Big ray

[Big ray]

I am trying to remember what the pay was for a craftsman in the REME during the fifties, I seem to remember that it was about fifteen shillings per week ( someone might know better) thats 75p in modern money. And yet we managed quite well, cigarettes were 5p for a pack of 20, and all other items were relevent to that sort of pricing. We managed the cinema once a week, tea or coffee in the NAAFI mornings and evenings, toileteries, polishes, blanco and brasso. We must have been good financial managers. I was on N.C.Os. pay coupled with extra monies for all the things that I volunteered for (Did`nt do it for the money, that came by way of tips) the extra money however was very useful, I did spend some of it on my buddies if they were broke. We even managed to do quite a lot of gambling ( 1p stakes), but as the less ardent gamblers amongst us began to drop out, the real gamblers, who by now had all of the money, would be gambling on the turn of a card for a £1 stake..... that was more than a weeks pay. I remember on one occasion discussing pay structure between the various national forces with a couple of our Canadian army friends, I stated that the US forces were the highest paid, they said, they are not, we are, I was rather surprised to hear that. :kissoncheek:

[Tony B]

Said to a young girl in Tesco's petrol station the other day 'When I started driving petrol was 35 p a gallon'. She looked a bit puzzled and said 'Is a gallon bigger than a litre?'.

[norton 1926]

welcome to the forum Ray , I am a new member and they made me most welcome, I served at 5 inf work shop r,e,m,e. at witten-annen, nr Dortmund 1953-1955,in recovery section.

[Big ray]

welcome to the forum Ray , I am a new member and they made me most welcome, I served at 5 inf work shop r,e,m,e. at witten-annen, nr Dortmund 1953-1955,in recovery section.

 

I was 5 Armoured Workshops, Hamm, 1956 /58. If you read back through the posts you will see that I have been on here for a while, Thanks.

Ray. :kissoncheek:

[Big ray]

Said to a young girl in Tesco's petrol station the other day 'When I started driving petrol was 35 p a gallon'. She looked a bit puzzled and said 'Is a gallon bigger than a litre?'.

 

I can remember 1963 / 64 I had been married a couple of years and I had a mini van, I used to put 4 gallons in for a pound!!!!!! 25p per gallon. One thing that we do seem to lose sight of is the fact that most vehicles will now do double the mileage to the gallon, so in real terms it has not increased quite by as much as we think..... just a thought. Its all the other things that we must have that has made living so expensive. When T.V.s first appeared on the scene one would cost in excess of £100.00, and wages were about £7 to £10 per week.

[Big ray]

About 10 weeks from now and we shall be having our 52nd annual army reunion, Thats got to be a bit of a record I would think? I have spoken to some of the guys and they are all getting a bit excited now ( Dont take much when you get to our age, just have to watch that we dont get too excited.) I am going to try to arrange for our son to transport a Jeep over to the hotel on the Sunday morning for a bit of a surprise for them. They can all have a drive around the hotel, cant trust them out on the open road, they might think that they are back on convoy duties. Come to think of it, we have a forklift attached to the back of a works truck (Moffett Mounty) might need that to lift them in and out........... should be fun, none of them have driven a Jeep since 1958. :goodidea:

[Tony B]

Post adress of pub! Then we can all come and watch the fun! :-D Last time I had a Dodge load of vetran's cross country it was me having the heart attacks

[tonyturf]

Typical, a sunday morning surprise!!!!. Why not a saturday evening surprise so I get a FREE room!!! Oh, and for FREE don`t read AVAILABLE ha ha!!!!

[Big ray]

I experienced many amusing moments during my army service, one that I recall still tends to leave a smile on my face.

It was 1958, I was 21 years old, and as one might expect my physique was at its peak. I awoke on a Sunday morning, the first to do so in my room (containing 6 guys) I decided that I should go for a good washdown, the showers were contained in the adjacent building (Block). It was perfectly normal to walk about the building completely naked when going to the washroom. I grabbed my soap and towel and walked the few steps to the washroom (As with everything else in the ex-German barracks, the washroom was immaculate). I had my full washdown and shave and proceded to walk back to my room (naked) towel in one hand, soap in the other. Our room was situated on the 3rd floor, and we had at least two empty rooms (6 beds each) to accomodate visiting tradesmen undergoing upgrading in the workshops. One of these rooms was occupied by three visiting vehicle mechanics undergoing trade tests. As I approached my room a young and very attractive blonde german girl stepped from the room occupied by the three V.Ms. I immediately covered my nether regions and started to blush....... she just gave me the biggest smile, and walked on by. When she had gone I wondered just why the hell I had blushed........ she had just spent the night with three guys. It gave me plenty to talk about when the rest of the guys awoke.

[Big ray]

I was tasked in the summer of 1957 to take two telecommunication Staff Sergeants to Brunswick on the eastern edge of West Germany. These two Staff Sergeants were failed officer material, they had the neccessary educational qualifications to become commissioned officers, but lacked man management skills, they tended to say please when then ASKED you to do something. It soon became pretty obvious to me that they were lacking on many levels, even before I had left the workshops they were insisting on knowing that I was absolutely sure where I was going. We had in the previous weeks had a group of trucks cross into East Germany, the trucks and and drivers were detained for several weeks before being returned, and with completely shaven heads. They were obviously afraid of a similar fate befalling them. By the mid-1950s it would be easy to miss the signs, they were becoming obscured by roadside foliage. I assured them that I was more than capable of getting them safely to our destination, but they were never really very happy until we reached our destination without incident........... lord knows how they would have coped in a hostile situation.

[Big ray]

I watched a film yesterday on the T.V. titled, "They were not Divided". R.S.M. Brittain plays himself in the film, if you would like to see what discipline was like in the army during the 40s and 50s this is about the nearest portrayal of the true facts that I have seen come out of a film studio. I remember RSM Brittain, he would put the fear of god into anyone.

I enjoyed watching the film, it evoked a lot of memories for me, mostly good ones.

[Big ray]

In approximately four weeks I will be attending the 62 second re-union with my army buddies, where have all the years gone ???? We will still meet up in the hotel bar and start talking as if we are going on parade the following morning. I am very lucky really, four of us are now in regular contact via the internet........... if we had only had all of this easy communication 62 years ago, instead of the pigeon post.

[Tony B]

Enjoy old Friend! You and the rest of them desrve it. :beer:(We'll have the HMVF wheelbarrow standing by to get you home)

[Big ray]

Enjoy old Friend! You and the rest of them desrve it. :beer:(We'll have the HMVF wheelbarrow standing by to get you home)

 

Thank you, you are very kind......... can we use our bus passes ????? On a serious note, we all have bus passes, but we never abuse them, we know that you get nothing for free, someone has to pay, so we are always mindfull of our actions.

We will raise a glass to all our friends on the HMVF.:thanx:

[Tony B]

Thank you, you are very kind......... can we use our bus passes ????? On a serious note, we all have bus passes, but we never abuse them, we know that you get nothing for free, someone has to pay, so we are always mindfull of our actions.

We will raise a glass to all our friends on the HMVF.:thanx:

As long as you aren't intending to go to Scotland! :-D Use the pass mate! Your'e more deserving than some of the pond life that seem to get them!

[Big ray]

We have just returned from our usual five day visit to Arnhem, Holland. I do have to think about what I am doing now, not as young and fit as I used to be, but my friends ecouraged me to go along, I must say I did not need too much encouraging. Andy, one of our group said that he would drive me there, so no stress there then, he even volunteered to do the catering, again no stress. They all erected my tent when we arrived on site, Andy had taken his night heater, complete with a diversion kit to heat both his and my tent, even less stress then. Chris (Commander) cooked breakfast every morning, and very good it was too, provided me with copious amounts of coffee and I repaid him by drinking all of his ginger beer, sorry Chris, I will think of a way of making ammends!!!! Andy had transported my Royal Enfield W.D. C.O. motorcycle along with his Jeep, the deal was, he could ride my motorcycle whilst over there, and I would ride passenger in his Jeep and film our activities (I could have driven the Jeep, but I wanted to do the filming) We all had a fantastic time, I am so lucky to have such fabulous friends who will take the time and effort to make sure that an old geriatric does not miss out on all of the fun that I once just took for granted. I am of course doing a disc of our activitied in Holland for all the members of our party, thats the least that I can do. I would like to thank them all for a wonderful five days, Thanks guys. I can now relive all of that pleasure at the touch of a button, all made possible by my friends.

[Tony B]

And you chose the best time of the year for it!

[Big ray]

We have just returned from our army reunion (52nd) one of our group, Mike, asked me if I could get a Jeep down to the hotel over the weekend. None of the guys have driven a Jeep for the last 53 years. I asked our son Tony if he would bring his Jeep down, he did, and they managed a little drive. Tony transported his Jeep down to the hotel on a Transit pick-up, accompanied by his young son Rory. Tony was dressed in 1950s british army uniform complete with our shoulder flashes, REME 6 Armoured Div...... identical to the uniform that we used to wear. His son Rory (8 years old) was dressed in US 82nd airborne jump suit. The picture is Mike enjoying himself in the Jeep. We have to thank Tony and Rory for travelling 170 miles just to make some old people happy........... thanks T & R.

[Enigma]

We have just returned from our usual five day visit to Arnhem, Holland. I do have to think about what I am doing now, not as young and fit as I used to be, but my friends ecouraged me to go along, I must say I did not need too much encouraging. Andy, one of our group said that he would drive me there, so no stress there then, he even volunteered to do the catering, again no stress. They all erected my tent when we arrived on site, Andy had taken his night heater, complete with a diversion kit to heat both his and my tent, even less stress then. Chris (Commander) cooked breakfast every morning, and very good it was too, provided me with copious amounts of coffee and I repaid him by drinking all of his ginger beer, sorry Chris, I will think of a way of making ammends!!!! Andy had transported my Royal Enfield W.D. C.O. motorcycle along with his Jeep, the deal was, he could ride my motorcycle whilst over there, and I would ride passenger in his Jeep and film our activities (I could have driven the Jeep, but I wanted to do the filming) We all had a fantastic time, I am so lucky to have such fabulous friends who will take the time and effort to make sure that an old geriatric does not miss out on all of the fun that I once just took for granted. I am of course doing a disc of our activitied in Holland for all the members of our party, thats the least that I can do. I would like to thank them all for a wonderful five days, Thanks guys. I can now relive all of that pleasure at the touch of a button, all made possible by my friends.

 

I think we spoke briefly before going to Ginkel Heath.

I was the Dutchman in Tanksuit and Recce beret or recce helmet.

[Big ray]

This photograph was taken 55 years ago, Brian is on the extreme right (white shirt) we did not know that we would lose Brian at 49 years of age, a genetic condition that affected only the males in his family. Brian was a lovely guy, he went on to become a speedway star and a pin-up, not difficult to understand when you look at him, life can be very cruel.

[Big ray]

When I made reference to the times when the n.c.o. would throw Atkins kit into the pool / fire hydrant, this was the pool (Obviously been emptied for cleaning) that the kit landed in. The block shown was our block, and the kit would land approximately where you see the steps.

[Big ray]

Calling out the Guard, 1950s style. We used to have to book in and out of this guardroom when we left the camp, even to go to the cinema which was situated just 100 yds outside of the camp, obviously all to make you turn out appropriately dressed. If you had been out I remember that on your return you had to fill in a book if you had been enjoying the favours of the local girls. Very serious if you failed to fill in the book and anything should "develope".

I remember that when I was Guard Commander, in the early hours of the morning that book made very interesting reading!!!!. Being called out like this meant that you could never really relax, you could only lay on the bed fully clothed awaiting the call.

[Big ray]

This is the "Graveyard", the area where guys going on demob would put their own "Stone" to remember them by............... it really was like a graveyard, when these guys left you got up the next morning and they were gone forever, it was akin to someone dying, they were gone, in most cases never to be seen again. It could have a very depressing effect on people, particularly if they had a lot of service time left to do. Equally it became a very good talking point, as can be seen by the interest taken by the bods in the photo, we would often remember the guys that had left and wonder how they were doing back in civillian life. The guys in the photograph were all friends of mine.

[Big ray]

Our visit in 1990, this photograph was taken on the steps of the Burgermiesters office in Hamm after our civic reception, all arranged by our German friend Hubbert Frollick (now unfortunately deceased.) he is on the extreme right of the photograph with his wife. The man on the extreme left of the photograph was our coach driver, I am third from the left in the back row. The man in the centre, front row, was the Burgermiester. We were very well received. It does not seem like 21 years ago!!!!!

[Big ray]

I have just been outside and noticed what a cold night that it is, suddenly reminded me of a winters night in Germany, the winter of 1956 / 57. It was before my promotion and I was standing guard on the main gate, it would have been my second or third two hour stint on the gate, either 2.00am or 4.00am, not sure, it was 50 odd years ago. I can vividly remember just how cold it was, it must have been an easterly biting cold wind, and boy it could be very cold. It was about the only time that I would not have complained if the guardroom had burned down, I would have welcomed the warmth. Anywhere else on guard I could have either moved about to keep warm, or found some shelter out of that biting cold wind. On the gate I had to stand at attention with my rifle shouldered, I could not even stamp my feet to keep warm, they were so cold that I felt that they would shatter like glass, add to that the fact that no vehicles normally entered through the main gate at that time in the morning, so no activity or distractions to occupy the mind a little, just constantly cursing the cold wind. That must have been the coldest night that I ever had to endure, but I still wish that I could do it all again.