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Infantry Junior Leaders Bn Oswestry in 1974
written by Greg Archer
 The is the year I joined the Army and arrived at Gebowen railway station as a fresh faced 16yr old lad. I and some other lads were greeted by a very smart, but fearsome looking, Sgt from the guards with a clipboard and a pace stick. He stood, ramrod straight, and ticked our names off the sheet and told us to get into the Bedford 4 tonner for our short trip to Park Hall Camp, the home of the IJLB Oswestry. We debused at the camp and went in a wooden hut to sign some paperwork and get our head virtually shaved (very uncool in 1974 when most guys had shoulder length hair). The dicipline was tough and I am not sure many 16yr olds could hack it now. The uniform we were issued looked like something out of Dad's Army (no offence). We had black canvas gaiters and matching webbing belt (36 pattern I think) because puttees were not issued until much later in our time at the IJLB. My first beret was a dinner plate. The training staff were all senior NCOs' and very good at what they did. The staff, especially on ther final term 'Tac Wing' were excellent instructors but drove us hard. It's difficult to resist punching your Sgt when he's screaming at you to keep up, or run faster, or get down in that puddle etc, but I did. The dress and general turnout standards of the IJLB were very high and at the end of my 2 years there I had learnt so much. The training program made us proficient at infantry weapons, tactics, navigation, fitness, drill and so much more. The passing out parade was an impressive sight with several hundred junior soldiers on the parade square and not one permanant staff member. The whole thing was controlled by junior soldier NCOs', which at 17/18 years old was pretty damn good. Complex drill movements, including arms drill was learnt by heart during many rehearsals for weeks before. We knew our parents were going to be there and wanted to get it spot on. I felt a very proud on passing out day and got the 'best passing out junior for the Queens (infantry) division) - I was badged RRF. I thought I would be glad to leave Park Hall after all the rifting and hard work we had to endure whilst we were there, but when the time came it was a sad day. Our passing out Company of 80 or so lads were to split to the four winds and join infantry units all over the world - my wind only blew me to Colchester, but that's another story! |
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