Training

[Rog Ball 01]

Griff

I remember Ogbourne very well. Passed it every timer when I was living in Devizes and going to Swindon via scenic route.

I think that camp went out of existance in 70's and finished being a training camp in the 90's.

In 1954 the barracks were the home of 2 RWF on their return from Germany. The 4th Bn RWF were also at Ogbourne (annual Camp) when the 3 bn's were presented with new colours by HM Queen

[BennytheBall]

98

I was a Junior soldier at what was JIB Shorncliffe in 1969 (intake No 5), along with Andy Carnell( Intake after me), Dilwyn Thomas 15.
C-Y-G is now being used by the cadets TA and the ART (Army Recruiting Team).

I too had fond memories of C-Y-G both as being on draft there before joining the Bn in Hong Kong ( with Ray Jasper, Mike Carnell, Mal Ball, Martin Hargreaves and a few others whose names I can't recall at the moment, must be age?). Then a few years there as an instructor on the Brigade Specialist Training Team, before moving down to Maindy Barracks in Cardiff. Yes C-Y-G was a place of fond memories for all that passed through there

[britaylor49]

Great times there in 81. Rob dont forget Tony(spike)Roberts, Mark Catherall and Andy Hughes 37 were also passed out with Salamnca Pl. Dai 55s was with the band and with the drums was Rick Oshea,Led Blything plus another lad from up Anglesey way but cant remember his name and its really bugging me. Maybe Led or Rick might remember??

RWF staff i remember there was Sgt Jones 24 Sigs later 6pl sgt, Charlie Fenton and Hefin Richards both PTI, Drum Major Bostock. Also there was Mark(jamo)James and another guy who did the adventure training first name was Steve.

[led9750]

Hi Bri ,

Yes 1981 ,
My room after a couple of weeks was all RWF , Myself , Steve jones 93 { Drums mt ] Rik O,shea , Price 98 { sid } Thomas 02 { drums , Later worked in BHQ} Big Dave Curtis { sadley no longer with us .}
Our plt Sgt was Derek Adams { top Bloke }
The cpls were Kirby { Glosters } Spike Quinn {D & D } Gooch { RRW} Ted Tarrent {RWF } Dave Mason { RRW }.
D/M was the Great George Bostock.
Having a room of all Rwf was Great and we all got into the same trouble , a week in Nick together .
Frank Watkins {RRW } was the Provost SGT .
Best days of my life , all of us agreed that Derek Adams was a great Sgt , Mind you i dont think he was much older than us .
I think we all remember the suger loaf run , the one in four , Fighting on the Green feilds to sought our inter platoon problems , Getting beaten up by squaddie Bashers in Aber .
Crickhowell will always hold a space in my heart , like all those who went there at the age of 16 , scared out of our tiny minds .
but what a laugh
None of us had ever heard of a drums platoon and only after 6 weeks they informed us we were the drums Platoon , So most of us ended up as drummers by De Fault .
Will 04 { pits } was with us 4 6 weeks and went on to join the band also 1 RWF

led

[johnnye63]

I signed on 28th August 1962 and was "marched" in to the DEpot on the 10th September 1962 as a boy Drummer in the "Band School" as there was only band & drums then, latter it had a Junior soldier section, I was there when the "New" depot was opened by HM the Queen and the tin huts came down, I went for 16 weeks "man" service training in the 3rd block and then joined the Bn on the 23rd July 1965 in Germany.

[richie264]

I walked through the Depot gates on the 7th of Jan 75, I strolled into the guardroom & was quickley dispatched with a tirade of abuse from I think it was Lcpl Dunne RWF (he had star or heart tatoo's on his ears).
There were only 8 of us in the intake & were known as intake Pl.. Myself RWF, De'Lloyd RRW, Beeby WFR, Ladinde Glos?, (left) Duncan RRW (left) Oswald Ches I can't remember the others John Eglen did you join with me or were you senior??
Cpl Williams RWF was our only instructor.
WOII Crocker was CSM, There was a RWF C/sgt in the stores I forget his name, There was a Cpl Richards RRW as a PTI who pushed me like hell because of my name.
After the 1st term we joined the senior Pl, Beano Hind, Paul Butt, Chris23 were in this Pl, we did not have an easy time of it!!
Our Plsgt was Pendryn Morgan RRW exellent man, a Cpl ?(Basil) D&D, Cpl Diamond D&D?.
When we finished with juniors we moved on to Training Coy then our troubles really began. Instructors Lt Ambrook D&D, Cpl Donnelly Glos, Cpl George RRW
Calder & Dosantos were in this Pl
I thought D C H was ideal training camp, with the greenfields for basic battle skills then moving up to Llangatock for intrim & then "SENNYBRIDGE".
Anyone who trained in the Depot will have fond memories of the river, the salmons leap, the 1.4 (hill out the back of the greenfields) the confidence course the fire brake & the infamous Sugar Loaf.
I never thought that I would move from running around with telegraph poles to climbing them!
I was on fire picket the night one of the Twinehem huts went on fire I think Benny Nash was in this hut?
The Depot looks pretty run down now, it was on telly a while ago, there was one of these discovery channel SAS documentries with the usual telly "SAS CELEBS" carrying out hostage rescue drills using what was the Depot HQ block.
I remember some the married quarters were no more than portacabins, did anyone live in one of these??

[Ianto 10]

If you look on the photo posted by myself, there's a few old faces there who were the Traing Team around the time of present thread.
This will bring back some fond memories for you all?

[Keith Jones 989]

Thanks Richie264,

I was Orderly Room Sergeant in the Depot at the time the Twynham Hut burned down and yes, my wife, myself and our 4 year old son (now 38 year old son) lived in one of the portacabins for many months before being allocated 35 MSQ. Though small, those portacabins were comfortable and VERY warm. Always better to be together in a portacabin rather than having to commute to Sully, where I could have had a quarter immediately, of course! Somebody earlier mentioned QM R H Davies and his dogs. His wife was a breeder of bull mastiffs and he had two huge ones with him at Crickhowell. The first time my son saw them he ran away telling his mother the bears were coming after him! Wonderful memories of a wonderful place.

[rob jones 60]

thanks bri and led the old gray mater is going a bit you forget how many of us came throw training that year great times ....

[eglen john]

John Eglen did you join with me or were you senior??

Richie ( 64 ) I join the depot on Sept 10th 74, i thought you had joined the same day, but was sent else where for a few month's untill vacancies became available in junior soldiers.

Corperal Richards pti ( RRW ) was known as Snowy, he lived in Penarth, he also had with him, Corperal Davies 70 ( Btn boxer ) and Kim Hibbert ( RWF )

Pendrin Morgan ( RRW ) was the platoon Sargent and Johny Breslin ( RRW )was a Corperal.

Nick Ravenhill and Johny Beslin together was a night mare, i never knew a field telephone gave such a shock untill them 2 cought me.