- Contributed by听
- Market Harborough Royal British Legion
- People in story:听
- Officer Cadet Bernard Halsall, CSM Walldock
- Location of story:听
- Colchester, Essex
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A4118023
- Contributed on:听
- 25 May 2005
This story is submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a member of Market Harborough Branch, Royal British Legion on behalf of Bernard Halsall MC and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Halsall fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.
SQUAD NUMBER!
By any standard the parade ground at Gujarat Barracks, Colchester, was impressive. To an 18 year old Officer Cadet, seeing it for the first time it was awesome. Tucked away in a corner of this vast arena stood the squad of about twenty Officer Cadets under the command of Company Sergeant Major Walldock, expert without equal in all forms of Army drill. His imposing presence was matched only by his stentorian voice. Some said his words of command could be heard as far away as Ipswich.
He had called the squad to attention about four times before he was satisfied. Then came his next command, 鈥淪QUAD - NUMBER!鈥. Anyone familiar with this particular operation will know that it never goes right the first time. 鈥淎S YOU WERE!鈥 echoed round the barracks and the surrounding countryside. Coldly and cynically, the C.S.M. repeated his command, 鈥淪QUAD - NUMBER!鈥. Again it went wrong.
I suppose the Sergeant Major understood or appeared to do so. He was dealing with idiots, imbeciles masquerading as potential Officers. He would have to explain to them in detail what they were being ordered to do.
鈥淪tand Easy, and pay careful attention to me. Numbering in the Army, Officer Cadets - ALL you has to b****y do is add one to the number what the man on your right has shouted out, then shout that number out if you can鈥.
鈥淪QUAD NUMBER!鈥
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