View Full Version : When I joined the army ......
John Turner
18-11-2006, 00:24
A centurion was my platoon commander
We didn't need numbers, we all knew each other
I was in uniform when you were in liquid form
I was No 2 on the boiling oil
etc
Any more?
We were trained by NCO's who were from the National Service? :frown:
when i joined men were men....when men were made out of steel & ships were made out of wood...the M.T. were hard as nails...and respected by everyone....
Bob Bacon
18-11-2006, 21:10
:skeptical: Robin Hood was the Weapons Instructor and Friar Tuck was the QM
I remember the Blanco room.
They didn't issue wetproofs
John Turner
18-11-2006, 22:20
.... if asked the time, we replied...
"Time never changes Sarge- forty movements to the minute
WHAN - TUP - THREE - WHAN"
i was in dead ground when you was in the playground
i was on the gate when you were on cow and gate
i was in bagdag when you were in your dads bag
some of the ones that gets used these days.
BennytheBall
19-11-2006, 19:45
When I was in the Army, we shouldered arms not grew them.
richie264
19-11-2006, 20:40
Dai I remember the blanco room we called it the polishing room, because we had to scrape the Blanco off & polish it instead..(Jan 1975)..
My 1st Cpl was Royal Welch," Williams", but he transfered to the RRW in 75 (must have been put off by the standard of the recruits !!) short dark haired guy he was, minds just gone blank on his last 2, Crocker was the CSM of my Jnr Soldier Coy.
CARL PUGH
19-11-2006, 22:56
I can remember being jailed by RSM Cooper(Mighty Mouse) for walking on the grass, when it was covered in a foot of snow.
John Turner
19-11-2006, 23:44
I remember when RSM Cooper pointed to the coat of arms on his sleeve - thrust his face into mine and said "Do you know what this is - BOY!"
I said "Oh yeah - you get them on syrup tins don't you!"
rob jones 60
20-11-2006, 08:47
ive spent more time in the NAFFI queue than youve been in the army...... straiten them arms or ill rip them off and beat you with the soggy ends..... gun group on me ......just after youve got set up on the high ground two Ks away.......... on a blank firing section attack ...... watch my tracer......... waitting for a heli pick up in Irland.... on my comand throw smoke .. ..thing was every one did in the mutible some nice colours that morning........
rikoshea
20-11-2006, 12:35
When I joined the Army Blanco was athing of the past, We had to put up with bronco. ha ha
rob jones 60
20-11-2006, 19:32
on BN muster the RSM would screem at the provo sgt that man there .. yes him with the berret on get him away ............................am i hurting you.... no CSM.... i should be im standing on your hair get it cut..............
anyone know what happend to mighty mouse (rsm,cooper ) not seen him in years, he was only a cpl then
CARL PUGH
21-11-2006, 19:42
Richy,
I last seen him in Tidwoth in 1992 with his son Steve. But i was also told only a week ago that he has passed on to the other side. Is there anyone who can confirm this or is it a rumor. Pug
hoppy spoke to derek woodland last night..(his brother in law) said mighty mouse lives near him...but never goes out...that's in ebbw vale
richie264
21-11-2006, 20:42
I'm sure he lives up around here, Coedpoeth? Iwas speeking to a lad last month who used to be his neighbour a couple of years ago, I saw him last year as I drove through Llangollen has'nt changed much, did'nt have time to stop.
I thought he was an exellent RSM as you always new where you stood as he was always a B*****d.:twitcy:
I used to see him regularly, walking his dog in summerhill, nr wrexham although i havnt been there for a while.
John Turner
21-11-2006, 21:38
OK - "When I joined the army" ....
My first pay packet was £1:14s and a bingo ticket. Should have been £1 14/6 but the sixpence was a compulsory bingo ticket. Don't remember if that was weekly or fortnightly either.
This was IJLB Oswestry May 1970 - age 15 and 4 months - ye Gods!
What a shock to the system - 2 pl Sgts - one a weathered-faced
Scots guardsman called 'Chisholm' the other - Queens Regt - Hammel.
We called them ' Hammer & Chisel' and man did they carve some men out of boys!
Chisholm called the time like this "EST ITE, EST ITE, EST ITE ERRRRR"
I remember my first CO's room inspection - everything perfect and gleaming - or so I thought.
The RSM - a Coldstream named Jan Hooper - about 6' 12" with no neck or hair - you could just see the outside of each eye under his slashed peak .... goes into my locker - brings out a button stick (for younger members - a device with a slit and shapes around the outside, for putting behind buttons etc to protect your uniform/belt/etc from the brasso/duraglit).
It was gleaming - on the front!
He smiled - sinisterly - flipped it over and said "What is this made of son?"
I was sure it was brass - but I thought maybe that was too obvious, maybe this was a test!
I examined it closely - no - I was sure it was brass - I would at least impress him with the conviction of my answer. I shouted "BRASS - SIR!"
I can't print what followed - I'm not sure I'm over it even now!
Smokeyjoe
22-11-2006, 00:45
John,
I was posted from the 1st Bn to IJLB on the 29 Jan 1963 until 2 Feb 1966, Chan Hooper was the WO2 Drill Sgt then and the RSM was Dusty Smith who was also in the Coldstream Guards. Another RWF member who served there was Sgt Doc Fice as he was then, and was on the drill wing.
The Band and Drums visited IJLB either 1964 or 1965 for the passing out parade as i am sure you will remember it was a large and impressive parade.
Happy days.
Regards,
Joe.
BennytheBall
22-11-2006, 14:31
John
When I joined the Army!, it was back in 69. JIB Schorncliffe, didn't quite make the grade to go to JLIB Oswestry (Perhaps I was plankton Tom 15?)
Lt "Scar on the eye" Perkins(Later Major Perkins) RWF was my Pln Comdr, he was then replaced by Lt De Bromhead ( Later Gen Bromhead) RRW, great grandson of Lt De Bromhead Rorkes Drift (Zulu).
richie264
22-11-2006, 18:09
In 75 we got £3.00 a week in your hand the rest went into your POSBY account, big bucks on leave, we still managed our fags, milkshakes, stickies & cleaning kit, windoline brasso etc. out of that 3 quid.
Bennytheball,
This is scary, did you know we were in the same platoon in the JIB. I had not clicked at all. As you say Perky was our platoon commander. I was originally in The Welch Regiment but Perky encouraged me to transfer before the passing out parade. I played rugby and hockey for the JIB so Perky wanted me to play for the RWF and not the newly formed regiment, the RRW.
Perky later became my platoon commander when I joined the Sigs.
What a small world, are there any photos of you in the gallery so that I can put a face to the name?
I used to date a chick called Sue Bell in Folkstone, I wonder whatever happened to her. She wrote to me for years when I was in Hong Kong.
Sorry Bob B, John T. I did not mean to go off on a tangent here but I'm very surprised to find out about myself and Benny.
Ciao
Dilwyn
BennytheBall
23-11-2006, 14:17
Dilwyn
Its is great to here from you and I now realise who you are.
Sue was a "Belle". They were the good old days worked hard, played hard (Flirting etc). I'll have to dig out some old photos of JIB and post them on the forum. There is a link in the forum to the JIB and JLIB, its worth having a look perhaps you'll remember some names. It is a "Small world" you can keep in touch with me on my email address: IanBall841@aol.com Nice to talk again
Speak soon
Yours
Ex JPTE Ian Ball
D Coy
Junior Infantrymen's Battalion
Shorncliffe
BennytheBall
23-11-2006, 14:24
Carl
I think you could be right that his son Steve had passed over to the other side? (drugs?). The person that will know is Blethyn Griffiths 04 he still lives in Shipton Bellinger and works on security over at the Army Aviation Centre Middle Wallop. I don't have any contact details for him I'm afraid.
rob jones 60
26-11-2006, 17:38
When i joined the army was back in 1981, at the depot Crickhowell. Going to the QMs to get your new kit, knife,fork and sponne mess tins ichy KF shirt s DMS boots and putties.combats and light weights ,crow cap the list goes on . then having to dubble back to the block with it all , and not drop any kit or you lose it and have to buy it back from your tranning NCOs . your first army hair cut was free even if you had a skin head going in to short and you had to wear a tin hat till it grew back happy days ........
and the barber was a bald chap called Ginger
dutchman
26-11-2006, 18:26
cwrt-y-gollen in 79 , the mad dash for the bus on friday night if you were lucky enough not to get a weekend duty , the sugar loaf run (put me on sweeteners for life). and what the hell was the monthly comp called where we had to fill our webiing with sand and even though my section won it every time , no salver for us (the training team got it) just some friggin cheap lager , happy days eh lol
dutchman
26-11-2006, 18:28
oh and one more happy !!! memory came to mind , the e and e excercise where we had to get to the thirty meter range without being spotted by the training team who we later found out were actually looking out for us in the mess , maybe the lagers gave them night sight i dunno
rob jones 60
27-11-2006, 15:33
ar the sugar loaf run still get nose bleeds thinking about it . cpl efin richards 1 RWF he was one of the depots PTIs at the time would race horses up and down that thing .. fit in them days.........
A little bit of R & R with that nice old man from the RRW who used to wear a green cover on his hat, what was his name......................Frank Watkins!!!!!!!!!!!:shocked:
"Pick Up The LOG"
richie264
27-11-2006, 17:05
I had a PTI Richards, RRW I think, you can imagine how much stick he gave me. :realmad:
rob jones 60
28-11-2006, 12:34
was frank watkins the depot provo sgt can see him now bringing in a helicopter with two ping pong bats from the Naffi............
rikoshea
29-11-2006, 10:36
yeak Provo sgt FRANK WATKINS the man who wanted to ring the bell on the fire engine sir.
wetproofs i was in, in 95 what are they al ?
wetproofs i was in, in 95 what are they al ?
Griff,
Since you asked, they are like Goretex, but not as expensive!!, "Crisp Bag" is another good word. We used to have to buy them off our Training Cpls
In 1977 my Depot Section Comd "Gus Hooker" D&D only charged me £10 for my jacket(my weekly pay was £7)so we paid a pound a week(there was 8 of us doing that :-)..............Bargain.......or so he told me:laugh_xmas:
dai hood
16-12-2006, 13:57
yes Al they would try to flog you anything, did you buy a R.W.F cap badge thing off cpl herbert ?, tacks on a felt background on a piece of plywood he did all the regiments most of the lads in our platoon did. he must have made a bomb ,a fiver a go
dutchman
16-12-2006, 14:00
yes dai but tell the forum the truth , you bought a sally army badge you div
dai i noticed your in flint...do you see anything of dennis hough or ciryl abdy..???
ceedoubleu
16-12-2006, 17:58
Griff,
Since you asked, they are like Goretex, but not as expensive!!, "Crisp Bag" is another good word. We used to have to buy them off our Training Cpls
In 1977 my Depot Section Comd "Gus Hooker" D&D only charged me £10 for my jacket(my weekly pay was £7)so we paid a pound a week(there was 8 of us doing that :-)..............Bargain.......or so he told me:laugh_xmas:
Wetproofs - particularly useful worn under Combat Jackets :frown_xmas:
Wetproofs - particularly useful worn under Combat Jackets :frown_xmas:
Arrh yeeesssssssss, an ideal tactic for silent nightime patrolling. I never could understand why I kept going down with hypothermia in the Ambush FRV:no_xmas:
Wetproofs wasnt it Des that made us wear a greenbelt & Buckle with them and pull them round the back so tight that they looked like miniskirts:confused_xmas:
dai hood
17-12-2006, 12:55
yes Tom everybody knows dennis in flint played football for the army ill see him tonight .
rob jones 60
17-12-2006, 12:57
You had to have your combat jacket tapered in to a ducks tail at the back .. even if you were wearing your wet proof jacket
rob jones 60
17-12-2006, 13:03
Do the lads that trained in crickhowell remember the cockroaches that came out at night in the cook house and would cover the floor...going for a run up the pig track and white lady..and being made very fit in the( torch er chamber) gym.
dai hood
19-12-2006, 09:42
yes Rob
I can remember the cockroaches most were in Glyndwr platoon,
and the suger loaf run every satuday morning,i always won it ha ha
We had Army issue 'T' bag undercrackers and vests:arghh_xmas: . Also we had to BULL our black Army trainers (daps):mad_xmas:
Oh and those itchy KF shirts:realmad_xmas:
rob jones 60
19-12-2006, 14:23
Dai i think the black dap is back in fashion seen them in Burton's last week had to have them , they look great been bulling them all week... not
rob jones 60
19-12-2006, 14:28
used my army issue under pants to filter water from down stream of the dead sheep that was always in the water in brecon better than earl gray any day ......
dutchman
19-12-2006, 16:21
hoody only got to the top of sugar loaf first cos someone told there were lame sheep for the picking
Ken Barrow
03-01-2007, 02:15
Bob Bacon lived up stairs, Two's up on everything, go & paint the last post, go to the QM and ask for some Skyhooks, a guy called Spanner was a bully, marching to meals. Good times at Welsh Brigade Depot.
just looking at some of the names on here ,, perky , remember him when he first joined the regt as a lt ,,crocker was only a cpl when i knew him ,,as for mighty mouse the last time i saw him he was a high court sheriffe working from mold ??(good job for him )..where have the years gone lol getting old
a ps to my last ,,,,,,,,, remember harry (dog) hughes then c,s,m saying to me stand closer to the razor or take the ***** paper off the blade
I do remember visiting a Club in Caernarvon the Marconi Club I think owned by an ex Maj. I believe, now that was quite interesting but it was 1972 I think? I was 3rd Bn then up to bolster the honour guard for the Colours I was on the Slate Key.
Oh the days of Company Clubs in Tidworth, Inter Coy Darts playing against Delta Company Cap Comforters, or a Night in Alpha Company’s Pigs Bar now that took some doing.
Or Lemgo when we had the Ladies of the Night from Hamburg entertaining us in Cpls Mess and a Certain Cpl Ally was left with his socks Army socks at that! Oh yes Happy Days?
After that it was thought unprofessional of the army to have such events on the base, so it was stopped, and instead it was seen more expectable for the wives to attend Chippendale events and a such, what went wrong!!!
Keith Jones 989
30-03-2007, 19:14
My time at the Depot was April 1968 - way before the time of some of the authors of items on this forum. No matter, the names all mean something and, having just spent a pleasurable few minutes (15!!) reading through from pages 1 to 6, I implore the management (BB and AP1) to make sure that this particular thread is NEVER closed!
any one remember the rats in the cookhouse that use to run up the gutering on the floor
that was in lucknow tidworth
Lofty-25
30-03-2007, 21:03
When i joined a centurion was a rank in the roman army not a tank
I wonder if Gwyn N. remembers this night in Tidworth.
Several of us were on our way back to camp after a few beers in town and stopped for a hot dog at the van by the bus stop and toilets. As we got there we noticed two guys waiting in their car for the queue to go down. As it happened we got the very last hot dogs so when the guys stepped out of their car to buy some they were really P****d off. Of course we laughed which made them really mad. They jumped in their car and decided to mount the pavement to run us down. I had a plastic pop bottle in my hand and threw it at their windshield. The driver must have thought it was a glass bottle as he put his arm up and swerved into the wall of the toilet which then collaped on his bonnet. He then wound his window down (bad move) to say something to us and got bobbed in the mouth, as did his mate. Anyway, they had a rough night because they smashed up their car, got a thumping, were taken away by the police and still did not get their hot dogs. It's a tough life. I blame it all on Nick as he had two hot dogs.
Yes I remember the Rats running up and down the Bacon " No pun meant Bob" as it had been left out prior to cooking our breakfast, by the night cook.
We gave it a miss that morning, stuck to cereal & Mouse droppings?
Happy Days!
richie264
31-03-2007, 19:26
In Tidworth I was eating a portion of battered fish when I found a cockroach in it, it put me off fish for several years, the 1st one I ate after was in Bills Bar in Lemgo. :shocked:
Yer Richie you had to get there early to get the Big Ones???
Happy days!
Keith Jones 989
01-04-2007, 12:11
Not so much when I joined but very soon after that. Does anybody who was in Hong Kong 1969 -1972 remember the sheer ingenuity of the cookhouse staff who were able to produce SPAM in such a huge variety of disguises during our border tours in Fanling Camp?
What happens these days, I can't believe they still use SPAM?
just been reading this thread i spoke to rsm coopers boy in tidworth a couple of years ago and he told me of a muster parade [lemgo i think]
when his old man asked him who ironed his kit as he looked like a bag a **** , coops replied ''the same person that did yours sir''.
I hope this is true .
for the less than bright people its a mother joke
I can’t believe that Led, Brian Cooper would not let anyone near his kit he was Immaculate even on exercise!
How ever during the NCO Cadre whilst we where being drilled by RSM Cooper, some ladies crossed the Square and a certain person shouted who are those scrubbers on my square, realising they where wife's of soldiers and not locals, and plus one of the lads on parade was the husband of one.
He did one hell of a back pedal, claiming well they are cleaners they scrub things. Too late you’re in up to your neck mate, but who would tell him? Not I I’m not Charles Broson I have no Death Wish!
But needless to say drill was short that day, no pun intended, But Mouse Cooper was the smartest soldier I have ever know.
:cool:
I did my training in Wrexham in 1958.When we had the inter platoon boxing comp. my Pln. Sgt. Roy Blewitt, was my second. I had a worst hammering in the corner with Roy showing me what todo than i got in the ring. I was glad when the bell rang so i could get out of the corner and have a rest.
John Turner
11-05-2007, 18:56
.......he was emasculate even on exercise!
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_1_219.gif
stubexpc@yahoo.co.uk
11-05-2007, 20:44
+Yes Barry:arghh: sorry John)
OK my error but if we relied on correct spelling would not life be boring, and am I bothered?
If there was an award for the worst speller on the net, well I would not be lonely would I?
PS
I am not sure if he was but hey :rolleyes:
Keith Jones 989
12-05-2007, 15:44
But it is so much more refreshing to imagine a platoon sergeant of the 'old school', especially one who went on to have an illustrious career, saying 'emasculate' when he meant to say 'immaculate'! When I was Chief Clerk of 1 D and D we had an RSM who often made mistakes like that - but we ALWAYS knew what he meant.
stubexpc@yahoo.co.uk
12-05-2007, 17:17
I bet that evary massage Berry sinds nowe,
will bee viah ther spil chequer,er.think yar.
Is he bovvered,eh is he,eh,is he bovvered,eh,is he,eh, IS HE BO V VERED:notworthy:
John Turner
12-05-2007, 18:17
Ah butt the spell chequer would half let that won go and it wood all sew not pick anything up in this sentence.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Cut and past it to word if you don’t believe me.
stubexpc@yahoo.co.uk
12-05-2007, 19:10
Did he make up a sentence?:no:
John Turner
12-05-2007, 19:31
Just a bit of harmless ribbing, Barry and I go back some way.
When I joined the Army . well the sigs pl. well, sometime after but annnnnnnnyway, Barry made a quote I'll never forget.
Taking a lesson in Ternhill on a sigs cadre, one of the students gawping out of the window.
"Oy, you, what you gawpiing out the window for? Pay attention or the next window you look out of will have BARS ON!"
stubexpc@yahoo.co.uk
12-05-2007, 21:04
I know John,I go back a bit further than you,and even then we took the p//s out of everyone,its good that the lads take a ribbing, without getting annoyed .HELLO who is that at the door!
Stu.B.:laugh:
John Turner
12-05-2007, 23:27
I know John,I go back a bit further than you,
I meant Barry and I go back some way together.
JT as you say we go back along way, so yes a ribbing I can take, who is this other geezer no diamond I can tell you, but aye lets get this thread back on track mate
Bye
69
BennytheBall
14-05-2007, 09:00
Barry
What about a certain RSM (No names mentioned) whilst called out on "Spearhead" to Belfast on a Herc (C130) from Lyneham we were up in the air when the RSM stood on the ramp counting the "heads" on the plane. The Load Master asked him what he was doing, he replied a "Head Check" Sir, in which the Load Master said but RSM we are 21000Ft, the RSM replied " You can't trust these B------s, they'll get anywhere".
Dai I remember the blanco room we called it the polishing room, because we had to scrape the Blanco off & polish it instead.(Jan 1975).
My 1st Cpl was Royal Welch," Williams", but he transfered to the RRW in 75 (must have been put off by the standard of the recruits !) short dark haired guy he was, minds just gone blank on his last 2, Crocker was the CSM of my Jnr Soldier Coy.
CSM Crocker still lives around the corner from my old ma , his nephew Andrew was shot & killed on tour in Belfast nov 76
John Turner
15-05-2007, 23:27
I couldn't swim when I joined the Army!
I remember my 6'12" instructor (IJLB Oswestry - I was 15) giving it "Well - you'll be white water canoeing in a month's time if you can swim or not!"
They put a float in the front of my trunks and one in the back too, then took out the front one, then made the back one smaller, then put an inflatable armband in instead, then let more and more air out of it, then removed it and I was away.
My kids benefitted from my parents' mistakes - I taught each of them to swim by the time they were 3 or 4 in the same way - the youngest was in the olympic pool in Berlin.
I'd plonk a dirty great snorkel mask on them - get them to be OK with their heads underwater by playing games, blowing bubbles and making silly faces (I had a head start there!) at each other underwater and they were off without really realising it.
My eldest was a fantastic swimmer, he joined the Gatow Dolphins in Berlin and his coaches said that it would be a shame if he didn't keep it all up - reckoned he could represent the country some day.
He could do two lengths of an olympic-sized pool underwater.
Where was I?
rob jones 60
22-05-2007, 16:06
was looking under the sink this morning an came across the ash try i was issued in junior soldiers . Even though Ive given up for four years now ,don't think i could part with it .In this non smoking land we live in now do the lads and lasses still have an ash try issued to them ?
When i first moved into Married Quarters, i came home late one night and asked my wife to get out of bed and make me a sandwich. After eating it i said to her , That was great, what was it. Crab paste, she snapped back. Well it was beautiful i said, where did you get it? Tescos? No she said, Boots the Chemist.
when i joined the depot September 72, we got £2 a week, but fags were only 10p for ten,so the money went quite far.
One of the best Sargent's i had was..sgt Danny donoven..(RIP)he always had time for us..
Thanks for leaving this thread open bob/al and the team.....
i remember my first week in the Bn day guard in lemgo front gate button for the barrier by the window as everyone does leaning against the wall around the corner came mouse cooper i didnt know him from adam all he said to me was are you comfortable by there my reply was not bad mate it wasnt nice but at least it got me off the gate for a couple of hours and proved i could count to 23 at least i knew who he was after that
hoppy spoke to derek woodland last night..(his brother in law) said mighty mouse lives near him...but never goes out...that's in ebbw vale
if i lived in Ebbw Vale i would'nt go out either
nasher546
10-01-2009, 18:36
Chow,
Danny Donavan (RIP) was my first Plt Sgt when I joined JS Coy in the Depot. What a sound guy. Size 6 Ammo Boots, but he could'nt half drive them into the parade square! Wages were £1.10 shillings a week. You are right you could by loads for that, however we were always skint 4 days later.
John Turner
10-01-2009, 19:37
My first pay packet - age 15 - in Z Coy - IJLB Oswestry, was £1:14s:6d and the sixpence was a compulsory bingo ticket!
I don't remember if that had to last a fortnight or a week - surely a week - I was getting a quid a week on me paper round a few weeks before!
Not many RWF went through IJLB in my time there - Sullivan - Pat Dunne - Mike Carnell, Glen Nurse, Alan Ankers - struggling now.
Fortyfive
10-01-2009, 20:14
Just like Chow & Paul Nash. Danny Donavan was my first pl sargent. & we use to get £2.00 a wk pay or was it a fortnight ???. Do you remember the training cpls saying 5 mins smoke break, I use to say I dont smoke cpl & they said run round the sq LOL. I learnt to keep my mouth shut LOL
danny donavan was my pln sgt and csm crocker was my sgt major in junior soldiers in 1974 had a great time zedder ex rrw.:smile:
davidrmac
23-01-2009, 08:59
It was 1976 one of the hottest summers on record when I went to the Depot . Frank Watkins , RSM Gill , Ginger the barber , POSB , the pig track , sugar loaf , that poxy fire cart and who remembers the 1 in 4 at the back of the camp ? What a hill . All my mates back home were sunning themselves in either Barry or Trecco . I was being bounced around Crickhowell with new boots , oversized combats , kf shirt , 58 pattern webbing and those tin helmets with the pin right in the centre of your head , great . "Get in the river and break those boots in you wa%$£rs" . Ozzy Lloyd and a guy called Mick Evans (D&D) were our section commanders . Affectionately known as Batterman and Robin . Mick would batter you into submission and Ozzy would rob you then share the proceeds with Mick . They used to collect our embassy and number 6 coupons for us on a daily basis so that we would not lose them !!! Every day in training was hard physical work and when we had the opportunity to pick a hobby for the evening it was great . I thought that archery sounded good . There cannot be much physical stuff involved with that . I was sorted , cushy number . We were told to meet at the Greenfields at 1800 . When we got there , all the kit was out and I thought this is great , shooting arrows in the sun on a lovely evening . All of a sudden Ozzy and Mick turned up on a lambretta or a vespa , something like that with a high back on it like the mods used to ride .
They lined us up and gave us perimeters that we were not allowed to stray outside of . For the next hour Mick chased us around the fields on the vespa with Ozzy on the back in the standing position shooting arrows at us . I was absolutely Bo&^%"ed . Great days , great memories . Not sure that they would get away with it these days but , it did us no harm . I changed my hobby the following week , I chose boxing with Derek Adams , another story for another day .
Fortyfive
23-01-2009, 16:38
Hi Mac. Deltas had just got back from Cyprus that summer & it was hotter here than over there & we had to spend every afternoon at the swiming pool in tidworth LOL. & hide in the lockers when they came round the blocks looking for people to go out onto the plains to put the fires out
CARL PUGH
24-01-2009, 22:37
Like your write up Mac about Batterman and Robin, but i wonder what you and Johno were called when you were there in the the 80's.
Regards Pug "21E for Dog"
davidrmac
02-02-2009, 10:07
Carl
I dread to think !
Royal Welch that I served with in the Depot were ;
Ken Lloyd
Jacko Watkins
Mick Donnely
Yoko Davies (I always used to nick his bike when he was BOS)
Gary Blewitt
Lance Edmunds
Ned Huntley
Brian Dando
And there was a guy in the orderly room whose name escapes me .
As you can see there was a strong Royal Welch presence there at that time .
In the beginning , Major Tom Silverside was OC Training Company .
There are only two people in that list that I have seen since 1986 and they are Lance , about 1995 and Mick about 2001 .
Hi there, 2 Royal Welch Guys in Bn HQ at that time were, Wayne Beddis, and Garry Homersley. Cheers Braz.
Roberts 7017
24-05-2009, 10:31
What an incredible thread , when I joined june 77 (Malaya 7) they sent me home for 4 weeks on full pay as they did`nt have enough recruits to start the platoon, the only rwf at crickhowell I remember was pete leese? as Pti. and one in hq I think homesley. will definately visit crick`in septemberafter the sigs reumion.
You won't believe what a shambles the Depot looks now 17. It's such a shame that such a nice place can be left in the state it is. Surely they could have made it a permanent Cadet Base, or failing a Military Establishment, a Borstal. As for Crickhowell, Beautiful as Ever, what a lovely place. Braz
Derek Adams
26-05-2009, 09:02
Cwrt-y Gollen is in its last throws of life. The camp is slowly being demolished and has planning permission for 200 houses. Some of the quarters are still owned by the Army, these are in the Cul-de-sac near where the old NAAFI stood. Fond memories of C-y-G having been posted there twice.
Fortyfive
26-05-2009, 09:07
I remember the lovely weekends we use to spend at C-Y-G, Going swiming round the back at the salmon leap & messing around on the rope swing on the river. Happy Days :smile:
davidrmac
26-05-2009, 10:40
If you served at the Depot you must surely have had a drink or two in the following ;
The Bear Hotel with the mad old woman who was the landlady , her name escapes me , but there was one of those metal bar things that you had to put 2p in and get across the wire . I was in there one night with Monkey Lee and a guy called John Bees (Buzz) Both RWF . I think he (Buzz) was from Treorchy . She was having trouble with crows up the chimmney and she actually fired a shotgun up the chimmney to clear them . It was an amazing sight , we all s%+t ourselves but the locals , covered in soot just carried on drinking and chatting !
The Chevron nightclub in Abergavenny , went down them stairs quite a few times , sometimes on my own , others times with unrequired assistance .
The Manor Hotel discos , now that was a place that hated squaddies .
Got any good stories about these places lads ?
Fortyfive
26-05-2009, 11:32
Remember drinking in the Vine tree in Abergevenny with the mother & daughter behind the bar LOL :winker:
DAVE BRAGG
26-05-2009, 21:16
1957 Left London and signed on same day as Larry Bohana, except he went on I believe to become RSM and then got a commission. Went on a Water Purifying Coarse together because we where to young at the time for Active service. Good times
griff029
27-05-2009, 13:27
Aden 5 platoon at C O G. Roberts 83, Thom 31 and Mike Crowley were the only RWF guys if I remember. Cpl Clements D and D was our section comander. Anyone else remember him? Ex SAS I think, used to take his whippets out for runs.
We had dreadful red platoon tracksuits, those awful army raincoats, suitcases and useless sleeping bags with feathers, no kip mat, no bivvy bag.
rob jones 60
27-05-2009, 18:59
Its a shame that the camp is at the end of its life in a lot of ways its a waste of what was a great trainning camp . Can remember coming back off a long weekend and the welsh guareds were camped in tents on the green fields getting ready for deployment to the falklands. The drill square was covered with all types of ammo boxes and equipment choppers buzzying about the place had such a buz to it.................
I am going back to the 50,s.A lad from Manchester going into the R.W.F.National service too,this was extraordinary.Met at the station by Cpl,s Rider&Bowen,at RHQ Sgt Frank Killnon was trying to convince me to transfere to the Lancashire Fus,however this failed and I finished up doing 3yrs and dont regret a moment of it.I still wear with pride the blazer badge at every opportunity,cap badge and hackle as well.
Ray Edwards 31
28-05-2009, 20:37
Carl
I dread to think !
Royal Welch that I served with in the Depot were ;
Ken Lloyd
Jacko Watkins
Mick Donnely
Yoko Davies (I always used to nick his bike when he was BOS)
Gary Blewitt
Lance Edmunds
Ned Huntley
Brian Dando
And there was a guy in the orderly room whose name escapes me .
As you can see there was a strong Royal Welch presence there at that time .
In the beginning , Major Tom Silverside was OC Training Company .
There are only two people in that list that I have seen since 1986 and they are Lance , about 1995 and Mick about 2001 .
Dave What about the one and only Terry Fox and Keith May Keith Sidphorpe and Al Lloyd 32 and ME to name a few more
John Turner
28-05-2009, 23:26
I'd just love to somehow go back in time to when I joined the army - with this PC - plug it in to the socket where we did our ironing - and say "Look Sar'nt - I can email my mum .... and stuff - and look - here's your house on Google Earth!"
How he would have laughed!
In IJLB Oswestry, we, as recruits anyway, had to hand in, to the Pl Sgt, a letter a week home, and I think they recorded what you received back too.
When we went on leave our parents would receive a letter stating the amount of food and accommodation we would not be paying whilst on leave - so's they'd have a ballpark figure of what to charge us for the same, if they wanted to.
But I insisted on three squares a day, central heating, colour TV, the same 'bedspace', being woken up at 06:30 daily and a weekly sheet exchange.
We came to a compromise!
BennytheBall
29-05-2009, 01:21
MY cry is not when I joined the RWF it meant eveyything to me but when my 2 sons that both which are in the Army x1 serving as air crew in the the AAC and the other as POM in the RE Both of them done ops tours. They tell me What was it like when you joined the Army dad was life as bad? What do I say, Life is 1 big lottery take your chances. God Bless to All
Hmmm. When i joined in Crickhowell i was going to join the RRW until Cpl `Maz` Maslin got hold of me. Look at me, he said, You too can wear a lovely `Feather` if you join my Regiment. Needless to say i was young and attracted to anything `Flighty` lol. Am ashamed to say that i`d never heard of the Royal Welch but looking back i am honoured to have served in the best Regiment in the British Army. We did PT in those `lovely` black daps then but i`m sure we never did any other kind of training in em, thank the lord. Don`t the guys get a pair of Reeboks or some other training shoes nowadays? Had great fun doing fire picket drills there too..."Water on...Water off...Knock off make up" I`m sure the Firefighters in the Station at rear of my house use the same or similar commands even today lol.
Aden 5 platoon at C O G. Roberts 83, Thom 31 and Mike Crowley were the only RWF guys if I remember. Cpl Clements D and D was our section comander. Anyone else remember him? Ex SAS I think, used to take his whippets out for runs.
We had dreadful red platoon tracksuits, those awful army raincoats, suitcases and useless sleeping bags with feathers, no kip mat, no bivvy bag.
There was a number of us who joined this Platoon from the Juniors Coy. Cpl Bell D&D was another, Sgt Fenwick Glosters, Norrington-Davies Plt Comd RRW, but was changed with another RRW Lt Margeson (spelling iffy)
Bricoates
30-05-2009, 13:46
Yes, the Vine tree in Abergavenny was a favourite haunt it was also where the nco Instructors visited to offer us sprogs the privllege to buy them a pint and share our fags, or else, in them days money was scarce, can you imagine that happening now, a call to Mummy or Daddy and they would be Court Martial'd. Another haunt was the weekly dance at the Town hall, I remember the long walks back to camp, about 5 miles if I remember right, great days.
Roy Jones [12]
31-05-2009, 16:02
You won't believe what a shambles the Depot looks now 17. It's such a shame that such a nice place can be left in the state it is. Surely they could have made it a permanent Cadet Base, or failing a Military Establishment, a Borstal. As for Crickhowell, Beautiful as Ever, what a lovely place. Braz
Yes the old camp is in a sorry state, but there are parts of it still being used. Behind the married quarters on the old mt garage site TAVRA have built a new headquarters training centre for Gwent-Powys acf. At the top end of C-Y-G the greenfield camp is the Cadet Centre for Adventure Training. [CCAT] with accomadation, Both centres are also used by the Regs,. and TA.
Roy
griff029
31-05-2009, 20:03
There was a number of us who joined this Platoon from the Juniors Coy. Cpl Bell D&D was another, Sgt Fenwick Glosters, Norrington-Davies Plt Comd RRW, but was changed with another RRW Lt Margeson (spelling iffy)
Didn't Dinger Bell replace a Cpl Lewis from RWF??. Remember Fenwick. If I recall he got an almighty chewing for posing about with a 9mm when the rest of us were carrying largepacks. Can't remember who he replaced?? Remember tabbing across Sennybridge on the final exercise in the famously hot summer of '76??
Lovely days.(???????)
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