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Catterick Camp-initial training in 1952
written by william denis haydock
 July 17th 1952 - a day that shall live in infamy as far as I am concerned - it was the day I walked through the portals of a training camp to endure six weeks of absolute hell in an atmosphere which was completely alien to me.The language was foreign to me having been brought up with a good Catholic background.I was surrounded by a mixture of friendly, not so friendly and completely hostile individuals who could see at a glance that I was totally not streetwise and therefore a suitable candidate for humiliation. I never spoke to anyone for a full week, concentrating fully on the job in hand,i.e. bulling my boots and trying to keep my nose clean. It worked and after 5 weeks hard slog I passed out which for me was an achievement in it self - I proved the bully boys wrong - our Staff Sergeant was a good man who knew a thing or two about man management - I cannot be sure of his name but I think it was McManus. I saw him on television many, many years later in a programme on National Service. |
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