Who's Served in the Armed Forces?
I often wonder how many of us have served in the Armed Forces and what Cap Badge/outfit etcetera we were involved in. I would have thought there will be many as National Service did not stop until 1960, two years after I was Born. Asking this question, I had better start with myself;
Served firstly in the RAF, then the Army, Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), role, Field Ambulance, rank held, Sergeant, demobbed August 2003 after returning from Iraq.
Colin
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Sounds like you had an interesting career!
For me, 9 years RLC did a bit of travelling, mid East, Falklands etc. Finished as a Staff Officer in a Log Brigade.
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That's a record i.e. 45 years service in total, maybe one for the Guinness? I'm sure you know what the rest of the Army say about the REME, "Royal Engineers Made Easy"
, no doubt, this discussion will start up Cap-badging, well, its only Military humour, we'll see what happens!1 -
Sadly I wasn't able to join the armed services due to family circumstances, but eventually worked free from them at the age of 24, and joined the Police Force instead. 30 years later I retired from a senior position. However my greater pride is in my son, (also a camper/caravaner,) who joined the RAF as NCO aircrew. Later commissioned with a distinction he is now a Sqd Leader & whilst attached to SF, served in NI, Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently elsewhere I admire his 2nd row of ribbons.
I am now proudly a member of RBL, and will state without hesitation that this Country still has some of the finest and dedicated members of the armed Services in the World!
TF
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Senior Service = Navy, every Ship has its Golden Rivet, you know what the Blue jobs/Brylcreem Boys and the Pongo's say about "Navy Cake"?, just a bit of service banter, no offence intended MM. Only did 8.5 years? I think that's quite a substantial amount of service.
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Got this souvenir hung up in my workshop, British Forces Germany-Number Plate (BFG Plate), it may not mean anything to those reading who have never served, those who have, will know what it is. PS, I believe, formally, before my time, these were called BZ Plates?
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9 years 14/20 Kings Hussars (main battle tanks) mid-60s. Most exciting bit was having to deploy to East German border in 1968 to help stop Russians when they invaded Czechoslavkia, just in case they didn't both stopping at the service station
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Lynnruby, Was he still at Lympstone in the first few months of '75?
I was there then, doing a RM Snipers course as an experiment for the Police service. By far the best course that i ever went on in over 30 years of Policing. I graduated in the top grade on the course but had to report to my service that the course was unsuited to our needs!!
The RM course was fantastic and taught you how to get close to your target & take him out! - Trouble was we in the Police had the requirement to leap up and down shouting "Armed Police Stop" before we could do anything! Not really helpful.
Still enjoyed that course though!
TF
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From that 3 month attachment I have nothing but sheer admiration for the professionalism of Her Majesty's Royal Marine's.
I noted that whilst there, one of the most cutting criticism's that an instructor could give to a recruit was "Thats not very professional lad!" It was always received with a very crestfallen look, and you could tell that it went home! As I said total admiration & respect!
TF
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Hi folks. Good to see a little services banter on here... As a young lad in the 60's I wanted to follow Dad's footsteps and join the REME but there were no boy soldier vacancies at the time so I settled for the Royal Signals, commonly referred to as "Bleeps"......with a view of transferring cap badges later. Trained as an Electrician Driver so spent many a year fixing and servicing trucks and generators. This trade had the added benefit that I always had sufficient power In the field to run my little luxuries ( kettle, toaster, stereo, and electric blanket etc!) Never did change the badge, I wonder why!!
Best postings were Berlin in the early 70's and Edinburgh in the late 80's. Always said that the Services provided the best start In life, gave us all a good foundation based on discipline and responsibility.
I have the greatest respect for those serving their country, particularly this of the past decade or two, they have been given some difficult and challenging duties to perform in the name of our country. I was lucky, I knew who our enemies were meant to be.....well most of them anyway!
Regards. Pete Penfold.
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Next year sees the 50th anniversary of my joining BRNC Dartmouth as a Cadet. However, my Naval career was to be short-lived, because after completing my Midshipman's year at sea and then moving on to The Royal Naval Engineering College at Manadon, Plymouth as a Sub-Lieutenant, I managed to fail my engineering degree - with honours!! (I did, however, come away with a highly 'tweeked sports car after having spent far too much time in the excellent workshops, rather than studying!) Even though I left after only three years - and went on to have a successful Police career - the lessons I learned, particularly via the very strict discipline at Dartmouth, have stayed with me throughout my life.
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Hi TF - I joined Hull City Police in 1971 which became part of the Humberside Force in 1974. Apart from a brief secondment to the Home Office, I stayed with that force throughout my career. Retired on medical grounds in 1993 when I was Divisional Cdr for Hull Division. After a couple of years exploring the Med in my yacht, (never really got the salt water out of my veins!) I then became a Regional CEO for St John Ambulance which I did for almost 15 years. Bit of a varied, but interesting career path!!
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Joined the RN in 1968 and served on HM Ships HERMES, MATAPAN, KILMOREY, BLAKE, BRAZEN, YARMOUTH, EDINBURGH & INVINCIBLE in addition to various Shore Bases. Finally retired in a reduced medical category on 31st December 1994. A fantastic life without doubt. Now retired completely and by the way folks, there is a Facebook group…..Veterans (UK) caravan & camping group which may be of interest to some of. You will be hard pushed to get better inter-service banter elsewhere. Regards to all….especially my service colleagues who wore the uniform of whichever arm of HM Forces.
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