大象传媒

I don't know how relevent what I am going to write about will be to the People's War or accepted by the team if it isn't, well!! but here goes!

This is not about heroic's or anything exciting, but I was watching a news item on TV the other day and the word "Current Affairs" was mentioned which jogged my memory and I started to think back to my recruit days and the "Army Bureau of Current Affairs" ABCA, does anyone remember
that or attending any of the lectures?

This was something that was I think dreamed up by the Army Educational Corps or the politicians to boost morale among the troops, it was linked also to something called "The British Way and Purpose" BWAP. We had various names (not complimentary) for both of these projects.

The basic idea was very good and unheard of in the army up till this time because it had free political dicussion.

It was looked upon by the older soldiers and regulars with a great deal of suspicion( and I imagine also some of the old school officers), who thought this was the end of the army as we knew it and would open the way to Bolshevism.

We were, as recruits given these lectures once a week by the Army Educational Corps, I don't know whether this was to make us better fighting men with regard to what we were fighting for.

I think the British soldier generally was patriotic but not in a flag waving,hand on the heart kind of way,so it was not "My country right or wrong" and there was always lively discussions on how the the war was being fought, but a lot of questions were raised on what type of country Great Britain would be when the war was over.

Naturally in my unit there were some very radical people on both sides of the political spectrum, and on one occasion I had to break up a fight between a True Blue Conservative who firmly believed in "The rich man in his castle & The poor man at his gate" who took umbrage at what a very communist leaning squaddie from Glasgow was saying and who also was ready for chopping the heads off of all the landed gentry when the "The Workers" took over.He was also always heckling the Education Corps Officer on "Home Rule for Scotland"! and why Scotland was always being exploited by the English. there was always some banter from the rest us mostly goodnatured, (but not fit to print here unfortunately) when he started to speak on this subject.
If he is still around I wonder what he thinks about how the political situation has changed now in Scotland?

Some of the lectures we had were informative especially on the course of the war, and there were some harsh words concerning some of our leaders.
Words said that in earlier years might have been construed by the army as almost muntiny.

Everyone felt there was a need for a change I remember now that most of the concerns dealt with employment when returning to "Civvy Street" better housing to live in,better schooling and opportunities, and definitely no return to the conditions that were prevelent in the country before the war.

It was in no way revolutionary talk just a desire for improvement and a change from the old order of things and most agreed that the government, as it was doing then with welfare and social services and helping people in general, should not reduce them but enlarge on them when peace returned.

Interestingly enough many thought that the coalition government should continue after the war,a Labour one yes! but most decidedly not a Conservative one,there were also mixed feelings about "Winnie" being in charge,though most of us felt it would not be a bad thing.

Of course as it turned out Labour was returned with a large majority, and the rest as they say "Is History"

Looking back now I think we were (being mostly young) idealistic and our hopes and expectations were higher than could be realised Though thanks goodness many of the reforms that were done are still around even though in some cases now, in a reduced way.

Naurally once we went on active service we never again had the ABCA
lectures, but I am sure that during the time we had them while in the UK
they helped form some of our opinions political and otherwise which many of us "Old Soldiers" still hold now.

As I mentioned this may not be what is an acceptable submission, but if it is I hope it brings back some memories of ABCA and the well intentioned Army Educational Corps, who did have to put up with a lot of name calling.

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