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| Keogh Barracks Mychett |
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| Squad passing out photo this would have been late March early April 1952. |
| We were housed in brick built barracks about eight or ten to a room in which the first thing you noticed was the highly polished floor.... we would later discover how it was kept in that condition! We would spend two weeks induction at Mychett just to break us in easy, I had four weeks there actually as I jumped at the chance of getting my hands on a 48 hour pass which meant that I would pass out with the new batch of rookies, I believe the idea was that it helped to have someone there that knew the routines etc. |
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| It was at Crookham that we completed our training, we were housed in wooden barracks which were joined together in in eights called 'spiders' heated as I recall from a stove set in the middle of the hut, from memory I think there were about twenty to a hut with the squad NCO quarters separate just outside the squaddies area. |
| Fatiques! these were handed out at the for the slightest reason....well it was labour on hand without paying for it. I had some really rough times on fatigues. I recall scrubbing the Sergeants mess kitchen floors one evening until late by myself, not once but twice, because the nco in charge just wanted it done. Another time, hours spent scrubbing pots & pans in the the other ranks kitchen. On one occasion our hut were doing fatigues until 3am because the Corporal got it into his mind that it wasn't up to standard!! |
| Bulling' boots! this was a pretty skilled job believe it or not..you had to have a candle, large spoon, and cherry blossom boot polish. When you were issued with new boots the toe caps were of course dimpled and although clean were not how the army liked 'em! You had to rub all those dimples out and this was done with a hot spoon....oh I forgot one other ingredient...spittle! you rubbed away with spit and polish until they were nice and smooth and highly polished...hence the term 'spit & polish'. |
| 'D' Company Queen Elizabeth Barracks Crookham |
| This was my squad at Crookham and would have been taken about June 1952. |
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| Millbank BMH |
| From Crookham I was then posted to Millbank which was situated next to The Tate Gallery on the Thames embankment. Our Barracks were only a few yards away and I was able to catch a No 88 bus right outside which took me direct to within a few yards of my home! So I used to go home quite often between shifts. I was put on the staff of 'D' ward to the right of the entrance and where the windows at the end of the ward overlooked the Thames, I remember the weather was sunny & warm that summer so I was often out and about walking round London, I really enjoyed my stay at Millbank despite the fact that one QARANC Sister took a dislike to me so that I was given the dirty jobs until I had a meeting with the Matron who sorted things out! It was from here that I left for embarkation to Malaya....although the destination wasn't known then. I can recal going round the ward saying goodbye to some Chelsea Pensioners, a Miltary Cross decorated soldier from Korea....it was all rather sad as I knew some of them wouldn't live to be discharged. |
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