Who we are and what we do Just a small group of former infantry junior soldiers now in various walks of life - who share the small amount of work required to keep this website up to date and interesting.
We're an on-line community now - and we form a network like so many other modern day internet communities, spread across the world in occupations and situations of great diversity. It's our common beginning as boy soldiers and our great diversity in the present day that makes for an interesting story and a constantly changing archive. This archive in the form of an open forum, photo albums and this newsletter page, is what www.IJLB.com sets out to become - simply an archive updated by its contributors and members for the enjoyment of all.
The winning formula There's no standard way of approaching this because its never been done before. We have no Regimental HQ, no staff and no money. Technology is the key, it's new and it's ever changing, so to get the best out of it - we have to use it and change with it to suit the situation at the time.
Copyright - Everything contained on this site is either gathered from the public domain or submitted copyright free for the enjoyment of anyone who wishes to view it. If you have an issue with copyright regarding images or text contained on this site, please contact us by email: ijlbmembers@hotmail.co.uk
What's New Latest: January 9th, 2012 - Apologies for being AWOL for a couple of months... one of life's moments - survived!
Former Junior Leaders - get a load of this blast from the past... a few seconds from a movie sent in by Paul Sullivan I'm editing down from almost an hour down to 10 minutes, so it'll fit on YouTube. Turn up your volume....
Maybe Tomorrow... by Steve Haydock
Steve Haydock joined the British Army in 1972 aged 15, joining the lnfantry Junior Leaders Battalion, based in Oswestry, Shropshire. On his 18th birthday he arrived in Northern lreland to begin the first of his three tours of duty in the province, with the 1st Battalion of The Queens Lancashire Regiment. He served nine years with the QLR from Northern Ireland to Cyprus to Ghana before becoming a civilian in the mid 1980's.
In 1992, after seeing the war unfold in Yugoslavia he left England to join the Croatian Army, to use his experience and skills to help the Croats fight to defend the country and win freedom from the Serbian aggressor. This is his story....
More than 400 registrants on the IBB-IJLB Association on-line forum will now find they must register again and be approved by the committee, before they are able to access the brand new forum launched by the Association within the last few days. The old forum, which was the Association's principle means of comunication with former Junior Leaders, is now lost. The official website is also under resconstruction at www.ijlb.co.uk>>
I obtained permission from the BFI to make a trailer (5 min) of a movie made at IJLB Oswestry in 1964. The full 20 minute movie is called Ten Feet Tall and it's on a DVD with others, in a collection entitled They Stand Ready more>>
Facebook appears to be the most popular social networking medium on the planet, so we've set up an area for former Junior Leaders entitled "IJLB on Facebook". It's a members group and intended to be very casual. More>>
It was three years in the making - but we got there in the end! The first mass email to all 1,000 registered users of ijlb.com went out on Sunday 21st March and >>
IBB-IJLB Association announced today that the official movie made by John Henderson of the Oswestry Memorial Dedication Weekend is now available to order>>
Martyn Reay talks about his time at IJLB Oswestry 1970... see more on the "IJLB on Facebook Group".
Andy McNab talks about his experiences and the life lessons learned at IJLB Shorncliffe, in an interview for IJLB.com. Coming soon>>
Robin Horsfall stepped off a train at Gobowen in 1972 and thus began a journey he recounts, warts and all, in his best selling book 'Fighting Scared'. Penned by his own hand, the book includes much about his 'Indoctrination' at IJLB Oswestry. I met him and his lovely wife Heather at their home in Surrey and was struck above all, by the humility and honesty of this former Junior Leader, who still to this day, in between appearances on the telly... bulls his shoes as a form of relaxation!
The Art of a Soldier Roy Thomasson arrived at IJLB Oswestry in 1963. Some 23 years later he handed in his kit to take on a completely different kind of challenge, one which took a further 5 years to complete. These paintings are the conclusion to those 5 years spent moving towards a BA Hons in Fine Art (Painting) at Coventry School of Art - but they clearly depict the eventful and human journey he took as a soldier, having spent 15 of his 23 years in uniform serving with 22 SAS.
Newsletter Submissions By far the best way to reach our membership quickly, this newsletter format is intended to give you a snapshot of what's going on in the little corner of the internet we occupy today. email - ijlbmembers@hotmail.co.uk
We're an on-line community now - 
The winning formula 
Click the image to watch the video. 
Andy McNab talks about his experiences and the life lessons learned at IJLB Shorncliffe, in an interview for IJLB.com.
