Chapter 2
67 Training Regiment Royal Artillery, Oswestry, 24 June 1949
So I left home for the training regiment, Royal Artillery, Oswestry.
After a train journey from Paddington Station in London through the Midlands and parts of England I had not seen before I arrived at Oswestry, Shropshire, at about mid-day. Outside in the station yard there was a military presence and it was not long before I was in the back of a truck along with many others being taken to Park Hall Lines, a hutted camp on the outskirts of the town. There I have to say they were well organized and ready for each two weekly intake. Within what seemed minutes of arrival I had my number, 22152933, my AB 64, the army identity document and pay book, and not long after that I was in uniform. And I became a Gunner, the lowest rank in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, at four shillings, 4/- (20p or 30 cents) a day. I was in the Army for good or ill for the next 18 months. Or so I thought then.
Introduction to Military Life
I was also given a standard printed letter to report my safe arrival and brown paper and string to make a parcel of my civilian clothes to return them home. I did not see those again for a while. I was also allocated to a hut and put into a squad with whom I spent the next 14 days.
Each squad was in the care of a Bombardier and Sergeant. They became our masters over every action and minute of our time. They did the initial breaking in and as our mentors introduced us to the mysteries of our kit and army life.
I was with a very mixed bunch; from public schools, grammar schools and some hardly educated at all, from every background imaginable and from all over the country. None of us knew anybody else. Tumbled together into a wooden hut holding about 40 and here we began our army life. I have to say a sense of comradeship developed. Then, and as I was to find through the whole of my service, I never saw or experienced any bullying nor petty crime involving one’s personal belongings or money.
Hi John
I have already told you how much I have enjoyed this account of your National Service days…….it has brought back many many memories………albeit mine were in the infantry!
A minor point, the Warrant Officer in charge of the Regimental stores at Oswestry where you were issued with your Uniform would be an RQMS…..Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant……..not Sergeant major although as a WO1 he would be equivalent in rank to an RSM
The NCO in charge of the Battery or Company stores would be a BQMS.
Our paths continue to intertwine……. as a cadet I attended a PT course at Oswestry……staffed by fearsome corporals clad in the red and black striped sweaters you so accurately describe
Later, when in the army proper, I spent 3 months at Netheravon on Salisbury plain at the Small Arms School Medium Machine Gun Course so I became very familiar with the NAAFI club in Salisbury!
I only served in the UK and Germany but later in life I visited Hong Kong on a number of occasions. I thoroughly enjoyed your descriptions of trips from Kowloon on the Star Ferry, shopping in Nathan Rd etc
The whole account was an enthralling read….couldnt put it down!
Kind Regards
John
Hi John,
Thanks for those comments and I’m glad you enjoyed the read. With that kind commendation I hope others will too.
Your experience and service I take note of and there, I believe, one or two other matters will be the better for your further pertinent and welcome remarks. Let’s get things correct, the site is present and ready for inspection.
Kind regards,
John..
Hi John, really enjoyed your account of national service days, they sound so familiar as my dad Tommy Stevely is always telling me about his NS days. Like you he joined the Royal Artillery and served from ’49 -’51 and went to Oswestry ,Rhyl , Woolwich and Hongkong (sailed out on the Dunera) Most of his service was as a driver, (possibly because one of the driving instructors during training was a Jim Morrison from his home town Kilwinning, Ayrshire) During some of his time in Kowloon his duties were to transport the senior NCO’s to and from the ferry, also did some time as a PTI.
I look forward to letting him see your memoirs,
Cheers Alastair
Hi Alastair,
Yes, your father and I must have shared many experiences being about the same vintage and serving in Hong Kong, thank you for getting in touch. I also learned, from an instructor how to drive and the art of double de-clutching a jeep along with what seemed at first perilous excursions on mountain tracks and roads busy with rickshaws, carts and Chinese drivers. However, there, I was spared the attentions of those energetic gentlemen in in red and black striped jerseys-the PTI’s.
I hope your father enjoys the website and that the memoir will bring back a few memories for him. If it does would he be prepared to share them here? I’m sure others would be interested, for example, what was his unit and where stationed.
Kind regards.
John.
Hi again John, just to let you know my dad has enjoyed reading your memoirs it has brought back so many memories for him. I’ve had to print it out for him as he has never come to grips with the computer age, I’ve just the last chapter to give to him.
My dad served with 94 Battery, 25 Regiment and spent some of his time in Whitfield Barracks but moved when he became driver taking the senior nco’s back and forth to the ferry each day.
Cheers Alastair
I was at oswestry from 18th march 1954.and looking for any photo’s of this passing out parade,thanks.bill
Hi Bill,
Always happy to hear from another Gunner and thank you for responding; when you can find the photos please post them.
Also post about your service, what unit, where and your experiences.
I, and others, will be interested.
Regards,
John.
I was in this intake on the 18th of March 1954,I remember it well and on collection of all our equipment,the NCO lined us up on the parade ground arms aching with holding all our bedding etc, asked if we were cold and stupidly we all said yes,which resulted in us having to run around the parade square holding all our gear
Hello Brian,
It’s anecdotes like that which bring a smile to one’s face and so typical of army humour. Thank you for it.
Can you say something more about yourself and your service? I have no doubt there’s something of interest there.
Glad you found your way to my website.
Regards,
John.
Hi John’Yes I did have many funny things happen in my service and I will be happy to share them,I also have many photos that I have gathered over the years from other members of my old regiment ,which was the 35th LAA S/L regiment,which was based in Oldenburg Germany,I noticed that there was a gunner by the name of Jolly,that emailed in to your column,and I would be interested in contacting him as he was in the same intake as me at Oswestry,on the 18th of march 1954,All the best I will keep in touch
I enjoyed reading the memoir. My dad did National Service with the Royal Artillery. He was initially based at Oswestry and then was stationed in Aden. His name was Mervyn Tilley, and he used to tell us many storiestof his army days.
Hello Teresa,
I’m glad you enjoyed the memoir and thank you for telling me so and that your father was a fellow Gunner. As they say: once a Gunner, always a Gunner.
I have sympathy for his service in Aden. Not the most hospitable of postings. I visited twice, once whilst travelling out to Hong Kong, the other on my return. I only got ashore the once on the outward journey and was not impressed, a great bare lump of rock broiling under a very hot bright sun. But it was an experience and was glad of the opportunity.
You say your father had some tales to tell. Would you be prepared to share them on here? Others would I’m sure be pleased to hear of them. Not only of those who also served there but those who never had the experience of NS. It’s part of history.
Kind regards,
John.