Boy Soldiers

Joined Boys Sqn RE @ Malta Barracks, Aldershot in January 1956 at age 15 and spent 2 years there.

First pay day I rec'd 10/6d the 6d being barrack room damages from the previous term prior my enlistment!

Some 'spiders' still exist and being used by the TA guys

Tomorrow 48 years ago I left home to become a Junior Leader earning 2 pounds 9 shillings and 6 pence a week and only allowed to draw 10 shillings a week...lived in a spider...Jun 81 leaving the army for the second time...living in spider the annex to the Sgts Mess of 38 Engr Regt Deverell Barracks Ripon...still in use today

Yes, there were quite a few ex-brats in 28 (BR) Sigs in BAOR when I was posted there from 16 Sigs. Quite a few had been Junior SNCOs at Debury Camp, and went on to have accelerated promotion to Lance Corporal and Corporal after around 12 to 18 months in Mans Service.

There was a story going round the camp that one Ex-Brat from Denbury who had acheived Junior Leaders rank of Sergeant, refused to take his stripes off when he came into Mans Service and was posted to BAOR. He become quite depressed when he realized that he was just another lowly Signalman, one amongst many in the unit.

Me, well I came into the regulars at the age of 18 because I didn't know what to do with meself. Y'see Daddy had been a Major in World war 2, and Granddaddy had been a Captain in World War One. So I become a lowly Lance Jack first, then a full screw some years later...... it was all so much fun.... at times.

Some of the 'fast tracking' for brats was damned awful.

We had one case of an ex-brat made up to Sergeant from Sapper in little over 12 months. He was only about 19 years old if not even younger.

I am glad I got out not too long after .

Some decisions in the Army seemed straight from the lunatic asylum.

Don't recall any Ex Brats getting any preferential treatment, in fact I think in the Gunners, the reverse was true - it took me 4 years to get my first stripe.

Harrogate techs passed out as lance jacks,Cpl a year later and Sgt after another 4 years.providing they got the qualifications.

Shelldrake wrote:

Don't recall any Ex Brats getting any preferential treatment, in fact I think in the Gunners, the reverse was true - it took me 4 years to get my first stripe.

Seconded.
In my experience RA ex-boys tended to get a lot of flak and soon learned to keep quiet about their origins.
Their style of marching always gave the game away though !

[quote="oldsap"]Joined Boys Sqn RE @ Malta Barracks, Aldershot in January 1956 at age 15 and spent 2 years there.

First pay day I rec'd 10/6d the 6d being barrack room damages from the previous term prior my enlistment!

Aha ! Someone close to my vintage.
I joined JLRRA in '57 aged 16. I got the 10 bob a week too. We had to put some of our pay in POSB and the rest of the princely sum went into credits.
Barrack room damages ? A bleeding rip off !

Hi there,
I wasn't exactly a 'good boy'........took me 7 yrs to get lance jack, 2 more to full screw then 6 to sarge.
Not all junior soldiers excell !! lol
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

Quote :

the rest of the princely sum went into credits

No interest paid..

Knew an RCE type, trade was carpenter. He joined up with his trade qualifications, was an instant Cpl. Was also a hockey player, had a bending the elbow problem to(heavy drinker and caused problems) the Base Commander was a hockey nut. Was a Sgt in two years. Think that was a coincidence. Not likely, incidentaly the Base Commander was RCA so no corp connection.

I joined the Junior Leaders Regiment RAC at Bovington on 15th September 1970 age 15. 42 years ago today in fact. I did 7 terms and loved it. I went back twice as PS. First time on the RP staff, I met my first ex wife on my crew commanders course, and JLR provost was the first Bovington posting I could get. That was 1980/81 so I was there when you passed off Pinkey. That posting was the biggest mistake of my army career though, 2 years away from the regiment and two years lost in regards promotion. That's what happens when your brains are in your trousers I suppose.

Second time was as a Sgt Gunnery instructor 1985/86. I was in fact the very last 1 RTR gunnery instructor at JLR, the gunnery wing closed in 1986.

Seconded.
In my experience RA ex-boys tended to get a lot of flak and soon learned to keep quiet about their origins.
Their style of marching always gave the game away though !
[/quote]



That was because you lot from Bramcote marched with one hand on you hip, a la Dick Emery!!

aghart, I noticed that you served with the MPSC. Did you know Chris Medlicott, D Wing I think?

Hi Aghart,
Of course I don't remember you !! However you might remember this story........
' I was on guard duty but got there late, so I missed the briefing about a security exercise......I'm now on the gate and a car drives in quickly with Ak's out of the windows etc, I reacted by pulling out my Govt .45 replica pistol which I had tucked in my waist band - all hell was let loose as you can imagine'. Minutes later I was in front of RSM Long (RIP) 16/5th L. my replica was confiscated and the RSM screamed and yelled but commented something like this " naughty but nice PINKERTON". 2 extra's later.............
Never did get it back either !!!
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

Shelldrake wrote:

Seconded.
In my experience RA ex-boys tended to get a lot of flak and soon learned to keep quiet about their origins.
Their style of marching always gave the game away though !

That was because you lot from Bramcote marched with one hand on you hip, a la Dick Emery!!

[/quote]

Hereford Sir, Hereford, IF you don't mind . . . !

Are you THAT old?

Pardon ?

[quote="brum"]

oldsap wrote:

Joined Boys Sqn RE @ Malta Barracks, Aldershot in January 1956 at age 15 and spent 2 years there.

First pay day I rec'd 10/6d the 6d being barrack room damages from the previous term prior my enlistment!

Aha ! Someone close to my vintage.
I joined JLRRA in '57 aged 16. I got the 10 bob a week too. We had to put some of our pay in POSB and the rest of the princely sum went into credits.
Barrack room damages ? A bleeding rip off !

Good two years tho, run like a private school with school hols. I was in band and we played all over southern part of England. We did Hastings and Bexhill carnivals and stayed at the Forces Leave Centre in Hastings. Food so much better than in barracks.

Did you 'do' Boys (all regiments) camp at Sandown (on cliffs) in 57 or 58 or both years? Was a gale one year we ended up with some beer in our tent - dunno where booze came from. Another, or perhaps same year, everyone had the trots.

pinky wrote:

Hi there,
Joined Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Armoured Corps in Bovington,Dorset. I was 16 yrs and 3 months old in June 1979.
Passed out (as a junior trooper) in Sep 1980, 15 months of 'mostly' fun !!
Got on a plane and arrived in Hanover, Germany - got on a bus and arrived in Hohne, aged 17 yrs and 6 months......14/20H were pleased to see 8 of from JLRRAC arrive that day and 22 odd yrs later 3 of us left the army, one a cpl, one a WO2 who in 1985 transfered to the QOH (QRH) and me a sgt.
Oh happy days.......'mostly'.
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

Was at Bovington last September for a Drum Head service in the tank park to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the formation of the RE Wing at Bovvy. I was a founder member of the Wing. Wing was set up to train Armoured Engineers - drivers and gunners for 26 Armoured Engineer Squadron

I also served Hohne but in 1959-61 with 26 Armoured Engineer Squadron and 14/20th were also there then

Shelldrake wrote:

I was reading earlier that just ten 16 year olds volunteered for the RAF and RN this year. When I joined Boys Service in 62 we had 4 intakes per annum of around 150 boys, multiply that by however many Boys units there were and it is a pretty impressive figure. What's the matter with todays teens, have they no sense of adventure any more?

There's not many places available for boy army recruits these days think just one unit for whole of army. Doesn't seem to be advertised either

Tony Miller wrote:

I Joined the Army as a boy soldier,15 years old and was at JTR Rhyl. When we arrived at the camp they issued us with our uniforms and packed our civvies into boxes and left them at the QMs stores. After 12 weeks they gave us them back, less those they considered to trendy! The ones we were allowed to keep were listed on a card that had to be shown at the Guardroom prior to leaving camp, we were allowed out only on Sunday afternoons. When we needed new clothes we had to get permission from our OC to draw money from our Credits. We could only buy from one shop in Rhyl which specialized in School clothes. The first time I went to buy some clothes I bought some "trendy" gear from another shop. These were confiscated on return to camp. I was charged and fined £1 = to a weeks pay the rest went in our cedits. From that day on the Army as far as I was concerned was BOLLOCKS. I wanted out. However, I stayed in for 22 years. That another story.

[b]


Hi Tony,have just found this site,am not a computer geek did not know it existed ,just stumbled on to it,I was at jtr Rhyl 67-69,after cam-coy/or known as nigs, new-intake-group,when to asten platoon b.coy,csm had the nickname the shoon,good man old soldier,gave me the nickname,the flanel,because i always came back with some old bullshit,which he new,did 18 years,posted to bunde(Birdseed bks) kown as birdwood bks,then Tunis bks Lubbeke,rct
lights ie staff cars 4 toners and land rovers,some air portable,rare now.finnished in late 71.I did bump into, a major
firbrack rct a few years ago at RPB,I remember him taking all us reprebates on extra drills on friday nights,he was
A coy drill sgt, then if any of us could wangle getting out on a B pass staight to Rhyl dolly hunting,happy days:

Quote :

There's not many places available for boy army recruits these days think just one unit for whole of army. Doesn't seem to be advertised either

Foundation college..Harrogate

oldsap wrote:

pinky wrote:

Hi there,
Joined Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Armoured Corps in Bovington,Dorset. I was 16 yrs and 3 months old in June 1979.
Passed out (as a junior trooper) in Sep 1980, 15 months of 'mostly' fun !!
Got on a plane and arrived in Hanover, Germany - got on a bus and arrived in Hohne, aged 17 yrs and 6 months......14/20H were pleased to see 8 of from JLRRAC arrive that day and 22 odd yrs later 3 of us left the army, one a cpl, one a WO2 who in 1985 transfered to the QOH (QRH) and me a sgt.
Oh happy days.......'mostly'.
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

Was at Bovington last September for a Drum Head service in the tank park to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the formation of the RE Wing at Bovvy. I was a founder member of the Wing. Wing was set up to train Armoured Engineers - drivers and gunners for 26 Armoured Engineer Squadron

I also served Hohne but in 1959-61 with 26 Armoured Engineer Squadron and 14/20th were also there then

I was just a lad at this time, we lived in the MB's right next to the 26 'lines', remember them well. Ian.

Does the Army Apprentice School at Chepstow no longer exist.
My brother went there in 1952 after bashing a corporal while in boys service at Rhyll - couldn't understand why he should jump the dinner queue!
Finest thing that happened to him - finished up WO1 RAMC