| Historic Record over the Years 1946 � 2005 |
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| Brian Brenchley |
| 2628965 1946-71 1st, 3rd, 2nd Bns |
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1946 Having pestered the life out of the Recruiting Sergeant in Doncaster for some time who, as things turned out was a good friend of my fathers! I was eventually allowed to join the Regiment on 16th September 1946 at the age of 15yrs 1 month & 1 day old. My arrival at the Guards Depot at Caterham was another story! On arrival at the station with my father, we left the building and once outside I stopped and started to look around, Dad asked what I was looking for and I told him �The Bus Stop,� Buses don�t go up this hill, we shall have to walk, promptly handing me my rather large suitcase! Saying, �You don�t want anyone seeing me carrying this for you or they will think you�re a sissy!� Half way up the hill a bus went by, and I queried this fact, only to be told that �They didn�t go up here when I was here last�. Mind you that was in 1921 when he joined the Regiment, so they probably didn�t. Having arrived and proceeded to the Reception Centre we had a meal together and farewells were said. Over the next few days I was kitted out and then moved to the Guards Training Battalion at Pirbright. I spent the next 7 months there learning to read music and play the flute and bugle, plus Drill and Education including Map Reading etc. This culminated in taking my Army Certificate of Education 2nd Class, which I managed to pass. The intention being that we would continue with this training/ education regime until we were ready to take the 1st Class Certificate. Unfortunately this didn�t happen, as in May 1947 - we were moved out to join various Battalions within the Guards Brigade. I was posted to the 1st Bn at Chelsea Barracks where I joined the Corps of Drums under Drum Major Peterson. Whilst there, I took part in the first Trooping of the Colour since the war, as a member of the Massed Bands. This was quite an experience for one so young; I was also on duty for the Wedding of HRH Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, as part of the Band with The Queens Company who were Guard of Honour opposite Westminster Abbey. Shortly afterwards, because �Boys� weren�t allowed to go overseas we were moved to the 2nd Bn at Fox Lines at Caterham as the 1st Bn were going to Libya. We only spent a short time there as the 2nd Bn were going to Germany, so we were moved to the 3rd Bn at Victoria Barracks, Windsor. Then back to the Guards Depot briefly prior to joining the 2nd Bn in Germany. 1949 - The Battalion were stationed at Barracks in Sennelager. 1950 - The Battalion moved yet again, this time to Krefeld. 1951/ early 52 - Posted to Guards Depot as Squad Instructor. For various reasons did not stay there too long, and returned to the 2nd Bn at Krefeld. At the end of the year we returned to Chelsea Barracks. 1953 - Early in the year I went to Hythe on Small Arms course, and later that year took part in the Coronation and straight after this I was posted to the Guards Depot as a Superintending Sergeant. 1954 - At Caterham, met my future wife, Patricia at the �Valentine Dance� in February. 1955 - At Caterham. Got married to Patricia in February in her home town of Reigate, Surrey on the nearest Saturday to �Valentines Day�. (Isn�t that romantic!) 1956 - Left Caterham early in the year and rejoined 2nd Bn at Pirbright, and immediately got detailed as Sgt�s Mess Caterer for a month, and Patricia was expecting our first child. The Battalion then moved to Windsor and in July I became a Dad. and also got promotion to CQMS of Support Company. 1957 - Soldiered on at Windsor until the latter part of the year. The Battalion were due to move to Lydd in Kent. Horrible place, right out on the Romney Marshes miles from anywhere. Saved by the bell and at the last minute and was posted to The Queens Company who were at Chelsea Barracks. 1958 - Still at Chelsea Barracks and by this time our second child was due in May. However, she couldn�t wait for May and joined us in April � the day before Patricia�s birthday. We now have two daughters, Linda and the new arrival Sharon. Then to top it all, I was promoted yet again, to CSM and was put in charge of a Draft heading for the 3rd Bn in Cyprus for the EOKA troubles. Left the UK in August and became 2nd CSM of HQ Coy along with Fred Young. Towards the end of the year, I took over Support Company from Peter Lewis. 1959 - Cyprus still, but did manage � by paying my own fare � to fly home in February to spend a couple of weeks with Patricia and the children. All too short a time, then back to the grind. Left Cyprus with the Battalion August/September time and returned to Wellington Barracks. That was short lived, as by Christmas I had been posted to Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot as CSM of �B� Company there. 1960 - Still at Mons until I started having to wear glasses all the time. I was very hastily returned to my unit! � This time the 1st Bn stationed at Tidworth on the edge of Salisbury Plain. Took over as CSM of No 4 Coy. 1961 - At Tidworth until May when the Battalion left for a stint of duty in the British Southern Cameroon�s. Because of my Glasses I was not going to be with them (I was generally treated like a Leper) but at the last minute one of the other CSM�s had to remain behind for compassionate reasons, so guess who took his place, glasses and All. We returned to the UK in October and remained in Tidworth Companies taking it in turn to spend 2 weeks at Wellington Barracks carrying out �Public Duties� 1962 - By this time I was beginning to be an embarrassment to the Battalion/ Regiment as I had refused to remove my glasses, as they wanted, so they were desperately trying to find an ERE job for me. Our luck was in, as in July I went off for a 2 year posting to SHAPE HQ just outside Paris. As you can probably imagine we had a whale of a time there. 1963 - At SHAPE, CSM of British Support Unit, HQ Company. 1964 - At SHAPE until the middle of the year then on leave for almost two months. (We were not allowed to take our full annual entitlement whilst there, plus the fact I had �Signed On� to complete 22yrs just prior to going to France and was unable to take the 4 weeks leave until I left SHAPE) I therefore didn�t rejoin the 2nd Bn until September. This was then the start of major problems as to my future. I was a very senior CSM by now, even the D/Sgts had been junior to me as CSM�s, so the Regiment, true to form, attempted to make me transfer to the Pioneer Corps. I fought them all the way, and eventually they realised they were stuck with me for the time being. Attempts where made to get me posted elsewhere, but as I had to get my 1st Class Education Cert. and had a long standing problem with varicose veins sorted out, this took up quite a bit of time. I eventually took over HQ Coy. 1965 - Still with the 2nd Bn at Windsor and Patricia was due to have a baby in February. Our Son Nigel was born, and life at home became very hectic again. Linda by this time was nearly 9 and Sharon almost 7 they thought it was great having a baby Brother. All went well, until May. (I was doing everything as normal as far as my Work as CSM was concerned, but I was not allowed to go out of barracks in Full HSC � i.e. wearing a Bearskin � (as you can imagine the other four CSM�s were not best pleased as they had to do my Guard Duties!) Anyway, as I was saying, we had returned to Windsor mid afternoon on a Saturday in late May, having just taken part in a rehearsal of the Troop and I drove home to the family at our Hiring in Ascot. Patricia was flat on her back on the floor of the lounge, where she had been all day. She had slipped a disc, and was unable to move. To cut a long story short, after yet another Battle with the CO, I was granted Compassionate Leave and was Off until about September, in between times, Patricia had been put in a Plaster Cast and then into a steel corset. Added to all of the above they were still trying their hardest to get me moved somewhere. Eventually they found me an ERE posting to - wait for it! - Mauritius as Weapon Training Instructor and CSM to the Special Mobile Force. This was made up of Members of the Local Police Force and was trained on Military Lines and Riot Duties. 1966 - January saw Patricia and me along with our 3 children flying out to take up my new job. There were only four Army personnel there, a Major as Commandant, a Captain as Adjutant, an RSM and CSM. The remainder of the Force were all locals from the Police Force and was made up of all ranks from Chief Inspector down. 1967 - In Mauritius. 1968 - Left Mauritius in January and returned to the cold old climes in England. Joined 1st Bn stationed at Caterham. Quite convenient really, as on our return from Mauritius with nowhere else to go accommodation wise, we moved in on a temporary basis with Patricia�s� Mother in Reigate, which was only a relatively short distance away from Caterham. All kinds of problems back with the Regiment, they wouldn�t give me any accommodation, and I still wore glasses. So it was back to getting rid of me again. In the meantime I took over a Company, and was by circumstances, forced into buying our own house, this was a new house in Redhill, which was even closer to Caterham than Reigate. After a failed attempt by the Regiment to get me moved, this time to Arborfield Army Apprentices School, I eventually ended up as CSM with the HAC (Honourable Artillery Company) who are based in the City of London and are a TA Regiment. I remained there finishing up as D/Sgt when my Service finally ended in August 1971. (Total Service 24 years 333 days). 1971 � (Continued) Found employment without assistance from the Army and started work with Haden Young Ltd, Building Service Engineers, as Sales Administrator in July whilst still on demob leave! They were based in Euston Road, London. So it was necessary for me to continue commuting daily between Redhill and London. I was used to this by now having been doing it since joining the HAC in 1968. 1972 - Still working with Haden Young Ltd. 1973 - Having found a better job with a firm of Stock Brokers in the City at the end of last year, I started work with them in February as Office Services Supervisor. The Office Partner was an ex Major in the Scots Guards and we got on extremely well. As he once said �We speak the same kind of language� and you know what needs to be done and get on with it. 1974 - Still with Sheppards and Chase. 1975 - Still with Sheppards and Chase. 1976 - Still with Sheppards and Chase � that is until October when the Stock Market hit rock bottom and consequently Brokers needed to get rid of some Staff. As I was in a job which was not likely to bring any money into the firm I was made redundant. This was the first one of my fears when I left the Army � Redundancy & Having to Join a Union and be controlled by its rules) Fortunately, I was paid redundancy which covered us financially until April the following Year? I started on the Job search straight away and after numerous applications and interviews landed a post with the Sussex Police based at Gatwick Airport. 1977 - Started the new job at Gatwick Police Station as Executive Assistant for that Division. This was the senior Civilian employee of the Division and PA to The Divisional Commander. 1978 - At Gatwick. 1979 - At Gatwick. 1980 - At Gatwick for most of the year, but during the year I was also looking after things at Hastings Police station as well. This was following the sudden death of the EA at that station. This meant that there was a vacancy and as it was much nearer to Eastbourne where we had made our home, I applied for and got the job. Taking Over in November. 1981 - Still at Hastings Police Station but saw a good job advertised with a Pharmaceutical Company based in Eastbourne, even nearer to home. Applied for the job with a certain amount of encouragement from Patricia and my mother, who was staying with us at the time, and after the usual formalities I got the job starting in April. The position was as Administration Officer, which covered a multitude of things within the company. 1982 - Stayed with this same job for twelve years. I eventually ended up as Office Manager. During this period the company went through various name changes, mergers and Take-overs, all of which I managed to survive intact. 1993 - They were going through yet more changes and relocations and in their wisdom the powers that be decided to offer me Early Retirement + Redundancy. Patricia and I gave this offer careful consideration (not that I think there was any option). 1993 -I finally left the company at the end of April and have been enjoying our retirement together ever since. To date that brings us to the �Year of our Lord� 2005 |
| Historic Record over the Years 1946 � 2005 |
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| 1946 |
| 1958 |
| 2005 |
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