I first joined the Royal Marines in 1948 and did my original training at Royal Marine Depot Deal.
From there to Infantry training at Lympstone. Next I went to Eastney Barracks Portsmouth where I was introduced to Naval Gunnery, which incidently I passed with the highest marks that they had had and I won the Gunnery Medal.
Then to Commando School at Bickley and then, much to my disgust I was sent to HMS Liverpool instead of a commando, But ours is just to do and die.
After Liverpool I went back to Lympstone on the training staff. Later a posting to HMS Ocean then at last discharge after 7 years service.
Now we come to the crunch. I spent 3 years in civy street and then joined the RAOC as a regimental instructor and in the RAOC I completed my 22 years service. So you see I spent more time in the army than I did in the Navy even though I still like to remember myself as a Bootneck rather than a ginger job. Nothing against the Army, I had some great times as a soldier.
I would dearly like to contact a feww of my old oppos both Marine and Army and I hopew that using the help of ''OLD OPPOS'' I will be sucessful.
Cheers for now.
Johnny Walker.
I shared a billet with ''Foxey'' Fowler, ''Brummie'' Smith, ''Jock'' Flannagan, ''Ginger'' Ives, a lad named Deeley, and many others. Foxey & Brummie were both from Birmingham, Jock was from Glasgow and Ginger from London. We also shared with Danny Murphy with whom I am still in contact. He now lives in Chingford, Essex.I would like to trace the others for old times sake.This was between 1957 and 1958. I lost contact with the ''brummies'' and ''Jock'' when the unit was moved out to Nairobi and then Bahrain and subsequently Aden.
I was a CANLOAN Officer, a volunteer from the Canadian Army in early 1944 to serve with a unit of the British Army for the invasion of NW Europe. Landed in Normandy as a Reinforcement on D+9, and was posted to 2nd Battalion The Middlesex Regiment(DCO) as Platoon Commander No. 1 Platoon, A Company, a Vickers MMG platoon.
Looking for any former members of my platoon/Company still alive.
I was a NS Man called up on the 15/Oct/1953 went to Oswestry then to Rhyl left Rhyl Driver training and join 156 Loc Brty in Febuary 1954 Demobin Oct 1955 did last camp of the Z Men in 1956 the week that suez started handed in my kit in December 1956 swore never to joinany thing again Joined the TA 442 LAA Regt RA in 1957 Made Sgt in 1958 Rebadged to Royal Warwickshire Regt on Disbandment of LAA Regts in 1960 Jioned 23 SAS Regt 1963 as Sgt rejioned R Warwick Fus in 1963 as C/Sgt left TA in 1969 Febuary Rejioned September 1969 Royal Corps of Transport Sponsered Units CVHQ Bedford 421 Arty Trp Promotedtfrom Cpl to S/Sgt of Troop overnight promoted to WO2 SSM 260 AMB Sqn 161 Regt Posted to 280 MC Sqn the to Recruit Reception Training Team as Warrant Officerat Dept RCT TA Grantham Promoted to WO1 2IC of Team 1989 Left TA in 1991 I hold the TA Medal with 3 Bars and am now the Parade Marshall for the Natinal Service Association.
For any body that is interested 28 June this year 2003 is NatinalService Day and the last Sunday in June here after is Our Day
My name is Eric Evans.(Echo). I served in the 99th Field Reg. and am a vet of the ''Tennis Court Battle'' during the Battle of Kohima. I was the unwilling recipiant of a bullet and shrapnall during the battle, also host to the malaria bug. My 6 weeks in a hole facing the Japs across the tennis court are still very clear in my mind, and I''m looking to find ANYONE who was there. There are not many of us left to share the stories.
Just a simple NS Man who joined at Warwick in March 1951 was instructed by Sgt Wells and Cpl Millard in the art of killing and was posted to the Royal Lincolns in Aqaba in July 1951 after a clerical course in Chichester. Was HQ Coy Clerk . Moveved aroubd Port Siad and finally settled in North Camp Moascar. Battalion moved to UK in July 1952 and to Goslar in August 1952. I was discharged in Lincoln in March 1953. Did my statotory 3 1/2 years in the TA with camps at Filingdales and Salsbury Plain.
The first things Sgt Wells told us that Friday morning was ''I am a Ba****** and I am here to teach you to kill'' we were just turned 18 many of us had never left home before.
Happy days
The world is sometimes more complicated than we expect!
My name is Chris Jackson. I am a lawyer, a Principal Crown Prosecutor, and, to my shame, I have never had the smell of powder in my nostrils. As you can readily work out from my e-mail, my wife is Shelagh jackson, who is registered to aol .com.
What may well be less obvious is that my mother''s uncle is one Albert Fletcher, of considerable age, and MY HERO!
If I have a liking for the German nation, it is in no small way down to "my" uncle. He received an unrefusable invitation to join the army of his Britanic Majesty shortly before an action at an un- memorable railway station called El Alamein. Such were the terms of the offer, that he found himself obliged to remain amongst the ranks of the First Royal Tank Regiment until shortly after that most illustrious of regiments found itself at Hamburg in 1945. As a"Dessert Rat", he therefore had the "pleasure" of measuring himself against the best that Rommel and the Deustche Africa Korps could put into the field. To the great delight of a schoolboy such as I myself, he kindly recited to me what he had seen and done during those three years.
I know some will find it hard to believe, but those years spent fighting against the Germans left him with a very sincere respect for that nation, which, I am proud to say, he passed on to me.
So, why have I registered for this web site? Simple. I am 47, and have had an interest in military history for at least thirty years. I have read many memoirs, from Xenophon (c400B.C.) onwards, and would like to think that one day, a member of my family might have his reminiscenses recorded for the benefit of future generations. It is, as I know you realise, devastatingly simple: the men who fought and died in the Last world war are steadily dieing off: when they are gone, they will be no more. If we cannot persuade them to record their memories now, very soon, they will not be arround to set them down if they change their minds. I have done my best to try and persuade Albert to talk to a dictaphone about what he remembers about his wartime service, and failed.
I am sure that, somewhere out there, is a young man whose life would be immeasureably extended if he were to be told by my uncle that, when you are temporarily drafted into the military police and find yourself in a bar room brawl in the middle of Cairo, even though you are over six feet tall and used to swinging a six pound sledge hammer in your uncle''s blacksmith shop for several hours without rest, that the best course of action is to hide under the nearest table until events have blown themselves out - and then arrest only those least capable of moving.....
I would like to think that, somewhere out there, is someone who remembers Albert Fletcher, and would like to send one last message to him,
while both are still alive; failing that, I hope that you can find someone from the Royal Tank Regiment who can send Albert, through me, a message, telling him that his memories of the Second world War are important to the present members of the Regiment, and that they really should be recorded.
My memories of what he has told me down the years are very precious to me; they really should be set down, somewhere.
Just to put it in perspective for you - uncle was not one of the tank crew, but one of the mechanics who kept the tanks going. Such was his modesty, that for many years, he created the image for me that he was just a glorified garage worker. It took quite a while before he was ready to tell me about the nights he ended up between our tanks and the prowling Germans, either guarding our tanks, or desperatly trying to repair and recover the ones which had been put out of action during the day.
I cannot, however, stress too highly the high regard in which he held both the German soldiers, and civilians, whom he met. If I grew up believing that the prime aim of NATO was to re-unify Germany, and that this was a worthwhile aim, then Uncle Albert was the cause of it.
Did "Challenger" have problems in the Gulf in 1992? Albert found out all about the difficulties of keeping engines designed for western europe running in the sands of the western desert in 1943. How do you kill a Tiger at three am? Albert saw how you can do it, by accident in 1944.
Let''s face it, there were some real heroes sixty years ago. We owe it to them to remember, and record what they did.
If you can put me in touch with anyone who can persuade my uncle to let me record what he remembers of those days, I will be very gratefull. It may sound daft - but at the most basic level, he has shown me some of his souvenirs. There is a superb portrait of him, in pencil, on 100%, full-acid thoroughly degradeable paper, by a (then) young man, whose artistic talents will, I am sure, never be recognised by the artistic world.
The achievements of the top-notch fighter pilots, and the Tank aces are well remembered; it would be nice to think that, one day, we might hear the memories of those who kept the tanks and the fighters going. I wonder how many of the mechanics in the Royal Tank Regiment realise that there were once young men doing exactly what they have done,in war zones, on whom the tank crew depended, and who, like them, have gone un-recorded and un-appreciated.
Mark, if you have even read this, your website has been worth its entry fee, even if my comments go no further.
Just to put it in its perspective (and you are allowed to laugh), Albert is an uncle by marriage, rather than by blood. I have it on good authority that the nearest my blood line comes to having a war hero is the grandfather who twice volunteered for sevice in the Royal Navy in the last world war, and was twice refused, on the grounds that he was of more value to the nation as a coal miner. He declined to apply a third time, because he thought that if he did try a third time, they might think he was serious.....
Best wishes,
Chris Jackson.
Ref my Forces Service
5 yrs Army Cadet Force - Lancashire Fusiliers !946/51 ( attached 2nd Bat at Bury)
2 yrs National service REME 1951-1953. No 22447118
3 yrs REME AER.
I joined the REME for basic training at Honiton, 12 platoon C Company in 1951.
I did a trade test as a Fitter at Blandford, I had already completed my apprenticeship as a fitter and actually worked 1 week as a tradesman ( wage £3.50 per week ) before being called up. Naturally the army chose to send me to Norton Manor Camp Taunton to undergo trade training as a Vehicle Mechanic. After training, I was stationed at St Neots, (camp name not known), where 12 of us worked on an airfield servicing stored Bren Carriers, possibly Little Staughton Airfield.
Later stationed at ROYSTON ( camp name not known) traveling to, and working at, a tank depot in Cambridge location and name of camp not known (can anyone help ) While there I completed a special trial Diesel Ignition course at Arbourfield. This was a special course due to a shortage of diesel engineers. If all the passing course members were willing they could sign on for one extra year added to their nation service 2 years without further commitment. (at that time 5 years was the minimum.) All other course members were NCO''s and because one man would not sign on they abandoned the trial even though we all passed the skills test.
After the above I was put on a special draft of 12 with 1 Sergeant to be flown out to Cyprus from Blackbush Airfield. We called at Nice in France for refueling but were not allowed to leave the airfield during refueling, in fact, we were closely guarded by Gendarmes. We were made to feel really unwelcome in a the country where only 5 years before thousands of British and others from all over the world were dying to free them I''m afraid I still feel resentful even to this day. From there we flew to Malta for refueling and although again, we couldn''t leave the airfield, the airfield staff and workers welcomed us with open arms, completely different to our last call.
When we reached Cyprus. I believe it was at "Whites Field " outside Nicosia, They wouldn''t let the plane land because no one knew we were coming. We circled for a long while and only when the pilot notified the field that we were out of fuel did they agree to let us land. We would have been stuck at Whites Field in a tent but we had a regular sergeant with us who new the ropes, after getting a truck to take us to the headquarters in Nicosia he craftily told the driver to go back to camp. When the OIC told him to return to the camp while they sorted things out, he straight faced told him we had no transport, as a result we spent a pleasant 3 weeks with the MP''s at the HQ. While there we played 11 short games of football with the MP team to give them practice, I believe they were the island champions at that time. As we only had 13 to pick from ( non of us sportsmen) and we managed to beat them twice we were really on a high. Another thing was for us to take over from them to mount guard in our still pristine kit. After mounting the guard the MP''s took over again and the rest of the evening was our own to prowl Nicosia. Being friends with the MP''s meant we could investigate the out of bounds areas without getting booked. We didn''t know at the time but found out later that we should have gone to Larnica which was the R and R centre for the middle east land forces. If that had happened the rest of our service would have been a dream posting.
With the usual Army cock up, we were told that a message had been received to say " Retain all the Drivers fly the Vehicle Mechanics to Egypt". When we finally arrived in Tel-El-Kebir the OIC there blew a gasket because the message should have read " Retain the Vehicle Mechanics and send the Drivers to Egypt
The Following year based at 47 Workshop, 2 Base Workshops Tel-El-Kebir,
Anyone remember the when they introduced time and motion studies ? Our output went from approx. 73 vehicles a week repaired to 12. And if there are any 1952 TEKies left alive they must remember when the service regiments took over camp perimeter guard. ( almost world war three).
Final Trade VMI. - Final rank in Egypt L/Cpl acting Cpl.- Traveled home on Empire Fowey Jan 1953. demob Burscough 1953.
AER service L/Cpl. I.C. LAD attached unknown RAOC Unit in and around Thetford.
At present: ( 73 retired ) Spend my time with family web site occleston.com, ( taking the mick out of the younger family members and airing my moans). I am still trying to locate any old army friends who may be still alive and who might possibly remember me. Pretty sad but it keeps my brain active. I would welcome any contacts who might remember the places mentioned or may have been involved in any of my past service life.
W. Occleston (Weary Wally).
Joined 8 RTR until amalgamation with 5RTR,Left 5RTR on disbandment and was sent to 17/21 Lancers in Omagh N.Ireland until full time discharge in 1971.Would like to contact 23504040 l/c Andy Scott of Portobello Edinborough who served in 2 Troop 8 RTR,1957 Also SgtRonnie Cross of the 17/21 Lancers
I joined 12th Royal Lancers in 1954,Hadrian Barracks, Carlisle for 6 weeks training. Then went to Herford, Germany, was Batman to Major Trimbrell on return to Mones Officer Cadet School as permanent staff. Some of the people I remember, were Tpr Pete Monday,Tpr Pointon, Tpr Pincers. Would be please to here from them, or someone who knew them. I left in 1957, On Reserve until 1961
I Enlisted as a Boy Soldier in 1952,in `Boy`s Battery R.A. in 1952,shortly after it became the Junior Leaders Regiment, where it was formed in Hereford, I mustered from there and joined 39 Signals Training Regt.R.A. N.Wales,after training I was posted to 53.L.A.A.Regt R.A.(58(T Shah Sujars)Bty R.A. in Lippstadt Germany. Regiment disbanded in 1958, I was posted as a Signal Instructor to 39 Signal Training Regt R.A. at Rhyl N.Wales, 1960 posted to 12.L.A.A.Regt.R.A.in Delmenhorst, Germany, the Regiment was then posted
to Malaya (Tampin)also serving in Kuchin.1966 Regt returned to Dusseldorf Germany and after 1 year was move to Napier Barracks Germany, in 1968, I was Posted back to the Junior Leaders Regt R.A. as an instructor and then BQMS, I was then seconded to Trials Regt at Ty-Croes, Anglsey,N.Wales.in 1970, I resigned for family reasons
I joined the Royal Artillery, 68 Traing Regt in Oswestry on Sept 4 1952. After 2 weeks basic training I moved to Kimmel Park, Rhyl. Signals Training Regt, for 8 weeks. I then got posted to 4 Locating Battery, Connaught Barracks, Woolwich.
I spent time on the flood duties at Dartford. 25 shilling a week pay in London!, how could I be expected to stay there. I then volentered for a posting in Egypt were I joined ''''''''88''''''''Arracan Bty 41st Field Regiment RA in May 1953, returning to the UK in August 1954 (no leave home in that time)
I am now a member of the Suez Veterans Association, and have now after 51 years received my General Service Medal.The Medal was presented by Air Commodore S R Simms OBE,in the Church at RAF Cosford on April 24 2004,to Suez Veterans Association members who had received theirs by that date.
On 26 of April I returned to the Canal Zone with a party of eighty mebers and families of the Suez Veterans Association on their annual visit to the war graves at, Moascar, Fayid, Suez and Port Said.
please join us in london on 9 april to march and rally in trafalger square to save our regiments.find more information on site www.save our scottish regiments.we need all the help we can get to tell this government and the MOD they are wrong.
On the 22/05/04 I met for the first time since 1945 my old friend and comrade George Burton. We were at Winston Barracks Lanarkshire for our initial training, both joining the Training Bn on 1st June 1944.(5 days before D Day)
After our 8 weeks initial training we were posted to the RASC Driver Training Battalion at Hadrians Camp Carlisle, and 8 weeks later joined 611 Coy RASC at Worksop.
We remained good friends until being posted to a transit Company at Southend on Sea early in 1945. At this time we lost touch, George moved on to serve in West Africa and then with 20 Coy RASC in London and I was posted to Palestine to join 258 Coy(HT)RASC in Haifa.
Later I served with 470 Coy Ambulance Car at Sarafand close to Tel Aviv, moved out of Palestine on partition to Mombasa, Kenya and joined 242 Coy Tank Tranporters, the American built Rgers Trailers were converted to carry pipes to Mackinnon road and the Tsavo River Project for the governments ill fated ground nut scheme, and we were there during the Mau Mau troubles.
Returned UK in October 1948 and posted to 3 Training Bn RASC at Farnborough in Hampshire before discharge in May 1952. George meantime had eventually arrived at 20 Coy RASC in London driving VIPs including many of the famous War Time Generals, he eventually drove General Montgomerys Rolls Royce this car is now in the RASC museum at Beverley, George went there to see the car in 1996, he also was discharged in 1952.
George now lives in Retford, just 25 miles from my home at Welton nr Lincoln, both of us were familiar with this area when we served with 611 Coy, amongst other things we transported some of the first German POWs from Normandy to POW camps in the area. 60 years is a long time where have they gone? Its a small world!!!
Enlisted 17th April 1944 in Regular Army
at the Bath Recruiting Office
for 7 years Service and 5 years Reserve
T/14446982 Sumsion F
Service History
June 1944 July 1944. Winston Barracks, Lanark,, Scotland.
July/ September 1944. RASC Training Battalion, Hadrians Camp, Carlisle.
October1944/ March 1945. 611 Coy GT RASC, Worksop, Notts.
April 1945 Holding Coy, Osset, Yorkshire
May 1945. Holding Coy, Southend-on-Sea. Essex
June 1945/July1947. 258 Coy HT RASC, Haifa, Palestine.
July 1947/Sept1947. 44 Ambulance Car Coy, Tel Aviv, Palestine
Sept 1947/Oct1948. 242 Coy Tank Transporters, Kenya.
Oct 1948/May1952. 3 Training Battalion RASC, Farnborough, Hants.
Service Record
June 1944 Sept 1945 Driver
Sept 1945 Sept 1946 Corporal
Sept 1946 May 1952 Sergeant
Medals
1. War Medal
2. Defence Medal*
3. General Service Medal (Palestine)
• Dispatch Rider with Bath Civil Defence
• July 1942 April 1944.
There''s ten of us ex-national service boys from A company and friends starting yearly reunion around November. If you''re interested get in touch via my daughters email.
JOINED 3 QUEENS WHEN 4 QNS WAS DISBANDED SERVED IN NORTHERN IRELAND STATIONED IN BALLYKINLAR CAMP AND HENRY TAGGERT MEMORIAL HALL FALLS ROAD A LOVELY PLESANT AREA WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO SERVED WITH ME
Farnborough from March - april - august, elgin scotland. Three months training in Scotland posted to Northern command civvy digs in North Allerton - Boughton ordanance camp until November 1050 then Barton Stacy transit camp from there to Raf Lyneham, - Singapore - HMS Unicorn (aircraft Carrier)
From Singapore to Pusan, Korea there for six months then transferred to Kure, Japan then HMS Orwell then demobbed
MY NAME IS BERNARD SEYBURN,
I JOINED UP IN 1944 AND WAS POSTED TO THE 28TH TRG.BATTALION NORTHERN IRELAND.
AFTER 6 MONTHS INFANTRY TRAINING I WAS POSTED TO THE DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY.
THE BATTLE SCHOOL WAS AT FELTON IN NORTHUMBERLAND.
AFTER A SPELL IN JUNGLE WARFARE I WAS SENT TO THE FAR EAST ON THE BRITTANIC SHIP
ARRIVING IN INDIA I WAS AT KALYAN TRANSIT CAMP BEFORE GOING TO POONA TO JOINN THE 2ND BATTALION OF THE DLI.
THE BATTALION RERFORMED AND WE PROCEEDED TO SINGAPORE TO TAKE UP GUARD DUTIES WHICH INCLUDED WAR TRIALS AND THE GUARDING OF JAP P.O.W. IN CHANGI GAOL.
WE WERE PRESENT AT THE EXECUTIONS OF THE CONDEMNED POW.AT CHANGI.
I LEFT THE ARMY ON DEMOB WITH THE RANK OF SGT. IN 1948.
I Joined the Junior Guardsmen at the age of 15 at a place called Pirbright Camp.
This place was a really old army camp comprising Wooden spiders, the old style.
In 1965 conscription had just finished and we were the new breed of regulars.
Given that we were only juniors.
I was assigned to REG the trained soldier for our barrack block. and I think it was just because I was a very small thin chap. and that is why I think I was nicknamed PLUM.
Can you Beano enthusiasts remember "Little Plum"
...................more to follow.............
1963,when in the gulf i went to the raf hangers to photograph some vulcan bombers,i was a regular visitor to the airfield as we shipped mail from it several times a day. before you could shout snap i was arrested and had my camera confiscated.despite all the raf regt police guys knowing me i was grilled for ages and given a right dressing down by the raf senior warrant officer,needless to say my co wasn't best pleased either when he was dragged from the mess to id me. i never did get my camera back,can i claim?
It was just after completing my National service with the worcestshire regiment in 1956 . That the regiment embarked on a tour of the west indies.B company which I belonged to as a rifleman was destined for British Honduras which I knew little or nothing about. Is there anyone out there who were in the 1st battalion Worcestershire 5 platoon please reply. Would love to get in touch
regards John Noakes
I joined REME in Sept 1945 after serving in general service corps. Iwas posted to Woolwich then Northampton Tech (veh & plant electrician)subsiquently in order. Derby-Arbourfield-Derby-Chilwell-Otley-Chilwell-Eggington-Hannover(baor)(12th heavy workshops REME demobbed April1948
the last posting was the only place I met up with chaps long enough to make pals but I think it was too long ago for any of them to be still alive. I am for ever the optomist i will keep searching.
Don''t think i''m doing too bad with this new fangled internet as I am 80 years old and only first used a computor18 months ago.
If anyone hears of anyone of my era please contact me or if they would like to chat to an old sweat please do.
14056264 Cfn pete radford
hi all oldoppos.i joined up as a boy soldier in 1972 at jtr troon , i was in the last intake before the camp was closed down at the end of 1973. i then went on to buller bks for mt driver training. after buller i was posted to 14 sqn rct in bielefeild.( hq 1 br corps).1974/76. i was then off to 58 sqn rct in raf akrotir sunny cyprus.1976/78. my last posting was to 20 sqn rct in regents park bks in london.1978/81. after i left the army i got a job working for the m o d in regents pk bks.
9th May 1961 saw me enlisted into the Green Jackets Brigade at Peninsula Bks Winchester and on the 28th July 1961 the elite 4th Platoon *Passed-Out* and what a joy that was and amongst other families were my mum kid brother and sister. That day according to mum was the day i *deserted her* i wonder? I was just begining to enjoy life and after 3 months training felt super-fit. I was posted to the 1st Bn Green Jackets 43rd & 52nd (Ox & Bucks) and *A* Company. After what seemed a short while i had marksmans badges all down my left arm. The CO picked me to serve at Knook Camp in the RP section... in a way i felt isolated from my mates but it was ok. Then it was the advance party to Penang.
Upon arrival in Singapore at Paya Lebar we were transported to Nee Soon where we were given some time off to do our own *thing* for many of us that included a trip to the tatooist. Next we found ourselves in jungle green (OGs) and on route to Butterworth on the slow train. For me the journey was a dream and i could not believe we were actually getting paid for it?
Upon arrival in Penang we did the decent thing and took over Minden Barracks. Life for me was looking up and i could not believe what a fantastic adventure it all was.
Due to illness and circumstances beyond my control i take up my story when on my tour of Borneo. Life for me in the hands of Col (Sweeney Tod)Sweeney MC was great and to be frank i wish i could go back to that time but we cant do that... i found myself in the company of two other Riflemen en route to Singapore as VTs to Corps of RMP where we were trained in proper police work and graduation into the Redcaps/cont
served aboard LCT 4128 from mid 1958-late 1959
our home base was Portsmouth we spent time in Devon Scotland.we did tank landings around the UK
most of the crew where nation servicemen
I would to hear from any ex crew members
I am also the Grandson of a former Coldstream Guardsman.
My Grandfather joined up pre - war and served most of his time in London on ceremonial duties. He left in 1938 and re-joined the Post Office.
At the outbreak of war he was called up and ended up joining the RMP''s much to his annoyance.
He saw service throughout Europe and the Middle East being evacuated from Dunkirk and then landing at Normandy on D-Day +3 as part of the Guards Armd Div. He saw action at Caen.
I have photo''s of his pre-war service and will happily share them. I am still researching his war service.
After the war he joined the Prison Service and did a spell at Spandau during the 50''s.
Please can anyone help me to make a wish come true.
My father was Gunner Cainey 31 regt RA A troop L section stationed at Kimmel park Rhyl north wales.
My father would love to hear from anyone else also he is keen to see photo/pictures/clippings when he was chosen at this young age to be at the Kings funeral.
Please assist
contact mbpeal@emirates.net.ae
I served in the Womens Royal Army Corps 1963-67 and they were the best years of my life. If anyone knows me (Sue Waind) served in Catterick, 251 Sig Sqn in Aldershot and 235 Sig Sqn in Malta, pse email me. I married John Hirst in 67 and am now settled in W Yorks. When I was a young girl soldier I was in basic training and complained to the orderly Sgt at mealtime that "there wasn''t enough butter" ( it had run out). He made me stand on my chair in the cookhouse and recite the Lord''s Prayer aloud. When it came to the bit "give us this day our daily bread" he shouted "STOP!!! Did the Lord say anything about BUTTER???" One red face at 17 years old!!! Enough said!!!!
Served with 2Coy 2nd Btn in Munster Germany also 2 tours in Belfast in 68 and 71/72 also with 4Coy in Chelsea.
I was a 19-year-old Private Airborne Sniper in the first of six Horsa gliders to land just after midnight of 5th/6th June 1944 adjacent to the bridge over the Caen Canal and the nearby bridge over the river Orne. This was the first fighting unit to go into action on D-Day. The French Government renamed the bridge over the Caen Canal as Pegasus Bridge and the bridge over the river Orne as Horsa Bridge in recognition of their being the first part of France to be liberated on D-Day.
I act as correspondent to the known survivors of the original 180-man Coup de Main special force and am in contact with 20 others.
Denis Edwards
(pegasuseddie@ntlworld.com)
Transferred to the RAMC from REME in 69. Served in 29 FA and BMH Colchester, married Irene Berwick QARANC. we are in touch with several people both RAMC and QA from Colchester in the early 70''s and have had one reunion at the Victory Services Club. some contacts so far, Malcolm (Harry) Harris & Gerry, Christine Lennox, Pauline (Bubbly) Martin, Arthur and Eileen West, tony Lawrence, and more. We currently live in Lancashire, I am an Agency social worker currently working with people with learning difficulties, Irene is a Nursery Nurse,
my name is craig hattersley and my wife is donna i have never been a member of the armed forces.i am searching for an old friend ,his name is chuck nicol and we met him and his new wife on their honeymoon at the coconut court hotel in barbados in 1996, all i know about chuck is he was a helicopter engineer and of the rank of colour sergeant,i also knew he served in the first gulf war,at one point he was stationed at raf chequerfield,ipswich suffolk which has been closed for a long time,he was a geordie boy and he will be about 35ish his wife is called jo,if anybody outthere knows of there whereabouts please tell them to get in touch,because craig and donna would love to say hello my number is 07973172965 thanks
I was originally in the ACC attatched to 161 rgt, 260 sqn RCT (TA)
During the 8 years i transfered to driving within the same rgt.
Also spent many a weekend at a truck-fest on recruitment weekends with "woody" and of course with the famous Wo2 Dave Hill.