Sadly, my Father was not into meticulous record keeping (!) and most of the
photos have single word descriptions on their backs.
My Dad signed up at the age of 14 in 1927 at Canterbury. He told me that all
his elder brothers had also served with the Regiment (but I never met any of
them).
He was a Junior Band-Boy and attended Kneller Hall (the first time in 1933)
where he was awarded a Proficiency Diploma in the French Horn. He was
stationed in Aldershot for some time (and he showed me the 20' high wall they
used to climb over after a night's drinking in town in order to evade the
Guards on duty). In about 1935 both his parents died within a few months of
one another and he inherited £30 and promptly bought an Indian motorcycle with
side-chair! I think he also spent time in Richmond and Catterick.
He then went to India in September '36 and stayed until August '44. I recall
from his Tennis Cups that he served in A and B Cos. I believe he was
originally trained as a Medical Orderly and then re-trained as a
Driver/Mechanic when the Regiment "Mechanised".
At some time during the late 30s he was inadvertently shot by an Officer. My
Father suffered serious stomach wounds when a young chap withdrew his pistol
and discharged a round in no particular direction - except my Father was in
the way.
I'm not sure of his promotion dates, which was why I asked around for old
copies of the Feather & Carbine. I think he was a Trumpet Major (WO2?)
After returning from Germany he was sent to Kneller Hall again on a Band
Masters course and played the ceremonial bugle at both the 25th Wedding
Anniversary of KGV and the Wedding of HM the Queen. In early '48 he was
offered a Commission but told that if he accepted he would likely be retired
at the age of 45. He opted for civvy street and was interviewed by both the
Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and Liverpool Phil. They decided to stay in
England and he spent the next 30 years with hardly a day's absence as 2nd.Horn
(and as his teeth dropped out, fell down the rankings to 4th.!).
Cheers
First photo - Kharpur 1937
Second photos - LHS - Tennis 1940 - RHS Tennis 1937 Murree Hills
Third photos - both Berlin 1945
