AAS Chepstow

"I can, even now, visualise the march up the hill from the Workshops on Tuesday afternoons with the eager anticipation of the standard Tuesday tea - a pork pie with gravy and peas, numerous thick slices of bread, and a big mug of tea!"

Service Career

I am ex-Chepstow and was at 18 Command Workshops REME. Most of my time was spent either in the Recovery Section (super), seconded to the RASC Driver Training Battalion in Blandford (terrible), and at HQ Southern Command in Salisbury (relaxing).

I well remember the barracks at Bovington; Dave CAKE was a friend of mine from Chepstow, in the same crowd as 'Yank' BOULTER (ex-Arborfield 49B), Ken CHARLWOOD and several others. We all left in the summer of 1953 via Arborfield (Depot REME) and Southampton on board the troopship HT (Hired Transport) 'Nevasa' I believe, for the Near East via Algiers and Tobruk.

'Yank' BOULTER went to the RASC Port Boat Company in Port Said (Egypt); I believe Dave CAKE and some of the others volunteered for the SAS in the Trucial Oman (United Arab Emirates) [it was the extra cash that was attracting them!].

I was assigned from the ship (HT 'Nevasa') to REME Workshops Sudan and remember being amazed they did not send a truck to pick me up like most of the others on board! In fact I was sent to Fayid Transit Camp and after waiting about 14 days sent to the RAF Base at Abu Seier and went with an RAF Valiant (V-Bomber) to Khartoum for 2 years or so!

I met up with 'Yank' for nights out in Larnaca and Famagusta in Cyprus when we vacated the Sudan via a trip through the Red Sea and the (Suez) Canal. I was with LAD (Light Aid Detachment) REME with 40 Company RASC in the then spanking-new Base called Dhekelia (Soveriegn Base Area, Cyprus). Had a very interesting time, not only with our RASC but, in the run-up to the Suez (Crisis) with French troops in Episkopi (Cyprus). I was very lucky not to have to go back to Egypt, returning to the UK relatively punctually in November 1956. I met up with 'Yank' again at his parents' house near Eastbourne; I lived in Worthing at the time, and was on long leave - about 90 days or so.

I was posted to Germany, firstly with 91 Car Campany RASC at HQ 1 Br. Corps in Bielefeld, and then with 1 Corps Troop Workshop REMEC in Kunsebeck, then Bielefeld.

Civilian Employment

I left the Army in 1960 and started a new life and career in the motor industry, lucky to get a position as a trainee in the Austin Motor Company at Longbridge; moving later to Morris Motors at Oxford; then merging altogether in British Motor Corporation; then British Leyland, later in Switzerland, Belgium and Germany.

I joined Ford; then a large US OEM supplier; later I started my own business here in Germany and have now more or less retired, doing just a bit as a Consultant. We live near Dusseldorf and still do a lot of travelling, previously on business but now just relaxing pleasure! Ironically we did a super Nile Cruise and there were looks of amazement from all concerned - my wife, other passengers, and the crew, etc., - when my long forgotten Arabic came back to me and I was conversing with all and sundry with it!

I would love to hear from from any old AAS, REME or RASC comrades and have left messages on REME Net etc. As an appetizer I have provided a copy of the Christmas Menu for 1951 (see my personal photo album). It will awake old memories, I am sure.