Xmas/New Year Duties
Quote from Bob Riley on January 1, 2024, 9:08 amYes Jan 1st 24 thinking about days gone by in my youth ( Regiment x3) remembering having festive season in barracks away from the children and wife .I think the worst one was Nuclear down in good old Sennerlager with our American friends for a week.Always remember when wth the 14/20 KH as senior soldier getting a letter under the door wishing us a Happy New year and question WHY( now this 1979 years after Vietnam finished) didn’t the UK like Australia get involved there . Qbvious he’d forgot we had our own little war going on in NI .Thankfully those tours were summer time .The answer he got back was they ( Vienam) DOING OK without US .Happy New guys .
Yes Jan 1st 24 thinking about days gone by in my youth ( Regiment x3) remembering having festive season in barracks away from the children and wife .I think the worst one was Nuclear down in good old Sennerlager with our American friends for a week.Always remember when wth the 14/20 KH as senior soldier getting a letter under the door wishing us a Happy New year and question WHY( now this 1979 years after Vietnam finished) didn’t the UK like Australia get involved there . Qbvious he’d forgot we had our own little war going on in NI .Thankfully those tours were summer time .The answer he got back was they ( Vienam) DOING OK without US .Happy New guys .
Quote from jkwebster06 on January 2, 2024, 4:31 pmMy worst Christmas ? Gosford Castle '71 , Sqn Ldr calls me in to say our MQ in Edinburgh had been done over - IRA suspected but I was advised, to stop worrying all wives left behind, to say it was kids. They'd set alight to curtains, built a bonfire in our lounge, poured Milton fluid & broken glass in our daughters cot, scrawled "IRA" in huge letters on the walls, and thoroughly trashed our house. I'd been involved in a cross border shooting a few days before & it was thought the RM Liaison had mistakenly given my name to the press.......
Anyway, I was sent home (wife Carole was in Liverpool with her parents thankfully), met by all sorts, military & civilian, promised all sorts, & insurers did pay out quite quickly. It took me 3 days to sort out affairs, dealing with insurers & police etc, driving up / down to Liverpool, with all completed by Christmas Eve. I'd been told by Major Stopford (my OC in D Sqn, NI) to take as long as needed, yet when I reported into the OC Rear Party (a rear echelon MF) on Christmas Eve he said "You're on Active Service so get back - there's a boat leaving Liverpool at midnight - be on it" !! So, having hardly seen my wife & daughter during my 4 days "R&R", I drove down to Liverpool, dropped my wife off at in laws, & boarded the Irish Ferry. We docked at Belfast at 8am Christmas Day, transport took me to Gosford where I was told that "To take my mind off things it would be a good plan to make me Guard Commander for the day" ! Talk about compassion, I was genuinely at my lowest ebb and ready to jack the Army in for good. Guys rallied round to cheer me up, but it was close, very close. Thankfully I stayed in, but I lost any respect for the REMF and never again had any dealings with him - all it would have taken was "have Christmas with your family & then report back before New Year", a common sense, logical & compassionate decision that could have avoided upsetting my family so badly. My worst Christmas? - that one !!! John (JKW)
My worst Christmas ? Gosford Castle '71 , Sqn Ldr calls me in to say our MQ in Edinburgh had been done over - IRA suspected but I was advised, to stop worrying all wives left behind, to say it was kids. They'd set alight to curtains, built a bonfire in our lounge, poured Milton fluid & broken glass in our daughters cot, scrawled "IRA" in huge letters on the walls, and thoroughly trashed our house. I'd been involved in a cross border shooting a few days before & it was thought the RM Liaison had mistakenly given my name to the press.......
Anyway, I was sent home (wife Carole was in Liverpool with her parents thankfully), met by all sorts, military & civilian, promised all sorts, & insurers did pay out quite quickly. It took me 3 days to sort out affairs, dealing with insurers & police etc, driving up / down to Liverpool, with all completed by Christmas Eve. I'd been told by Major Stopford (my OC in D Sqn, NI) to take as long as needed, yet when I reported into the OC Rear Party (a rear echelon MF) on Christmas Eve he said "You're on Active Service so get back - there's a boat leaving Liverpool at midnight - be on it" !! So, having hardly seen my wife & daughter during my 4 days "R&R", I drove down to Liverpool, dropped my wife off at in laws, & boarded the Irish Ferry. We docked at Belfast at 8am Christmas Day, transport took me to Gosford where I was told that "To take my mind off things it would be a good plan to make me Guard Commander for the day" ! Talk about compassion, I was genuinely at my lowest ebb and ready to jack the Army in for good. Guys rallied round to cheer me up, but it was close, very close. Thankfully I stayed in, but I lost any respect for the REMF and never again had any dealings with him - all it would have taken was "have Christmas with your family & then report back before New Year", a common sense, logical & compassionate decision that could have avoided upsetting my family so badly. My worst Christmas? - that one !!! John (JKW)
Quote from Bob Riley on January 2, 2024, 9:03 pmOnly Jocks John would do ,as you say you where sent home to help your family in nead after a frightening experience for your family.
Only Jocks John would do ,as you say you where sent home to help your family in nead after a frightening experience for your family.
Quote from jkwebster06 on January 2, 2024, 9:23 pmBob, The REMF, a Captain, was English with a Welsh surname !! He may actually have been Welsh , either way, I ignored him for the rest of my Service. After I rejoined the Regiment (from "D" Sqn Independent) I never saw him again, & never wanted to ! John (JKW)
Bob, The REMF, a Captain, was English with a Welsh surname !! He may actually have been Welsh , either way, I ignored him for the rest of my Service. After I rejoined the Regiment (from "D" Sqn Independent) I never saw him again, & never wanted to ! John (JKW)
Quote from Mick (Stockton) on January 5, 2024, 3:17 pmCommiserations John I had much the same thing happen to me in Herford , albeit slightly different. A certain Officer that I had the audacity" to "tell off" reported me to the CO. My OC A Squadron Was Maj Cable-Alexander at the time. I think the RSM was Hubbard but I can't honestly say! ANYWAY. to cut a long story short or vice versa as they say, I was bust down to trooper. "Cable A" (As he was "affectionately" known) Said afterwards "Why did you take the revert option"? (I was given 2 options 1. Revert at my own request and stay where I was [A Squadron] . or 2.keep my stripe and go [Be transferred] to another Squadron.) I replied " Matter of principle Sir". "Expensive principle" he said. And I think I replied "I don't have any cheap ones (principles) Sir". Yes John we've all had our share of "Officers" of one kind or another....{The initials of this particular one was CB if you interested or know of him.
Mickey S.
P.S What does REMF stand for John? [ Or is it a derogatory term for someone or some thing?]
Mickey S
Commiserations John I had much the same thing happen to me in Herford , albeit slightly different. A certain Officer that I had the audacity" to "tell off" reported me to the CO. My OC A Squadron Was Maj Cable-Alexander at the time. I think the RSM was Hubbard but I can't honestly say! ANYWAY. to cut a long story short or vice versa as they say, I was bust down to trooper. "Cable A" (As he was "affectionately" known) Said afterwards "Why did you take the revert option"? (I was given 2 options 1. Revert at my own request and stay where I was [A Squadron] . or 2.keep my stripe and go [Be transferred] to another Squadron.) I replied " Matter of principle Sir". "Expensive principle" he said. And I think I replied "I don't have any cheap ones (principles) Sir". Yes John we've all had our share of "Officers" of one kind or another....{The initials of this particular one was CB if you interested or know of him.
Mickey S.
P.S What does REMF stand for John? [ Or is it a derogatory term for someone or some thing?]
Mickey S
Quote from jkwebster06 on January 5, 2024, 9:43 pmMickey, REMF IS a derogatory term to describe a non combatant who stays in the rear echelon area, so REMF = Rear Echelon Mother F*****, an Americanism I think & used by those in the forward areas doing the fighting whilst believing the REMFS are safe, warm & well fed !! John (JKW)
Mickey, REMF IS a derogatory term to describe a non combatant who stays in the rear echelon area, so REMF = Rear Echelon Mother F*****, an Americanism I think & used by those in the forward areas doing the fighting whilst believing the REMFS are safe, warm & well fed !! John (JKW)