Chapter 7b - A 2/Lieut is Born

The last battle camp started ten days before passing out parade. We were all in the highest of spirits and had lost that dread of being RTUed - Returned to Unit - chucked out, which had always been at the back of everyone's mind.

The schemes were all done on company level, with the support of three inch mortars and vickers medium machine guns. Whenever I think of this camp, I will always think of one rather amusing mistake I made. I was cadet platoon commander for a night attack, leading the reserve platoon. The two platoons in front kept stopping for no apparent reason. I turned to the wireless operator to see if he had any idea from the messages he was hearing transmitted over the net.

Not a pause. "Hello Able Three, Hello Able Three. Why all these frequent halts?"

I did not have time to think. Both the Staff Platoon and the Staff Company Commanders were pitching into me for my insolence and wanton use of valuable time on a wireless net.

Work at this last camp was not hard. We knew our course had to come to an end. Even the officers seemed in a more jovial mood than usual.

We returned to Alton by motor convoy and left our 'hotel' for the last time. It had been colder than ever and we had no fuel. The unfortunate proprietor suffered heavily in the way of odd boards, bannister rails, door architrave and all other non essentials we could burn.

Our TCV - troop carrying vehicle, for the return journey was one that had already given mechanical trouble. We were not unduly surprised when, some forty minutes after we had left it spluttered and stopped. We were to travel out of convoy.

The driver set to work without much success. But he was soon pushed out of the way by a crowd of cadets, some impelled by curiosity, others by real knowledge. Eventually one of our former armoured car drivers spotted a bare lead shorting onto the engine. Were soon tearing on after the convoy.

It was within five miles of the camp that the next incident occurred. We had just reached the top of a hill when we became enveloped in a cloud of steam. After the steam had subsided, we found the fanbelt off and split longtitudinally. We replaced half of it and carried on. Our last piece of excitement came when we met a lorry on a bend. Both vehicles were travelline too fast. In getting past, we tore up a section of the hedge.

During the last day or two, the main tasks were rehearsal of the passing out parade and documentation. For the rest of the time we did training of little consquence.

One afternoon we were sent on an initiative scheme. We were blindfolded, taken out in trucks and dumped in two's and three's at various points with papers of instruction. In doing the scheme we could use any means of transport we liked. We must not be spotted by our own officers or the police, who would endorse our instruction papers. One party had detailed to get particulars of the fire equipment and staff at Uttoxeter Fire Brigade.

They got a lift into Uttoxeter off a motorist no sooner left the car when a Police Patrol van rounded the corner. They dashed into a shop doorway, but the van slowed down, so our friends were off over gardens and walls. The Police network was soon onto them, chasing them for deserters. They failed to catch them.

Soon after the start of the scheme, a motorcyclist was sent to inform the Police about us. When the motorcyclist arrived at the Police Station he was soon told of the chase, and that enquiries were already out for three, deserters.

It was an OCTU rule that unattended rifles must be left with the bolts removed. The punishment was five days jinkers. Forgetting to return the bolt was a more serious crime warranting seven days. I managed to attend the dress rehersal, and another cadet the actual passing out parade without bolts in our rifles.

The parade itself was somewhat boring and extremely cold. The address that followed was in a cold room. It was the leave afterwards that mattered.

At the Passing Out farade, the best cadet is presented with the belt of honour. Our belt cadet had fought in the Spanish civil war. He was an extremely upright and smart soldier with a very sharp click to his heels.

I'd always wondered if I'd stay the course. Wouldn't have been surprised at an RTU - Returned to Unit. Imagine my surprise when someone whispered in my ear that I'd come fourth.

Wonderful. Nobody had ever believed in me before except Mother. She was great. Now I had proved my worth to her. This was wonderful. Perhaps I'd also got my own back against those indistinct shadowy photographs at WOSBy.

It is Army practise for Royal Engineers Movement Control, to manage all parties of over twenty whenever they travel. As their instructions are apt to be irksome, it is the general custom for leave parties to ignore them. Our Staff Sergeant Major decided to be awkward to the last and paraded us outside his office until the best trains had gone, thus making us tour England to get home. I had to go to Manchester to get to Nottingham.

We were a crowd made made happy by the joyous realisation of our acheivement. Even so, as we walked up and down the Platform, arraid in all our new glory, we were very selfconcious. Do we really get into a 'First Class' compartment. We were careful to differentiate between ourselves and real officers. Had we actually got there?

At Ranby Barracks I'd worn the Rifle Brigade cap badge. Then at 29th training battalion I'd worn the general list badge before we were issued with the special badge of crossed swords and crown. At OCTU I'd worn the same Sherwood Foresters badge I'd worn in the Home Guard.

From now onwards it would be the badge of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

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