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National Service

  • Thread starter Thread starter RayD
  • Start date Start date
One thing you did't want to do cookie was have a skin full and then try to dodge the "Monsoon Gutters" around the military establishments 10' deep sloping sides and full of scorpions and snakes and other horror's, very humid I agree. The thing which amazed me was the Aussies on leave from Vietnam swimming in the Johor Straights with great big "Beware Sharks Sign's about 20'square".
 
Paul, there was an aussie camp near us RAAF Tengah, had not got the facilities we had so often came to our base for our dance and cinema, a nice bunch of blokes albeit a bit noisy but we got on well and no trouble even when they had a few. Actually our skipper was from Oz, Sydney to be precise but in the RAF with thousands of hours logged on Sunderlands, he had many a meal with my Wife and I in our married quarters. I recently google earthed Seletar and its still there also so are the married quarters after nearly 60 years !!!! Eric
 
Lads wasn't Pay parade a load of Bull when you think of it just for a few quid a week. What do they do now put it direct into your bank or is it the same as it was 56years ago? I don't know.
On one of the intakes at Devises we had a lad who was determined not to do N/S, on the first night he could not be found and ended up in the quiet room reading. The Orderly Sgt found him and told him to get back to his billet and get to bed, "I am not undressing in front of my social inferiors" The Sgt frog marched him to his billet where he was undressed by the other lads and put to bed. In the morning he would not get up so for his own safety he was put in the Guard room still in his night attire, he was dressed during the day and taken to the Cook house for meals and slept in No 1 cell at night. This went on from the Thursday until Monday when the Vicar came to see him then on the Tuesday he had to see the Doctor and he had not washed and would not stand up so he was given a Reg bath. I was in my first floor Armoury, a lovely hot day, windows open when I heard the ADJ shout corporal Edwards I want you to witness a reg bath "Yes Sir" By the time I had locked the armoury the four corporals had carried him to the top floor of the main block and undressed him and he was in a bath full of cold water being scrubbed with floor brushes, The screams were on deaf ears as he was cleaned, after all this he did stand up, dressed himself and walked back to the Guard room. The Doctor discharged him so he came down to Pay Parade on the Thursday, he was in B.D shoes, spats and a small case, did not how to salute or come to attention so you can imagine what happened in front of the paying out Officer
He left the camp via the main gate which was about 20 yds away from us we heard a car draw up and he was away, he had worked his ticket, all this must have been planned down to the pick up after Pay Parade
Dave
 
paul stacey said:
Sounds hilarious now Baz, but mortifying at the Time, don't know if I mentioned it but Dad was a "Gunner", he and my uncle Ernie, Grandad Stacey, was a "Coldstreamer", and the other Grandad "Black Watch". Father in Law Ken, "48 Commando". All sadly passed on to that Barracks in the sky.
regards Paul.
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That's an impressive list Paul.

Nice to see your Dad added a touch of quality !
 
Eddie 14 said:
Lads wasn't Pay parade a load of Bull when you think of it just for a few quid a week. What do they do now put it direct into your bank or is it the same as it was 56years ago? I don't know.
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In the mid-70s pay parade stopped and our money was available from German banks. At first it was the Commerzbank or the Dresdener Bank.

The infantry battalion that shared our camp with us had to stop a lot of their people being paid through the bank because they thought that as long they had cheques they had money. It was said that they found themselves up to their eyeballs in debt, and it had to be written off. I wish I'd known about it ! (I won't mention which regiment, I might get struck off !).
 
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what happened Baz, was that the MOD introduced Bank Pay without any consultations with the grass root troops or commanders cart blanch, most of the actual soldiers and most NCO's were working class men who had never seen a cheque or walked into a Bank in their lives!!!!!. I should hazard a guess that nor had any of their families either. I found this happening a lot, a really good Guardsman, frog marched from Woolworths in Winsor to Victoria Barracks Guard room, and the police officer telling the guard commander he would be charged with trying to obtain goods by uttering a cheque with no funds to back it up. When interviewed by his section commander and RSM he broke down in tears saying he still had 3 cheques in his book????!!!!
He was admonished and no charges were brought. Then the PM and EO, decided to hold class's on managing a bank account, "Talk about bolts and horses".paul
 
I always used the"SparksKasser" in Germany Baz, for banking as the NAAFI used them for any form of HP on big items, such as "Tax Free Cars", The main NAAFI at Gataeu in Berlin, and the main NAAFI in Rhinedahlen/Munchengladbach, BFPO 40, so that you could purchase in DM, rather than £'s which was cheaper. My dad was always very proud of being a "Gunner", I was proud to be invited to the Artillery Museum in Woolwich in 2007, to have a brick laid in the " Royal Artillery Heritage Road of Honour" inscribed
"Bdr Harry Kitchener Stacey 1915-1998"
Paul.
 
That must've been quite an emotional moment for you Paul. Someday I'll take a look at this new RA museum.
I was stationed in Woolwich for over three years and just across from my place of work was the Rotunda which was part of the Repository and the forerunner of the present-day museum.
I took my parents to look have a look around one day and my Dad, (Home Guard), was really pleased when he spotted the type of Anti-Aircraft gun that he was on during the war among the exhibits.

Mention of the NAAFI brings to mind a couple of milestones in its history.
In the early 60s the NAAFI only sold beer then, one day they started selling spirits at the bar. That first night was memorable, to say the least !
Around the same time they introduced hire purchase, which was fine. The trouble began though, when blokes who'd been lashing out on goods on the "Never Never" found that they couldn't meet the payments. A Jock I knew, for example had bought an Omega Seamaster watch which I'm sure everybody realises, cost a bomb. Because he wasn't paying up, the NAAFI contacted his CO and he was up on orders and money was docked from his pay until the watch was paid for.
From then on there was a lot of resentment among the men that the NAAFI could call in army discipline in that way. The relationship between the NAAFI and the serving soldier was never the same from then on.
 
I knew a Sgt, Baz who was busted and and nearly lost his pension for de-faulting on a NAAFI loan. I don't know if I told you but my youngest son is in the para's and his new barracks in Suffolk was built without a NAAFI, shop or club. Things have certainly changed since our day. I remember Reggie baths well Dave. Illegal now though.
paul
 
I can't imagine a barracks without a NAAFI presence, Paul. I wonder what the squaddies do with their spare time ? ("Daft question", I hear you say !).

I was roped in to administer a Regimental Bath a couple of times during training. Not something I look back on with pride, I must admit. You'd probably get done for assault these days.
 
Way back in the 50's we used to go in the 'Sally Ann' for a cup of tea - better than NAFFI tea and the service was nicer !
 
Same here mate.

There was usually a Sally Army or Toc H in the garrisons I've been in.

I still go out of my way to drop a pound in the tin, if I see a Salvation Army collector.
 
Apparently every thing is now run by private company's, the Cpl's,WO/Sgts, Officer's Mess's, the cook house, and any entertainment which is put on. They only work fixed hours, prices are the same as in civvy street. If you have an exercise, scheme or training cadre, which falls outside normal working hours "Tough"!!!!. Pre-packed food packages, are left but are charged for, my son has a microwave, fridge and electric kettle in his room he says the prepared food is rubbish anyway, and they ate better in Afghan, he spends about £40 a week on food from tesco's. paul
 
I agree about the "Sally Army" and "TOC.H", in the guards it was "Sandes" what an island haven in a sea of madness, ask any Guardsman who has been at Pirbright they all know Sandes!!!! What I would miss would be the Naafi break vans from the ranges and barracks, a wad and a tea sheer nectar.
paul
 
I was an apprentice electrician and was deferred until I was 21. Got called up into the RAF in july 1960, was in the last but one intake. Was lucky enough to spend 3 months in Singapore.
Yes,part of the deal was that the employers had to give you your job back for I believe a minimum of 6 months.
Nevere regretted the 2 years.
 
wdv.jpeg
This one image is all I have so I have put it on here to save starting another thread. It is from an old newspaper.


I have read all the posts and I am conviced I missed out by not being called up. I was born Jan 1940 and at the time I thought I was lucky to miss the N.Service.
 
Looking back on my National Service I sometimes wondered whether I had gone back to school in deepest Wiltshire. A pic of my RAF Form 620 book and a page from it shows my drawing of valves and wires and coils. Most aircraft flew without transistors and silicon chips back then.

Might be one of the few RAF Form 620s around these days...


A vintage circuit with valves and wires ...
 
No, not a Brummie , but married one in 1964.
I went back to the old company for a whilefrom July 1962, then went into selling , and eventually worked in sales for Cadburys in the South of England for 13 years .
 
I did my technichal training at RAF Locking from mid Sept 1960 to about March 1961.

Was actually on Gaurd duty on Xmas Day at about 2300 hours., that I did not appreciate.
 
paul stacey said:
I love the marching chocolate Stitcher.
paul
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Would that be the chocolate that came in the 24hr manpack Paul ? (I was a slave to the tubes of condensed milk).

In my case it wouldn't have been "marching chocolate", it would've been "sitting in the back of the command post chocolate" !
 
my absolute favorite was "Hard Tack biscuits mash down to a powder with bayonet handle then condensed milk added to make NATO porridge" fab tabby dozy.paul
 
I'm back,!! got a story to tell, you are all talking about army rations. This was about the tea that drained away and we all went thirsty.
On a new intake at Devises we had 120 raw recruits to start training over a 8 week period, the only weapons they ever used were the Bren and the 303 Enfield until the F.N came in. On the ranges it was a whole day zeroing the rifles to the individual and then they would fire the Bren moving back from 100 yds 200 yds 300 yds and so on to crossing the road at 600 yds, we had to close the road for the shortest time possible. As we would be back at the 100 yds firing position for Sandwiches and tea for Lunch, the table, Sandwiches and Tea Urn were set up there, nobody though to cover the food as we would be a long time past that point. We are not sure what happened but the Crows started to get at the food so it was "Clear guns" and wait while a corporal went forward and covered the trays. This was about mid morning, the first time that these lads had fired the Bren's and we were getting a lot of Magpies, as I walked at the back of the firing point I noticed that no 12 point was set too far over to his right and was firing over the Table The Sgt saw it as well and moved the lad over."TOO LATE" he must have had a stray which went right through the Tea Urn just below half way up and we ended up with short rations and cold tea.

Dave
 
I actually went to RAF Locking Nibby, just outside Western Super Mare I believe, and what a dead and alive hole it was.
paul
 
Eddie 14 said:
I'm back,!! got a story to tell, you are all talking about army rations. This was about the tea that drained away and we all went thirsty.
On a new intake at Devises we had 120 raw recruits to start training over a 8 week period, the only weapons they ever used were the Bren and the 303 Enfield until the F.N came in. On the ranges it was a whole day zeroing the rifles to the individual and then they would fire the Bren moving back from 100 yds 200 yds 300 yds and so on to crossing the road at 600 yds, we had to close the road for the shortest time possible. As we would be back at the 100 yds firing position for Sandwiches and tea for Lunch, the table, Sandwiches and Tea Urn were set up there, nobody though to cover the food as we would be a long time past that point. We are not sure what happened but the Crows started to get at the food so it was "Clear guns" and wait while a corporal went forward and covered the trays. This was about mid morning, the first time that these lads had fired the Bren's and we were getting a lot of Magpies, as I walked at the back of the firing point I noticed that no 12 point was set too far over to his right and was firing over the Table The Sgt saw it as well and moved the lad over."TOO LATE" he must have had a stray which went right through the Tea Urn just below half way up and we ended up with short rations and cold tea.

Dave
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"One round, at the tea urn, go on !" Did he get his marksman's badge ?

We usually got sandwiches for long journeys and they were called Haversack rations, Dave. There would also be a bit of fruit and a boiled egg. One cook, who liked to live dangerously, put raw eggs in instead. Imagine the jollity when the recipients came to tap their egg against a hard surface to peel it. Deep joy !

On the ranges there tended to be a "haybox", some loaves of bread and a tea urn dumped somewhere handy. The haybox would hold the famous stew, pronounced "Stoo".
Woe unto he that forgot his mess tins & eating irons. Mind you, I found it WAS possible to make a stew sandwich.
 
Ah yes, Range Stew, the food of the gods. People always complained about Haversack Rations, but what most people didn't understand was that they were made from the unexpired portion of the days rations, and still are so far as I know.

Barrie.
 
Hey Baz fruit and boiled egg, you must have Blue eyes, I thought we did o.k but we never had anything but the basics
 
All part of a sensible, balanced diet mate. (Egg & chips back in the NAAFI though !).

We needed feeding up, the German wind used to go straight through you during the winter.
 
I agree with Dave, Baz "FRUIT & BOILED EGGS"!!!!!!!!!!!!!, if anything like that had been offered up to my lot there would have been a couple of ACC men posted as missing, I agree with everyone else though Range stew from a hay box on a cold November morning when you had been stranded for 3 hrs in the butts with range marshal bawling shouting. " MAGIC" paul
 
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