Would You Join the Army again?

I think that the yoof of today are a lot more sophisticated and cosmopolitan than we were gingerjim. Thanks to the Internet and media coverage of just about everything they wouldn't fall for all that bluster and bluff. When I joined the Army in '62 I remember I had absolutely no knowledge of anywhere over a 50 mile radius of Glasgow, I recall listening to a myriad of accents on my first few days and not having a clue as to what they were saying. We had a few lads from Eire, I thought that they were from the US of A, that's how naive I was!!

Shelldrake wrote:

I think that the yoof of today are a lot more sophisticated and cosmopolitan than we were gingerjim. Thanks to the Internet and media coverage of just about everything they wouldn't fall for all that bluster and bluff. When I joined the Army in '62 I remember I had absolutely no knowledge of anywhere over a 50 mile radius of Glasgow, I recall listening to a myriad of accents on my first few days and not having a clue as to what they were saying. We had a few lads from Eire, I thought that they were from the US of A, that's how naive I was!!

Aye ?

I wonder what the hell they made of YOUR accent ?

Haudoanaminit.

Brum,Like you,I came from the Glesga area and went doon oana train tae London that took 13 hours it must have stopped at every station that it could.I was destined for Aldershot and depot Para & Airborne Forces at Maida Bks.Greeting by a Para, Hi Jock welcome to hardship now get on the f***ing truck.Up to the camp and into the cookhouse for a meal, well ah wis starvin as a didnae huv oanythin since ma maw gave me a wee piece (sandwich for you English) the previous night.I did not get off the train at Crewe as I thought I would be left behind.Produced the paperwork given to me by the recruiting office.Then off to the QM's for bedding etc.Those strange English voices I could not understand a word of the Yorkies, Geordies, Scousers,and most of all Landeners,A couple of Jocks as weel so I was not isolated.I could understand the Irish lads as my family had Irish connections.Formed up as a platoon with and English snob for a platoon commander a right little f***ing git he was to.A Jock pln sgt,two Jock pln cpl's,plus two English cpl's.I did not know if I was coming or going for about a few weeks until I found my feet and breath.Great time though,a great bunch of lads.I must say the Londoners in the pln took me home to meet their families as I was unable to go up to God's country until we got some leave.Those Londoners did themselves proud, very hospitable indeed and their families were lovely but I was finding it hard to understand them at first as they were about me.So if yir oot rerr boeys thanks.

rucjock21 wrote:

Brum,Like you,I came from the Glesga area .

Oh dear, you've upset him now rucjock! It's me fae Glesga.

See what I mean folks ye cannie unnerstaun some folk.

Oh great promotion. Noo staun by yir beds.

rucjock21 wrote:

See what I mean folks ye cannie unnerstaun some folk.

rucjock21 wrote:

Brum,Like you,I came from the Glesga area

i had a jock mate in basic training , just for a laugh i went to his home in glasgow for a 48 hour pass . the gorbles he lived in . we visited all his aunts and uncles , grandparents , and his muckers , i had bloody whisky coming out of me earholes . pd as a newt for the entire weekend but what a laugh , this was in 56 , i hear the gorbles no longer exist, . ginger

When I look back at my youth, and the sheltered upbringing that I had, I am still quite surprised just how ignorant, how naive I was way back in the 1960s. It really was a cultural shock during basic training. It was not so strange in being in an 8 man barrack room, or with a load of other geezers. As a youngster, I had been sent to a boarding school in Scotland, so being with loads of other people was so strange.

Where my naevity showed up was the Street Cred of those from working class backgrounds. I did have some knowledge of the 'Birds & Bees'.... but the language used in basic training was cerainly stuff I had never heard before. The four letter Anglo-Saxon descriptions of peoples ancestry and abilities was, to say the elast, quite shocking to my delicate ears.

Iw as also very naive when some of talking to toerh alds about one's abckground etc. To be asked if I had... "Dipped my wick?", or "Gotten a leg over?" or "Slipped your girl friend a length....?" and so it went on. Of course, me, trying not to sound a Mammy's Boy, or ignorant of the facts of life. I would say "Yes!" without really understand what was being said. But I was soon upd-to-speed on the finer points of the sex life of a squaddie.

It was the drink that got to me as well. It was the Yorhsire ales served in some of the Pubs around Catterick Garrison and in Richmond. In the NAAFI I was introduced to Watneys Red Barrel. Even now, many eyars on, I still think Red Barrel was a crap beer compared with some of the German Beers that I quickly got aquainted with months later in Germany.

I certainly had to grow up very fast during absic training, and those months afterwards during Trade Training. I suppose if i ahdn't joined the Forces, I still would be fumbling around in how to "Slip girlfrind a length!"

It made a man of me, ... it surely did!!

Gingerjim the Gorbals will always be there but the old slums have all gone and new buildings have been built.I'm sure that there are still some of the original families are still living there.
With regards to hospitality anyone and everyone will be made most welcome anytime to God's favourite country.The people of Glasgow have been known to be the friendliest in the world.Violence is no more than the average city in the UK.If you bring a boattle as they say up here, you certainly will make many friends I'm sure.

Would I? Darn right. Places, people, incidents and just down right interesting. Only change I would have is to go directly into my trade instead of dipping dooly around in a trade I really wasn't suited for. Still all in all it was good. BUT do I miss it? Not really. They did come and ask me in my last month of rehab leave if I would reconsider staying in. Which I never expected to be one who would be asked. So I must have been doing something right in the army. It was a 3 hour drive up to where I was working from Winnipeg to Dauphin to ask me personally, no phone calls or letters, but the personal touch. Kind of nice to know I was missed a little bit. So once a year I attend Nov 11 memorial service, remember those that went on before me at too young an age, and enjoy seeing and hearing the brass band, the pipe band and bugle band. I do love to WATCH a parade.

I once went home on leave with a mate to Glasgow, he lived in a place called Cranhill. I had never heard of it before, but I'll never forget it. The hatred between Rangers and Celtic was incredible. Jimmy said to me 'in this pub you're a Rangers fan OK, don't ever mention the papish bastards'unless you spit on the floor! I have absolutely no doubt I would have been knifed just for being a stranger had I not been with Jimmy. To be honest, not a place I would choose to visit again.

rucjock21 wrote:

See what I mean folks ye cannie unnerstaun some folk.

My brother was posted to 12 Armd Wksp in Osnabruck and I was up the road at Soltau so me and a mate decided to drive down to the Traz to see little bro. Having never been to Osnabruck before we pulled into the the first barracks we saw to ask for directions which happened to be Quebec barracks (About ten years later I was posted there but thats another story) I got out of the car and approached the guardroom, I asked at the 'hatch' for directions to 12 Armd Wksp, there was some intense discussion from within. After a minute or so the provo Sgt called me into the guard room, he pointed to a spot on a large map of Osnabruck growling and grunting at me, I assumed he was pointing out 12 Armd Wksp but for the life of me I couldn't understand a word he said. I thanked him and quickly left, when I got in the car my mate said where to, I said fek knows just drive!

That was my first and only encounter with 1st KOSB. In later years I was posted to Quebec barracks attatched to 23 Engr Regt.

Wilf wrote:

I once went home on leave with a mate to Glasgow, he lived in a place called Cranhill. I had never heard of it before, but I'll never forget it. The hatred between Rangers and Celtic was incredible. Jimmy said to me 'in this pub you're a Rangers fan OK, don't ever mention the papish bastards'unless you spit on the floor! I have absolutely no doubt I would have been knifed just for being a stranger had I not been with Jimmy. To be honest, not a place I would choose to visit again.

Cranhill, twinned with Nitshill! Lovely place for cocktails of an evening.

Put the shoe on the other foot ... I'm a 'swede basher' from Hampshire, way back when I joined the mob my accent was atrocious .. sounded like Wurzel Gumage (I've improved since then but still have a distinct accent) .. well we were on our way to Korea on the MS Devonshire, I was Troop Deck Sgt and had a draft of Argyles as part of F4 deck .. every day there was a ship's inspection .. all troops were assembled at boat stations while the ship was inspected .. our station was directly behind the funnel and we got a daily dose of diesel fumes from the engines. To keep the 'troops' employed foot drill was the order of the day, there was one young Argyle, green with seasickness, even greener with diesel fumes who just could not get into the drill - 'what's the problem Jock can't you understand English' I asked -- Aye corpral I con unnerstan English, but I can nae unnerstan you ... so its just not the Jock's.

Len (Ciphers)

Quote :

The people of Glasgow have been known to be the friendliest in the world.

Only by the weegies themselves.

Cranhill, Nitshill, Castlemilk,Possilpark,Easterhouse, Springburn,Calton and other refined area's of Glesga.Just remember to bring your stab proof jackets and leave any valuables in a place of security.Just kid on you are dumb and don't speak you should be alright.

Worked with fella from the Gorbals in Stony Mt. Prison. Best back up a fella could have. If you got hurt in the push and shove , it was probably by him, as he got you out of the way to get into the action. Had an incident once, where he arrived on the scene just when it was winding down. His face just dropped in disappointment on seeing all was in hand. He's a supervisor now at airport security, a fella who knows his job and doesn't see it as being some power seeking a**hole just off the last plane from Islamabahd.

Knowing what I know now, I'd have joined the RAF. When I joined the Army I did not really know what I wanted to do. Don't get me wrong the life was great and did lots of stuff but once I got the hang of the system and what you could be and what you could do with it I realised I was in the wrong mob.

LIKE A FLASH..!!!!!!

Let us be honest with ourselves, of course we would do it all again BUT not in this modern day army.They are doing a good job but so did we way back in the 50,s and 60,s.DEFINATELY NO REGRETS.

I would join again in a heartbeat, however, with two rules. Take lots more photos and put the details on the back. Must be the same times - 70 and early 80's. Fabulous times and loads of fun with occasional work thrown in!! And maybe a third that I would want to be in the unit I was in at Sennelager all the time.

more fun when the army was the army, i cant imagine parading with women . put them back in the wrac , and make the squaddies wear battledress once more , ginger