Books by ex Squaddies

Gordon. wrote:

The delights of cut and paste Wilf

I'm, not quite sure what you mean? in fact I'm bloody confused... What has cut & paste to do with what I posted?

I think he means that the info he has posted is only as good as what he saw on the web site - so he cut & pasted it for us to see.

[quote="brum"]

jimsigs1 wrote:

BombardierCharles Edwin Stone who won the VC as a Gunner in 'C' Battery, 83rd Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery in March 1918.

In the Central Mess in Woolwich there was a wooden chair with a brass plaque on it that said "Stones chair".

Apparently, every year, on the anniversary of his VC, Stone was taken into the mess, sat in the chair and given a drink.

After he'd finished the drink he was taken out of the mess again !

Should think so too, Bdrs in The Mess, whatever next, Women!!!!!! Harumph.

Jimsigs .......correct

Women........Yes please

jimsigs1 wrote:

No Shelldrake, he is THE Barnes Wallis that you know and love, thats referred in the book. But as Sir Barnes was born in Ripley, Derbyshire I thought perhaps there may be a connection with the Royal Regiment there and sure enough, I found the connection - Bombardier Charles Edwin Stone who won the VC as a Gunner in 'C' Battery, 83rd Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery in March 1918.

I knew there was an Artillery connection somewhere. Seek, and you should find

Now I'm confused

We all are Jim...Only Shelldrake has all the info....BUT he is a gunner

I only happened to mention that I had read an article in the Gunner magazine about Barnes Wallis serving with the RA, unfortunately I binned the mag so can't prove it. We didn't have this furore when Gordon let slip that he served with Susan Boyle when she was a Radio Op in Changi with the WRAC.

Boom Boom..

.No WRAC at Changi only delightful WRAF

SUBO spoke to me once ...My claim to fame..

I've just read his wiki entry and can't find any reference to RA service, not that it means anything being wiki of course.

Nor are you likely to Jim..It was a cover up

Gordon, Think the girl in your Avatar was an assistant of Barnes Wallis, judging by those' bouncing bombs' .!!!

Hmmmm yes ,could be inspiring

Talking of books by ex-squaddies, i think the trilogy in five parts from the great Spike Miligan were a fantastic read and well funny.

If you can tear your eyes away from Gordon's avatar, Mal.

My avatar might look familiar to you ! (spike that is).

It certainly does.
Great books. As were his others, too.
Puckoon was one of his best, i think.

bigmal wrote:

It certainly does.
Great books. As were his other, too.
Puckoon was one of his best, i think.

I'm going back to around '61 with this one !

I was heading for the train at the end of my leave and had nothing to read. In the bookcase I found a book by Spike Milligan.
Sitting on the railway station I was getting all sorts of funny looks because of my muffled sniggering. That was "Puckoon". I lent it to a colleague at work a few years back and the bugger lost it.
Fair do s, he bought me a replacement but it didn't seem the same with a modern cover.

Watch for that ad on the TV. There's a couple throwing salad & stuff around but the accompanying music is an old Goon Show song.

"Balls" said Milligan, "Caw" said the crow

Ah yes, "Puckoon".

I must read that again !

Another good book is entitled 'Aventures of a Royal Signal Despatch Rider' by E.S. Nichoson. Charts the life of a Yorkshire born lad using his childhood talent of motorcycle racing, becomes a stunt rider performing at shows, joins R Sigs on the outbreak of WW2 as a despatch rider, captured in North African and transferred to a prisoner of war camp in Italy etc, etc. A good read whether you are interested in motor cycles or not. Highly recommended.

Not sure if he's an ex-squaddy (but I bet Sheldrake will find some regimental genealogy to make him a Gunner !) but I've just found a book by Max Hastings called "All Hell Let Loose".

Surprisingly, I found it in the cheap book section of our local Tesco.

Max covers the whole of WW2 in one volume, it would take a writer of his stature to manage that ! I turned to the chapter covering the collapse of Germany first, to see if there was mention of troop deployments at the end of the war but all he mentions is the British race to Luebeck to cut Denmark off from the Soviet advance.

He don't mess about, Max, he just tells it like it was. It looks like being a good book !

Quote :

(but I bet Sheldrake will find some regimental genealogy to make him a Gunner !)

Scots Guards and SAS...

[quote="brum"]
Not sure if he's an ex-squaddy (but I bet Sheldrake will find some regimental genealogy to make him a Gunner !) but I've just found a book by Max Hastings called "All Hell Let Loose".



Knew him well, Bdr Hastings, 94 Bty Clerk in 42 Regiment around '65.

My God shelldrake, what on earth are you doing up at 0530 hrs?

Googling Max Hastings.....