TONFANAU ARMY CAMP - TYWYN (Gwynedd)

**CVW** · 17-07-2013, 23:43

Al,

It was certainly still 'operational' in 1988 when I spent a month there on the Army Outward Bound Course, which by general consensus was a pretty miserable time!

Charlie

**ap1** · 18-07-2013, 12:12

Originally Posted by CVW

Al,

It was certainly still 'operational' in 1988 when I spent a month there on the Army Outward Bound Course, which by general consensus was a pretty miserable time!

Charlie

Welcome back Charlie,

I don't think this camp at Tonfanau is the same place. The location you visited is shown in this short video below, which is certainly a different camp. Incidentally, did you do the death slide into the quarry! Such fun :-(

http://www.ijlb.com/forum/newsletter...items/AOB.html

**chow** · 18-07-2013, 12:26

Great video.Thanks Al.
at the end of the video the car goes down to Tywyn beach.
the shop and caravan park are still there,my mother has a static there.
some of the buildings are still there..the camp on sandylands road is still there and used.
there used to be yanks in the married pads there in the 60s.

**BennytheBall** · 18-07-2013, 20:19

Yer, me and Tim Allen QDG's used to stay in the cadet hut when I was a recruiter in Wrexham in the late 80's I think it's the same camp?

**jim williams** · 18-07-2013, 23:18

Hi All,

Have a look at this site, it seems to say it all.???

www.aajlr.org/tonfanau/tonfanau-main.html Hope this is of help to those like that are like minded.

jim.

**ivor43** · 19-07-2013, 00:34

hi all.

the camp linked in the video is actually the MORFA Camp. this was a ww2 airfield used by the RAF for air gunnery training. the buildings shown were the technical site. between this area and the drainage ditches were 4 grass runways. There are a lot of concrete Bases around this part and i believe that a lot of the structures were actually tented.

ivor

**ap1** · 19-07-2013, 00:37

The Outward Bound School was located at Morfa Camp Tywyn. Some 2kms south of Tonfanau Camp

**Rog Ball 01** · 19-07-2013, 14:00

I have been looking through the photographs on the AAJL Website and have found this one

>>" height="437" width="780">

As hou can see, there are two guys wearing white hackles. I am not sure if they are RWF or Royal Fusiliers. Anyone know.

I know one thing, Major Tom Silverside is in the picture, he is the fifth from the right in the rear row.

**CVW** · 22-07-2013, 13:41

Al,

Thanks - you're absolutely right. My time there was such a physically and mentally numbing experience that I did even recognise that there was a second camp!! It was a remarkable course - great fun but of its age too. I met a very successful soldier recently, who has had a very unique and specialist career, who still describes the Army Outward Bound Course as the hardest thing he ever did during his service!!

Charlie

**ap1** · 01-12-2013, 22:52

Further info on this thread. A profile of RSM Cliff Slater in the AAJLR Magazine published in the winter of 1962:

http://www.aajlr.org/leadermag/leader6203/08rsm.html

It is a matter of regret to all members of the Regiment that the end of this term sees the departure of the RSM, WO I C. D. Slater, Royal Welch Fusiliers, after a stay of only four terms. Mr. Slater has been popular with Permanent Staff and Junior Leaders alike, since his arrival here in September 1961. He is to be posted to Germany, where he will have the honour of becoming RSM of the 1st Battalion of his Regiment.

Mr. Slater first joined his Battalion at Christmas 1940, when it was back in England after Dunkirk. He has been with the Battalion, with slight interruptions (including a spell as instructor at the R.M.A., Sandhurst) ever since. This has taken him to India and Burma during the war, to Berlin at the time of the Berlin Blockade, to the West Indies at the time of Dr. Jagan's arrest, and to Cyprus during the Emergency. From all these he has emerged fairly well intact, although his nose still bears marks of an unfriendly mortar bomb.

Mr. Slater and his family have greatly enjoyed their stay at Tonfanau, and on their departure the connection will be maintained, for the eldest of their three sons is staying as a boarder at Towyn Grammar School. The Regiment wish Mr. and Mrs. Slater every happiness and success in the future, and remind them that Tonfanau will always be pleased to see them.