George Spenceley relives his army training days in the 1950's and the many friends and memories he recalls

We spent six weeks at the Otterburn rages and on returning to Colchester the regiment was transferred from the Third Infantry Brigade to the Second Infantry Brigade to be based near Essen in Germany.

I now had my first stripe, I was a Lance Bombardier and was more involved in the running of the battery transport. My first task was to teach fourteen drivers the skill of driving on the right-hand side of the road.

I had to acquaint myself first with the road signs etc. for I had no experience either. I've always thought it odd that whilst I was training the lads, when it came to road testing and written exams etc. the powers that be thought I should take the same test as the men, it was right I suppose?

The outcome was that I achieved the highest mark. Out of 1080 points I gained 1060.

Seven years after the war Germany was still in a very bad condition, lots of the buildings were still in ruins especially along the industrial Ruhr. Almost every other week we'd be on an exercise of some sort or other.

I remember in particular an exercise code named June Bride. As there was a cold war going on between the allied countries and Russia the whole division was always in a state of emergency. We had to be ready to move to a designated position at a moments notice.

One night we'd been driving for hours, hundreds of vehicles driving nose to tail with only a small light shining in the centre of the rear axle of the vehicle in front. We'd travelled for hours like this when we suddenly came to a stop.

We were so tired we didn't think we could continue any further through the forests roads and narrow paths without any lights. We turned off into a field then on into an orchard but were told we must not set up our bivouacs as we may have to move on.

I parked my three-ton command wagon under a tree and threw the camouflage net over the top so that it couldn't be seen from the air. I went over to where the other lads had made themselves comfortable in a depression under the trees.

They'd been advised by one of the Officers to place their ground sheets on the ground, then a layer of blankets followed by a further layer of ground sheets. There were about eight of us and we settled down for a well earned rest.

It started to rain heavily but we were so tired we just covered our heads with the ground sheets and slept on. We failed to realise that the rain water was seeping into the area that we were sleeping in. The warmth from our bodies had warmed it and it was only when we woke that we found about two inches of water and all our bedding soaking wet.

Around dinner time I was asked to go to the farmhouse for some hot water to make drinks. I knocked on the door and was greeted by the farmer's wife who immediately asked in broken English about the grey blankets that were hanging on the fences around the orchard.

I tried to explain to her what had happened and she seemed to understand and welcomed me into the kitchen. The rest of her family were washing their hands in preparation for lunch and one or two were already seated at the table.

D Troop 95 Bty

I asked again for some hot water but the lady turned to the other members of her family and started to speak in German. There was the usual nodding of heads and the words,'Ya, ya'. Those seated got up and walked across the kitchen, one of the older men tried to speak to me but all I could understand was the word Officer.

I understood him to say he wanted to see the Officer in Charge.

On returning with the Officer it was fortunate that he could speak German for what the family were suggesting was very unusual. They wanted the lads in the orchard to be brought into the house for their lunch and said they would prepare dinner for themselves later.

They wanted nothing. We were very reluctant to take their food but they insisted and seemed overwhelmed when I returned later with compo rations of tea, coffee, chocolate and sweets for them as thanks.

George Spenceley, 2002