This story traces the ups and downs of my journey from being
an A/T to my arrival at my 1st Posting with 42 Survey
Engineer Regiment at Sobraon Camp, Fayid.
Leaving Harrogate a bit of a wrench -
I had, you see aquired a nice wench! I was smitten !!
However there was not to much choice and I arrived at
Southwood Camp (Farnborough) together with all the RE
tradesman from Harrogate and Chepstow and we became No. 1 Ex
Boys Party.* Our party had permanent staff NCO's to oversee
our training both in Field Engineering (Now Combat
Engineering) and Military Training. What us?? Gotta do
Military Training!?!
But, Oh yes - we had -- and who was
to teach us our Square Bashing and Weapon Training? Why
National Service NCO's -- of course. A really good mix
and soon they were trying to make our life HELL and we, for
our part, were doing our very best to make their life
misery. To paraphrase Brucie "Good Game".
Apart from when we had our 48hr
weekends and a chance to revisit Harrogate there were to be
benefits from this 22 week sojourn in Farnborough. We were
in fact doing the equivalent of a Cadre Course and BII Field
Engineer. Brilliant ! Qualified as a L/Cpl on leaving for
the wider Army and soon to take that first step towards the
baton in our knapsacks.
Now this was the year of the Queens
Coronation and some of us (not me) were selected to line the
route on the big day. This involved much practice and they
missed much of the BII course. They couldn't have the BII
so to be fair (??) none of us could.!!
Never mind. We would still have done
the cadre work. Eventually the end came, we had our Passing
Out Parade and departed for our depots happy in the
knowledge that we had BIII Fd Engr and had done a Cadre.
Eight of us found ourselves at
Hermitage where we expected to be quickly despatched to
another unit as L/Cpl's. Well yes we were to be posted as
NCO's but we must take a Cadre -- "WE'VE DONE ONE" went
up the cry. Not a Survey Cadre we were
told. So with some Panache we did another 6 week fix and
'Lo we were rewarded with that precious first step and were
asked the wasted question 'Where would you like to go?'
With no respect for our answers we were despatched on
somebodys' whim.
After embarkation leave 4 of us found
ourselves at Barton Stacey awaiting a passage to Egypt.
Eventually we boarded SS Empire Ken at Southampton and began
our 10/11 day cruise(?} to Port Said where we caught a train
to Fayid and eventually arrived at '42' in Sobraon Camp.
Can't think why you four are here we
are told the posting was cancelled last week!! Bit late -
couldn't have turned the ship round!
The obvious question asked; and answered
with "No you'll stay. We were then told to take our stripes
off L/Cpls were not needed.
The four who went to much nicer places
France, Germany and the Far East managed to hold on to their
stripes. Good fortune for them especially since at least one
of them requested Egypt.
The Eight Survey Ex Boys of 50A were :
Ian 'Ginge' Bootland, Bob Carr, Brian 'Flab' Ford, Frank
'Hustler' Litterick, Michael 'Paddy'
Lynch, Bob Paxton, Mick Shopland and
Peter 'Danny' Welch.
* Previous Ex Boys Parties had gone
to Elgin, Scotland with the exception of 49B who ended up
in Osnabruck, Germany.
A submission
by Brian Flab Ford, included in Harrogate although it
could be in 42 or the School as well. I am finding as I get
more submissions that I as a direct entry must be in the
minority. Albie