We were soon caught up with the Queen’s silver jubilee review which was to be held at Sennelager. WO1 BERNIE GLEN was superintending clerk and oversaw it all, DICK SLOANE was the RE draughtsman who had to draw up the plan for where every single vehicle, its markings and callsigns would be, this went through inumerable redrafts as the staff officers in G and AQ squabbled about what went where, Maj SMITH (Staffs) was military secretary to Colonel David RAMSBOTHAM ( now LORD RAMSBOTHAM) and frequently attended to monitor progress.

Meanwhile I was up to my elbows in printers ink and running off 300 plus copies of the op order which ran to some 200 pages, together with a dyeline print of Dick Sloanes’s vehicle plan for each op order. I remember the massive heaps of paper and a load of us having to go round several conference tables, taking a sheet from each pile, in order, and stapling them together. That went on until 2 am one morning.

Finally on 7th July 1977 the review itself was held, just in case of administrative emergency PTE WALLY BRADLEY, WO1 GLEN and myself were ensconced under canvas for a whole 2 weeks at Sennelager. I recall that it was very hot and a shirts off summer, fortunately we had an ample supply of "orange briefcases" - Herforder Pils.. with us.

I am sure that many people will remember many different aspects of the review. My memories are of glorious summer weather, sleeping under canvas and being woken up by RHG/D driving past every morning, believe me a regiment of chieftains makes the earth move for you and is certainly an effective alarm clock.