As far back as 1920 service men in Germany opened the Arthur Newman Lodge No 2525 and the lodge address was, Army of the Rhein and met on Thursday. Records show that the first Provincial Grand Lodge in Germany 1925-1926 was named the Rheinland Provincial Grand Lodge and met in the Staplehaus Hotel, Cologne on the last Thursday of the month. The lodges of the Province were the RHEINLAND No5131, WHITE HORSE No4180, IMPERIAL No5492, SIR JOHN MOORE No5569, SCARLET PLUME No5591, ST GEORGE'S No5659, CENTAUR No5674 The Provincial Grand Secretary was a Brother T.J. Cunningham CP., c/o N.A. & A.F.I. Headquarters, A.P.O.S. 40, BAOR.
The next piece of Buff History in Germany is found in a Prisoner of War Camp Stalag 383 situated in Hohenfel's Nr Regensburg, and it members were from various Banners, the museum in Bernie's Bar in Palenberg is very proud to be in possession of the full list of names and addresses of the lodge members and maybe the only original photograph of the lodge officers in Regalia made from old blankets and Jewels made from tin cans.
The lodge kept in contact wit the UK during those terrible days through Bro. Reg Horne of the then Oxford Lodge, the following is an original of many postcards sent to Bro.Reg.
This is one of many photos taken at opening of one of our Province in early 1950. The Brother in uniform was an OURS boy in Grove House.
I will from time to time be updating this page as there is some interesting stories to be told.
