Question for the "siggy`s"

Do any of you happen to have a copy of the "Blue Book" 61 70??

Gordon. wrote:

Do any of you happen to have a copy of the "Blue Book" 61 70??

Got some blue movies!!

Twos up!!

Quote :

Got some blue movies!!

Anyone from the blue book in them?

Shelldrake wrote:

Twos up!!

Does anybody bother these days with all that free stuff on the interweb? Well someone told me that was the case!

WHAT! It's been costing me a fortune.

Shelldrake wrote:

WHAT! It's been costing me a fortune.

I'll show you some, just pm your bank details.

Teabag wrote:

Shelldrake wrote:

WHAT! It's been costing me a fortune.

I'll show you some, just pm your bank details.

You must think I came up the Clyde on a skateboard - I've been caught out like that several times before!

Quote :

You must think I came up the Clyde on a skateboard

That`s a new twist to a popular statement..Me auld maw used to say banana boat.

Hi Gordon,

I am looking at Blue Book years 1957, 1961 & 1965

Jimsigs1

Hi Jim

I am looking to see what happened to S/Sgt & WO Techs..There must have been a few around when the rosters changed 61/62.What roster did they go onto.I`m certain that in 65 the highest tech rank was Sgt,and to advance one had to go F of S Your blue books might shed some light.

Hi Gordon,

Found two more editions of Blue book - 1958 & 1963. Anyway the latest version which I have - 1965 still shows a Technicians Roster going from WO1 down to Cpl. So I don't know when that roll ceased.
On another similar case, I remember a Sgt we had when I was in Korea 1954 who was a Vehicle Mechanic in Royal Signals. He would not go over to REME and that seemed to be the case with these Technicians. They either could not or would not move from that roll and presumably marked time on that roster. The only real way out was to sit their Foreman's Exams etc.
I remember having to make a choice myself in the 1960's. When I was promoted SSgt, I had the option of going onto the Regimental Duties Roster (which I did) or sit the exam and go onto the Yeomans Roster. I understand that now the Regimental Duties Roster starts at WOII.

Jimsigs1

Jimsigs1

Thanks Jim..I knew there must have been some around,i just didn`t come across any and wondered what had happened, and i couldn`t remember if they were in the blue book or not..

Gordon,

What was your interest for Techs in the Blue Book ? Were you a tech

For those who are not Siggys, the blue Book was an annual rank list of all WO1's down to Cpl, in seniority order divided into the different trade rosters. Boring, Boring, but a lot of WO's, S'NCOs & Cpls would eagerly await the annual publication of this little booklet to see where they were in relation to others of perhaps the same trade or rank. They would calculate how long it would take to get to the next rank, always dependant that they HAD been recommended anyway.
Looking back on this custom, it seems so trivial now but then OH DEAR !!!

Iexpect other Corps etc perhaps had a similar book.

Jimsigs

Yes Jim I was a tech and had Gill Sharp as F of S at 7 Sigs..happiest day of my life was when he got posted out..

Hi Gordon,

I remember Gill Sharp very well. He lived around the corner from me in married quarters. My place was in Birken Strasse. He had if I remember a mini estate which he and his wife used to go shopping. They wern't exactly small so sat shoulder to shoulder in this small car.
I remember he had a hell of an argument with RSM Jack Gerrard over the installation of a juke box in the Sgt's mess.
Our FOS in 1 Sqn was WOII Ashton. Memories, Memories

Jimsigs1

You are right about the car and the size of the occupants.Jim.I heard about the argument with the RSM but that was only one of many,Oh Did you get a juke box?.
Not a very popular person and how he managed to get his commission is beyond me.
Last time i saw him was at "the school" on the very day i was leaving.

Can't remember whether we got the juke box or not. I have a picture of the WO's & Sgt's mess somewhere which amongst others shows digger the mess dog. My boss when I was working in the QM's dept was RQMS Kennedy. The QM was Fred Pavey. SSM HQ Sqn was Eddie Holness. There was a SSgt (SQMS) in the Lineman Sqn (2 Sqn) called Ron Knight. Later got commissioned and finish a Lt-Col.
A damn good Regiment and I enjoyed myself during my 4 year stint. Also liked Herford.
Went back there sometime in the 1980's when my Son was also in 7 Sigs. He had a married quarter just outside Bad Oeynhausen - 4 blocks of flats owned by some rich German.
The town hadn't changed much and the family's NAAFI Shop was still there etc.

Jimsigs

Eddie Holness took over SSM 5 Sqdn from Titch Cardinal when he got bust to S/Sgt..
Ron Knight ran my MPC 2,He was a stickler for the book but very fair.He later went to Gan and i met up with him in Changi when he was on R & R..
He made an excellent orderly Sgt if you caught orderly Cpl on a pay night.and pulled the short straw and got the naafi to clear out.

Don't remember Cardinal, perhaps that was after my time (I left in 1966 for Singapore - 249 Sqn) Our SSM in 1 Sqn was Tom Joyce - went on to become an RSM and left the service to emigrate down under. Got promoted to SSgt in 1965 and was Tp SSgt of 'S' Troop in 1 Sqn. Mo Crabtree was my second Tp Sgt. You know of course his brother was RSM - didn't get on with him.

Jimsigs1

Cardinal left after CM late 63.Went to 19 Sigs as SQMS,was still there when i arrived Dec 65.
Tom Joyce i remember well.
Did anyone get on with Alan Crabtree???

Ah, thats the reason I didn't know him as I was still with 206 Sig Sqn Munster in 1963, coming over to 7 Sigs sometime in that year.
Remember my first Orderly Sgt duty, woke in the middle of the night to the roaring of a lion or something similar. Didn't know that there was a zoo next door.

Jimsigs1

That Zoo caused a few mythes to do the rounds....Never did see an animal on the square as reported time and again through the ages

Gordon,

One of my Harrogate chums from my intake lives in Herford and reports that the zoo is thriving and quite an attraction. Of course you know that most of 7 Sigs has gone to be replaced by houses etc.
One of these days I wouldn't mind going back to have a nostalgic look at some of the old haunts.

Jimsigs1

Get a room you two!