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Do you recall your arrival at Oswestry?

I remember being sent off from my local railway station by my parents. I had my suitcase filled with items as listed in the joining instructions and a mounting sense of trepidation.

To my horror my mother kissed me goodbye in the crowded carriage and to my surprise my father pressed a packet of twenty cigarettes into my hand (he knew I was a surrepticious smoker). I think this was his way of saying, You're entering manhood!

I knew that I had to change trains a couple of times and get out at somewhere called Gobowen. Odd name I thought!

As I'd joined the 'family' regiment, (Royal Regiment of Fusiliers), I wasn't surprised to see an RRF sergeant complete with red sash and Pace-stick, stood on the platform.

I dragged myself and my suitcase towards him. He looked at me and said, "Are you for the camp?" When I replied that I was indeed, he jerked his head out through the doors and told me that there was a bus outside, "just get on and wait."

He stopped me and asked, "Is your name Prince?"

I thought I'd either done something wrong, maybe someone had told him that I had a packet of (now less than twenty) fags on me and that I was in trouble being only 15 and too young to smoke!

Instead, he asked, "Have you got a brother, Dave, in the 2nd Battalion?"

Yes, I replied.

He leant down towards me and just said, "If you make half as good a soldier as him, you'll do alright."

The Sgt's name was Bob Hughes, here he is in 1968 at Wachet just after the amalgamation of the four Fusilier Regiments that became the RRF.

I found myself sat on the bus with others who looked as ill at ease as I felt.

It was dark (it was January 1971) so I never got a glimpse of Park Hall as we arrived, (maybe that wasn't so bad?!) and we de-bussed at Z Company, opposite the Church.

I found that I was to be in Montgomery Platoon, Z Company and I with the others were led into a Spider where we were shown our bed spaces.

'Our' Permanent Staff, two Sgt's were there (we were a small intake, only two sections or rooms full in each Platoon).

Sgt. Batty (Green Howards) introduced himself. "My name is Sergeant Batty. All my friends call me Jim but you can call me Sergeant Batty." (Probably not original but it raised a smile and I used the same form of introduction at Depot Queens Division, Bassingbourne, later when I was on the Staff there!).

We were told to leave our cases and were taken by the bus to the cookhouse for an evening meal. I think they were afraid of some of us having second thoughts and giving them the slip in the dark!

If I hadn't had any thoughts of changing my mind up until now, once I saw the 'meal' I did harbour a few when I saw what our meal was and more as I tasted it!

We were served a slice of Spam artfully decorated with a blob of off-yellow coloured Picalilli, boiled potatos and tinned peas. Two slices of bread with a pat of butter that you had to try and spear as it floated in a dixie of water all the while observed by a stern looking cook who ensured that you didn't take more than one pat.

This epicurean feast was accompanied by a mug of brown, stewed liquid that went under the name of tea. It was altogether not very appetising but little did I know that within a few weeks we would all develop a taste for army tea!

I was forcing down this 'feast' when the Bn Orderly Officer, doing his Rounds came up to the table and asked if there were any complaints.

Of course no-one said anything, there was just a collective shaking of heads.

The Orderly Officer was another Fusilier! He looked at me and asked, "Is your name Prince?"

Once again panic gripped me but again, after I'd swallowed my mouthful of semi-cold potato, spam and Picalilli and answered in the affirmative, I was treated to exactly the same response as Bob Hughes had given me at the station. I didn't know whether having an older brother in the Army was a good thing or not especially one that seemed to have set such high standards!

The officer was Stephen Caine. He later arranged for five J/Fusiliers to be attached to the 2nd Bn. when they went to Canada in 1972. I was one of them and it led to my undoing (another story).

He was my Company Commander later when I joined 2RRF and gave me my first push up the promotion ladder.

After we had 'dined' we were returned to Z Company, where we were given our first lesson, bed making in the correct regimental fashion and then we were sent off to reproduce what had been demonstrated.

That was my introduction to EDI, Explanation, Demonstration, Imitation and it would become the method of learning everything from shaving to giving an 'O' Group.

Lights out came at 22.00 but not many slept. There was much whispered conversation as we discussed our collective situation and tried to size each other up.

I must have fallen asleep at some stage because I recall the rude awakening but that as they say, was another day.........

Mike Prince

http://www.mikeprince.typepad.com/