Under Construction
266th [G.V.A.] O.P. Battery R.A. [V]
New Zealand Farm Camp
Salisbury Plain
1971
Back row: Fred. Flook, 1......., 2......., Chris. Grimes, Ray Colman, 4......, Mr. R. Desborough [civilian limber Gunner]
3rd Row: Mr. Ray Ducamp, [Civilian fitter] Sgt Brain Durance, ? Dewland, A. Brighton, Pat Corrick, Derek Driscoll, 5........., Dave Barber, Alan Holden, L/Bdr W. Satchel, L/Bdr John Garland.
2nd row: WO11 Bob Bryant PSI. Dave Butler, L/Bdr A. Blackwell, Andy Stevens, Ivor Hymen-Heyburn, 7......., M. Wandless, ? Weeks, Bdr Ken Eagle B.E.M., 8....., Bdr Mike Hambly, Bdr Brooks, Bdr Bowell, 9 .... ,10......, Dennis Righton, L/Bdr A. Hanna, Roy Tanner P.S.I. 10.......
Front row: Civilian Sec, Miss Eileen Dinham. Lt. Nick Orr, Capt. David Raeburn, Lt. Ivor Johns, Capt. Jeffery Smith, Capt. Norman Webber, Major. Colin S. Harvey, Major. Keith Dann, Capt. Chris Hill, Capt. Neil ff Campbell, Capt. John Muse, Lt. Chris Bradford, 2nd Lt. Pat Sherry, Mr. Fred. Hawkins.
PSI =Permanent staff Instructor [Regular]
Total 49 serving Regular and T.A. for first camp.
Comments/ Observations
mailto:derekjd@blueyonder.co.uk
******
My memories of the First Battery Camp held at New Zealand Farm, S.P.T.A.
By
Derek J. Driscoll
[1971-1989]
This was my first bty camp and also the bty's first camp, and as I remember it, it was a learning camp for all involved, most days we would do basic training, some trade training and map reading, the unit borrowed a 25 pr from the R.S.A. and the BQMS took us on gun drill and it was a little slow, as this was the first time any of us had been near a gun. I was shouted at for ramming the cartridge, it was explained to me in army language that I was a very silly boy and if the cartridge had been live I could have set the thing off and could have killed myself as well as the gun crew.
We played rugby /football on the grass in the late afternoons and after last parade, all we wanted to do was eat and go down to the local pub, to get to the pub we had to walk down the long road from the camp to the main road it was a easy walk, but it proved a problem getting back as the beer and the night air proved to much for some. So a Bedford R. L. and driver was used to ferry the men to the Pub and back.
Every morning we went for a run around the camp perimeter or down the road to the main road and back again. Then we had breakfast, after breakfast we had about 10 minuets to get ready for parade and we were then detailed off to our trade trading. My trade training was as a signaler, learning all about the Larkspur range of radios the C45, B48, A41 and the A42, and codes i.e. Slidex. Our instructor was Sgt Roy Tanner ex 5 Regt. Come the middle weekend I and some others went back to Bristol, on returning on Sunday night I was told by the guard commander to report to the BC in the Bty office. Why me what had I done wrong, was their trouble at home?. On entering the Bty office, I was told that I had been absent with out leave and I had not read Bty orders, if I had, then I would have seen that I was on guard duty the previous night. The B.C. was a bit put out to say the least, but he admonished me and sent me packing with a flea in my ear, after I promised to read Bty orders in the future.
On one day of the camp, we had a Sioux helicopter land at the back of the camp, we were split up into groups and were given a short flight, the pilot pointed out a large black cloud in the sky "That's where you live, Bristol" he said, all the industries dirt, smoke and the pollution of a big city, and it was just hanging all over Bristol. The flight was a very good experience some even went up in the Sioux as casualties being strapped in to the stretcher pods on the side of the helicopter, one said it was all right at first until you read the sign above the window which informed the casualty that he was not dead. My memory is very fuzzy about the rest of this camp, well it is some 36 years ago!! and I remember I did get a liking for Wadworth's 6X.
Suffice to say I must have enjoyed it, to have stayed so long with the Bty, within a couple of weeks of returning to Bristol a list of promotions went up on the notice board, and my name was one of them, I had got my first stripe. Now my problems just got worse, I now had responsibilities.
The rank of L/Bdr is about the worse rank, because the Sgt Major gives orders to the Sergeant, who then give orders to the Bombardier, who then give orders to the L/Bdr, and the L/Bdr, trying to carry out his orders, is now running around in circles like a blue A???? flying Bumble Bee. All the while, the Bombardier looks on with mild disinterest and distain, as to the mayhem you create. As it go's from bad to worse shouts of dismay are uttered from the bty office window, two Sgts then shout and the Bombardier knowing that the L/Bdr would have heard the shouts goes back to reading his book. The rank of Bombardier is the best rank, as there is always someone above and below him to blame, when things go wrong or so I'm told.
Your Memories Please/Photos.