Water Transport was an eccentric organisation. Whilst the rest of the corps made do with berets we wore the old fashioned general service khaki peaked hat. The prized blue ensign defaced with crossed swords was worn on both battle dress upper arms, Flags to the front of course whilst the seamen unofficially wore an enormous orange lanyard, home made at the end of each B4 course. The engineers, on the other hand were distinguishable by their hats. It had become fashionable for them to obtain a second hat and render it wearable by removing the wire stiffening thereby, from a distance, making it resemble an officer’s hat. I must have made a particularly good job of mine as it got me both charged and saluted inside a week.

ferry stood in the fort courtyard as we loaded it with all our equipment. Sergeant Redfern, one of the senior rank instructors marched over to see for himself what was happening. We were climbing aboard when he saw my hat. “YOU SOLDIER! YES YOU WITH THE ’ORIBLE ’AT - COME HERE” Jumping off the truck I doubled over and stood to attention as he walked around me. “What have you done to that hat?” “I remained silent. “It looks like a herd of bleeding elephants have trampled on it”. I replied “Yes Sergeant” “Are you one of them as is going abroad?” “Yes Sergeant” “Thank God for that, get on that truck” And as the truck pulled away through the archway came the parting shot “THERE’S A CHARGE FOLLOWING YOU” It still is.

Embarkation Company was based at Bordon where for a short time we basked in the adulation of the boy soldiers we had been serving with a few months before. They were always practising their drill for some parade or other, often as the day approached they would be under the watchful eye of the Corps Senior Regimental Sergeant Major who at this time was Warrant Officer Class One R.S.M. Ogden, other wise known as “O!hell it’s him”. I had chosen this day to take a short cut to the N.A.A.F.I. This meant passing along the edge of the square, a dangerous thing to do with a drill session in full swing but the side I was using was bordered with a hedge except for the area immediately behind the saluting base. I hadn’t noticed the parade had fallen silent but it would seem that the R.S.M. was awaiting the arrival of the Company Commander. Seeing my hat bobbing along behind the hedge he threw up a mighty salute as I appeared. Horrified, but driven by instinct, I returned it disappearing as fast as decency allowed. Later that day I received the summons I had been dreading and duly made my way to the company office. Upon arrival I was marched into the Company Sergeant Major’s office. “O! Hell it’s him”. Sitting where I had expected to see the Junior Leaders C.S.M. was R.S.M. W.O.1 Ogden in all his bemedald glory. “Leave us Sergeant” He sat looking at me waiting for the door to close; as it clicked shut he cleared his throat. “If I ever see that hat again both you and it will be inside; do I make myself clear?” At each word his voice grew louder until the last few words were at full parade ground volume. I think the windows were shaking, I know I was. He continued in a more conversational tone of voice. “What you did today was quite correct, there is nothing in Queens Regulations about soldiers not saluting each other :- But you will report to the Regimental Quartermaster where you will go deficient of a new cap, understand?” The great voice was rising again “Now march out”. Turning as smartly as I knew how I marched out carefully closing the door behind me. I leant back against the wall for a moment to regain my breath and glanced across at the admin sergeant, he never took his eyes off his paper strewn desk but as I watched one eyebrow slowly climbed towards his hairline and a small smile hovered around his lips. Thinking about it later I realised that the reason that I had been dealt with so lightly was because by returning his salute I had probably saved his face and it was doubtful if any one else realised what had happened anyway. Unfortunately R.S.M.’s like that are few and far between