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I did my job.

Not everyone was sent to Towyn. I was and really have no idea why. I had little enthusiasm for EL/Adventure training. I did try my best at everything and was considered 'cheerful' so maybe I did a good job of covering up what I really thought. I hated that course, and simply can't remember any patrol names or the instructors.

Memories of it are...running to the sea and having to dip in it (February!) getting lots of press ups for swearing No smoking (well not openly anyway) getting flooded out on a freezing night at Willam's campsite, prior to doing the Tryffn the following day.

Lots of enforced prayers and singing. Walking the Welsh mountains in low visibility and wondering why people said it was 'beautiful' Breaking the ice in the EWS, to do canoe capsize drill, just because one student said he had never done them (we all had). and he was a matelote! I did do my duty of course, finished it with a 'C' and declined the offer to get on the bus and go back to camp after the William's farm flood, after hearing that to do so would mean an RTU. and of course failure was not an option for ILJB soldiers!

In those days I considered anything that didn't involve a rifle to be a waste of time. We used to go up mountains and float about on lakes and down rivers for fun when we were kids up here!

Walk in beauty

Peta Bancroft