I arrived in the exersise arena at about 10.30 that night only to be placed on Guard duty, this and peeling spuds was to be my main job untill A Platoon came back into the holding area, a week passed, more spud bashing, more guard duties, far do's though I was fed ok and got some sleep. Life wasnt too bad for a seventeen and a half year old. After two weeks I was called to the rear of a vehicle and was introduced to a SSGT Blackburn, I was soon to realise that he was a hard man, but a fair man. he earnt my respect within the first few mins of meeting him. I was then deployed into the field under the wing of this SSGT. The next six weeks of my life were fun, I was in the Stalwart Platoon. Brand new vehicle to the Army, it could swim and its capability over rough terrain was incredible, the time passed and it was back to barrack's, Pinwood.

Sadly there were no places in SSGT Blackburns Platoon, I was placed in combative Platoon untill a place was available, this was six or so months later. I was overjoyed at getting back into A Platoon. I was to be co driver to Dvr Challenor ( hope I have spelt it right), he was a little older than I by a few months, he showed me the ropes of this wonderful vehicle and I was soon driving it. If I remember rightly, to get to the vehicle park it was out the front gate, turn left and the park was up the Road on the left. At the rear of the vehicle park was the training area, and boy did we have some fun there with the Stalwarts. I remember one time, we had to give a demo to some foreign people. I was deployed in a hollow, and all I had to do was count five Stalwarts pass by and then I would drive out of the hollow, well true to form the five went past, I excellerated out of the hollow, but I pulled the vehicle up ts s rspid rate of knots and she stood on her tail board, there were jerry cans everywhere, but she fell forward and I followed the rest of the vehicles round. I did get a little telling off by my SSGT, but he was a forgiving chap,and it was never mentioned again. All further demo's went according to plan.

In 65 we rebadged from the RASC to the RCT. We were promised a great package with the RCT, but I never saw half of it come true, and it is my belief that was the year the Army started to decline in the way it was managed, the Soldiers were good but the top brass didnt know what was going on in the ranks, there were too many cut backs etc. Maybe I am wrong, but I dont think so. In 66 I was involved in a Road traffic accident on the way to the airport, a chap by the name of Lofthouse was the driver, and Paddy Burns and I were passengers, the accident happened right out side the Pub on the right hand side as you come out of Binnen Woods, I dont know what happened to Loffty, but I last heard that Paddy went on to be RSM and then on to become an Officer (I always said you would mate). Mind you he lost a finger in the accident, bless him. My memories of 12 Sqn are some of the nicest I have.

I left Pinewood Scrubs in the begining of 67, I was posted to the NBC School at Winterbourne Gunner.