Why Did You Join the Army

I’ve always been curious about what motivates people to take the plunge and join the Army, so I thought it might be interesting to start a conversation about our different paths. I’ll kick things off with my own story.

For me, the decision was shaped by my upbringing. My father was in the RAF, and on the airbase where we lived, RAF Seletar in Singapore, there were several army detachments. I often saw them training and thought that it might be something that would appeal to me, though I didn’t give it too much thought at the time.

When we returned to the UK, to RAF Tern Hill, my father arranged for me to visit a recruitment office in Shrewsbury to explore the possibility of joining the Army as a Junior Soldier. He reassured me that we’d only sign me up for six years, just in case I didn’t like it!

Having taken the King’s Shilling (Queen's Shilling), in 1964, I was then informed that, as the Light Infantry Depot was full, I’d be sent to Cwrt-y-Gollen in Crickhowell. I remember thinking, “Where on earth is that?”

Looking back now, it’s funny to think how one small decision ended up shaping so much of my life.

So, what about you? What made you decide to join? Was it family tradition, a sense of adventure, a spur-of-the-moment choice, or something else entirely?

I’d love to hear the stories and moments that set you on your path.

Good topic 👍

I was friends with an older lad in my street in Wrexham who was in the cadets and ended up joining them.

Summer camp 1968, Nescliffe - Junior leaders from Oswestry gave us a load of demos; camouflage, section/platoon attacks, FIBUA etc and I was very impressed. Then we watched a full dress rehearsal passing out parade at Park Hall and I'd seen nothing like it, it was immaculate, perfect. They used a full regimental band each term and that term it was the RGJ, who gave a display after the parade with their silver bugles and a marching pace of 140 paces a minute. I decided then that I would join up at 15 - if, as my father always said, they'd have me!

Well they did, so there, Dad! And had I been one inch taller at age 15 I'd have been in the Welsh guards - phew! Bob Russel was in the recruiting office in Wrexham.

4 years later I passed out from IJLB Park Hall myself, and the general taking the salute was in charge of all London parades at the time, trooping the colours etc. He said our advance in review order - 1200 "boys" coming at you as one, was the best drill movement he'd ever seen in his life. Lovely boy, lovely boy :-)

All instructors bar PTIs were Sgts or above, all drill instructors were guards; hell of a place.

My eldest sister went out with Jim Brown many years ago I knew that he was a serving soldier but never remembered the regiment that he served with, any way the way things were going in 1975 I enlisted into the RWF and the rest is history bumped into Jim who remembered me.

No choice, I was a Conscript. 1958 I received a HM letter to report to Wrexham for initial medical, and assessment interview. “Which arm of Her Majesties Armed Forces had you thought you’d like to join” I was asked. RAF please, for at the time I was an avid builder of scale model aeroplanes. “Were you ever in any boy groups, Scouts perhaps?” No Sir, but I was a cadet in St Johns Ambulance Brigade, at Rhosymedre. “Really.” And that I believe is how I became a Conscript in HM’s Royal Army Medical Corp. Following 16 weeks training I was posted to 7 Field Ambulance, Osnabruck, Germany BFPO 36.