Early Days

British Forces Education Service (BFES) was formed in 1946, in the aftermath of World War 2 and the establishment of the British Occupied Zone in North-Western Germany and Berlin.  BFES' first director, John Trevelyan, was charged with developing a schools organisation so that children acccompanying their parents 'would receive an education at least equal to the education they would have received had they remained in the UK.'  

What is not well known is that schools for the children of service families existed outside of UK and before the Second World War.

Teachers and pupils outside the Garrison Children's School in Riel taken in 1922. (Rhiel as printed on the photograph was incorrect).
At this time, British troops were part of the Rhineland Occupation Forces (under the terms of the 1918 armistice).
Image courtesy of the Army Children Archive website (link opens in a new window).