Is there anybody out there that recognises me??
I served in the Grenadier Guards from October 1985 until April 1996 serving in both Battalion's aswell as an external posting at R.A.R.D.E Chertsey. I started my career with the 1st Battalion in Munster, W. Germany whilst the battalion were away on a 6 month tour in Northern Ireland. On their return I joined No 3 Company which was mainly built up of lads from Manchester and the surrounding areas so I felt at home. I was then cross-posted to H.Q Company to become an AFV 432 driver alongside Gdsm Keith Moat who took me under his wing and taught me the fine art of becoming a true REMF.
Whilst in Germany we spent a lot of time on exercise in Sennelager but more enjoyable was our 6 week training in B.A.T.U.S Canada which is a vast training area where maps seem useless. (There is still a tree which stands in the middle of the training area with several craters around it where the artillary have tried to hit it when using up their spare ammo.) The one downside about this tour though was the terrible accident when 3 lads from support company struck an old H.E round whilst digging a trench and unfortunately they all lost their legs!
In 1989 I was posted to Chertsey just before I managed to escape to civilian street, but in hindsight I am glad that I didn't leave at such an early stage because the Army had many more adventures to take me through.
When I arrived at R.A.R.D.E Chertsey I soon found it to be a great posting working with civilians. I obtained all my driving licences at Chertsey as our main job was test driving all different types of vehicles that were offered to the military in replacement for older types.
Unfortunately it was decided that the whole job we were supposed to be doing was to be completely handed over to the civilians which meant that the posting closed and we were all RTU'd (Returned To Unit). It was then that I was posted to the 2nd Battalion.....
