Big ray

[L.A.kevin]

Hello Big Ray,

 

Just wanted to say that I'm thoroughly enjoying your recollections. I'm new here myself and just wanted to say thanks for your time and well written story.

 

Kevin

Los Angeles, CA. USA

[Big ray]

Hello Big Ray,

 

Just wanted to say that I'm thoroughly enjoying your recollections. I'm new here myself and just wanted to say thanks for your time and well written story.

 

Kevin

Los Angeles, CA. USA

 

 

Thank you Kevin, you are welcome, its nice to reflect on the good experiences in your life, what made it all so good of course was my buddies, who fortunately I still meet at our reunions each year.......... only made possible because one of our number made sure that he wrote down all of our addresses at the end of our army service, and then contacted us to arrange the first meeting in London....... the rest as they say is history.

Welcome to the forum my friend.

Ray.:thanx:

[abn deuce]

Thank You Big Ray for continuing to share the details of your military service . While it might seem unimportant to some , likely those that have served , for those that have not or never will it paints a picture of a time and place through the life of someone real . Books and magazines will never fill in the details like this .

[Old Bill]

Yes, thanks Ray. There are so many good stories which are lost through not being written down. It is really great to hear some of them!

 

Steve

[Big ray]

Yes, thanks Ray. There are so many good stories which are lost through not being written down. It is really great to hear some of them!

 

Steve

 

I have already stated earlier that my Uncle Jack served with the RAF in North Africa, before his deployment to that theatre he was involved here in the UK transporting US troops from the railway station to, I believe, the Burton-on-Trent area of the Midlands. It was around that time when he got a home leave, on the week-end during his time at home another Uncle, thats Uncle Jim, who was with the army, "climbed over the wall" of his camp and made his way home for the week-end without a "pass". Now my Uncle Jim was by far the most uncontrolable member of my extended family, and remained so for the rest of his life.

He was a born trouble maker, drinking and fighting was his problem, in that order, infact by the time that he had completed his army service he had been moved into several army units in an effort to control him..... I will have more to say about his exploits at a later date.

Back to Uncle Jacks home leave, he and my Uncle Jim (who was AWOL for the week-end) were walking in the High St of our home town, when walking towards them were two MPs.

Uncle Jack, who always did think on his feet, told my Uncle Jim to just keep walking towards the MPs, Uncle Jack then turned 180 degrees and ran like the wind, with the two MPs in hot pursuit. By the time that he had ran down the High St and into a alley he stopped and leaned against the brick wall, with his hands on his knees and breathing very heavilly.

The two MPs, breathing equally heavilly, exclaimed, "Gotcha". Jack looked up and said, for what?. The MPs demanded to see his pass, which he promptly produced............ they knew immediately what he had done, they exclaimed... its the other one, but there was not a thing that they could do. Uncle Jack always was a very bright button........... all of these people have gone out of my life, I feel much the poorer for it, they were real characters.:kissoncheek:

[Tony B]

Nice one! Thanks for the grin needed it, lousy week.

[Big ray]

Nice one! Thanks for the grin needed it, lousy week.

 

 

I know some people who had two lousy weeks on the Island of Jersey............ I`m kidding, dont stone me to death, just trying to bring a second smile to your face....... we had a fantastic holiday on the Island a few years ago.

Keep smiling, it uses less muscles than a frown.

Regards. Ray.:thumbsup:

[Minesweeper]

Nice one - I enjoyed that!"

 

Tony

[Big ray]

Nice one - I enjoyed that!"

 

Tony

 

My grandparents, who raised my sister and myself had two sons, my mothers brothers. This is where it might get a little confusing, because my grandparents raised us we were treated more like siblings than neice and nephew. I spent my life treating my two uncles like brothers, and they viewed me in the same way, it remained like that untill their deaths. (Uncle) Jack was 16 years older than myself, and (Uncle) Cyril was ten years older. Jack was out of my childhood very early in the war, serving in the RAF, whilst Cyril was not inducted into the army untill the spring of 1945. Prior to his conscription Cyril worked for a local timber company (lumber) as a timber snigger. A timber sniggers job was to drag the felled trees from the wood for tranportation to the sawmill. Horses were used to accomplish that task. In 1943 his company was engaged in felling trees at what is now Keele University, then it was simply Keele Hall and its extensive estate. The US army had moved into the grounds of Keele Hall in 1942 and it became necessary to fell lots of the trees on the estate in order to extend the living quarters for the US troops. Cyril travelled each day to the estate with his horse, our home was situated between the stables and Keele Hall, which meant that he passed by our home on his way to work. One day I went out as he passed and I began to follow him to Keele Hall, he was constantly telling me to return home, but I continued to follow him untill he reached the main gateway to the Hall, now a US camp. He said now you will have to go home, the gate was guarded by a US soldier, I did what most school boys would probably do at that point, I began to cry. The American soldier picked me up and threw me onto the back of the horse and said to Cyril, take him inside bud and take him to the cookhouse, Cyril now had no choice but to comply.

I was unceramoniously dumped off at the cookhouse into the care of the US cooks, I think that Cyril was just glad to see the back of me. I was introduced to food that I had never seen, and fed until I could eat no more....... it probably was just another day in the life of a US army cook....... but it was one that I will never forget, its emblazened on my mind.:thumbsup:

[Tony B]

I've bene involved with horses since age three. I'd have loved to talk to your Uncle/Brother.

[Big ray]

I've bene involved with horses since age three. I'd have loved to talk to your Uncle/Brother.

 

I was also involved with horses all through my formative years, I have a lot to relate about that involvement whilst in the army....... fantastic animals, all individuals and when it moves its with a great deal of grace.

Regards Ray.:thumbsup:

[Tony B]

Geting philosophical. Horse's never lie to you, even if they are going to kick you, they will warn you, if you are good enough to read them.

[Big ray]

Geting philosophical. Horse's never lie to you, even if they are going to kick you, they will warn you, if you are good enough to read them.

 

Just look for the ears going back onto their head, a horses natural enemy is another horse, they drop their ears back to prevent the other animal from biting its ears...... kicking and biting, thats how they fight in their wild environment....... Regards. Ray:thumbsup:

[Big ray]

Nice one - I enjoyed that!"

 

Tony

Just reflecting on the last 73 years and how the world has changed. If you were born before 1940 (1937) these are some of the changes. You were born before T.V., before penicillin, polio shots, frozen food, plastic contact lenses, vidios, frisbees and the pill. You were before radar, credit cards, split atoms, laser beams and ball point pens, before dishwashers, tumbledriers, electric blankets, air conditioning, drip dry clothes and before man set foot on the moon.

We got married first and then lived together, a Big Mac was an oversized raincoat, and crumpet was something that we had for tea. There were no house husbands, computer dating or dual careers, and sheltered accommodation was were you waited for a bus. We had no day centres, care homes or typewriters, and no disposable nappies, artificial hearts, word processors or yoghurt. A chip was a piece of wood or fried potatoe. Hardware meant nuts and bolts, and software was not even a word. Before 1940 a stud was something that fastened a collar to a shirt, and going all the way meant staying on the bus untill it reached the depot. Pizza, McDonalds and instant coffee were unheard of. Smoking was fashionable, grass was mown, coke was kept in the coalhouse, a joint was a piece of meat that you only had on Sundays, and pot was something that you cooked in. A gay person was the life and soul of the party, my, how times have changed............. I wonder what the next 73 years will bring?

[Big ray]

Geting philosophical. Horse's never lie to you, even if they are going to kick you, they will warn you, if you are good enough to read them.

 

I had many experiences with horses, mostly very good, but there were two occasions when I had a horse bolt with me whilst in the shafts. The first occasion was when I was passing through my home town in the 1950s.... pre my army days... The breaching strap (thats the one that goes around the top of the horses rear legs, and prevents the cart / buggy from running into the horse) this item snapped and subsiquently the cart ran into the rear of the animal, it was immediately startled and bolted. Each time that I tried to stop the horse, the cart again ran into it, further startling it and making it bolt even faster. Fortunately for me, traffic in the early fifties was nothing like todays, much slower and considerably less of it, so I was lucky enough to avoid what traffic that was about that day. I managed to direct this now terrified animal to one of the only two roads leaving the town that were reasonably well elevated, again fortunately it was a long inclined and I managed very slowly to stop the bolting horse before it reached the top, by now the poor animal was covered in sweat and shaking violently..... if there was any skill involved that day, it was coupled with at least 95% good luck..... I seem to remember that I was sweating and shaking more than the horse. The second occasion involved a very young horse that we were breaking into the shafts. My grandfather had bought a Governers Trap, for anyone that does not know what that is, its a buggy that carries up to six passengers, seated three on each side and facing each other ( A bit like a Surry with the fringe on top) This one had belonged to a doctor who lived and practiced in London, it was in immaculate condition, and I remember that the axle was stamped with the London manufacturers name and the date of manufacture (1901) My grandfather was extremely proud of that buggy, and would often be seen out with one of the high stepping horses, quite a sight. This particular day I had put the young horse into the shafts of his buggy and set off on a leisurely ride into the country, this horse being very young and inexperienced would shy at anything from a piece of paper or a branch blowing in the breeze...... and thats exactely what he did on this trip. He began to run off line, the more that I pulled on the reigns to correct him, the more he ran off line. He finnished up running along side and into a very substantial hedge, the wheels of the buggy stood at least five feet high, the wheel that went into the hedge simply started to climb up into it and threw the cart and the horse onto its side. The horse was trying to get back to its feet, something that was impossible because it was held down by the overturned buggy. I had to very quickly get down on the ground with it and put my weight onto its head to prevent it from any further attempts at getting onto its feet..... it could have easily broken a leg if it had continued. When finally some help arrived, complete strangers I might add, I had to get one of them to borrow a sharp knife from a nearby house in order to cut the horse free from the buggy. Once that the horse was safely back onto its feet, I could see that the Lancewood Shafts were completel broken and splintered........ I was rather unpopular with my grandfather for quite a while....... there were other incidents that perhaps I can relate at some future date.

[Tony B]

I'll ride one anytime. Driving a horse, scares the *** out of me. At least when your on one you know what's going on! The entire horse is moving under you and feel the muscles tense. Stuck out in front, sooner you than me.

[Big ray]

I'll ride one anytime. Driving a horse, scares the *** out of me. At least when your on one you know what's going on! The entire horse is moving under you and feel the muscles tense. Stuck out in front, sooner you than me.

 

Riding a spirited horse is better than driving a sports car, and I have done both. I have very fond memories that no one can take from me.......... they say that even if you incarsarate the body, the mind remains free. So many good memories, its a funny thing the body is old, and reminds me every day, but the mind stays young....... wish that it was the other way around.:thumbsup:

[Tony B]

Very true, I'll take a horse cross country in preference to a vehicle any time. :-D

[Big ray]

Very true, I'll take a horse cross country in preference to a vehicle any time. :-D

At last, I have had my computer overhauled and I could not get back onto the site ( forgotten my password) what a dummy I am............ its an age thing, its nice to be back.... I did not realise just how much that I would miss it, now I have got to workout how to post my service photographs along with my related stories.

Regards.

Ray.

[Tony B]

Well I can do it so it isn't diffcult. :-D Click 'manage attachments' and the rest is explained. Nice to have you back old fruit!

[Big ray]

I'll ride one anytime. Driving a horse, scares the *** out of me. At least when your on one you know what's going on! The entire horse is moving under you and feel the muscles tense. Stuck out in front, sooner you than me.

My involvement with the stables provided an outlet and experiences that I would never have acheived from any other source, I rode out regularly with the Adjutant (Second in Command, and a very keen horseman) He would ask me if any of the animals were in need of exercise, and if so would I like to join with him on a ride. Normally such a request from a senior officer would not have appealed to me, but this gentleman was almost like a father figure to me, all of course revolving around horsemanship. For what ever reason he treated me extremely well, he would for example address me by name rather than rank, provided that no one else was within earshot, and he would instruct me to refrain from addressing him as sir after every exchange of words. All of that was of course very settling and created a very comfortable attmosphere. One of the things that I could never get used to was when riding out through the main gate, the guard would have to salute..... I would know the guard and they would very often give me that all knowing look of dissapproval.

I would be invited (by the Adjutant) to attend functions arranged by the local German riding club, of which the Adjutant was a member. I had to attend these functions wearing my No.1 blues dress, this uniform was of course dark blue in colour with red, blue and yellow stripes down the legs of the trousers, the same colours for arm rank and all topped off with a peaked cap ( Officer type) and again piped with the same colours..... Corps colours.

Compared with our usual battledress uniform it was extremely smart....... being 20 years old also helped. I remember that the dress always caused quite a stir with the young German ladies......... lots and lots of such happy memories. :cool2:

[Big ray]

At last, I have had my computer overhauled and I could not get back onto the site ( forgotten my password) what a dummy I am............ its an age thing, its nice to be back.... I did not realise just how much that I would miss it, now I have got to workout how to post my service photographs along with my related stories.

Regards.

Ray.

 

I have just returned from 3 days in Redditch with my army buddies, we have now been meeting for 52 years, ever since our demob in 1958..... we all had our usual fantastic time discussing all of the things that we got up to 50 odd years ago, I dont think that we would have the energy to get up to much these days. One thing came out of this meeting, I have managed to get the phone No. of one of our group that none of us has seen for the last 52 year..... I am going to surprise him with a call and see if I can get him to the next reunion.

I am reliably informed that he his quite well and fit, so fingers crossed.:kissoncheek:

[Big ray]

Jack I.....s was one of our buddies, his home town was Nottingham, Robin Hood country. Jack went out on a delivery to an armoured unit in the town of Munster, this was c 1957, he was delivering tank spares. When we left Hamm, the site of our workshops, to go to Munster we would take one of two routes at a fork in the road about two miles out of town. We would go left for the left side of Munster, and of course right for the right side of the town. When making this delivery Jack had to go to one side of the town, make that delivery, and then proceed accross the town to his next delivery, and then return by the other route. Well he became totally lost when crossing town, he eventually spotted a service bus (German) displaying Hamm in its destination window. He decided to follow that bus in the vain hope that it was leaving Munster on the route that he should be leaving on, that way he would find himself on the correct side of town, and near to his next delivery...... unfortunately the bus left Hamm on the route that he had just taken, so he decided to follow the bus untill he reached the fork in the road just two miles from Hamm, then return to Munster. All of this took a considerable time and he was questioned about why it had taken so long, and when they looked at his work sheet (drivers log book) it showed excessive mileage........ so he had to explain what he had done.

On another ocassion Jack got himself totally lost out in the country, the weather was warm and sunny, so Jack just parked his truck off the highway and stretched out on the grassy embankment, sunbathing, and waited for someone to happen along to put him on the right route. That someone just happened to be a couple of MPs in their Jeep, they berated him and then set him onto the correct road.

Jack left the army and went on to become an international truck driver, driving all over Europe and Scandinavia, I have often wondered over the years just how many times that he must have gotten lost, he would be away from home for four to eight weeks at a time.

One thing is for sure, I think that he coined the term, the scenic route.:kissoncheek:

[Big ray]

I have just returned from 3 days in Redditch with my army buddies, we have now been meeting for 52 years, ever since our demob in 1958..... we all had our usual fantastic time discussing all of the things that we got up to 50 odd years ago, I dont think that we would have the energy to get up to much these days. One thing came out of this meeting, I have managed to get the phone No. of one of our group that none of us has seen for the last 52 year..... I am going to surprise him with a call and see if I can get him to the next reunion.

I am reliably informed that he his quite well and fit, so fingers crossed.:kissoncheek:

 

I decided that I should write a letter this year telling my army buddies just how much that they have all meant to me over the years, we do not express our feelings enough, and by the time that we think we should have, its usually too late. Dont keep putting things off until tomorrow, do it today, because if you like it you can always do it again tomorrow.:kissoncheek:

[gritineye]

Dont keep putting things off until tomorrow, do it today, because if you like it you can always do it again tomorrow.:kissoncheek:

 

They're wise words Ray...