AAS Arborfield

I entered AAS in February 1948; trained as a Telecommunications Mechanic (Field) and managed to pass all the examinations as required without honours. I spent a little time in the Guardroom for going AWOL to watch the 'Spurs' (Tottenham Hotspur soccer team) play. Corporal, later Sergeant, SILVERS was the Provost Sergeant at the time.

I never did make promotion to Lance Corporal. We (George MILLIE) must have been in 'A' Company at the same time; 'Bull' WESTON was the CSM. I'm sure that I was not the one who tipped your bed over on Graduation night.

Frank MADDICK was probably the most prominent member of our intake; he was Drum Major of the Military Band. There was also a Corporal Dick BATTY looking after one of the junior intakes. He is the only one of our intake with whom I am now in touch - he is living in Newark.

Regular Army

After Passing-Out from Arborfield Ron BATTY and I with a few others were posted to 5 Anti Aircraft Group Workshops REME, Newark during February 1951. From there I was posted to Airborne Workshops REME in Egypt. I never did get to jump; I was court martialled instead. After serving my sentence of 42 days I was thrown out of the Airborne and posted to an Infantry Workshop REME in Egypt. Due to lack of competition I rapidly rose to the rank of Acting Sergeant.

I managed to get a month's leave from Egypt but had to pay my own fare, and married a Newark girl in September 1953. We now have three daughters; the first born at the Military Hospital, Tidworth, Wiltshire; the second at RAF Hospital, Changi, Singapore; and the third at the Military Hospital just outside Düsseldorf.

From Egypt I returned to UK reverting to the rank of Corporal, and was posted to a Royal Artillery Calibration Troop stationed at Larkhill on Salisbury Plain. As the only REME tradesman for miles around I fixed, or tried to fix, everything - bikes, ping pong tables, kettles, etc.

From Larkhill I was posted to Singapore for three years; occupied a house in Serangoon Garden Estate, and later moved to a house within half-a-mile or so from Tiger Balm Gardens. During the tour I managed to get two trips to the Cameron Highlands in Malaya.

Posted home from Singapore to UK I was sent to the REME Inspectorate in Düsseldorf, BAOR (West Germany).

I was discharged in August 1962 in the rank Acting Staff Sergeant.

Civilian Employment

We migrated initially to the west coast of Canada, and are now living on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. I remained in Electronics until I took early retirement in 1988, with my last 22 years in the employ of British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority.

We have visited Australia on three occasions - one sister lives in Melbourne, Victoria, and another lives in Beerwah, Queensland. Some time ago we made a trip to Singapore and checked out the house in Serangoon Garden Estate - Ripley Avenue I think.

In my retirement I used to play a lot of golf but found that pursuit getting expensive, and now I spend a great deal of time as the volunteer allotment garden Manager at a nearby location.