大象传媒

On receiving my call-up papers, I started to prepare for the life ahead. I had not much idea of army life, but I did my best to visualise it. the fateful day came on 15 April 1943. I left home about 7 a.m. which had meant getting up at what, at that time,seemed an unearthly hour, but I was soon to learn that reveille at 0600 hours was quite the usual thing in the army.
I arrived at Sheffield station and met one or two other lads from Sheffield. We changed trains at Durham and boarded a train to Brancepeth Castle. Spirits were high and there were some real characters. On arrival at Brancepeth we left the train and began our tramp down the straight road to the castle. At the castle we were hanging about for quite a time before being issued with a meat pie. I remember that more than half the lads left theirs, while some finished off a second!!We also received a mug of cocoa which I think was made of red limestone!!
At this point, we were issued with kit bags which were soon to be filled up with kit. We followed each other through the corridors having equipment and clothing thrown at us from all directions. When we had got all the kit we were marched away to the camp, which was about half a mile away. It was a Durham Light Infantry Camp and the Duke of Wellingtons Infantry (No 4 Infantry Training Camp, 54 Primary Training Wing). After we had managed to carry all our kit to the camp, we were sorted into Companies. Each of the 4 companies had 2 squads each. I was in 'C' Company, 19 Squad. We were then given palliasses which we had to fill with straw: quite a job that was! Then we received a mug,plate,knife,fork and spoon and other equipment, including a bed!
During the next few days we were marched all over camp for various things. We went to the tailor who marked one of our battledress suits for altering where necessary. We also went to the shoe repairer who put 13 studs in each of our boots. We went to the barber's and all had haircuts. It was really funny to watch some of the chaps' expressions when they felt their hair being separated from their heads: some of them looked as if they haven't had their hair cut for months!!
We were then taken to the M.I. Room for inoculations: T.A.B. and T.T. and were confined to barracks for 48 hours. We found out why the next day: our arms were very stiff and evryone felt ill, with one or two chaps passing out during the day.
We started parades on Monday 19 April 1943 and had lectures, P.T. and training films. We went on 'Night Operations' and were given marching and rifle drill each day.We went through the gas chamber and on May 13th marched 5 miles with full kit to Stanley and threw 2 hand grenades each. The following day we visited a place called Pitt House Ridge where we dug slit trenches and filled them in again.
We had fairly decent meals at the camp all cooked by A.T.S. cooks. We had kit inspections every week. The army authorities watched our every move during this first part of army training. One night some of us went into nearby Crook for the evening and walked home eating fish and chips. We were stopped by Army Redcaps (Military Police) and told in no uncertain terms that this was not acceptable behaviour!!
Whilst in Brancepeth I visited Durham and once or twice and saw the Castle and the Cathedral. I also visited Willington about 3 miles away.
We passed our selection procedure whilst at Brancepeth which involved simple tests in every subject imaginable to find out to which arm of the service we were best suited. I was posted to Scarborough on 26 May 1943 to the Royal Artillery (Signals) together with 5 other chaps.

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