No 1 Trg. Bat.t REME Blandford Forum 1956

Hi, anyone out there who is on the attached photo?
Taken in 1956 it is of "C" Company No. 3 Platoon.
Sgt. Addinall M.M was in charge.
My name's Brian Rowe. extreme left, back row.

That's a long time ago Brian.

I did a couple of courses in Blandford, a COBOL programming course and a Systems analyst one. The BKS was brand new and have a lovely SGT's mess.

When was that Jim?

early '80's Gordon. The officers mess was still a sort of long wooden hut though, not a Nissan hut but something similar.

Unless that was just the DADPTC Officers mess.

I had been long gone by then..The School of Signals officers mess was a brand new building when i left in 70..It was on the left as you went from the main building (also new) towards engineers corner,where i was based in an old wooden hut, which according to my grandson is still there. I can`t see it on google earth,so i think he may have made a mistook.

I thought Blandford was R Sigs only in that era.

Well it may have been Gordon, I don't know when the Defence ADP Training Centre opened.

I know the school ran courses for the DADP.The joint services DAPDTC was set up in the 70s and moved out in the early 90s'
That would account for the wooden huts,of which there were many .The only new builds when i left were the main building,the officers and sergeants messes and the naffi shop. Everything else was wood.Spiders or huts.

I see, that explains why the officers mess was wood then, it must have been the school one. I thought the SGT's mess was excellent, very well run and great food. Poorly attended whilst I was there though, were the quarters a long way away? Both times I was there there seemed few livers in and most people at the bar were on one course or another.

Yes, Jim,
It's frightening to think that more than half a century has passed since that photo was taken.
I don't seem to be having any success in contacting any of my co-trainees from that period.
I tried a year with Forces Re-united and a year with Forces 365 but no joy.
We split up, of course, after passing out, and went to our various trade training establishments (Taunton, in my case - VM Course) But a lot of those that went with me ended up on Christmas Island (my surname initial being the first letter to include me in the BAOR draft.)
I was a bit narked at the time, but have subsequently been thankful that it turned out that way, as I believe that many of them are quite possibly no more.

I'd say you were very lucky Brian. Very Lucky indeed.

The MQs were about midway between the main site and engineers corner on the right almost opposite the officers mess.

There was also 30 Sigs officer mess (wood) much farther along the road.Perhaps that`s the one you`r thinking of.

All I can remember is that you came out of the SGT's mess, walked up the road, it was a hill I think. The training centre was at the top on the right or left and the Officers mess opposite it Gordon.

Hi Brian, shirt sleeve order so must have been after me Blandford was a cold place in January I remember, I was in B Coy No.3 Platoon January 1956 , NCOs' Sgt Rimmer, Cpl Neary, I was posted to BAOR in Feb 56 after VM Trade Test at Aborfield, your name seems to ring a bell what unit/s did you serve in ? I also served in Cyprus and Aden

Hi Paul, help tried to post a unit photo on here but having trouble again, Hosting says my email and password if not recognised

That`s about right Jim.That was the "schools" OM

Take a trip back now and you will get lost..

I've been trying to google map it Gordon, and can't find anything I recognise at all.

Have you tried Google earth Jim?

Yes mate, I just don't recognise anything I see at all. Is it still a Bks even?

Yes it`s still a bks.(for the time being)There are massive changes since i was there.The ORs accommodation has been replaced by MQs and new ORs accom.built along with clubs messes etc.and lots of others

Hi Mikey,
I enlisted on 29/6/56 so I reckon that the photo would have been taken July/August '56.
I only did three years, and all in BAOR att. to 66 Coy RASC.

Thanks Gordon, I think I've found it now, I do recognise some buildings, but wow, has it changed.

Hi ! fellow R.E.M.E. comrades,new to this site and never expected to find any info about Blandford camp.I joined R.E.M.E. in 1956 can,t recall the coy but remember the green epaulette bands we wore .This was early May ,our billet was down the main road past the A.K.C. and on the right by the square .I can recall the I.R.A. attack on the guardroom and a certain Cpl Skuse being vindicated at the time.The thing that stays with me is the time of kit issues going to the Q.M.stores and lining up arms forward and being given kit then at the end of the issued kit given a kitbag to put them in,why did they not issue the kitbag first ?This sticks in my mind as I was issued a greatcoat that was different to the standard issue as I was a sh... ..se ,then going on our first kit parade in greatcoats was told not to attend any parades wearing that monstrosity ,consequently it never got worn for the rest of my service (9 yrs)There are so many wonderful memories of service days but age is creeping up and they only drift in and out of my mind but some can be viewed on the website (R.E.M.E. PAST & PRESENT ) Incidently I served at 34 Base wksp Donnington.L.A.D. REME 49Fld Regt R.A.in Hong Kong 57 - 60 then 12 Inf Wksp in Osnabucke. On leaving the regulars I joined the T.A.REME IN 1964 till 86, Hope to hear from anyone who thinks they recall me .STUMPY DOWNES.or TITCH.

Hi Keith,
have you seen photo on page 1 of this post?
I don't recall your name, but are you on the photo?

[quote="brrowe"]Hi Keith,
have you seen photo on page 1 of this post?
I don't recall your name, but are you on the photo?
Yes but i do not think i am on it.I was there around May of 1956

yes but i do not think i am on it as i joined in may 1956.but the billet looks familiar.