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George Spenceley relives his army training days in the 1950's and the many friends and memories he recalls
The 48th Field Regiment carried out a variety of exercises. On one occasion it was a demonstration for the crown prince of Abyssinia and on another we were sent to run the rifle ranges at Bisley during the national shooting week.
A number of the lads worked at one end of the range running the targets up and down and marking them while others helped the competitors whose ages ranged from early teens to a very old chap.
I had to help the old man get down on to the groundsheet and set up his rifle etc. He only fired two shots and that was enough for him. In the evenings over drinks we found a lot to talk about especially the antics of the competitors.
From Bisley we were sent to Walton on the Naze in Essex. There twelve of us had to manage a camp for the Territorial Army, I really enjoyed this experience.
The camp was made up of old army Nissan huts that had been left over from the last war. There were two rows of five and a guardroom. There was a strip of land about fifty yards wide covered in gorse and scrub and beyond that a sandy beach and the sea.
Further up the coast you could see Felixstowe and Harwich where the troop ships were returning the soldiers coming home on leave from Germany. It was at the Naze where I had my first run in with a Lance Bombardier (Lnce. Bdr.) I disobeyed an order and I was put on a charge.
A lad called Dumbell had reported sick with a flu bug and the Medical Officer had ordered him to bed, the Lnc. Bdr. came into the hut and seeing him in bed ordered him to have a shower.
Dumbell explained what was wrong and that he'd been told to go to bed, he refused to get up and an argument started. The Lnc. Bdr. Came across to me, I thought he was joking and said it would be wrong for me to go against the MO's orders.
He repeated that if necessary I had to drag Dumbell out of his bed and see that he had a shower. For not obeying him he put me on a charge. His argument being that in the army a serviceman must at all times obey the last order given to him.
I had to go to Colchester and appear in front of the Major on a charge of disobedience. After hearing my case it was dismissed but I was given a warning.
It was explained to me that I should have obeyed the NCO but had I carried out that order I was in danger of being on a more serious charge for assault.
Such was army discipline.
George Spenceley, 2002
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