The BRIXMIS Story

[air pig]

From the American perspective.

Home Base of ColdWarSpies

[rogerk]

Remember it well !

[QUOTE=Warmtoast;9834333]Two's in

Happy days -I remember it well ringing Herford Military, as this piece of memorabilia given to me when I passed the BFG Driving Test way back in 1972 testifies.



Just looked in my log book.
651 Sqn AAC - Sioux 548 - 16 June 1971 - 1.4 hours - SOXMIS car search !!

[eko4me]

[QUOTE=rogerk;10922536]

Originally Posted by Warmtoast

Two's in
Happy days -I remember it well ringing Herford Military, as this piece of memorabilia given to me when I passed the BFG Driving Test way back in 1972 testifies.

I remember seeing one of those plates in NW Germany back in about 1972/3 when I was a kid on a family caravan holiday. Couldn't believe my eyes at the time that there were Soviet military vehicles driving around W. Germany and it wasn't until I read Geraghty's book decades later that it all fell finally into place.

[Less Hair]

The Soviets were famous in West Germany for driving around in huge "Sovtransauto" trucks that typically "broke down" needing hours of repairs close to western barracks and other places of interest. They were suspected to contain electronic intelligence equipment and crews. Like those "fishing" trawlers.

[Haraka]

Originally Posted by Less Hair

The Soviets were famous in West Germany for driving around in huge "Sovtransauto" trucks that typically "broke down" needing hours of repairs close to western barracks and other places of interest. They were suspected to contain electronic intelligence equipment and crews. Like those "fishing" trawlers.

Not to mention the one pulled in to a lay by on the A1 alongside Brampton,,,,,,,,,,,,,, a few hundred yards away from JARIC (UK).

[Green Flash]

Originally Posted by Less Hair

The Soviets were famous in West Germany for driving around in huge "Sovtransauto" trucks that typically "broke down" needing hours of repairs close to western barracks and other places of interest. They were suspected to contain electronic intelligence equipment and crews. Like those "fishing" trawlers.

When in Germany in the 80's I was told that those trucks co-drivers were Russian tank commanders on a route recce.

[eko4me]

Originally Posted by Haraka

Not to mention the one pulled in to a lay by on the A1 alongside Brampton,,,,,,,,,,,,,, a few hundred yards away from JARIC (UK).

Somewhat out of SOXMIS's remit was that not?

[Haraka]

When in Germany in the 80's I was told that those trucks co-drivers were Russian tank commanders on a route recce.

and not just in Germany.

"Soxmis" being "legal" worked, officially, within constraints.
It was only one facet of a much bigger operation geographically, technically, and politically.

[India Four Two]

On iPlayer Radio as well.

BBC Radio 4 Extra - The Brixmis Story

I've lost my copy of this programme and it is no longer available from the BBC. Dose anyone know where I can get a copy?

[Mil-26Man]

and not just in Germany.

I thought the Allied liaison missions were only on each others occupied German territory.

[HAS59]

Polish Mission

A Dutch airforce bloke I know did a tour in Communist Poland as a similar sort of 'liaison' in the mid 80's.
I'm not sure if there was a reciprocal arrangement for Polish blokes in Holland.

[Mil-26Man]

Thanks, thats interesting. The Dutch weren't involved in the Allied liaison missions that included Brixmis and Soxmis, so that's a new one on me. Will have to try and find out some more.

[Non Linear Gear]

Was driving down to the Monaco GP in 1988 and we were in Southern Germany on the Autobahn down to Balse. Passed a Soxmis vehicle and I started to raise my camera. They suddenly braked when they saw the lens. Alas I didn't catch them, I did catch this driver. The most infamous pit board of his career. He never saw another there where he didn't win!

[Mogwi]

When I was at Gütersloh, a Soxmis car arrived with mud-smeared number plates and was waved through by the gate-guard because it contained a 'uniformed officer'. They were eventually twigged some hours later and protested that they were only visiting the Russian graves - which happened to be behind No 3(F) Sqn HAS area.

we did larf!

Mog

[Haraka]

It was noted that these visits sometimes seemed to coincide with Station Exercises..........

[racedo]

Originally Posted by Haraka

When in Germany in the 80's I was told that those trucks co-drivers were Russian tank commanders on a route recce.

This was claimed in the 1980's about Polish and other truck drivers that they were on recce routes for Warsaw pact.

[Less Hair]

Specially equipped East German "Deutrans" trucks have been known to intercept western emissions when driving through west Germany as well. Working for Stasi's Hauptabteilung III.

[Dougie M]

While at Laarbruch 72/75 a snowdrop tried to block one Zlin or whatever with his Volvo. The Sov vehicle just trashed his car leaving its bumper and number plate behind. They weighed over a ton with all that Elint kit on board