Fire Alarm

Submitted by Chris Jones

I have somewhat hesitated about mentioning this dirty deed that I was involved in and only after speaking recently to my previous partner in crime Stuart ‘Leppy’ McKnight and now after so many years have passed, have decided to own up, to an event that no one was caught and punished.<br /> Whilst Stuart is famous for the Taxi ride in the Cross Country Run, he had no part in this event, except to keeping it confidential, strictly confidential. It was a dark winter night in 64 when the Officers Mess was in full swing with a party, that Josie Campbell, looking across from Jerboa Tp thought about adding a bit more excitement to the evening. He recruited me to help him launch a fire practice well after lights out. It was a nervy experience as we crept out of our hut (the top room) next to Junior Wing through the fire door and with Josie except for footwear, was stark naked. The plan went like this to avoid detection Josie entered Kukri Troop's office (other side of Junior Wing) to use their telephone, to make the fire call and I remained outside turning the rotary fire bells. It all went perfectly to plan and then Josie burst through Kukri's door screaming fire, fire, and between us turning more bells in passing as we legged it back to our hut. By the time we re-entered through the fire door to grab our greatcoats the Klaxon was getting under way at full throttle and remained so for a good 10 minutes as if trying to wake the dead in Okehampton. The whole regiment was mustered on the parade square and the officers in their mess kit were strutting about getting the roll-call musters under way. The plan went well and the Adjutant was heard to say, the duty telephonist reported the call was made from Kukri Troop. That was music to our ears. That was one of the best kept secrets at that time, because until now, no one at that time except Stuart McKnight Dave McFarlane knew who the culprits were. With 600 boys in pyjamas and greatcoats feeling the chill we were dismissed to our beds pending an investigation next day. No one was punished because it was soon established that it was a mischievous prank. We had a good laugh about it and even today it brings a smile. I shudder to think what the punishment would have been if we had been found out, 28 days inside most probably.

Cross Country Competition

Submitted by Chris Jones

Regarding the cross country run and the use of a taxi. I was nearly a participant in that jolly event. Josie Campbell was the ringleader and his other partners in crime were, Mac McFarlane and Leppy (Paddy) McKnight all of Jerboa Troop in 65. I was with them all through the planning stage although didn't have the gumption to participate. We were all of the same snail running speed and I was with them as they jumped into the waiting taxi. You may remember after Ogwell on the road back to camp with the assault course woods on the left, there was a junction to the right on a hill. (The camp road had the right of way). This taxi was lurched tight into the verge and as the trio broke away from the flow and got aboard, shouting to me to join them. Whilst I laughed at their daring I ran the course. They did quite well at finishing in the first 100 or so, in which they were hailed heroes by the permanent staff. Their success was short lived though after a Cpl in Francisca Troop reported them and they were subsequently disqualified. I honestly can't remember them doing jankers for it though. Although knowing that regime, they most probably did. Josie was from Glasgow, Mac from Rugby Leppy from Ireland.

Commonwealth Trophy 1961

Submitted by Dave Thomas

The event was an 8 mile night march across the moor, made famous or more correctly infamous by the eight lads from Iron Troop going missing. We were a bit concerned because one of them was “Cess” Parkinson who we needed for the Rugby team.<br /> It was no picnic for anyone out that night, and I bet many of us knew that “there but for the grace of God go I”. I was in Vic Jaggard’s patrol and we had been stumbling about for what seemed like hours. Bob Watts started to mumble (nothing unusual there) but was clearly suffering from exposure. Vic and one of the others put Bobs arms round their shoulders, to support him; that left me with the dead radio, and the packs from Vic, Bob and his mate plus my own. I can remember to this day hoping against hope that the other two wouldn’t decide that Bob was too heavy, and ask me to swap. It wasn’t until years later when I met Vic on Birmingham New Street station, that I learned that all the time Vic had been hoping that I wouldn’t decide the bags were too heavy, and ask him to swap.

Church Parade 1

Submitted by Dave Silburn

On Sunday at church parade, which after a while got me down with having to dress up in No2’s. I use to get out of it by being friendly to J/Sgt Dockerty of Kohima Troop. If I went to the Church Army canteen for some eats for him he would mark me down on the roll call list as attended, when the parade marched off to church I would go and get the goods, he meanwhile was in his bunk, bring the stuff back and I would lay on my bed. If anybody started walking round like senior troop Sgt etc etc I would have to go into my locker on the hanging upside and hide in there till they had gone. What a way to avoid church parade.

Church Army Canteen 1

Submitted by Tony Gask

The queues used to be so long at times that most lads load up a plate full of sandwiches etc but by the time they reached the Till only had one thing left on plate and only payed for the one item. Some lads used to help themselves from the long counter as if it was a free buffet provided whilst standing in the queue. I wonder if the kind souls of the Church Army knew what was happening.

Breaking the Code

Submitted by Eric Hoare

On arrival at Denbury you were forced into taking on some sort of hobby or sport activity which was designed to fill any spare hours you may have. To start with I think I chose football and fishing rod making. I soon came to realise that the only way to leave the camp was to go out in uniform which in my mind wasn’t my idea of fun as most of the local girls would avoid anyone in a uniform. With my devious thoughts in mind I then chose to change my hobbies to Fishing and Scottish & Highland dancing. I made application to my OC to carry out my fishing exploits in civvies as I didn’t wish to dirty my uniform. This was granted and a chitty was issued to be shown at the guard house. When I wanted to go down town I dressed accordingly and further down the street I hid my fishing tackle to be picked up later. Sorted... My Scottish and Highland dancing lessons were usually carried out in Newton Abbot where about forty young local ladies also had their lessons. This would mean that I could not only meet up with the girls on training nights I could also meet them at other times in my civvies. As I achieved 8 medals for the dancing, 3 Bronze, 3 Silver and 2 Gold I would also be invited to perform at Scottish celebrations where I first tasted, at the age of 16, a sample of a good malt Whisky and further down the line team up with more young dancers to perform at the Edinburgh Tattoo which took me away from Denbury for a whole week. The fishing also had a very nice slant as well. I was asked by the CO if I could accompany him down to Loo in Cornwall for a day’s shark fishing which I kindly accepted. He said that I have to be on my best behaviour as we would be joined by TWO Major Generals, an Admiral of the Fleet and three very high ranking officers. I felt a bit embarrassed later in the day when most of our party were sea sick including the Admiral of the Fleet and what made it worse was that I was the only person to catch a shark, in fact three of them... I must say at this stage that life at Denbury became very pleasant in deed bearing in mind that I was sworn to secrecy about one of the party being very sick indeed.. Any guesses???

Bath Tattoo

Submitted by Tony Gask

Junior wing about July 63 - I seem to remember one lad who happened to be wearing a pair of shorts too small for him. Whilst doing ''his thing'' jumping up and down in the front row of the squad - his ''tackle'' popped out much to the delight (and screams) of a bunch of young girls sat in the front rows directly in front of him. I believe they were french. (Dave Silburn has just reminded me that this

Assault Course Tale

Submitted by Pete Penfold

I recall on one occasion catching the crown jewels awkwardly whilst coming down that long rope on the assault course. It became so painful that I went sick only to be told by Smith-Owen not to be so stupid and that the problem will go away in a couple of days.<br /> The next week on parade I was picked up for standing with my top half at attention and my legs at ease, when I explained to the young officer that I couldn't put my legs together he said I should report sick immediately. He saw my apprehension and came up to the sick bay with me where on inspection I was black and blue and looking a little like a coconut tree! I was given light duties and told to report sick daily for treatment. The following day I waited in the little waiting room amongst a load of others and one of the nurses came round asking each boy, in a loud voice, what was wrong with him. By the time she got to me I was a gibbering idiot and I tried to stutter out Bruised Testicles it came out wrong (something about octopuses) to which she immediately shouted at the top of her voice Hey Florie, this one's got bruised balls . In those days it was quite a shock to a young 16 year old, must have been, it has remained vivid in my memory ever since.

Winter of 1962 Brrr...

Submitted by Eric Hoare

Returning to camp by train after a well deserved Christmas break we arrived at Newton Abbot only to find huge amounts of snow everywhere. I think there were about fifty of us kids on that train all carrying our small suitcases. We stood there waiting for the transport to take us to camp, an hour or so passed by and then two old coaches turned up and an officer stepped down from one. He said that the Army transport was unable to leave the camp due to the snow. excitedly we all jumped onto these coaches and headed off in the direction of the camp. If my memory serves me correctly I think it was at Ogwell the coaches came to a sudden stop. The officer jumped up and said, "everybody off the coach" so like good troopers we all got off. "The rest of the way you have to walk" He said. I had done the walk from Newton Abbot to Denbury several times before so I knew how far there was left to walk and it was a long way, all the uphill. As our train had been the first to arrive nobody had previously made a track in the snow so the lads at the front of the column had to trample down the fresh snow, which was hard work. Every hundred yards the first ten would stop and let the next ten take over, they would then tag onto the back of the line. We we eventually arrived after several hours at the brow of the hill overlooking the camp we could see why our transport was unable to leave camp, the snow drifts were so deep they covered half of the accommodation spiders, there was about a foot of the front gate barrier showing which was left in a vertical position and about two foot of the flag pole which was located at the end of the parade ground. Some of us were lucky and could get into our barrack rooms without any problem but others had to dig, using their suitcases as shovels, to enter theirs. It was quite an adventure for us kids but for the RSM it was an absolute nightmare because he couldn't get us onto the parade ground until April when the snow eventually thawed. I have loads more stories about that winter and when I get the time I will share them with you.

Yates Palace of Pain

Submitted by Jim Garrett

Does anyone remember Yates had a small 10 line exchange in the guardroom. When he used to answer it he used to bellow BASTILLE!! I remember when I was doing 7 days in his palace, I used to have to stand in front of his desk and say over and over again YATES IS A B******D while he sat there and roared with laughter.<br /> You really went through all the emotions. First laughter, then you really meant it, then tears! John Nicholls used to stand there laughing too. I remember that after our pass out parade in Dec 59, we could drink legally. We went down to Newton Abbot and all got plastered. Yates came down town and rounded us all up and took us back to camp, made sure we were all tucked up and got us all up for the trains in the morning. Completely different in Character. John Nicholls (I remember we used to call him the PIG) lived a few doors away from me when I was at 16 Sigs Krefeld, He and his family , really nice people. Does anyone else remember being in the recruiting film they made about 58/59. Never got the chance to see it. Wonder what happened to it. They had us canoeing down the stream that ran behind the assault course and climbing rocks just down the road. We were all roped together and about 6 feet off the ground. The cameraman was lying on the ground saying look scared! We all shouted, "WE ARE F******G SCARED". GREAT SITE. Great times, I have to say I enjoyed every minute that I spent there.