We were soon in uniform. This was a “battle dress” of tunic and trousers made of a heavy khaki serge, (one for best and one for ordinary wear, though denims were issued for every day wear, fatigues and dirty jobs) flannel shirts, tie and brown beret worn by new soldiers, (the blue berets of the Artillery came later that we had to buy ourselves) and two pairs of (again one for best and one for ordinary wear) unfamiliar, heavy, studded black leather ammunition boots and a greatcoat. With this came singlets and pants, socks, and gym shoes. And to round it out our small kit, a yellow duster, two brushes for boots, buttons and brasses, and blanco and finally a “hussif” needle, thread and sundries. We were then supplied with all we needed to eat, mess tins, metal mug, knife, fork and spoon.
After these basics came additional gear to integrate. We received our artillery badge worn in our berets, jack knife, belt, various webbing straps, packs large and small, ammunition pouches and gaiters; all this made up our Full Service Marching Order or FSMO. Not that I would have wanted to march far with all that. But I did.
Most of this kit had either been in store for years or was brand new. So next we began to learn how to care for it under the guidance of our mentors. Everything had to have our number on it for obvious reasons; uniforms had to be altered and pressed. Everything had to be returned to as new condition. All of the brass buckles and buttons green with age on belts packs and gaiters had to be polished with Brasso until they shone brightly. And our packs large and small, ammunition pouches squared up. As manufactured and issued the packs were a crude and practical shape, but with the military need for regimentation they had to be converted to precise rectangles and this was done with stiff cardboard. All this had to be blancoed. While the boots, had to be, bulled.
Now to those with little or no awareness of the British Army and its spit and polish (bull) this is probably difficult to visualize. It also occupied a great deal of our time. Using blanco was an art. It came in the form of a khaki colored powder to which water was added to form a thin paste and it was then applied with a brush. The art of applying it just right took a lot of learning and of course it was a continuing process. Belts and gaiters with their wear had to be freshly blancoed each evening before parade the next day.
A great deal of time was also spent on our boots. For the leather from which they were manufactured had little bobbles in it, and all these all had to be removed. Particularly from the toecaps of our best boots until the surface was like glass. This was a long and continuing process involving polish, spit, a cloth, a hot spoon or iron. And of course they too had to be kept highly polished. To get a nasty scratch in the toe caps of your best boots was something of a catastrophe.
Hi John
I have already told you how much I have enjoyed this account of your National Service days…….it has brought back many many memories………albeit mine were in the infantry!
A minor point, the Warrant Officer in charge of the Regimental stores at Oswestry where you were issued with your Uniform would be an RQMS…..Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant……..not Sergeant major although as a WO1 he would be equivalent in rank to an RSM
The NCO in charge of the Battery or Company stores would be a BQMS.
Our paths continue to intertwine……. as a cadet I attended a PT course at Oswestry……staffed by fearsome corporals clad in the red and black striped sweaters you so accurately describe
Later, when in the army proper, I spent 3 months at Netheravon on Salisbury plain at the Small Arms School Medium Machine Gun Course so I became very familiar with the NAAFI club in Salisbury!
I only served in the UK and Germany but later in life I visited Hong Kong on a number of occasions. I thoroughly enjoyed your descriptions of trips from Kowloon on the Star Ferry, shopping in Nathan Rd etc
The whole account was an enthralling read….couldnt put it down!
Kind Regards
John
Hi John,
Thanks for those comments and I’m glad you enjoyed the read. With that kind commendation I hope others will too.
Your experience and service I take note of and there, I believe, one or two other matters will be the better for your further pertinent and welcome remarks. Let’s get things correct, the site is present and ready for inspection.
Kind regards,
John..
Hi John, really enjoyed your account of national service days, they sound so familiar as my dad Tommy Stevely is always telling me about his NS days. Like you he joined the Royal Artillery and served from ’49 -’51 and went to Oswestry ,Rhyl , Woolwich and Hongkong (sailed out on the Dunera) Most of his service was as a driver, (possibly because one of the driving instructors during training was a Jim Morrison from his home town Kilwinning, Ayrshire) During some of his time in Kowloon his duties were to transport the senior NCO’s to and from the ferry, also did some time as a PTI.
I look forward to letting him see your memoirs,
Cheers Alastair
Hi Alastair,
Yes, your father and I must have shared many experiences being about the same vintage and serving in Hong Kong, thank you for getting in touch. I also learned, from an instructor how to drive and the art of double de-clutching a jeep along with what seemed at first perilous excursions on mountain tracks and roads busy with rickshaws, carts and Chinese drivers. However, there, I was spared the attentions of those energetic gentlemen in in red and black striped jerseys-the PTI’s.
I hope your father enjoys the website and that the memoir will bring back a few memories for him. If it does would he be prepared to share them here? I’m sure others would be interested, for example, what was his unit and where stationed.
Kind regards.
John.
Hi again John, just to let you know my dad has enjoyed reading your memoirs it has brought back so many memories for him. I’ve had to print it out for him as he has never come to grips with the computer age, I’ve just the last chapter to give to him.
My dad served with 94 Battery, 25 Regiment and spent some of his time in Whitfield Barracks but moved when he became driver taking the senior nco’s back and forth to the ferry each day.
Cheers Alastair
I was at oswestry from 18th march 1954.and looking for any photo’s of this passing out parade,thanks.bill
Hi Bill,
Always happy to hear from another Gunner and thank you for responding; when you can find the photos please post them.
Also post about your service, what unit, where and your experiences.
I, and others, will be interested.
Regards,
John.
I was in this intake on the 18th of March 1954,I remember it well and on collection of all our equipment,the NCO lined us up on the parade ground arms aching with holding all our bedding etc, asked if we were cold and stupidly we all said yes,which resulted in us having to run around the parade square holding all our gear
Hello Brian,
It’s anecdotes like that which bring a smile to one’s face and so typical of army humour. Thank you for it.
Can you say something more about yourself and your service? I have no doubt there’s something of interest there.
Glad you found your way to my website.
Regards,
John.
Hi John’Yes I did have many funny things happen in my service and I will be happy to share them,I also have many photos that I have gathered over the years from other members of my old regiment ,which was the 35th LAA S/L regiment,which was based in Oldenburg Germany,I noticed that there was a gunner by the name of Jolly,that emailed in to your column,and I would be interested in contacting him as he was in the same intake as me at Oswestry,on the 18th of march 1954,All the best I will keep in touch
I enjoyed reading the memoir. My dad did National Service with the Royal Artillery. He was initially based at Oswestry and then was stationed in Aden. His name was Mervyn Tilley, and he used to tell us many storiestof his army days.
Hello Teresa,
I’m glad you enjoyed the memoir and thank you for telling me so and that your father was a fellow Gunner. As they say: once a Gunner, always a Gunner.
I have sympathy for his service in Aden. Not the most hospitable of postings. I visited twice, once whilst travelling out to Hong Kong, the other on my return. I only got ashore the once on the outward journey and was not impressed, a great bare lump of rock broiling under a very hot bright sun. But it was an experience and was glad of the opportunity.
You say your father had some tales to tell. Would you be prepared to share them on here? Others would I’m sure be pleased to hear of them. Not only of those who also served there but those who never had the experience of NS. It’s part of history.
Kind regards,
John.