Drill Book

Hardrations mentioned painting stones white....I'd totally forgot about that but, yeah. Go into any camp (and here I am thinking primarily of the Deilinghofen camps under the Canadians) and all the stones along the walkways or leading up to the Messes or what-have-you were painted white. I must say, it did look good. As for saluting them....never heard that one!

Of course the poor jerk who got to paint the rocks was the same poor jerk who had managed to get himself busted about something so, I'm guessing, he was put to work painting rocks instead of lolling around on his cot. Beat peeling a 3 foot high stack of potatoes on KP, I suppose.

Now that reminds me, when I was a kid and visited the barracks there were huge piles of coke, perfectly smooth in a sort of flat topped pyramid with the edge lines painted white. Looking back now I wonder to myself, how did they do that?

steve wrote:

Hi Mike
Not too many of us around from this era did you do your MPC 2 at Verden?
Cheers
Steve

Happily not Steve, although I did witness some of them whilst there. Luckily I had passed MPC2 at Harrogate, and by the time I was due to do MPC1 they had changed the rules so that for promotion to Sgt you had to pass the Det Cmdrs course and you were exempt if you had MPC2.

In all, a good result as far as military BS goes.

Mike

jim wrote:

Now that reminds me, when I was a kid and visited the barracks there were huge piles of coke, perfectly smooth in a sort of flat topped pyramid with the edge lines painted white. Looking back now I wonder to myself, how did they do that?

My guess is that a Provost Sgt with a pace stick came into the equation somewhere.

Mike

LOL

I'm sure you are right there Mike. but the skill to make them so perfect, must have taken hours and hours. Poor Bloody Infantry indeed.

Claymore wrote:

It's a fact... the Sigs are/were very regimental and would flatter themselves that they are second only to the Guards on the square.

This is so very true.I was attached to the Coldstream Guards, and while on exercise at Vogelsang, we saw this lot formed up on parade, and the Guardsmen were enquiring who this bulls**ting mob was. Even the X Registered vehicles were spotless.
But I also recalled once when the Grenadiers were on their way back to UK(to be replaced by the Coldstreams) there was a rehearsal for their farewell parade,which included the attached personnel. The LAD was allowed to marched off first ,as we had a fairly heavy work schedule. As we marched off the square the Grenadier RSM went loopy. "Look at that lot!", he bellowed to the Grens,"they are only bloody mechanics,when you can march like them, I'll let you off this bleeding parade square." The Grens spent another two hours on the square.

LOL, I can just imagine that scene Gallahad. Thank God I was never involved in any bullshit, well apart from the CCF that is.

We had a taste of Guards drill once.
Stationed in Colchester we were in the Course season when Churchill died. All training was cancelled and we were warned to be ready for the funeral parade.
Few units knew the drill for Lining a Route, or Resting on Arms, Reversed so prior to us taking part in the funeral a Guards WO2 was despatched to us from the MCTC - "Colly Nick."
We were lined up on the square when this giant appeared. He stood in front of us, opened his mouth and bellowed "PAY ATTENTION TO MY WORD OF COMMAND" ! I swear we were rocked back on our heels by the blast ! (We paid attention).

jim wrote:

LOL, I can just imagine that scene Gallahad. Thank God I was never involved in any bullshit, well apart from the CCF that is.

DEME, was paying a visit to our (Coldstream Guards) LAD in Muenster. We we outside doing the proverbial, "If it moves salute it, if it stands still paint it white," when guardsmen walk past and remarked, " and you call us bullshiters?"

I was posted into the Light Infantry in Lemgo, from a REME aircraft workshop ,and was wearing the Air Corps Powder Puff beret. The first morning there, I was on parade with the complete battalion ,and when the order was given to fall out, while standing at ease, all eyes were on the new boy, as I was still standing there on the parade square, while the others were marching away.

On a Major-Generals parade with the Grens in Munster,the LAD was formed up at the front. A Drill Sgt, around 7' and an officer were marching up and down,doing what they call perambulating, in front of us. We could not resist eye-ing the spectacle.
The Drill Sgt,Bunny Whitehead, I believe his name was, came over to us and shouted. " Stop bloody well looking at me! I don't tell you how to use your f***ing spanners!."

LOL Gallahad, same happened to me. My first posting was at HQ west Midland District in Shrewsbury, I was accommodated on copthorne Bks. Not knowing any better when I was told to put on uniform and attend the morning muster parade, what a laugh that was. Last one I did though, the Super Clerk, a conductor told the RSM that I didn't do parades or wear uniform unless he wanted me to.

At times, in the interest of discipline I daresay, we would be sentenced to a period of drill on the square.
If the bloke taking us was a bit of a Merchant Banker we would revert to "Silent Drill". For the uninitiated this entails carrying out the drill movement correctly but instead of stamping the foot in, you place it down like a maiden's kiss.
Works wonders on nervous NCOs.

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We were lined up on the square when this giant appeared. He stood in front of us, opened his mouth and bellowed "PAY ATTENTION TO MY WORD OF COMMAND" ! I swear we were rocked back on our heels by the blast ! (We paid attention).

Think what effect that would have on 15 year olds who still were wearing civvies

LOL, I've never heard of silent drill Brum, sounds like my drill all the time. LMAO.

Gordon, did 15 year olds ever see an RSM? I don't recall seeing anything higher than a CPL for the first few weeks of Basic.

Jim,An extract from my site`s Harrogate page

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On 12/01/59 i arrived at Harrogate railway station to be met by every boy`s worst nightmare, in the shape of "Ginge" Lee Coldstream Guards.CSM of HQ Coy.

.

His mate RSM Rockley. (also guards) was waiting for us at Hildebrand

We 14 to 17 year olds never saw the REAL RSM until the big parades were under way. There was of course the Boy RSM (JRSM) and some of them could be quite frightening.

Hmm, i see Gordon, must have been scary then.

jim wrote:

Gordon, did 15 year olds ever see an RSM? I don't recall seeing anything higher than a CPL for the first few weeks of Basic.

And how. At Harrogate when I joined the RSM was a Welsh Guardsman and there were also CSMs from the other Guards Regts. Even my Troop Sgt in Recruit Sqn was a Coldstream L/Sgt.

So how come Signals cap badges had Inf RSM's? We had our own during Basic, not that I saw him 'till pass out parade. And certainly20 Bde Signal Squadron had one, though again why an RSM in a squadron?

jim wrote:

So how come Signals cap badges had Inf RSM's? We had our own during Basic, not that I saw him 'till pass out parade. And certainly20 Bde Signal Squadron had one, though again why an RSM in a squadron?

Blimey you were lucky. I am sure the RSM had a parade of new recruits every week or so or maybe it was the CO but the RSM was there. I never knew anything but Signals RSM's.

I suppose Bde Signal Sqns had an RSM because they were a brigade HQ. That doesn't really explain it though does it? Not sure really. All I know is the one I had last was a real gentleman. Love to meet him again and buy him a pint.

jim wrote:

So how come Signals cap badges had Inf RSM's? We had our own during Basic, not that I saw him 'till pass out parade. And certainly20 Bde Signal Squadron had one, though again why an RSM in a squadron?

At Army App Coll Harrogate, although all the apprentices were R Signals badged, most of the permanent staff on the non-trade side, DIs, RSM, CSMs, Tp Sgts etc. came from all arms. We had the lot, Tankies, Gunners, Guards, Line Infantry et al. Most of the Sqn OCs & 2ics were also non R Signals. For Instance, at one stage I had a WFRs OC Sqn, a R Signals 2ic, a Coldstreams CSM and an Inniskilling Fus Tp Sgt. Nearly a full house there . I think the idea was to give us an insight into what the rest of the Army was all about, but in reality just gave us different shades of BS.

Those who joined as "men" and did their basics at 11 Signal Regt, Catterick had, I believe, all R Signals staff.

Mike

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why an RSM in a squadron?

I asked my grandson (signals).the same question.Apparently it has ,as Teabag says, something to do with being part of a HQ..I also noticed recently that R. Signals now have a Corps RSM.What`s that all about and when did it start?

The Apprentices Schools and Colleges must have been a QMs nightmare