Got to admit I was lucky mate shot at and blown up and only a duff knee to show for it. Others didn't fair that well we lost 2 lads in separate tours even though I didn't know them that well it hits you anyway. Every day is a bonus mate especially when you hear about the lads getting hit in Afghanistan.
I was giving serious thought to joining the RAF Regiment until one day out shooting rabbits at 17 yrs old my mate showed some very poor gun safety and turned round so I was staring down both barrels of a 12 bore shotgun. I **** myself and on reflection of that moment in the evening knew deep down that if it came to it I didn't have the balls for combat and would quite literally **** my pants if fired upon so gave up the idea.
True, four of my ex colleagues from back then committed suicide, one threw himself in front om a metro train. Some of the most depressed people I knew were ex sqauddies. Some find it very hard to readjust to civvy street. A lot of lads had major mental problems coming back from Bosnia & were basically left to rot by the MOD. I knew some who drifted into drugs, alcohol & crime.
Agreed mate MOD are big on words and small on actions unless you are a rodney, having said that they are getting better. I was lucky again in that I got no resettlement course or interviews, so had to bite the bullet so to speak and do it myself which on reflection worked out better than some of my mates who did the resettlement thing.
Was an RAF lifer for 32 yrs. If anybody joined the RAF between 87 and 89 at Newcastle or Sunderland I probably signed them up!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was the inspiration that brought them in! My reason for joining in the 50s though was brought on by WW2 films, patriotic fervour etc. Over the years visited war grave sites in many countries and there was a mixture of pride emotion. In a small graveyard in Holland I came across adjoining graves containing an 18yo and a 42 yo. Humility was not even near.
Know what you mean mate check out the names on the memorials it's spooky how the same names crop up time and again.
Me...14 March '89. Well that's when I started at Swinders. I did my attestation in Newcastle on the 12th I think it was.
I do wish the MOD would stop ****ing about with the regeional regiments tbh, like the Black Watch for instance.
Mine is a complex story! I was in the navy from 86-92 from 17years of age after my O levels. I was sitting my A Levels and expected to go on to uni and become someone I didn't want to be. Half my family have a military back ground (Navy/RAF) one of which was on the Coventry as a 17yr old lad when she went down in 82 and was lucky enough to survive. The other half come from the other side of the divide over here but I'm lucky enough to have always had their support. I joined because I wanted to travel the world (which I did) an gain a valuable life experience and just to get out of N Ireland as the alternatives could of gone either way during the height of the troubles depending who you ran with so to speak. I've done two Falklands Tours (88&90) and Carribean/European/Med/Scandiavian and Gulf Tours and loved every minute. Even to this day I find it quite hard to talk about it due to the situation over here but if anyone ever was to ask me if I was proud the answer would always be the same "I was a proud Irish Man who served in the British Navy" and I would say the same to any yound lad (including my own) who was considering Joining as it is IMO one of the best character building experiences any young man can do. It's not for everyone and there was many times during the training when I wanted to quit but the stubborn side of me would never give in.
Well there is a point to the obvious rutine of buffing bootd, cleaning bins with toothbrushes etc. Might be bullshit when you're there but does have a meaning. I can go to Northern Ireland now as a tourist & enjoy it
The BS Billy(as you know) is to break you down and take the Civvy out of you. One thing I would say (something which I think hasn't been mentioned) the reason these young lads do what they do (no matter the rights and wrongs of war) is nothing to do with fighting for a certain flag or nationality but I think most would tell you is because they are doing it because the are "looking out for their mates", that bond can never be broken.
Howdy Cyprus Mackem. Remember interviewing alot of lads from the shipyard and there was alot of skills being wasted. If you did your full 22 then we can both chalk up a success.
