Six Months Extra

At the end of NS I was serving (as a regular) in Lemgo with LAD A Sqn 4RTR. I remember that those still serving were told that they would have to serve a further six months. I think it was something to do with an emergency somewhere in the world but can't remember details. Who knows why?

Hi,

I remember this time, NS was 18 months, but changed before early to mid 1950, I joined Oct 1950 and it was 2 years then.

So before your time if you are 68 now!!

Must have been the Korean War, or the Russians were up to something. Could it have been the Berlin Airlift?

They were not a happy lot who had to do the extra six months.

Regards
Tony

Hi Tony, You old sweat I didn't know that. The six months extra that I was refering to was in 1960 when their two years was increased to two and a half. Barney

Barney Hi Was the problem Cuba and Kennady
Regards Eddie

I can remember the 6 months extra for National Service as went in the army on 8 June 1950 done 6 months and they put the 6 months on in October which left me 18 month to do. it was the Korean War why the 6 months was put on. At that time I was in the Royal Norfolk posted in B A O R but brought home to England to go to Korea done the training at Crowburough in Sussex but never went to Korea, Got sent back to B A O R at this time I got transfer to the ESSEX Reg SYD

syd wrote:

I can remember the 6 months extra for National Service as went in the army on 8 June 1950 done 6 months and they put the 6 months on in October which left me 18 month to do. it was the Korean War why the 6 months was put on. At that time I was in the Royal Norfolk posted in B A O R but brought home to England to go to Korea done the training at Crowburough in Sussex but never went to Korea, Got sent back to B A O R at this time I got transfer to the ESSEX Reg SYD

I remember when all demob was suspended in and an extention of six months which included three in the T.Z. reserves in 1947 when the communist coup czechoslovakia took place which made it two and a half years in total. I was with the RASC in Munster Westfalen at the time.

I was posted on detachment for a period in a barracks with the 1st Gordon Highlanders just after that. An appeal for volunteers to go to Malaya to fight an insurection by a guerrilla army had the Jocks queuing round the block.

As a regular soldier I had quite a few NS guys serving with me,and I can only say they were the best,always keeping their de-mob chart up to date,but as that final date got nearer they became increasingly quiet.Many of them,when the time came to say goodbye,admitted they had enjoyed their time with the Regiment.I often think these generations were Britains best,and often wonder if a spell of NS would not be a good thing for most in todays world?
----
Don

Have a look here http://www.36regimentra.org.uk/id817.htm

This is part of the site that Barney indicated

Some of the last Groups of National Servicemen served in 36 Regiment
at Duisburg. The very last one's did not depart until 1962/63. Their
service was extended not long before demob by 6 months to 2 years
and six months by means of a Government announcement. I think
recruitment of regulars had not met expectations.

I was a regular Cpl and so the announcement did not cause me as
much anguish as those lads who were counting the days. One batch
was at Dusseldorf Airport waiting to go home when the announcement
was made. It was said that they had been running down the runway
with their arms extended, under the influence of a good few beers,
in a vain attempt to take off.

One or two were in tears in Glamorgan Barracks and we sympathised
with them. Quite quickly they settled down again and did their extra
time. I cannot imagine how a similar group of young blokes would
react today in similar circumstances.

My dad and his brother were conscripted in 1947, they both joined the RA but shortly afterwards my dad transferred to the fledgling Paras. He must have liked it because he signed on as a regular. His brother (my uncle Pete) stayed in the RA and couldn't wait to leave after his national service, he thought my dad was barking for signing on (and still does) I suppose you either loved it or loathed it.

I SERVED AT KINGSLEY BRKS MINDEN 1962/3 THE EXTRA 6 MONTHS WAS BECAUSE THEY COULDNT GET THE EXTRA MAN POWER QUICK ENOUGH , I ONLY SERVED AN EXTRA 3 MONTHS BUT I NO IDEA WHY ,,CLIVE[/b]

My dad always had good things to say about NS soldiers.

As a regular I joined the regiment a few weeks prior to the announcement that NS were to serve an extra six months.
As sprogs our intake took a lot of flak from the NS as they proudly showed us their Chuff charts indicating the relatively few weeks they had left to serve. So understandably there was a certain amount of shardenfreuder when the announcement came, not to mention the great "wailing and gnashing of teeth" from the NS billets.
Regular recruitment was no where near forecasts despite the "Soldier of the sixties" campaign and most, if not all, units were even then severely understrength. Recruitment went into overdrive at that point but even so when we deployed to BAOR in 61/62 we were little more than 2 company strength. Transformed to Motorised infantry and so few of us almost everyone had a vehicle on their signature. I had two, a pig and a Landrover, one of which had to be declared VOR whenever there was one of those middle of the night general alerts.

I was in the very last intake of NSM in the Royal Armoured Corps, this was intake 60/22 ; 17th Nov 1960. I along with Neil Metcalfe were allocated to the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, our numbers were 23817229 and 23817230. After six weeks basic training which ended 23rd December we were shipped on 30th December vis Harwich and Hook of Holland and train to Athlone barracks as Non Tradesmen as there was a fuel shortage and all tank driver training was suspended. I was married prior to conscription and was deferred as I was a bound apprentice as a Plant and Transport Maintenance Fitter with a Building and civil engineering organisation, and to cap it all my wife gave birth to our first child in 29th Dec , the day before we sailed. (would that be tolerated nowadays) At the time the extension was added to our two years, there was only 1 NS officer and 4 NS oinks, the officer appealed and was let out, I appealed and was refused, so I wrote to my MP who only lived 100 yards from my home and he obtained my release. Technically I was the last NSM in the regiment, as the 5DG returned to England and the other three went to the 3rd Cabiners for their six months.

Norman Hall wrote:

At the time the extension was added to our two years, there was only 1 NS officer and 4 NS oinks, the officer appealed and was let out, I appealed and was refused, so I wrote to my MP who only lived 100 yards from my home and he obtained my release. .

Which only goes to prove Norman, that enlisted personnel are far more valuable then officers.

I'm back on again after a long absence. I hope to be back in on a more regular basis shortly.

Just to start off on the right foot - a question.

Any N.S men out there know of a Keith Bradbury (nickname possibly "Brad"). Believed to have been "somewhere in Germany" around the time of the Cuban Crisis.

There are a couple of photographs, but it is that long since I uploaded anything I might make a cock-up, so bear with me.



Did it (right way round now)

Keith Bradbury is sixth from left in the middle row.

Next question (you are not getting away that easily) - What is the cap badge??

Paul.

hi paul welcome back,you managed to get the photo back to front as well,[check the berrets] never mind nice try,dave. ps can i geuss the kings regt.

Made you look though didn't it

Paul.

hahahahahah...trust an old soldier to spot a detail like berets folding the wrong way! I am a niggler for details and even I missed that one.

Reminds me of my dad...I stopped watching war movies with him because he'd sit there and pick at the details that were wrong. Drove me nuts. LOL

hahahahahah...trust an old soldier to spot a detail like berets folding the wrong way! I am a niggler for details and even I missed that one.

Reminds me of my dad...I stopped watching war movies with him because he'd sit there and pick at the details that were wrong. Drove me nuts. LOL

Have you seen on Youtube the salute scene sequence with Richard Attenborough? It is a classic bit of acting.

Type into Google:

'Salute Scene at Guns of Batasi'

The film has been broadcast quite a few times in the last 3 yrs on various TV channels. I think it is worth watching!

Perhaps Paul inserting the photo backwards has something to do with him 'starting off on the right foot' ...

Len (Ciphers)

I thought those guys in the picture were Frogs

The creases on that guy end right would cut you! Length of them as well??

When, during the autumn of 1961, they slapped another 6 months on to National Service they also announced the recall of reservists. I was about half way through my AER commitment and received a letter from RASC Records that I was on standby for recall and telling me where I should report. Much to my relief, and my employers', it went no further. Infact I don't think anyone was recalled. It would have been an interesting scenario however. The NCOs would not have been dealing with a load of green rookies but a bunch of knowledgeable barrackwise bolshies.