JHQ Rheindahlen JHQ Rheindahlen , latterly also called the Rheindahlen Military Complex , is a British forces base in Mönchengladbach , North Rhine - Westphalia , Germany . JHQ stands for Joint Headquarters and the base has functioned as the main headquarters for British forces in Germany since being built in the 1950s . Its German address is Mönchengladbach - JHQ with a post code of 41179 . It closed in summer 2013 when HQ British Forces Germany moved to Bielefeld . Overview . In 1952 work began on the British Forces Maintenance Area West of the Rhine part of the project included the construction of a joint ( Army / RAF ) headquarters for BAOR in Rheindalen . Colonel H Grattan ( late RE ) was appointed Chief Engineer ( CE ) of this project , the plan was to construct : The complex was designed to accommodate over 7 , 000 British and Allied service personnel and a civilian population ( mostly German ) of about 2 , 500 for ancillary services : a township approaching a population of 10 , 000 . HQ BAOR moved from Bad Oeynhausen to its new JHQ at Rheindahlen in October 1954 , centralising headquarters functions which at this time were scattered in several towns in Northern Germany . It was originally the HQ of the Northern Army Group ( NORTHAG ) , Second Allied Tactical Air Force ( 2ATAF ) , British Army of the Rhine ( BAOR ) and Royal Air Force Germany ( RAFG ) . In those days Rheindahlen was populated with British , American , German , Dutch , Belgian , Australian and Canadian military personnel ( and in many cases also their families ) . During the 1990s and 2000s , JHQ housed the Headquarters United Kingdom Support Command ( Germany ) , later Headquarters British Forces Germany , which was the administrative HQ of the British Army in Europe . Until Jun 10 it was also home to the Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps ( HQ ARRC ) , which has now relocated to Innsworth in Gloucestershire in 2010 . In appearance JHQ Rheindahlen was more like a medium - size town than a military base , consisting mostly of administrative buildings , living quarters , schools , shops and other areas typical of civilian towns . For much of its existence there was no security perimeter ( though buildings with an actual military function were fenced and guarded ) , but now it is fenced in with check points at the three exits . Many facilities existed in the complex such as the NAAFI superstore , a full medical and dental centre , several primary schools , one secondary school , several pre - schools , a travel agents , two post offices , and cafes . A number of national UK Organisations work for the community , including Scouts , ATC , Home - Start and St . John Ambulance . The Rheindahlen Military Complex will be handed back to Federal Authorities sometime in Mid December 2013 . Almost all of the families and soilders left the base by August 2013 bringing a end to 60 years of service at JHQ Rheindahlen . HQ BFG left the base in July 2013 . The local German citizens have described the closure as upsetting and that many of them will be deeply saddened to see the base close and their ' Friends ' leave . Once JHQ is handed back to the Federal Authorities it will be up to them to decide what they want to do with the base . There is no doubt that their actions will be watched carefully by former residents of JHQ Rheindahlen . During the final year , there were instances of theft of fencing from empty quarters . Bombing . Thirty - one people were injured after a 300 - lb car bomb exploded on 23 March 1987 near the officers ' mess . The IRA later stated it had carried out the bombing .