大象传媒

MY CALL UP PART ONE
I was thirteen at the outbreak of World War 2, the years passed by and for my 18th. Birthday I received my call up for the Army, on June the 1st.1944 exactly one week later I presented myself to Meanney Barracks in Colchester, a more dismal nasty place I've never seen, this hell hole was to be my home for the next six weeks.
This was the initial Primary training period which every recruit endured, then depending on what regimental training you required subject to an assessment test, you were sent on for a further training period elsewhere.
Well it was like being in a prison here in this Victorian Barracks, like a workhouse or something out of a Dickens Novel.
Grown men were stomping around in exaggerated paces, the whole thing seemed like a wild dream.
Some times there were as many as six units of men present on the training ground at one time, all with their drill Instructors barking out their orders, and in the background the regimental sergeant major observing each and every one of them, he was very tall man, a Londoner and it seemed to me he wore a corset or some other foundation garment, keeping his figure so trim looking.
He strode over to the unit I was with watched us closely for a short while, then he bent low to talk to me, I felt the heat radiating off of him as he said "Where You From Kings Cross?" I said "no sir!" he said again "Where You From then?" I replied " From London Sir!" he then said "That is Bloody KINGS CROSS!,
"Don't let these Dozy Country Yokels Get the better of You" had I been from the Country, Dozy or not I think I would have taken offence at this, but nobody moved they all stood there like Penguins.
The training period started a keen corporal took us on a route march around the country, when he said " Right, all Sing or Double march!, I let him know I didn't feel like singing " To the shores of Tripoli " or anywhere else for that matter so we Doubled for a while, but he soon tired of that having also to participate to keep up with us.
We were being drilled one day by a sergeant who later stood us at ease, then pranced up and down the ranks, he then said " What's the medal our Sergeant Major wears" proceeding to describe the ribbon colours, then pointing at me saying "You!" my reply was " Haven't a clue sarge" then he came back with " Your Belt's not straight, your Tunics creased" then pointing to another Lad "You!" who said "Please sarge its the so & so Star etc"
to this he came back to me and said " Do You hear that! Smarten yourself up, and maybe you'll get one someday!"
My reply " I Don't want one thankyou!", the look on the man's face can only be likened to that of a puzzled Bull terrier as he glared back at at me.
Another occasion we were at ease and the sergeant asked "How many buttons are there on the army great coat?"
pointing at me he said "You!" I replied "I don't know Sarge" he then put the question to another chap who sprang to attention and said "fifteen Sarge" back to me he came with " Did you hear that? see that you clean them!" I said mine are plastic Sarge!" he then said "You have to dust behind them!" well to me this was the limit, I just couldn't understand what I'd gotten in to, how thick some of these people were amazed me.
While on the subject of the army great coat, this was about the best bit of clothing the Army gave us, but for many it remained pleated & belted at the side of their bunks, like some sacred military trophy, mine was often on top of my blankets keeping me warm in bed, come to think it was one of the first things they took back from us on being
Demobbed, but that's a long long way ahead of my story yet.
We had new recruits running around changing any utility gear they had , the ones with the plastic buttons for brass, I couldn't get rid of any brass quickly enough.
Time passed we all went through an applitude test, which was assembling half a dozen small items like a dismantled door lock and a light switch , and other simular items, this decided where the next part of your training would be, infantry personell had another ten weeks to do, I was fortunate being assigned to the Royal Armoured Corps the training here was a little more involved and was to take over eight months, not that I was in any hurry to get to the Front Line, and I next found myself directed to the ' 61st. Training regiment R.A.C.' a right Pig of a place in another terrible part of the land "BARNARD CASTLE".
............. to be continued.

Watch out for the second part of my story in " My Call Up Part Two",
TED DANN.

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