses the 68 year-old and admits, "I used to come here quite often".   His love of Jever Pils beer also comes from this time.   "A bottle used to cost 35 Pfennigs" [7 old pennies then 64p today Jun13], remembers the former soldier, reminding us that there used to be 12DM to the pound.

The language barrier is no obstacle to them now, even though the Germans speak very little English and the Brits have forgotten most of their German.    "I can only get by with "squeaky" English", smiles Eleonore Schröder, who has since become a widow.

Herbert and Ruth Frost always come and stay in her house.   "We are spoiled rotten here!", they comment.   They also learned quite quickly that the Frieslanders can brew a decent cup of tea.   Over the years, the Frosts and their daughter Sharon have been fully integrated into the Schröder family life.   "We love corning here because everyone is so warm and friendly".
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