大象传媒

Having recently left University at age 21, was clearly one of the first likely to be conscripted under the recently declared War. Along with two others, frustrated this development by answering an advertisement in the local press to join a newly formed Royal Signals Unit, classified as being part of the Army Supplementary Reserve.

Initially reported to an office in South Manchester once a week for 鈥渢raining鈥� and rudimentary drill. No uniforms were yet available. The first issue was Army Boots, followed in due course by standard Army Battledress. The embryonic unit thus became generally more official, and migrated slowly southwards during the autumn. Having got as far as South Derbyshire, was suddenly promoted to Lance-Corporal and was once even put in charge of sceptical regulars on night guard duty in a derelict mill. Eventually reached a large permanent camp at Bordon, Hants.

The winter of 1939-40 was very cold. Bordon was pretty uncomfortable as billet in pre-war disused married quarters completely froze up, with deep snow everywhere. But the Unit was now fully organised, and life of all other ranks fully subservient to the whims of a traditional Royal Signals Company Sergeant Major, a man of small stature but with very imposing parade presence and extremely loud voice. Off duty he was not averse to accompanying his non-commissioned officers to the local Naafi for evening beers.

On one such occasion, returning to sleeping quarters through the Bordon Woods, with deep snow all around, it was noticed that the C.S.M. had vanished. Retreated steps led to muffled oaths coming out of a snow filled air raid shelter. The C.S.M. stuck inside was pulled out safely, but then drama: his impaired voice led to the revelation that his teeth were lost in the bunker. Temporary problem, but Lance Corporal was dispatched back to H.Q. with instructions to turn out the Emergency Guard. A Working Party arrived with shovels etc., snow was removed from the shelter and eventually the teeth were recovered and restored to their owner. Next morning, on parade, deportment and voice were just as good as ever.

Sometime after the turn of the year, it was suggested that the Manchester recruits might be considered "Officer Material鈥�. This might have been influenced by the fact that one of them was an Old Etonian. Enquiries revealed that to become Officers in the Royal Signals would involve ten months at the Camp in Catterick, North Yorks. There was no enthusiasm for this prospect, but a little later, for some totally unexplained reason, another proposal to become Officers in the Royal Army Service Corps came forward. This would involve only six weeks in Ramsgate and was therefore hastily accepted by those concerned.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.