Chapter 3
192 Survey Training Battery, School of Artillery, Larkhill
June-December 1949
Arrival at The School of Artillery, Larkhill
The Training Battery which we joined had been doing its job for many a year and occupied a series of huts known as Horne Lines situated on the far west side of the School of Artillery. The School itself was in a series of fine brick buildings and barrack blocks on Knighton Down out on Salisbury Plain about 12 miles from Salisbury along the A344 road. To the west below the huts the land fell away with a wide open view across the desolated Plain. Just to the south was Stonehenge. To the north was the rising ground of the Down. In permanent buildings nearby were the cookhouse, gymnasium and a NAAFI along with an armory and assorted other buildings set around the parade ground.
The nearest barrack block was occupied by the Kings Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery, a crack spit and polish unit that spent a lot of time on ceremonial duties.
98 Squad
Here we joined up with the immediately previous 97 and 96 squads, all ‘old soldiers’ and with some already there from the previous intake that became 98 Squad. At this point I cannot recall just who made it up but jumping ahead I know that twelve of us in the Squad passed out as Surveyors RA, A3 and they were;
Frank Beames from Heston, London
Jim Dallaway, Dulwich, London
John Flann, Surbiton, Surrey
Derek Grosevenor, Harrow, London
Tony Harris, Epsom, Surrey
Dennis Horgan, Harrow, London
Jock Lyon, Falkirk, Scotland
Alan Rose, Upminster, Essex
Ian Styles, Greenford, London
Tim Tate-Smith, Malton, Yorkshire
Tim Timberlake, Exeter, Devon
Mc Tozer, Sunderland, Co Durham
Thanks for your National Service Memoirs. They bring back so many memories of the past that I feel compelled to comment on the contents, which are excellent!
The reason for this is that I happen to have been to the same places at the same time as yourself. The only difference is probably that I did Sound Ranging instead of one of the other choices.
Otherwise,the dates certainly match. Notwithstanding my 85 year old memory I can still remember that my first posting, with other newly qualified Surveyors, was Luneburg, Germany where we specialised in Sound Ranging. From Luneburg a group of us were posted to Woolwich Depot prior to the Hong Kong posting,(Lo Wu then Stanley Barracks). This was followed by transport to Korea via Japan with our Survey, Sound Ranging, Radar and other equipment. To begin with we dug trenches and had tent tops above, but for obvious reasons these were later removed and replaced by roof timbers from destroyed dwellings.
I’m given to understand that together with divisional artillery and air strikes we did a good job!
Incidentally the Wally Langford you mention was one of my friends.
Regards,
James Stephen Gorman ( ex Gunner/Surveyor RA )
Names are now also somewhat of a problem but I still remember Wally Langford who I was friendly with.