Has Nick Ravenhill taken Up The Pushbike? Answers on a postcard

I remember being in Fox Bay, Nick was CSM Deltas. 12 platoon were enjoying some down-time in the NAAFI bar (portacabin).

The senior ranks/officers mess was next door. Licensing hours were still quite strict although some discretion was used on special occasions. I was told that as it was my birthday I was to go and ask the CSM if we could have a bar extension. The NAAFI staff weren`t too keen as I think they wanted to get themselves to bed, I never did work out how they both managed to sleep in a single bunk? Anyway I digress. I went to the mess and knocked politely on the door, it was answered by the man himself! "Sir", I said nervously. "Parrot has reminded me that it`s my 21st birthday and he was wondering if it is OK with you, would it be at all possible for him to buy me a birthday drink, I know it`s late and all but he says he won`t be able to sleep knowing that I have not celebrated my 21st properly".

"Yes no probs 91, tell them to keep the bar open for an hour or so" came the unexpected reply.

I went back to the NAAFI and told the staff what the CSM had said, not happy with my word one of the barmen, and I use the term very loosly, told me that he wanted a written request signed by the CSM.

I explained to the lads that I had done my best but wasn`t going to push my luck. Boz and Alfie were having none of it, I was again politely requested to go and ask the CSM for his written permission. I knocked on the door which was again answered by the man himself, "Sir", I nervously stuttered, "The staff want it on a chitty",

"Wait there 91", he was gone about 30 seconds, he came back with a beer mat and wrote "KEEP THAT F*****G BAR OPEN", and signed it. Needless to say we drank into the wee small hours joined by the senior ranks and enjoyed several stirring renditions of RINGO. :winker:

Agree with Scouse; what can you say about the legend that is Nick Ravenhill. Well - two stories at least...

1. Offrs Mess used to call him the 'anti-christ'. It was one Friday morning after a particularly heavy session on the ale the night before, followed by the obligatory Battalion run when Nick thrashed himself around the 5 mile circuit, with the rest of us trying to keep up with that familiar stiff legged shuffle. We were still struggling to recover at lunch when Jim Rickard said to him "Nick, no offence and all that but the sooner you die, the safer we'll all be!"

2. The Bn was taking over from 1 Cheshire in Ballykelly. We were on the recce party and the Cheshires had a BBQ in the mess to welcome us. They had this pretty scabby cowboy hat hanging up on the wall in the bar, which Nick barely touched as went to get a beer. As soon as he had touched it, two young Cheshire subbies, sensing a victim, rounded on him and said that it was their regtl tradition to fill it with ale and down it in a oner - all from the hat. Nick - obviously completely unfazed by this agreed to the challenge and said he would do so if the agreed to have a 'couple of beers' with him afterwards. The RWF amongst us watched with bated breath, knowing that they had grabbed a 'tiger by the tail', and knowing all to well the carnage to come. We last saw the two subbies in question prostrate in the corridor, covered in each others vomit, barely 4 hours later. Nick carried on with us and was up at 6am to run around the airfield ... . I gather he did the same to the US Special Forces on Op Spartan; I wasn't there so someone who was will have to tell that one.

When we were in Warminster we (DELTA's) had a trip to London led by Nick, it was just after the Choir competition ( you know when Alpha's sung Bobby Shafto :no: ) from the moment we got to the station & waited on the platform, all the way to London we sang....Lil Ol wine Drinker..King of the road..Speed your Journey & many more.
A short time later the Bn recieved a letter from what I think may have been a retired high ranker commenting on the pleasant & uplifting journey he had that day.