somebodys got to keep the chairs warm.

I go wiv wot Jim sez coz hez edumecated he iz.

Translated, Yes I agree with Jim

I seem to remember 70% of REME were based in BAOR in the 60s and 70s

I first went to BAOR as the 11 year old son a soldier. My last official visit to Germany was in 1986, I once worked it out that were only 4 calendar years in between when I did not set foot on German soil

REME had a considerable presence in BAOR. I recalled hearing once of a Cavalry Regiment which was posted into Germany and quickly afterwards had to take part in a parade with tanks driving past. Word had it that the REME with the more experience, were used as the tank drivers, but had to wear the cap badge of the Regiment. Was this one of those old wives tales?

I remember being told that the REME had become bigger than the Royal Artillery. At one time impossible to contemplate, inevitable nontheless.

A Cavalry Regiment allowing REME to drive their vehicles ? Gallahad, file that under "Urban Myth" !

(Have you any idea which Cavalry Regiment would go to BAOR without a few Conversion Courses beforehand ?).

Takes longer to repair them than break em'

Brum,
One of my Cfn in A Sqn Fitters Tp QOH transferred into the Regt and was immediately grabbed by the Sqn Ldr as his driver. Sqn Ldr at the time was Jeremy Phipps, later Brig Special Forces.
Bob

CheersBob.

Did we speak about QOH a while back ?

Brum, Gallahad

Atleast two of the Chieftain MBT , not ARV, of a well known Cavalry Regiment on the Queen's Jubilee Parade at Sennelager were driven by members of the Squadron Fitter Section, sadly wearing their parent Regiment not REME capbadge despite their EME's protests

I watched that parade on TV, sitting in a hospital in Belfast.

I remember we speculated it must've been hell on earth getting that lot set up, what with eveything else that was going on at the time.

What were the circumstances that left a regiment that short of tank drivers ?

Hmmm,

If we are talking about the Queen's jubilee parade at Senne, then I don't recall there being any problems with drivers? And as I worked in AQ Ops we were heavily involved in the planning of it. Doesn't mean there weren't any REME drivers I suppose, I just don't recall it being a problem, maybe it did,'t filter up to Corps level.

Brum,
Yes we spoke briefly. I have happy memories of my short time with the QOH. I was a WO2 when posted to the LAD in April 1971 and should have been employed in HQ LAD, but as the SSgt who should have been running A Sqn Fitters was not up to the job for med reasons, the EME asked me to take over the fitters troop, a job I much prefered. The Sqn Ldr (Mike Meredith) was quite pleased to have a WO2 running his Fitters Tp, the SSM (Pat Clancy) wasn't so sure but after an air clearing session behind closed doors we got on fine. While in NI in spring 72 I was notified that I was being posted as an acting WO1 after the Op Banner tour. The day after we returned to Hohne my Sub WO1 came through and so I remained for another 2 months as a WO1 running a Fitters Tp which seemed to please our new Sqn Ldr - Jeremy Phipps. A short but good tour, I was very impressed by the way the Regt took you into the QOH family. Happy Days

Bob

Jim

No selfrespecting CO was going to admit to his Brigade Commander let alone Comd RAC I (BR) Corps that he had a problem with Drivers, an internal solution was found for an internal problem

Its rather amusing as I, an RAOC driver, was trained up as a class 2 driver, had hyster, JCB RTFL, Volvo LBE, sidestacker, Eager Beaver, Rapier crane and tracked licence and my then REME VM brother in law had HGV 3 bust - In fact, RAOC drivers usually held more licences than their RCT counterparts.

BobG wrote:

Brum,
Yes we spoke briefly. I have happy memories of my short time with the QOH. I was a WO2 when posted to the LAD in April 1971 and should have been employed in HQ LAD, but as the SSgt who should have been running A Sqn Fitters was not up to the job for med reasons, the EME asked me to take over the fitters troop, a job I much prefered. The Sqn Ldr (Mike Meredith) was quite pleased to have a WO2 running his Fitters Tp, the SSM (Pat Clancy) wasn't so sure but after an air clearing session behind closed doors we got on fine. While in NI in spring 72 I was notified that I was being posted as an acting WO1 after the Op Banner tour. The day after we returned to Hohne my Sub WO1 came through and so I remained for another 2 months as a WO1 running a Fitters Tp which seemed to please our new Sqn Ldr - Jeremy Phipps. A short but good tour, I was very impressed by the way the Regt took you into the QOH family. Happy Days

Bob

Ah, got you now Bob. It was the name I'd forgotten. (You probably remember names like Mellor or Tamani).

brum

JPW wrote:

Jim

No selfrespecting CO was going to admit to his Brigade Commander let alone Comd RAC I (BR) Corps that he had a problem with Drivers, an internal solution was found for an internal problem

Oh I'm sure you are right there mate.

Brum,

Yes I remember them, others that spring to mind are Crew, Faux, Bradbury, Keogh to name a few. There is a good A Sqn photo of my time on the QOH website.

http://www.thequeensownhussars.co.uk/images/dm_22.jpg

Bob

Good photo there Bob.

BobG wrote:

Brum,

Yes I remember them, others that spring to mind are Crew, Faux, Bradbury, Keogh to name a few. There is a good A Sqn photo of my time on the QOH website.

http://www.thequeensownhussars.co.uk/images/dm_22.jpg

Bob

I didn't have time to get to know many blokes in "A"Sqn Bob. Faux and Bradbury I recall. I last saw Geordie Keogh in Woolwich around '80, I think his wife was in hospital there.
Remember he had the missing fingers ? Lost them playing with an unexploded fuze, apparently.

brum

(PS, I knew the webmaster of that site too, Dave Inglis).

I last saw Geordie Keogh in 1991, at the time I was commanding the Station Workshop in Hannover. Brian Mellor was QM and asked me to produce regtl signs for a sqn deployment to Cyprus which I was happy to arrange. After they were completed he invited me up to the Regt in Hohne when I arrived Geordie was with him, he had also been commisioned. As you said Geordie had lost two fingers of his right hand and would normally salute with his left unless he was feeling disrespectful in which case he used his right - a ligitimate two fingers. Useful at times, often wished I could have done that to some superiors I met in my service.

Bob

Used to know an Ammo Tech S/Sgt who had lost his ring & little finger in NI, and it looked like a boy scout salute, unless he spread his fingers a little (A nervous reflex he would say)

Later when he made WO1 he had a pair of brown gloves with stiffened fingers made.