From the beginning, the Constabulary set high standards for itself. The troopers were to be selected from the best soldiers available, and it was desired that all of them be volunteers. They were to be trained as soldiers and policemen. They were to operate in an efficient, alert manner calculated to inspire confidence and respect in all persons they met, whether Germans, Allies, or Americans.

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Entrance Gate to Rothwesten
This is a view of the guard shack from inside the base.  The statue is just over the wall on the left.  The dependents'
housing area was straight ahead on the right side of the road.  The road goes out maybe a half mile to another road.   I think they call it
Rothwestener Str.,  now, turn left on this road and down a steep hill and you are at Simmershausen and the Fulda. Somewhere on the left from
Simmershausen is the Grau Katze.
Photo and description of area donated by Willie Hanson. <whanson@graceba.net> 601st ACWS-1953.

Gilbert Matherne was stationed at Rothwesten, Germany for 6 months.  This was where he received his Constabulary Training.
Below is a picture he had taken from the window of his room.
The Constabulary Soldiers are marching through the street of the Army Base..

MEMORIES
My room was on the second floor of this old barrack which was pretty much vacant at the time.  I can remember it was 5 of us in one room.  Wallace Smith, Denny Barela, and I along with 2 others of whom I cannot remember their names.
Denny and Wally found an old bath room way down the hall of this old building.  All the facets were torn off of the wall.  They stole a pair of pliers form somewhere and then had our on private showers.

I was one who couldn't complain about my job.  As soon as I was sent to Rothwesten in 1946 around Christmas time, I had my Constabulary training along with CQ duty and Guard duty.  It wasn't like the line guys.  A few
of us in Headquarters really had it easy.

I was also a driver. I can remember going to Frankfurt to pick up a Lt. from the airport.  He was anxious to get to Rothwesten so he told me to speed on the way back.  You did what you were told to do.  Of course we were pulled over by the Constabulary Speed Trap.  The Lt. told me to stay in the jeep while he walked away with the Constabulary Trooper.  It wasn't but a few minutes the kangaroo court was over and the Lt. paid the fine and we were on our way at 45 miles per hr.

The funniest memory was when we waxed the floor in our room with Johnson Paste Wax.  We would run down to the PX and buy some Kotex.  Then we would put one on each foot and slide around the floor polishing our floor. We got a big laugh out of doing that but it really worked.

 I wasn't in Rothwesten to long, maybe  6 months or so, when I heard rumors that we were to be sent to Fritzlar.  This was when the name of the 1st Constabulary Regiment  was changed to the 14th Armored Cavalry [US Constabulary]..  The patch on the uniform stayed the same for me.
Gil

Old Friends

George Maxlow
1st Constabulary Regiment -1946
Pictures submitted by his Grandson Dave Maxlow

George Maxlow [on right] served in the U.S. Army in W.W.II

George Maxlow and Gilbert Matherne was
stationed in New Jersey for a short time.   They received orders to go to Germany in 1946 and were put in charge of about 150 young army recruits heading for Europe.  Gil and George both having the W.W.II experience behind them, felt that handling these younger guys would not be a problem.  Everything turned out fine.   George and Gil stayed friends until 1949 and by that time, they both were transferred state side.  After that, they didn't see nor hear from each other again.  Gil always wondered what ever happened to George Maxlow.  It wasn't until now, Dec. 1999, that he found out what happened.  It was because of this web site and placing George Maxlow's name on the "Looking for Old Buddies List" surprisingly Kristi Maxlow, the wife of Dave, who is the Grandson of George Maxlow, saw the name and recognized it to be her husband's Grandfather.  Dave and his wife Kristi,  immediately got in touch with Gil.
George Maxlow died in 1986 in downtown Detroit.  He left behind a wonderful large family. George and Dorothy had seven children and George had one son, of a previous marriage in 1942 who was given his fathers name.

In this photo you will see Elisabeth Wendel [left], Gilbert Matherne, and Red [rt.].
The above picture was taken in a town named Ansbach which was in Germany near Nürnberg.  All the Military who was sent to Signal School went to EUCOM SIGNAL SCHOOL.
The place we stayed housed 5 guys to a room.  In our room was a fellow named Gilbert Hough, Frank Schpyskie, Henandez, myself, and an Air force fellow who we called Ears.

I can remember the enlisted men's club in the area.  This was where we all would go for beer.  The Air force guys were hanging around the same place.  I remember seeing more of them around than us..  When we entered the club we made sure we sat at the table closest to the door.  You can bet that a lot of guys having fun, with a little too much to drink, will disagree on about anything.  If that were to happen, we wanted to be the first ones out the door.
Our girlfriends took a train from Kassel and joined us for a few weeks.  Their stay was short but we had a lot of good times in Ansbach.
Gil

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