Queens Royal Irish Hussars, Wolfenbüttel 1964-68

Dan M wrote:

BobG wrote:

I left the Regt after A Sqn Op Banner tour on promotion to ASM

Bob,

What is an ASM?

Cheers,
Dan.

Artificer Sergeant Major.

Dan I should have used the full rank - WO1 (ASM). Hussar 100 has given the meaning of ASM, it is a rank/appointment in REME.

Dan,

Does ASM mean Army Sergeant Major. In the Brit Army it could mean Academy Sgt-Major, Articifer Sgt-Major.

Jimsigs

jimsigs1 wrote:

Dan,

Does ASM mean Army Sergeant Major. In the Brit Army it could mean Academy Sgt-Major, Articifer Sgt-Major.

Jimsigs

Jim, have you been to Specsavers recently?   

Got me wires crossed folks. I know that an ASM is a REME WO1 but I somehow was looking at Dan M's question when he asked 'what is an ASM' and I thought since Dan was in the Canadian Regiment, they have an Army Sergeant Major.
I will now go into the ' silly corner' for 5 minutes. Must be all the wheetabix I eat
Jimsigs

jimsigs1 wrote:

Got me wires crossed folks. I know that an ASM is a REME WO1 but I somehow was looking at Dan M's question when he asked 'what is an ASM' and I thought since Dan was in the Canadian Regiment, they have an Army Sergeant Major.
I will now go into the ' silly corner' for 5 minutes. Must be all the wheetabix I eat
Jimsigs

Try cutting it down gradually.

I now know the feeling Hussar100. Just like a Hussar without his horse, but gradually getting used to it. (laughing in my cupped hands)

jimsigs1 wrote:

Never had any problems with the rank & file treating young officers in such a way during my service. In point of fact, by giving them utter respect in accordance with the traditions of the Army etc, you would reap the benefit in later years as that young officer could and in my case did become my future CO. In fact one young officer straight out of Sandhurst became a Brigadier in later years, and in fact was a one time Commandant of the Army Apprentice College Harrogate. His name Bill backhouse. Terrific officer.
Jimsigs

Totally agree though in my expierience the young orficer was normally guided/nurtured/bollocked by his Tp Sgt! If I came across a nots so good Capt/Maj I would try and find out who there Tp Sgt was when they were a young subaltern, chances were he was crap!  

Totally agree Soprano54,
You only reap what you have sown

Jimsigs

To complete circle, the correct abbreviation for Academy Sergeant Major at Sandhurst is AcSM

Just to bring up the rear and concluding my gaff on Army Sergeant Major, The good old
Yanks have one.
Here's the insignia :



and here is the bloke :




SMA Raymond Chandler, position held since Sept 2011

Some amazing history and material here, since I created the thread about 7 years ago! Thanks for all the many contributions, up till a couple of years ago... seems the well has run dry since. A lot of material about more recent times, including the amalgamation into QRH, still interested in anything from the 1960s but I guess chances of that are fading as more of the members from that era pass on (my Dad left us in 1992, would have been 96 by now if still here).

I do know that several members of the regiment from the 1960s came to Western Australia upon retirement; in addition to my father Sgt David William Sheldrick there was certainly RSM Bill Holberton, and at least one other whose name escapes me now.

Welcome back

Your father was not the only member of the 8th Hussars/QRIH to emigrate to Australia. I know of another person who moved to the Adelaide area at the same time of your father

I too was in Wolfenbuttel living in Am Atsumerbush around the same time ...My father was RSM ...we also left Ipoh Malaysia to go to Wolfenbuttel then left in 1967 to go to Tidworth UK for 14 months before we all emigrated to Australia.....i went to the same school...i remember the guy who ran the movie theatre at barracks lived directly opposite us...i remember the forest there was supposed to be a boogey man and i was forbidden to go in there...i know kids used to toboggan down an old bomb ditch in middle of woods....we used to snow skate in winter as well as ski down the hill to officers quarters and roller skate in summer.....i remember going christmas carolling around the houses collecting for the orphanage on christmas eve...in the grid our house was the corner one that faced the first row of middle houses.....we backed onto woods and if i remember there was a german guest house through the woods......there were german flats on the right at end of our block and i was very good friends with a girl called Dagmar Ottilige

Have just worked out thats you Ian Sheldrick.....this is Pene Holberton....the other family you mentioned would be Alan and Carole Hawkesbee whom im still in contack with and also David Nunn lives here in perth too
Reading your post gave me a wonderful feeling of nostalgic memories

QRH Athlone Bks Sennelager Jan 2011

https://www1.wdr.de/video-britische-traditionen-100.html

I was posted to QRIH @ Wolfenbuttel in mid 67 A’s REMEMBER airtech straight from training to air troop under command of Cpt Philip de Clermont, with Lts Daniels, Ian Weston( General Weston’s son) Sgts Roy Hull & Lance Andrews. We went straight into exercise Rob Roy, I was clueless. My personal weapon was the SLR which was a real faff when climbing over helicopter for servicing. Absolutely wonderful regiment to work with. There was definitely a family feeling. As attached personnel we remained when QRIH rotated back to UK in 68. They were replaced by 5RTR & we were made up to air Sqn with extra helicopter. Common sense appeared to prevail here as personal weapon became Stirling smg., a little more practical! Maj. Goble Cpt Ross Mallock Roy Hull, Andy Andrews were some of the pilots. Attached personnel were on fringe. Interesting times!, launching helos on Sunday to find a familiarisation patrol lost in 100 yds into woods on other side of town, another lost vehicle @ village of umleitung!(“diversion” for non German speakers). Saracen “ escaped” thro perimeter fence one sat evening managed to get 19 miles away! The lads were castigated for enjoying a parade rehearsal from the vantage point on top of the air Sqn hangar. One morning on Cambrai day the band struck up outside our upstairs barrack block. A well placed thunder flash ruined their tempo, but unfortunately they regrouped and filed past down the corridor past our bunk door. Whilst here I found a big omission in my military education - I was made guard commander for Cambrai day having never been part of the guard never mind commander. Any way I was obliged to put a fire picket member on a charge. I needed to consult his Sqn orderly to fill in charge sheet as I’d never seen one. Strangely I was thanked by orderly as they had been trying to catch him for some time. All this came to an end courtesy of Labour gov & Harold Wilson’s budget cuts. He cut the helicopter establishment by half. With personnel already trained or in training volunteers were required for redundancy. Enough for now

QRIH formed from 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars and 4th Queen's Own Hussar at Bergen Hohne in October 1958,
The Duke of Edinburgh took the salute October 24 at a parade at Bergen Hohne , near Hanover, Germany, to mark the amalgamation of two regiments - and was a frequent visitor ever after.

https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/256191/