Memories of A Veteran Part the 5th

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Yes I offer you more memories of a veteran...

In the last part of this story, our hero (me LoL) was last seen driving a brand new, tangerine orange, (what was I thinking!) Fiat 127 Sport off a Belgian Ferry at Zeebrugge to try his hand at then driving 450km, to Herford just south of Hanover, on the 'wrong side of the road' for the first time in his life!

As it happened it was largely uneventful and my driving skills improved by the minute as I went LoL

Arriving in Herford

So it was finally happening after 5 years of almost non-stop selection and training I was finally to be let loose on my own command of 30 expert soldier communicators from Royal Signals.

I

met my Troop Sergeant (my second in command) Billy Pounder who seemed a solid kind of character and in fact he and I were to get on like a house on fire for the next two years, he became a great friend and teacher.

Billy paraded the Troop and I took command and then for the next two days I interviewed every one of them so that they got to know me and I them.

When I look back these were two of the very best years of my 45 year career to date. They were a great bunch, hardworking, loyal and unbelievably mischievous and unpredictable in a fun way.

Commanding a Line Troop

Easily the best troop to command straight out of training, these guys used to lay heavy, multi core armoured cable, in field locations, usually German Beechwoods and often large farm

barn complexes. Each of the drums used to lay it was a two man lift. We were at the top HQ in British Army of The Rhine (BAOR) at the time and the HQ would deploy into the field to exercise for 3 weeks at a time 4-5 times a year and my troop would be out 48 hours before them and back 48 hours after them so we were often out for 4 weeks continuous.

I would go forward to each location before the HQ arrived and with HQ Recconaisance Officer

we would 'lay out' the field location, he deciding where the command vehicles (about 50 in Bedford Box Body Trucks) would go and me designing the cable lays around that, to interconnect the vehicles.

Half of my troop would then lay the cables in daylight, the vehicles would move in under cover of darkness and we would couple them up.

I would then move on to the next location. When there I would meet the other half of my troop, who had dismantled and reeled in the cable from the previous location when the vehicles moved out. This happened every 48 hours for 2-3 weeks.

We were exercising to practice how we would defend Western Europe from a massed Warsaw Pact attack, in which we expected to be out numbered, in tanks alone, by at least four to one, and in some places ten to one. Our job was to delay the Warsaw Pact 3rd Shock Army allowing reinforcements to arrive from the US.

Alongside us were US, Canadian, Belgian, Dutch and course German military divisions. I id not really think about the fact that I was living through one of the mostly dangerous periods in post-war history, with the East West Arms race in full flight!

The More Pleasant Aspects BAOR Service

There was a lot of fun to be had as well. During leave periods the whole of Western Europe was there to be exploited and with wheels and discretionary income (no family, no mortgage)

you can imagine I took full advantage touring France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and Scandinavia.

For 3 months I ran our regimental ski hut in Bavaria cycling groups of 24 soldiers through snow survival techniques and teaching them both cross-country and downhill skiing with my team of military ski instructors.



I would take my troop adventurous training each summer to Berchtegarten, in Bavaria where we would hike, canoe, rock climb and abseil.

We were always on no notice to move and we would often practice what were called ACTIVE EDGE drills where at no notice we would get called in to barracks gather our troops together and deploy to filed locations we received the details for in sealed orders.

And Then?

It was an exciting two years and in many ways I was sad to move on, but I was also looking forward to my next post where I would be training recruits at our Corps Depot in Yorkshire....yup that is me in full drill barking mode LOL

I hope that you enjoyed this. In Part the 6th, I will move on to the joys of recruit basic training and commanding a guard of honour at the most ancient standing parliament, anywhere in the world ( and no it's not in London).

Here is a strong clue

From New Zealand, friends and colleagues, goodnight

Kia Koa

Kia Kaha

Hamish 🧐

YOU WILL FIND PART THE 6th HERE

YOU CAN READ FROM THE BEGINNING HERE

PART THE 1ST

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Recent Comments

81

Wow. How exciting. Your in a different world now. i would imagine that transition from the world you were in to a new world would have been a challenge. I'm sure it will be part of your story at some stage.
I am enjoying your journey. Keep it coming.
Have a great day
Stephen.

Thank you Stephen always a pleasure to hear from you and abuse you are such a good supporter here is a free bonus LOL So I have a deal for you. If you PM me your URL I will leave you a comment on one or more of your articles nothing required in return it is my Easter gift

Hamish 🧐

Here we are Part The 6th For Your Entertainment Hamish🧐

Wow what an adventure what beautiful places you have seen and that is pretty scary to be preparing for an attack at any time knowing you were out numbered I can’t wait until part 6 great story my friend Happy Easter 🐣🐰😇

How lovely to hear from you how was Easter dinner with the boys, we had a lovely dinner cooked by my 20 year old daughter Holly and her boyfriend who is stying with us during lockdown.

Send me your URL and I will make some comments for your on your website Dorrie 🧐

I will cooking for them now oh that is so nice she cooked my 20 year old son has my 18 year old cook for him lol 😂 and thank for looking at my sites for me sounds like you are having a wonderful Easter 🐣 good to hear and so are the boys and I. I’m going to pm you them right now

All good I have left you some stuff on PM second site has no comment facility yet but you are doing a really good job 🧐

Thank you very much I appreciate that my friend Happy Easter 🐣 to you and family 😇

And you my very good buddy 🐣🧐

Here we are Part The 6th For Your Entertainment Hamish🧐

Aye the disciplined exemplary life of a soldier, only those are not only found there!!

Have fun!

R.

There’s the truth. My wee sister has been a theatre nurse in Ayrshire for nearly as long as I have served HM the Bean and she has all of that, or were you talking about you; you old rock and roller LoL.

Good on her Hamish but then only reflecting good stock and breeding. Of course I am referring to both her and myself...lols
I grew up in a house full of music and with your talented brood you know the same...it is something I am unable to live without and nurtures my soul!! ;)

So and old Rock n' Roller I will always be...ha ha


R.

You and my boy would have a great laugh together Rami and maybe even a wee jam or twa🧐

Sure we would, he's your son!! lolos

R.

Here we are Part The 6th For Your Entertainment Hamish🧐

Gee thanks!! your a pal. Have just completed another gruelling article and behind on all else will catch up!! Eventually...;

R

Jeez man how can you be behind when you are locked in the wine cellar with no distractions.....oh the wine cellar good pointLoL. Great to hear from you buddy thought you had gone AWOL last coupla days I crept quietly into the top 50 Alongside you night before last and just kept schtoom I reckon I had done enough newbie crowing for a wee while. But what surprises me is how encouraged the newbies seem to be by minor success stories so they serve a purpose for many on here.
Traffic beginning to flow referrals and conversions slowly building and thinking about a 4th site to launch at 180 day point when I think I might put a freelance on Paleo which is building now in content.

Hope it all goes well with you my friend do you Zoom thought about the prospect of a virtual wine or a dram?

Stay safe and well Mctavish your country is depending on you LOL🧐

Hey,

Was thinking about that just last night Hamish. ...it has to happen if we are to stand any chance in my view...congratulations on the 50...I have had more than sufficiebt pm' s as I suspect you have to prove your point about the newbies...; lols

Traffic still not flowing however quadrupling into serious numbers elsewhere it's a matter of time have found out such a lot recently that I vvery much regret not locking our self in the wine cellar and discussing so many pertinent issues and hae a banter setting thd world's ills right ...going to lock myself in the cellar as thinking a series may be coming on. Enjoy your day Mon!!

R.

You too buddy grab and squeeze till it sings soprano LoL🧐

Ha ha ha!!! ;

R.

Very interesting. This is a good progress. Congratulations

Thanks Clement always noice top see you on my Blog pages thanks 🧐

Here we are Part The 6th For Your Entertainment Hamish🧐

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