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National Service

  • Thread starter Thread starter RayD
  • Start date Start date
I was in Aquir, Palestine in 1947-48.then I got demobbed. I was home for about 6mths.when I received A medal for service in Palestine, which was a surprise to me, but I still have it.

Have I nice Day you All, Wally.
 
Hi Wally,
I was in Jerusalem, now why didn't I see you there? ;D
I too have me medal somewhere O0
if I had been an American, I would have had the "Purple Heart" too :2funny:
 
Hi Guy's
I know it's a bit off topic (Book)
but if you can get hold of thisbook
you really will enjoy it......
"The Call Up" A History of N/S by Tom Hickman
ISBN O -7553-1241-4 price £7.99
 
I was in the Signals just before you, brummie nick.   O0

22440138  1950-52  (OWL B2)    :coolsmiley:

Good old Catterick eh ?    :2funny:
 
Catterick!! wot a 'dump' I was at  Baghdad lines basic training, and Aines lines owl,
then Germany with 2nd Infantry Div.
.-.-.

Nick
 
I have just watched a recording of Tuesday nights episode of Bad Lads Army.if ever it was anything like that I'm glad I didn't take up a Army career.
National Service had finished before I left school,but I wanted to go into Boys Service(Junior Leaders),and then the Army ,I passed the entrance exam,all that was left was for my Mother to sign the papers (I understand it had to be the Mother,as the man your mom lived with was not necessarily your father... Is this true ?) when I was shouted at by a teacher at school,I didn't like it ,so decided that the Army life was not for me (coward)
I realize that it's " only a programme for TV" but was it ever like that?

Colin
 
I never saw any of it and I was in from 1955/57 if you got into trouble you worked in the Kitchen or did a bit of Painting for anything stronger you would be on a charge and had to go in front of the CO. Refusing an order that would be The Guard House, AWOL could be a Court Marshal depending how much you had been in trouble before. Criminal Damage Court Marshal
 
Eric, that's a great site,
took me back to the Blue Kettle in Moascar
and around Fayid,Many memories,have passed them on to friends who served out there
 
Sorry chaps but I escaped. At school at Handsworth Grammar, the coming National Service was a constant subject of discussion; how could we avoid it. However, me and my friends bought Flight Magazine and talked of joining the RAF to become jet pilots; jets were just coming in. However, national service was abolished two years before we were due and none of us joined the RAF. I now live fifteen minutes from the Duxford Imperial War Musem - a terrific place to visit
 
For those who served in the canal Zone there's the Suez Veteran's Association online , I joined a few months back and visit the forum daily, found a mate who was also RASC at Fanara. Worth mentioning that over 300 who didn't make it home are buried in the 3 cemetaries out there and the SVA veterans make Annual trips to parade and pay their respects at the graves. The War Office have issued a Canal Zone Medal to those who were out there during the emergency years up to 1956, I am proud to have received mine with those who still remain there very much in mind, I sailed for home in 1954 on the Halladale and was glad to do so. 22662680 Eric Clayton RASC (petroleum Fitter) .
 
Eric, I showed the Suez Canal Site to my other half last night, he was stationed in Geneifa June 1953 to March 1954, at the B.O.D. camp, and is sending off for his medal. He was really interested and we spent ages looking at the photos etc., then I was regaled with his army memories until well after midnight, I had heard them all before of course, but after a couple of glasses of whisky he was well away. He couldn't wait to ring an old friend of his this morning to boast that he was getting another medal, (he has the Veteran's badge). Unfortunately his friend was out, but for the past 50+ years he has told us he was NEARLY sent to Korea. A case of oneupmanship now for Ray when he gets his new medal. All in fun of course. He does thank you for letting us know about this site.
 
Hi Sylvia, Pleased to hear your other half has seen the Suez Vetern's Site (with your help!) if I can be of any help please get in touch, the Association has it's own Blazer Badge -Tie and Collar badge, I like it's Camaraderie and the respect it shows for those who didn't make it home from those troubled time. There are 4 War Cemetaries out there. It sounds like he was in the RAOC from what you said I was RASC at Fanara during the same period that he was there. Good Luck Eric
 
Hi Eric, Ray was in the R.A.O.C. I tell him about the Association, and the tie and blazer etc., but I doubt if he will go that far, but you never know, he hasn't read all the information on the Suez site yet, and may find someone he knows.
 
Hi Sylvia I was in the R.A.O.C but never got abroad nearest I came was August 1956 Suez when lads at our camp C.A.D Corsham Corsham Wilts, were put on stand by over the Bank Holiday and they stopped our leave.:|
 
nation service rememberd

:tussor:
Hi there 54 56 Royal Sigs
Yes i had a medical {9doc}. Some where oppersite Bush house Brum.Can you name the place? Yes my ear was scared. So to a specialst be to chec.I did have my brown enverlope. YOU WILL REPORT TO .BAGDAD LINES CATTERICK ON 6TH JUNE 1954 oooooooooh! That barber [sheep sheera]cut of my lovly D.A off. I spent hours on that. I remained a ORIBLE MAN for the nx 5 weeks My instructor Sgt Geough remained by my side constantly for the nx 5 weeks. Wispering up the back of my neck AM I HURTING YOU no sgt, DONT MUMBLE AT A NCO louder.Get your hair cut i am standing on it. I never stopped runing. While I was there. From riseing 04.40 to snulgging down . After my final polish of kit .at 12.00.o clock. He could hover across the squre and sneek up and wisper WHAT ARE YOU? A BIG D**K SGT
Stil we had a drink with the ladds on our last night.We were plumbed up conked out and then ON PERADE By 08.00 .Funny the comeradery last to this day
 
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Alf, Ray always says that the Suez crisis would not have happened if had still been in the army. Ray was stationed at Bicester before being sent to Suez. He was the only one of his group sent there and he went by air. He reckons his superiors had it in for him as he was the camp barber and was on the fiddle, apparently the soldiers had to buy tickets to get their hair cut, and he got one old penny for each haircut and he fiddled the tickets to get more money. He also did less severe haircuts to the chaps for about sixpence.

Ken the DA and Tony Curtis hairstyles were all the rage at that time, it must have broken your heart to have a "short back and sides".
 
Yes it did for some of the lads but I didn't have any of the styles.

But I ran the coach back and forth to Brum every weekend with the 36 & 48 Pass lads and got my ticket Free, also if the coach was full the Driver would ask the unlucky lads to wait in the village about 2 miles away and they would have to sit between the seats and the Driver and myself shared the fares. By the way I took over from another Brummie when he left the Army. Enerprising lot us Brummies:D and I got home every weekend, with Pocket money8)
 
Alf, Ray was up to that one too. There was an American service camp not far from his camp in Bicester and he got talking to some of them in a local pub or at a dance and as he did a mean crew cut he was popular with them and used to go over in the evenings to cut their hair at half a crown a time, as they were much better paid than our squaddies. He made enough money one way or another to buy a motor bike!!!
 
nation sevice memories

??? Hi there. Only my second mesage. So i,m still under L plates.
Catterick 1954 June Vimmy lines
WE had just finish basic training . Sgt Geough said. it a unafishal night out.But i,ll be in the pub. So we went to by him a pint. Like you do. We said we might as well do all the pubs in Richmond theres only 3. Well, we brough him a pint.
In a lovley pub; A smokey bar room , smoky ceiling. Hand pumps. Nice company. We were well plumbed up,when we hit the chippy. This cockney mate, slid down the wall . We pick him up, suitably equiped with 6 penoth of chips . We stood munching away. When this 3 tunner appeared . The gentleman had a red sash A pecke cap. A blood nut [RMP] I held on to one said cockney. While my other mate went to the sgt . We were instruct to thro our chips away . If when he retuned We were still there, "HE WOULD PUT US WE THE BIDS CARNT SH+++T ON YOU" We hopped on to a single decker bus to camp. The rest was a bit foggy.
I awoke with not all my closths on . The cpl tipped me out of bed . To ""AARH! YOU LOOK .LIKE MARALYN MUNRO LYING THERE. MOORE "GET UP".He gave me the task of cleaning up the ablution . I leave it up to your imagination. what they were like after the night out ; I packed up my kit . FSMO 58 objects. then popped out on to the perade ground. And of to Ripon to train as a D.R.
IF YOU CARTN DO IT WITH A LUMP HAMMER. IT EMBRIDERY
 
Hi Ken. Vimy Lines 'eh, the posh part of 7TR. I went into Baghdad Lines in April 1954, then 2TR to train as a clerk, then spent the rest of me 2 years up at 4TR, St Oswalds crossroads. What a lovely place Catterick Camp isn't.:)
 
Hi you "orrible lot"
My first 6weeks were at Budbrooke Bks Warwick,then onto Malvern for a further 13weeks training in the REs that's when it got heavy going,Building Bailey Bridges daytime & night time,each panel and transome was a 6man load,getting soaked and muddied,then having to have your kit up to scratch Demolition using live explosive,watermanship course on the flooded River Severn at Upton on-severn,it was fantastic passing out and then abroad to Palestine via Suez great times great mates
 
Alf I forgot to mention that just after coming out the army, I was called up to go to Korea,but owing to injury's received while in Palestine,
I was declared unfit, Hooray Bloody hooray
 
hi all could anyone tell me how i could find out what rank number my dad was i have a photo of him on the empire windrush the story is he should have came back by plane but he had a perferated ear drum??? thank you kerryView attachment 7497​
 
Eric, just to let you know that Ray received his Suez Medal today, when he first applied he had a letter back saying it could be several months before he got it, so we were surprised that it arrived within less than 2 months. He is rather pleased with it and wants me to thank you for bringing this to our attention. The funny thing is, that at the time 1953/54 he didn't realise he was on Active Service.
 
Anyone remember the seething masses of khaki amidst the smoke and clatter of New Street Station on Sunday nights in the mid-1950s? Mainly lads on a 36-hour weekend pass at home to enjoy their mum's cooking and any other civilian delight on offer; and now on their way back to Catterick - lucky them!

Amongst them in the gloom a sprinkling of Brylcreem boys like me, in my case heading for Nottingham where our station coach awaited me with little show of patience. Here (to a collective groan if my train was a few minutes late) I would join my East Midlands fellow-sufferers for our trip to a remote ex-Bomber Command aerodrome on the Lincolnshire coast and for the next couple of hours listen to all their stories of triumph and disaster over the previous weekend.

If I was unlucky and the train was really late, the coach would have disappeared. Then a solitary, smokey, overnight slog by rail awaited me - Nottingham to Sheffield, Sheffield to Grimsby, local one-coach train from Grimsby out into the sticks, then a long walk - and still back in camp before 8.00 a.m. Beeching's axe was still ten years away.

I don't really remember it as much fun; but it helped one to grow up.

Chris
 
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