REME Garrison, Arborfield
(above) AAS
Arborfield site marked in red Foreword
“And it came upon me freshly how the secret of
uniform was to make a crowd solid, dignified, impersonal: to give it the
singleness and tautness of an upstanding man. This death’s livery which
walled its bearers from ordinary life, was sign that
they had sold their wills and bodies to the State: and contracted themselves
into a service not the less abject for that its beginning was voluntary. Some
of them had obeyed the instinct of lawlessness: some were hungry: others
thirsted for glamour, for the supposed colour of a military life: but, of
them all, those only received satisfaction who had sought to degrade
themselves, for to the peace-eye, they were below humanity. Only women with a
lech were allured by those witnessing clothes; the soldier’s pay, not
sustenance like a labourer’s, but pocket-money, seemed most profitably spent
when it let them drink sometimes and forget. Convicts had violence put upon them. Slaves might be
free, if they could, in intention, but a soldier assigned his owner the
twenty-four hours’ use of his body; and the sole conduct of his mind and
passions. A convict had licence to hate the rule which confined him, and all
humanity outside, if he were greedy in hate: but the sulking soldier was a
bad soldier; indeed, no soldier. His affections must be hired pieces on the
chess-board of the King.” [Source: “Revolt in The Desert” – The Arab Revolt during World War I by T.E. Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia]
The barrack
room, lower left, in ‘F’ Block, is where I was accommodated whilst in HQ
Company |
Body and Spirit I surrendered wholeTo harsh Instructors – and received a soul … If mortal man could change me through and through From all I was – what may The God not do? Rudyard Kipling |
September 1949
The New Recruits
The September Intake, in total 123, was enlisted over
the period
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Monday 5th |
Tuesday 6th |
Wednesday 7th |
Thursday 8th |
Friday 9th |
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September |
September |
September |
September |
September |
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Total = 4 |
Total = 21 |
Total = 31 |
Total = 29 |
Total = 35 |
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065 Bradley K.H. |
110 Barber P. |
048 Barber B.O. |
052 Alexander M.J. |
053 Arnold J.E.R. |
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137 Burnett G.H.E. |
070 Bartlett J.A. |
083 Booth C. |
017 Baker B. |
029 Back M.J. |
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138 Burnett K.L. |
079 Bennett R.T. |
047 Bowden C.R. |
178 Bawden B.M. |
025 Bell R.P. |
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007 Gibson L. |
076 Boulter K.G.S. |
093 Brant R.C. |
066 Brind P.H. |
031 Bonner G.G. |
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030 Boxe T.J. |
240 Cassells G. |
027 Cook G.R. |
086 Brown I.D. |
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002 Frost T.J.E. |
034 Cassells J. |
016 Crane D.S. |
044 Buckle B. |
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004 Galloway R. |
024 Cavalier M.F. |
054 Francis I. |
042 Bull D.A. |
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080 Gray T.E. |
046 Everson D.J. |
091 Hayes P.B. |
090 Chaffer T.J. |
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124 Hutchinson D. |
023 Flemen D.S. |
135 Horton C.P. |
061 Charlwood L.K. |
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128 Kirton F. |
114 Gamble F. |
108 Jones I.E. |
097 Coffin J.R. |
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012 MacBeath J.A. |
094 Haden R. |
067 Mackett R.R. |
115 Collins R.H. |
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008 Mather G.L. |
026 Hall C.R. |
020 Marks R.J. |
035 Croft G.N. |
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136 Mauger J. |
055 Hill R. |
056 McGarry G.C. |
037 Dunn G. |
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082 Metcalf W.T. |
001 Hunter J. |
122 Meadows W.R. |
073 Faircloth C.W. |
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038 Norris W.H. |
126 Jackson P.A. |
088 Meyer K.J. |
071 Fisher D. |
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085 Phillips K. |
018 Long C.C. |
033 Millie G.A. |
100 Gee J.M. |
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116 Prince J.R. |
032 Lowless M. |
009 Owen D.B. |
058 Harding D.W. |
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022 Robson R.M. |
112 Matyear D.H. |
011 Perrott D.J. |
117 Harvey D.J. |
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132 Searle D. |
015 McColl A. |
081 Rogers K.A. |
107 Johnson D.G.A. |
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041 Thomas E.F. |
036 Molesworth C.R. |
130 Ryan E.B.J.P. |
102 Jones R.A. |
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095 Wadsworth H.B.A. |
234 Morris L.H. |
105 Sewell R. |
040 Le Roy G.G. |
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104 Mudie D.J. |
188 Spurgin D.H. |
111 MacDonald J.I. |
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074 Nash H.G. |
010 Stocker B.C. |
062 Maynard S. |
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075 Pryor B.B. |
118 Sutton B. |
092 McCormac G.J. |
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089 Randle D.L. |
077 Sylvester B.J. |
133 McKnight A. |
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005 Saville D.R. |
109 Temple R.L. |
039 Morgan C.H. |
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098 Simmonds K.M. |
021 Thornton G.J. |
063 Perkins D.F. |
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424 Skeates N.A.A. |
123 Vaughan J.E. |
131 Powell C. |
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120 Tucker R.H. |
084 Williams P.J. |
134 Prior G.A. |
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072 Warwick R.M. |
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050 Proost R.E. |
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013 Wright R.W. |
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051 Rich L.G.L. |
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129 Sculler R.W. |
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127 Veale M.M. |
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003 Verdon F.P. |
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087 Weller F.W. |
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Monday 12th |
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Thursday 15th |
Friday 18th |
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September |
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September |
November |
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Total = 1 |
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Total = 1 |
Total = 1 |
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428 Uden T.J. |
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429 Wallace B.S. |
487 Henry P.E. |
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Thursday, 8th Arrival: Arborfield was a little less than ten miles from Reading, so the last stage of our journey by road was of short duration. Arborfield Village had been swallowed up by the surrounding Army Camps that had been built, covering a large area in the formation of Arborfield Garrison within which had been established REME Depot, REME Officers’ School, REME Artificers’ Training School, Army Apprentices School, and sundry smaller units and facilities. The
truck drove through the main gate of AAS, stopped briefly at the Guardroom to
be signed in by the R.P. on duty, then resumed the journey taking us the
short distance up Nuffield Road to HQ Company office where we were less than
politely invited to disembark. In very rapid response to the barked orders of
the regimental NCOs we fell-in in three ranks on the road whilst our
suitcases were being unceremoniously thrown out of the back of the truck by
its driver. His duties now complete, he drove away. By now it was late
afternoon, there was yet another roll-call, and forming an orderly queue we
filed into the CQMS Store to collect and sign for our bedding – mattress,
mattress cover, sheets, pillowcase, pillow, and blankets, the texture of
which would have made very effective course-grade sandpaper. Completing this
initial issue, eating irons, and white porcelain pint-pot. With this
veritable mountain of gear we struggled down the road to ‘F’ Block, it being
assigned to accommodate the new recruits – or ‘Jeeps’ – for the duration of
the first six months of basic military and trade training. Although
individuals were assigned a barrack room in either ‘F’ or ‘G’ Block we were
free to choose a bed-space, and having done so it was made perfectly clear
that we couldn’t change our minds during the period we were in HQ Company.
The bedding and eating irons would take care of our immediate needs, with the
rest of our kit to be issued the next day.
Layout of a
typical barrack room accommodating 14 apprentices, and the room NCO in a
separate bunk From
the very beginning it was impressed upon us that we must learn our regimental
number, and that it must be committed indelibly to memory as soon as
possible, and certainly no later than Monday morning. Another immediate task
assigned to us was to make our beds, some more expertly than others, and
attempt to locate our suitcases that contained by decree a towel, soap, and
shaving gear – not that many of us had reached that stage in our puberty. I
certainly hadn’t, and wouldn’t have known how to go about it if my life had
depended on it. Suddenly,
a bugle call, a new sound to our ears, and our Drill Instructor, Sergeant
Roberts, ordered us to fall-in outside on the road, and marched us the very
short distance to the Cookhouse for tea. There was already a queue forming
and we joined it as a group. The food didn’t look particularly wholesome to
me, but I was hungry and ate everything that had been served on to my plate,
and the pint of strong, sweet tea went down a treat. The evening, our first
at Arborfield, was spent mainly getting better acquainted with one’s fellows
and contemplating what tomorrow would bring. Daily at sunset (18.00 hours)
the duty bugler sounded ‘Retreat’ and with due ceremony the flag was lowered
and removed from the flagstaff at the edge of the parade square. At 22.00
hours he sounded ‘Lights Out’, the final bugle-call of the day. During the
course of the next three years we would become very familiar with these
bugle-calls and what they meant, everything was signaled in this fashion and
would soon become second nature to us. Friday, 9th A
Rude Awakening: The bugler sounded ‘Reveille’ at 06.30 hours, heralding the beginning of our first full day at Arborfield, and almost immediately Sergeant Roberts entered the barrack room, urging us out of bed. Breakfast was at 06.30 hours and we had only thirty minutes to get ready, fall-in on the road outside, and be marched off to the Cookhouse for the first meal of the day. The
Issue of Kit: Breakfast
consumed, we were permitted to make our own way back to our barrack rooms,
then, at 08.00 hours Sergeant Roberts returned issuing the order to parade on
the road. The roll was called, and we were marched the short distance to HQ
Company CQMS Store to be issued with the bulk of our kit for which we had to
sign. The entire process was conducted with the utmost speed and without very
much consideration as to whether ones’ uniforms fitted properly. The method
was to issue individuals with the stock size closest to the best fit, and
alterations were to be made in the coming days by the camp tailor. The list
of items issued was a comprehensive one, and in reality represented all our
worldly goods. Everything was capable of being packed into our kitbag and
webbing packs, except bedding of course, which was always a local issue at
the unit to which one would subsequently be posted.
With most of my new possessions crammed into my kitbag and two webbing packs, and a few larger items that refused to fit in, I staggered off down the road under a mountain of kit to the barrack room. Being amongst the smallest and puniest of the group I found myself struggling to carry all this bulky and heavy gear even this relatively short distance; never before had I been called upon to perform such a physically demanding exercise. From the beginning it became clear that each of us was very much on his own and totally responsible for the management of his own affairs. There were no helpers or servants here, no mother to wait upon you, to be at your beck and call.
The issue of kit continued throughout most of the morning with a NAAFI break from 10.00 hours to 10.30 hours. Being about mid-way through the alphabet amongst the ‘Ms’ I didn’t get back to the barrack room until about 11.00 hours. We stowed our kit away in any order; after lunch we would be receiving instruction showing us how to fold and pack it into our overhead lockers, etc in a uniform manner.
The Practice of ‘Jipping’: At 12.00 hours the duty bugler sounded: “Come to the cookhouse door, boys” to signal the obvious, and with eating irons and pint pots in hand we answered the call. This precipitated a mad rush; the hungry horde emerged at a fast walk – it was forbidden to run - from all points of the compass converging on the Cookhouse to secure a place in the queue. The illegal practice of ‘jipping’ (queue-jumping) was a long established and accepted traditional right of one’s seniors, an onerous burden that had to be tolerated. There was a hierarchy, a pecking order, amongst the apprentices that separated them into degrees of seniority. The raw recruits in HQ Company – ‘jeeps’ – in the first six months of their training were Division 1, and in six-monthly stages the apprentices progressed through Divisions 2 to 6, the last being the most senior level. Additionally, except in HQ Company, there was a Company hierarch of seniority based upon apprentice rank ranging from L/Cpl through to CSM, with the Drum Major of the military band and Pipe Major of the pipe band being considered equal in status to CSM. It was incumbent upon every apprentice to know his place, and to allow himself to be stepped upon and abused by his seniors, whilst at the same time perpetrating the same indignities upon his juniors. Right at this moment we were at the very bottom of the heap, having to submit to everyone, a plight to be endured without complaint and in the certain knowledge that our time would come.
First Experience of Army Food: Although Army food was not quite up to the standard to which I had become accustomed, the physical activity had enhanced my hunger and I ate my fill. The Cookhouse was a large building clad with corrugated iron, supported on a massive iron framework. About three-quarters of the concrete floor space was occupied by closely packed rows of six-foot wooden tables supported on iron trestles, each table accommodating eight boys sitting on folding wooden chairs. As the long queue of hungry apprentices entered the ‘IN’ door it passed the long stainless steel serving counter, behind which stood the cooks, clad in white jackets and chequered trousers. The Cook Sergeant darted up and down, making sure the food was replenished without undue delay, and that his staff were serving portions of equal size. The procedure was an easy one to learn; on entering the door the serving counter was on the left – pick up a metal tray and the appropriate number of plates, and as you progressed along the counter dollops of food were dispensed by the cooks. Large, stainless steel urns of hot, strong tea were at the end of the counter. The tea took a bit of getting used to but one’s palate soon adjusted to the rather odd taste of cabbage water, on some occasions stronger than on others. There were always two choices at every meal – take it or leave it – and there were never any second helpings.
During every meal the Orderly Officer and Orderly Sergeant walked up and down the rows of tables inviting complaints about the food. I cannot recall even one occasion when an apprentice displayed sufficient courage to stand up and put into words what we were all thinking. It was also their duty to inspect the kitchen to ensure that high standards of cleanliness and hygiene were maintained, and to sample the food on offer.
Having finished eating, it was forbidden to sit around and talk; as soon as the last mouthful had been consumed the seat must be vacated to make room for apprentices still in the queue. Just inside the ‘OUT’ door one’s plates and tray were added to the growing piles waiting to be carried off to the steam-operated dish-washers in the kitchen. Basic Military Training Commences: The afternoon of that first day the serious side of our training commenced. Before progressing on to greater things we had first to master the mundane – the correct method of making one’s bed ‘up’ for inspection and ‘down’ for sleeping; how to fold and stow our kit properly in uniform fashion according to a ‘kit layout’; how to wear one’s uniform and headgear correctly; how to clean one’s boots to a spit ‘n polish glass-like gleam, taking care not to forget polishing the insteps; and a hundred-and-one other things that a good soldier is expected to know. It would take some time for each of us to master all of these techniques, but practice makes perfect. It soon became apparent that we wouldn’t have time to contemplate what to do next, for every waking minute of every day was to be lived according to a carefully planned training programme designed to exclude the remote possibility of boredom creeping into our lives.
Standard full
kit layout One of the first important elements of our basic training was a lecture of introduction devoted to the overall programme conducted during our first six months at Arborfield. On the coming Monday we would commence an intensive six-weeks period of ‘square bashing’ (foot drill), during which time we would master all the basic drill movements required of a recruit. Training would be unrelenting and would culminate with a ‘Passing-Out Parade’. During this period we would be converted by any means deemed necessary from a group of undisciplined individuals into a unit, a Company, which responded as one man to any given order, immediately and without question. All of this fevered activity would be undertaken on that hallowed piece of ground, the parade square, upon which it was forbidden for a soldier’s foot to tread unless when on parade. At Arborfield, to ignore this rule attracted the penalty of being placed on a charge and the subsequent award of seven days ‘jankers’ (CB; confined to barracks). It was impressed upon us that during this period of ‘square bashing’ we would not be permitted to leave the confines of the camp, but our reward would come at the end with a short period of leave at home.
Basic Technical Training
Outlined: Returning from leave we would commence our basic technical training – basic fitting, tinsmithing, carpentry, welding, metal turning, soldering, brazing, and the correct use, care and maintenance of the associated tools and equipment - and education studies covering mathematics, English, map reading, and geography. At the end of each stage of ‘workshop practice’ we would have to make a test-piece, designed to demonstrate the degree of one’s proficiency in a particular discipline, and be periodically examined throughout the education programme. Towards the end of Division 1, based upon the results of the periodic testing, one’s choice of preferred trade would be confirmed, or a more suitable trade recommended. This clearly demonstrated that nothing was to be taken for granted; whatever one hoped to achieve would depend very much on the efforts and degree of success of the individual. Technical
training in our chosen or imposed field would begin in earnest in Division 2,
and at the end of each of Division comprehensive testing would ensure that
one had reached the acceptable minimum standard to continue into the next
Division, or alternatively, be relegated to repeat and hopefully improve upon
the past six month’s work. If all else failed, the final option was a
transfer to the Junior Leaders’ School to be trained for the General Service
Corps. The
Daily Timetable: Although not specified in the tables below, time was allotted during the week for daily sick parade, Education and PT. Every fourth Sunday was a ‘free Sunday’ with no church parade or other duties, except for those unfortunates on defaulters [‘jankers’]. We didn’t have to respond to Reveille, and were completely free to pursue our own interests provided they didn’t infringe upon King’s Regulations.
Note: this timetable may be in error; please bring any anomalies to my attention (George MILLIE) Weekend
Leave: At
weekends apprentices, other than the HQ Company recruits during the first six
weeks of square bashing, were granted leave to go out of camp after lunch but
had to return by 22.00 hours. Similarly, on a free Sunday leave was granted
from after breakfast to 22.00 hours. Apprentices in Division 6 were granted
leave until 23.59 hours, not only for the foregoing occasions, but also for
normal Sundays when they were permitted to leave camp after church parade. First
Pay Parade: Every
Friday from now on we would receive our meagre pay. Being another new
experience the occasion was more informal than it would subsequently be –
after all, we had yet to learn the correct procedures. Today, at 15.30 hours,
we were marched up Nuffield Road, halted, and remained ‘fell-in’ in three
ranks facing HQ Company Office. Set up on the verandah of the wooden building
was a six-foot trestle table, behind which sat the Pay Sergeant, Paymaster,
and Pay Clerk, and behind them stood two witnesses taken from the ranks. Our
names were called in alphabetical order, and we were taught to respond
immediately thus: come smartly to attention and shout “Sir!’; right-turn and
march up the steps to the verandah; left-wheel; halt in front of the officer;
right-turn; salute. Each man at the table had particular responsibilities,
ranging from calling out from the pay roll the amount to be paid, the
counting out of the money, the appropriate entry being made in one’s AB64
Part II (Pay Book), and witnessing that all procedures were correct. The
payee had to count his pay and shout: “Pay correct, Sir!” (or otherwise);
left-turn; and march back to his position in the ranks. In addition to
receiving this weekly ‘pocket-money’ we were given a soap ration coupon, a
practice that ceased during 1950 when soap rationing was discontinued.
Rates
of Pay: An
apprentice was paid the princely sum of 10/6d (ten shillings and sixpence)
per week, of which only 4/0d (four shillings) was paid ‘in-the-hand’, the
remainder being kept in ‘credits’ to accumulate, and (a) be paid out when
going on long leave; (b) from which ‘barrack damages’ were removed if one was
found to be responsible for breakages.; and (c) to pay for the replacement of
lost or damaged items of kit. This 4/0d had to go a long way; meant to
replenish from the NAAFI Canteen such items as razor blades, soap,
toothpaste, boot polish, blanco (khaki and white), Brasso, and yellow
dusters. Whatever was left over could be squandered at will on such luxuries
as food and soft drinks. Smoking was forbidden, which eliminated an
additional expense.
On one’s sixteenth birthday the weekly rate of pay doubled to £1/1/0d (one guinea), of which 10/6d was paid ‘in-the-hand’ with the remainder being held back in ‘credits’. On attaining the age of seventeen years an apprentice’s pay increased to £1/7/6d (one pound, seven shillings and sixpence); and, if one happened to turn eighteen years whilst still an apprentice, one received a man’s rate of pay at £2/9/0d (two pounds, nine shillings) per week. Saturday, 10th Playing
Soldiers: At 08.00 hours HQ Company, feeling very strange dressed for the first time in our new denims, stiff boots, gaiters, web belt and beret, formed up in three ranks on the road outside ‘F’ Block. Whilst the rest of the apprentices in ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies were on muster parade and square bashing, our respective squad Drill Sergeants were splitting the Company into squads; I was nominated for Sergeant Roberts’ squad. When
muster parade was over and the other apprentices had been marched off the
square it was time for the recruits to begin our basic military training in
earnest. There was so much to learn – come to attention; right dress; stand
at ease; stand easy; left turn; right turn; about turn; saluting; left and
right wheel; march in review order; etc. But we would commence with those few
basic movements necessary to get us into order and march around in a
reasonably coordinated group, and hopefully we would improve with time and a
lot of practice. Following NAAFI break each Squad was marched to the Company
QM Store, each carrying the small suitcase we had brought with us, now
containing the civilian clothes which had suddenly become surplus to
requirement. These were deposited in the safe-keeping of the QM until our
first leave when they were to be taken home; after all, we had no use for
civilian clothes until Division 6 – a long way off. This task completed we
were marched around the camp on a familiarization tour of all the facilities,
and taken inside all the buildings that we would be using during our
training, even around the sports fields and air-raid shelters. I don’t think
there was anything we didn’t see that morning, and therefore there was no
excuse for not knowing. I was not the only one whose feet were getting sore,
but Sergeant Roberts assured us that this was merely a passing phase that
would soon disappear. Next week would take care of our problems. We
spent the afternoon and the rest of the weekend in preparation for the
commencement of some serious square-bashing on Monday; there was so much to
learn and it had to be done quickly, including committing one’s regimental
number to memory. But as time would prove, once remembered, it would never be
forgotten. Sunday, 11th “Close to the wood and French Polished”: Who
could possibly forget his first Arborfield haircut? Whilst the rest of the apprentices
were attending church parade HQ Company was marched off to the barbers’ shop
to be given our first Army regulation “short back and sides”, oft referred to
as “close to the wood and French polished”. It was no shock to me, having
always worn my hair Prussian-style in India. But to those who had been in the
habit of wearing their hair ‘long’ by the standards of the time, the loss of
their curly locks was a devastating experience, and many a hatband required
tightening afterwards.
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