I arrived at the Royal Armoured Corps training camp at Catterick, North Yorkshire on 8th August 1956, a date indelibly printed in my memory. Having flunked out of Sheffield University in a big way, where instead of studying Metallurgy I considerably improved my snooker skills, I knew I was liable for National Service. Fortunately there was an option at this time whereby instead of doing two years National Service with very low pay and no choice of job or service, I could sign up instead for three years and receive about double the pay, and have a choice of job, service and regiment. Since I had an aversion to walking at this time I opted to train as a tank gunner in the Royal Armoured Corps knowing that this way I would usually ride to work.
Most of the photos in this section are thanks to Harry Snelson. He and I were together during our entire career in the Army and we played in the same water polo team (and shared other adventures). He now lives in Kelowna, British Columbia. In this photo of some very raw recruits I am in the back row extreme left. Harry is in the front row third from left.
The five weeks basic training at Catterick, North Yorkshire weren't too bad; we were kept too occupied to notice how quickly the time passed, and my physical fitness improved a lot. My parents came up from Sheffield to see the passing out parade which was big of them as I know they weren't too happy at my drastic change of direction. Life became more interesting after that with gunnery training, first on on a simulator and later at the firing ranges at Warcop. All the training was done on Centurion tanks which was to no avail because after leaving Catterick I never touched another.
In between training there were always fatigues - duties handed out to the lower ranks which were essential to the running of a modern Army such as peeling potatoes, cleaning shit-houses, delivering coal to families, gardening, polishing brasses in the church, and of course guard duties. Off duty at weekends it was possible to take the bus to either Richmond (a very picturesque town) or the train to Darlington (a less picturesque town) to visit the cinema or go to a local dance hall (with zero success). About once a month we were allowed either a 48-hour or 72-hour pass when I could get back to Sheffield by train. The only other strong memory of this time was how cold the winter in North Yorkshire can be. More than once I went to bed fully clothed just to try and stay warm.
On the grapevine I heard that the 1st Royal Tank Regiment was being posted to Hong Kong which was at that time still a British Colony. That sounded interesting so when asked, that was the choice I made (the other choice was one of the regiments based in Germany which I didn't really fancy). So, in about May 1957 I packed my kit bag and transferred to Tidworth, Hampshire to join the Regiment and make preparations for the move to Hong Kong.