national service

I was in the army attached to the RAF in Germany in late 1950s. A statement, normally shouted in a bar, always likely to cause a reaction was 'National Servicemen make the best tradesmen!'

AH!! but you were speaking of RAF ...

Len (Ciphers)

Quite right Brian,we were the best,after all we had to be able to read and write,even if we could'nt spell.

Alan ex LAC 1952-1954

Chemist wrote:

Quite right Brian,we were the best,after all we had to be able to read and write,even if we could'nt spell.

Alan ex LAC 1952-1954

You didn't go through the dreaded West Kirby did you Alan? Not far from me and the history of the place fascinates me because it is just farmers fields now.

Obviously far too young (ahem) to have been involved in national service myself but have read a lot about it and thought to myself that it must have been "orrible". Having said that, I would love to see some of the scrotes doing similar these days.

Yes,but for the full two years..Not a couple of weeks for a stupid TV programme.

Teabag wrote:

Chemist wrote:

Quite right Brian,we were the best,after all we had to be able to read and write,even if we could'nt spell.

Alan ex LAC 1952-1954

You didn't go through the dreaded West Kirby did you Alan? Not far from me and the history of the place fascinates me because it is just farmers fields now.

Obviously far too young (ahem) to have been involved in national service myself but have read a lot about it and thought to myself that it must have been "orrible". Having said that, I would love to see some of the scrotes doing similar these days.

No I missed West Kirby but most of my postings have gone or worse taken over by the "brown jobs".Finished up at Waterbeach-now RLC Ithink, and they took RAF Abingdon where I lived as a lad BEFORE THE WAR (WW2) Alan

I agree with Gordan some of the unwashed could do with 2 years NS, It did me no harm as the start of 35 years service in the RAMC 1958 -1991 starting in Prestatyn Barracks Osnabruck,in fact the guys I met then we still have a reunion every year, so if there is any out there who were in 7 Fld Amb at that time lets hear from you.
Brian

National Service was OK in it's day, but these days all the services will be too busy to sort out the casualties of broken Britain. Today's military is a very different beast; more complex, more technical and altogether more sophisticated. I imagine today's serviceman or woman would rather have someone they could trust covering their back.

I agree that it's probably not workable, but it would be nice to see some sort of NS though, because they do need sorting out

The old training camp in the middle of Salisbury Plain is still there it would give the unwashed a good bit of fresh air and I am sure some of the older end of the services would like to teach them drill ,disapline and in most cases maners, that way they could do Natianol service with out hindering the lads and lasses that are regulars.

Brian

That camp you're talking about Brian, perhaps it's the village of Imber, where the
Infantry practice house to house fighting.

There's lots of houses for the Shite to live in.

The Infantry need not be discomfited, they could carry on as usual.

brum wrote:

That camp you're talking about Brian, perhaps it's the village of Imber, where the
Infantry practice house to house fighting.

There's lots of houses for the Shite to live in.

The Infantry need not be discomfited, they could carry on as usual.

With a magazine of 20 rounds, load!

I felt sorry for the NS and often spent my money on them having a good Sat night in Mulheim,I am trying to convince my PM to plant trees to absorb carbon,using the unemployed, putting them into units called 'In The Service of Our Nation" for a year and under Mil Law. We have lots of room in Australia and would resolve many problems

qmauri wrote:

I felt sorry for the NS and often spent my money on them having a good Sat night in Mulheim,I am trying to convince my PM to plant trees to absorb carbon,using the unemployed, putting them into units called 'In The Service of Our Nation" for a year and under Mil Law. We have lots of room in Australia and would resolve many problems

What's this /

Are you advocating sending ne'er do wells to Australia ?

I think that's been tried before mate !

Guest wrote:

Quite right Brian,we were the best,after all we had to be able to read and write,even if we could'nt spell.

Alan ex LAC 1952-1954

OI Alan GUEST..RAF types on here, well I never, the brylcreem boys.

brum wrote:

qmauri wrote:

I felt sorry for the NS and often spent my money on them having a good Sat night in Mulheim,I am trying to convince my PM to plant trees to absorb carbon,using the unemployed, putting them into units called 'In The Service of Our Nation" for a year and under Mil Law. We have lots of room in Australia and would resolve many problems

What's this /

Are you advocating sending ne'er do wells to Australia ?

I think that's been tried before mate !

Indeed, I was transported to the 'Colonies' in 1966.

[What's this /

Are you advocating sending ne'er do wells to Australia ?

I think that's been tried before mate ! [/quote]


Then they came back and beat us at cricket!

brum wrote:

qmauri wrote:

I felt sorry for the NS and often spent my money on them having a good Sat night in Mulheim,I am trying to convince my PM to plant trees to absorb carbon,using the unemployed, putting them into units called 'In The Service of Our Nation" for a year and under Mil Law. We have lots of room in Australia and would resolve many problems

What's this /

Are you advocating sending ne'er do wells to Australia ?

I think that's been tried before mate !

They've just sent one back haven't they? Some nasty piece of work who has lived there for years but never became a citizen. Looking at the amount of foreigners robbing us blind, it's a pity we can't do the same and send them home. Oh forgot, they are in the EU aren't they?

Not all of them are in the EU, Teabag. As for the rest, we would be "Violating their Human Rights"!!

So if the UK brouht back National Service, you could conscript all these 'Eastern Europeans' now resident in the UK a multi national British Army, I like it. Imagine the ACC having to cook all those delicacies for the Easter Europeans, Roll Mop Herrings and red cabbage with Chips.

I don`t think there would be many Eastern Europeans left in the UK if conscription was brought back

Les, we already have a UK Multi National British Army. With Iraq and Afghanistan we have been recruiting from the "Foreign and Commonwealth", surprised you haven't received a Brown Envelope yet!

Colonel Shelldrake, no brown envelope with call up for me. Not long after arriving in the Colonies I joined the Australian Army Reserve, 1967-1973 did 6 years with the Provosts, plus 35 years as a copper here, 1967 - 2003.

Plus my boy service at AAS Chepstow, done enough I think.

Stick some of those new Britons in Khaki, SIR !

Fair do's! We'll put you down as First Reserve for Libya!

Shelldrake wrote:

Fair do's! We'll put you down as First Reserve for Libya!

No Ta Colonel, ball boy will do me, or perhaps linesman. I wore a uniform both khaki and blue, from 15 years old to 55 year old, plus I lived in Army married quarters as an 'Army Kid' from 1948 to 1961 and barracks 63-66. let me retire in peace sir.