Regimental Characters
Quote from fpeall on November 21, 2023, 12:48 pmI remember some of the scouse 'lads' recounting how they had grown up with a girl called Cilla White who of course turned in to Cilla Black. B Sqn had a pop group based on the beatles with hair to match which was skilfully hidden under their berets. I remember saying to them for God's sake don't take your beret off when the Sqn Leader is around because we will all be for the high jump.
I remember some of the scouse 'lads' recounting how they had grown up with a girl called Cilla White who of course turned in to Cilla Black. B Sqn had a pop group based on the beatles with hair to match which was skilfully hidden under their berets. I remember saying to them for God's sake don't take your beret off when the Sqn Leader is around because we will all be for the high jump.
Quote from Bob Riley on November 21, 2023, 4:18 pmAs a young 16/17 growing up in Birkenhead there was a dance hall called the Majestic,it was the old Super cinema, It was our Cave for dancing and music,there we had great groups like the Beatles,Freddy and the Dreamers,Rory Storm and the hurricanes,Merseybeats,Jerry and the Pacemakers ,the Big Three to name a few . Next door was a cafe the Kubit ,there the groups was wait before going on the stage next door .So we would meet and talk to the groups,l liked Pete Best the original drummer with the Beatles before they went to Hamburg and produced records. About “Deggsy” that was another lad from Birkenhead in the Regiment was in AAC with me then Recce Troop when we came back to the Regiment.
As a young 16/17 growing up in Birkenhead there was a dance hall called the Majestic,it was the old Super cinema, It was our Cave for dancing and music,there we had great groups like the Beatles,Freddy and the Dreamers,Rory Storm and the hurricanes,Merseybeats,Jerry and the Pacemakers ,the Big Three to name a few . Next door was a cafe the Kubit ,there the groups was wait before going on the stage next door .So we would meet and talk to the groups,l liked Pete Best the original drummer with the Beatles before they went to Hamburg and produced records. About “Deggsy” that was another lad from Birkenhead in the Regiment was in AAC with me then Recce Troop when we came back to the Regiment.
Quote from DavidFullard on December 19, 2023, 2:02 pmDOOM LONG.
I can’t recall his real first name. Doom was immensely ( almost dangerously strong) but he was a placid, hard working and loyal man by nature. The story goes : SQMS HQ Sqn [Joe Henderson ..Herford days] rapped Doom across the knuckles with the sharp edge of a ruler for fiddling with something on his desk. It must have hurt Doom because he picked said SQMS up IN HIS CHAIR and threw him across the store. Joe Henderson survived, the chair didn’t.
Despite ( or maybe because of) his phenomenal strength Doom couldn’t run. When I was SSM HQ Sqn in Sennelager and Johnnie Hall was CO, he had purge on BFT failures. Doom was a LCpl in HQ Sqn SQMS stores again after a stint in the Officers Mess and was a persistent BFT failure. I decided I would help him pass his BFT after yet another fail. Doom made it to the long road the led to the Wicket Gate circa 1/2 a mile from the finish. He was ‘lolling’ arms flailing, legs buckling, head rolling, eyes akimbo. He stopped. I had finished my run and ran back for him. As I approached him he keeled over onto the road grunting and gasping. I shouted at him to get up, pushed him, prodded him etc to no avail. He sat there on the road eyes glazed and going nowhere. I pulled him go his feet . He sprang into life and chased me down the road. I have never seen a more uncoordinated runner in all my life. No wonder he failed his BFTs consistently, the energy he expended in running was immense, Doomy was simply unable to run as others can. I was determined he would pass….for his sake. After a hundred yards or so he stopped again and I went back and literally pushed him the rest of the way to the finish. Colin Donnelly was stood with the stopwatch at the Wicket Gate and was counting down the last 10 seconds of the allotted time. We got in with 3 seconds to spare. Doom collapsed in a heap but he passed.Phew job done.
Next morning I found a bottle of Grouse Whisky on my desk….a present from Doom. Great guy, loyal, a grafter and the worst runner I have ever met in my life.
DOOM LONG.
I can’t recall his real first name. Doom was immensely ( almost dangerously strong) but he was a placid, hard working and loyal man by nature. The story goes : SQMS HQ Sqn [Joe Henderson ..Herford days] rapped Doom across the knuckles with the sharp edge of a ruler for fiddling with something on his desk. It must have hurt Doom because he picked said SQMS up IN HIS CHAIR and threw him across the store. Joe Henderson survived, the chair didn’t.
Despite ( or maybe because of) his phenomenal strength Doom couldn’t run. When I was SSM HQ Sqn in Sennelager and Johnnie Hall was CO, he had purge on BFT failures. Doom was a LCpl in HQ Sqn SQMS stores again after a stint in the Officers Mess and was a persistent BFT failure. I decided I would help him pass his BFT after yet another fail. Doom made it to the long road the led to the Wicket Gate circa 1/2 a mile from the finish. He was ‘lolling’ arms flailing, legs buckling, head rolling, eyes akimbo. He stopped. I had finished my run and ran back for him. As I approached him he keeled over onto the road grunting and gasping. I shouted at him to get up, pushed him, prodded him etc to no avail. He sat there on the road eyes glazed and going nowhere. I pulled him go his feet . He sprang into life and chased me down the road. I have never seen a more uncoordinated runner in all my life. No wonder he failed his BFTs consistently, the energy he expended in running was immense, Doomy was simply unable to run as others can. I was determined he would pass….for his sake. After a hundred yards or so he stopped again and I went back and literally pushed him the rest of the way to the finish. Colin Donnelly was stood with the stopwatch at the Wicket Gate and was counting down the last 10 seconds of the allotted time. We got in with 3 seconds to spare. Doom collapsed in a heap but he passed.Phew job done.
Next morning I found a bottle of Grouse Whisky on my desk….a present from Doom. Great guy, loyal, a grafter and the worst runner I have ever met in my life.