HERE we go again, all saddled, and ready to round up a few more memories from the wild and woolly days of yore, and mine.
Let's start with this email from Ann Cable.
"Greetings from another Milford exile living in Lutterworth, Leicestershire.
“I was very interested to see last week's article from Brian Evans. He is a close relative of mine, first cousin, although I have not seen him for some 50 years. I wonder if you could provide me with his email address so that I could contact him to catch up on things.
“I do enjoy reading your page each week...it is the highlight of the newspaper.
“Thanking you in anticipation, best wishes, and keep up the good work!
“Ann Cable (nee Evans)."
How kind of you to say that Ann (maybe I'll give you the editor's email address!!) and I've passed on your details to your cousin Brian.
Now for the final piece from My Story of the Pembs and Dyfed Army Cadet Force by Lt. Col. Douglas Joyce A.C.F. Retd, which he's been kindly sharing with TRM this year, and which has brought back loads of happy memories to so many. And may I add my personal thanks to Doug, for allowing us to enjoy so many of his treasured memories.
"I move on to 1979, when we go to a new camp to us, called Westdown, situated not too far from the cathedral city of Salisbury, and, of course, Stonehenge.
“This gave us the opportunity to take the cadets for a day's outing to see all the sights in the area, of which there were so many. So, you see, not only were the cadets having military training, but they were also having a history lesson.
“The training area was vast, and being a tank range as well, the cadets had lots of excitement, such as watching aircraft dropping lorries and jeeps into the training area, and soldiers parachuting from aircraft.
“The Pembroke detachment had a new recruit, Sgt Bob Green, who in later years became the detachment commander. I might add that, on weekends, he would also do the cooking and help with the training.
“We had a training centre at Saundersfoot, where we had accommodation and cooking facilities. From there we would go to Templeton airfield to do our exercises in field craft and map reading, and also camp out under canvas and exercises in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. We shared all this with all the other detachments within Dyfed, so HQ had a lot of organising to do.
“1981. Another new camp to us. Oakhampton in South Devon. This was a camp on the edge of Dartmoor and to me was one of the finest places for map reading exercises. You could go out and make camp in the middle of the moor where the weather would change at any time from sunshine to snow within an hour, without a map and compass it would be almost impossible to find your way to anywhere!
“The camp had everything to offer the cadets, from the training aspect to the canteen, and only about a mile from the town. The day's outing was to Torquay and a show with Cilla Black at one of the theatres, which was a delight to one and all.
“1982 saw us at Swynnerton in Staffordshire. This was a camp with a difference.
“It was totally enclosed by a high fence, and no one could go in or out without being checked by the guard. This was due to the activities at that time of the IRA, but we had no incidents whilst we were there. Perhaps it is alright to mention now, this was one of the camps where the SAS did some of their training and gave the cadets some excitement. It was an activity camp for boating, assault course, indoor rifle range, and open range, as well as athletes and cross country running.
“Our day out was to Alton Towers where most of us experienced a ‘first’ by having a ride on The Corkscrew...and in my case, my last, it was terrifying!
“No trip to the theatre, back to camp and early bed…all troops were worn out."
Once again, thank you Doug…from the comments received, I know lots have appreciated it.
It's always nice to be sent photos to share, and even better when they include some gen about them, like this one from Pat Jobson.
"Hi Jeff…thought you might like to see this photo. It was taken in 1951 or 52.
“The occasion was the retirement of Skipper Albert Saunders as chairman of the Skippers and Mates Union, and then my dad, Skipper Jim Jobson took over as chairman. There are quite a few faces I recognise, but unfortunately not all.
“Albert Saunders…Cliff Saunders (son)…Jim and Charlie Jobson (brothers)…Bush Setterfield…Jack Thomas…Arthur Harvey…Teddy Funge…Johnny Mills…Alfie Beckett…Grenville Beckett…Jazz Hastings…Jack Chenery.
“Maybe your readers can name a few more."
Thanks Pat, it's lovely to see many of the skippers whose names, over the years, have been regularly mentioned in TRM's Trawler Corner.
Last week was Portfield Fair, and our second photo is a reminder of days long gone by, when the annual event was a much-loved treat for kids from all round Pembrokeshire.
St Thomas Green was always packed with visitors enjoying the multitude of rides and stalls, plus the ‘unusual’ and ‘exotic’ sideshows, which invariably added a tantalisingly decadent and exciting taste to the atmosphere.
It also had a boxing booth…with the promise of cash to whatever brave soul who could ‘go the distance’ with their ‘Champion of Champions,’ who was posing, and growling menacingly, daring anyone to step inside the ropes.
This, I know, will be of particular interest to Mike Stevens, who has recently contacted me with regard to a number of local issues, boxing booths being one, also the story of the World War 1 Q-ships, all of which I'll be including next week.
Now it's teaser time, and this week's question is…What has hands but cannot clap?
Considering I promised myself that I'd take things a bit easier, I've got a busy-ish time ahead.
As well as working on the Super Sounds of the Sixties charity show that we're doing at the Torch next April...plus trying to keep up with TRMs…I've also allowed myself to be ‘persuaded’ to give a talk to the Probus Ladies…so I've got to sort something out for that.
As a rule, I can usually wriggle out of any such invitation…I'm not the world's best speaker…I still break out in a cold sweat when I think of my first ever ‘gig’.
It was in 1971, when I was working in Llanelli's employment exchange, and was railroaded into giving a talk to a roomful of young, nubile, nurses in Llanelli General Hospital.
With hindsight, I was in such a state, it's a wonder they didn't keep me in as a patient!
Must get on, my next job is to see a guy about cutting down some trees.
See you next week.
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