Birdwood Barrack, Bunde

Signalling in the British Army remained the responsibility of the Telegraph Battalion Royal Engineers until 1908 when the Royal Engineers Signal Service was formed. This unit provided communications throughout The First World War and it was during this war that motorcycle despatch riders and wireless radio sets were used for the first time. The Royal Corps of Signals nickname ‘Scalie/Scaley backs’ came about during the First World War to. It comes from the battery acid burns that were found on the back of the Engineers who carried the batteries up to the front line trenches for use with the radios that often leaked the acid down their backs. Wireless communications were used in various campaigns including France, Flanders, Salonika, Palestine and Mesopotamia.

Len (Ciphers)

That`s the romantic version..In all probability it was when the corps was formed they went on a (new) pay scale E..Henceforth Scale E became Scaley..Much prefer the romantic version myself

Served in Birdwood 63-68. Mostly on Exercise. Hill 60 stands out!
Had a great gang of guys there. Mess barman went on a binge in town. Got roped into going to 'Madams' ( Knock and a hatch opened). Had to get back early. Very cold morning; hijacked a donkey which threw him in a ditch along the 'flying K'. He was picked up by the RMP LATE in the morning asleep and covered in frost. Hardy lot, used to minus 15-20 on the 'Ridge' lighting burners under the trucks; frozen toothpaste. Happy days. RSM Jack Crich! Joe Morris liney. The late 'topper Brown. Frank Moulton, Gordon Raku. Jim Robinson ( FATSO) Taff Hitchcock, Benny Goodman. Bill Duncan, Bill Mowatt.
The RSM (outgoing) had a parrot. When he left he presented it to the mess. The mess didn't want it because it told stories of out of hous drinking! in between 'Badgemen' they agreed to give it to a bird petshop in Bunde. The guy was most taken as it was an African Grey. He locked up that evening with a smile on his face, no doubt thinking of the profit to be made from an English speaking parrot.
When he opened up next morning his shop was full of feathers. All his canaries, zebra finches and budgies were naked! The African grey was sat on its perch. with another perch under its wing; saying' When I say shirtsleeve order I mean shirtsleeve order'
Trying to upload a pic of the Sgts mess in 63 but cant seem to get it right. Have to ask the parrot.
JR

Hi ebocrew Thanks for the memories. B Tp 2 Sqdn. Topper and Frank were my Tp Sgts. Was RSM Jack Crich the guy with one eye ?

Hi there Dulaigh, glad to be of assistance! Yep Topper and Frank were great pals of mine and my good lady CO! Jack Crich is the man with one eye. Drove a renault Gordini! at mad speed on the flying K! Sadly Topper (1980s) and Frank ( SAS from 65) are no longer with us. Frank died last Month in Hereford. A few of us went down; good sendoff. Did you know Nick Nicoll in 249?

JR

Hi Ebocrew...Sorry to hear Frank's passing. Not surprised about Topper. They had put a lot into their life-spans. Excellent guys for social and the job. Of course they had been thrown out of various military establishments. Ho Ho Ho. I remember them going to Belgium for Amstel fueled weekends. Yes I recall the name Nick Nicoll in 249 but cannot place.