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MILITARY SERVICE RECORD & CIVILIAN CAREER

 

 

TEMPLE, Robert  L.

 

July 1950

 

 

PERSONAL DETAILS

Date and place of birth: 18 Apr 1933, Catford, Greater London

Next of kin address: Dartford, Kent

 

MILITARY SERVICE

Date and place of enlistment: 08 Sep 1949, Blackheath Recruiting Office, Greater London

Regimental Number: Restricted

 

G.S.C. 08 Sep 1949 – 25 Jul 1952:

Company: 'A' ● Squad: 17 ● Trade: Vehicle Mechanic ● Rank: Apprentice Corporal (Ref: Daily Routine Order No 164 of 1951)

Education: Army Certificate of Education Class 2 (Ref: Part 2 Order No 38 of 1951)

Education: Army Certificate of Education Class 1 (three parts)

Trade Qualification: Vehicle Mechanic Class 3 (Ref: Part 2 Order No 62 of 1952)

 

R.E.M.E.

Posting: wef 29 Aug 1952 – 11 Oct 1953: 14 Command Workshops REME, Ashford, Kent (Ref: Part 2 Order No 63 of 1952)

Trade Test: 22 May 1953 Vehicle Mechanic Class 2

Trade Test: 11 Jul 1953 Marine Engineer Class 3

Trade Test: 22 Jul 1953 Vehicle Mechanic Class 1

Promotion: 1953 Lance Corporal

Posting: Dec 1953 – Dec 1954: 16 Infantry Division Workshops and HQ Light Aid Detachment, Korea

Promotion: 1954 Corporal

Award: United Nations Medal - Korea

Posting: Mar 1955 – Nov 1956: REME Workshops, Dekiliah Barracks & Central Inspectorate based at RAOC Depot, Famagusta, Cyprus

Promotion: 1955 Sergeant

Award: General Service Medal - Cyprus

Posting: Feb 1957 – Aug 1957: RAOC Depot, Blackmore, Essex & REME Workshops, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire

Award: 29 Jul 1957 Military Training Certificate Class 1

Posting: Aug 1957 – Nov 1959: Inspection Team, HQ Bestwood Lodge, Arnold, Nottinghamshire

Posting: Nov 1959 – Mar 1960: REME Workshops, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire

 

Discharge

Date & place: 16 Mar 1960 at Woking Demobilisation Centre on completion of Service

 

CIVILIAN CAREER

I gained employment with International Computers & Tabulators, later to become International Computers Ltd. Trained as a Field Engineer to work on customers’ sites. I found it easy to fit into this type of work because one was not tied to one place or a clock card. It was certainly not the pay in the early years. The Company at that time employed a large number of ex-Service personnel from all three Services, probably due to their prior training.

The initial training period was for two years, after which you worked on your own, although there was always a colleague to ‘phone for help if you were in trouble, very much like the Services. During my time with the Company I attended many training courses on a wide and varied range of machines. This was at the Company’s Training School at Lechworth, Hertfordshire. I have fond memories of some of the landladies and their homes in which I stayed. In later years these changed to hotels, although this was an improvement overall the little personal touches had gone.

I saw many changes in the type and complexity of the equipment during my 33 years service, the last 4 years of which was with the Diagnostic Team working out of the Foots Cray (South London) Office. We gave assistance to customers and engineers over the ‘phone; although this was interesting I missed the hands-on work.

In March 1993 the Company was offering good terms on a voluntary redundancy package; I decided to take it and become a man of leisure.

 

Retirement

5 Apr 1993

 

MARITAL & FAMILY STATUS

14 Sep 1957: Married Valerie.

Daughter Sandra born 01 Jul 1958 married Roger SILVESTER; daughters Kathryn aged 14 years and Laura aged 10 years.

Son Mark born 07 Sep 1963 married Christine; son Cameron aged 8 years & daughter Madalyn aged 4 years.

 

IN RETIREMENT

 

June 2001

 

Hobbies: D.I.Y., reading & travel.