Ron Levett's memories of joining up and training in the Royal Armoured Corps during World War II.

Once a week the occupants of each hut were detailed for 'Fire Piquet', which meant spending the whole evening in a small hut behind the cookhouse peeling potatoes. This was known as 'Spud Bashing'. Drill on the square was known as 'Square Bashing'.

We had two peeling machines but they were so slow that we found it was quicker to peel by hand. Any time our kit layout was not up to scratch, or dust was found on a locker, we were given an extra evening 'Fire Piquet'.

Mid morning we were allowed fifteen minutes NAAFI break. To go with our morning milk, we could purchase a variety of cakes available. We also had a chance to spend some of our three shillings per day income, on such things as Brasso, Duralit, Blanco or boot polish.

After the break we went on to various other training periods, such as weapon training. This could be on the rifle No.4 or the Bren Gun (The Light Machine Gun - LMG). These lessons usually started with the phrase: 'Right, wot we are goin on with nah is...' We learned to name the parts of the weapon, how to strip and clean it and the action to take on stoppages on the Bren.

Later on in our training we were taken by truck to the Small Arms Ranges at Lulworth spending half a day on the 200 yard and 300 yard ranges, firing rifle and Bren Gun, taking our turn at the Butts, marking the point of shot on the target with a paddle marked black on one side and white on the other.

When the shot falls between the inner and outer rings on the target the pole holding the paddle is raised and the revolved so that white and black are seen alternately. This why this score is called a 'Magpie'.

I had learned to shoot in the Home Guard and managed to get quite good scores at Lulworth. When the range practice was over, we formed up into three ranks and marched out on to the road. There we split up into three columns and marched, one column on the right of the road with, behind them, column two on the left. Column three brought up the rear on the right of the road.

This was an anti-aircraft practice so that all troops could get off the road at short notice. The march was about twenty miles back to Bovington, made even longer by exercises being carried out on the moors near the camp on the way back. By this time it was completely dark.

We were wearing 'Battle Order', which included a small pack on the back. I hitched up the pack to relieve the weight, forgetting that I was holding the rifle in front of me. I caught my already broken front tooth on the muzzle of the rifle and knocked a further chip out of it.

We were issued with denim overalls for training. These were washed every week and since the buttons were held on with split pins and only one set of buttons were issued we had to change all the buttons over every Sunday ready for the following week.

On one training session we were marched to the Gas Chamber. This was a small, brick built hut without windows. Before entering the hut a small quantity of Mustard Gas was placed on the back of our hands. This was allowed there long enough for it to start to sting. We were then allowed to apply Ointment Anti-Gas to the affected place.

About twenty men were then assembled inside the hut with respirators on. A small white tablet was placed on to a small heater and a cloud of white smoke arose. After a few minutes to see how efficient the masks were, we were ordered to remove them. We were held there long enough to force us to take a few breaths.

Coughing and with eyes streaming we were released. We then formed up in three ranks and marched up to the parade ground. By the time we had done half an hour vigorous marching all traces of the tear gas had gone and we all felt better. From my AB64 (Soldiers Pay and Record book) I see that the date was 2nd November 1943.

The working day ended at around 4.30 pm, but there was always blancoing to be done, brasses to be polished and boots to be 'bulled'. Sometimes we were not considered soldierly enough to do Guard Duties, but we were very good at 'spud bashing'.

At the end of our eight weeks basic training, which was really learning Infantry skills, we were given one-week leave, with a travel warrant and a week's ration card. It seemed very peculiar to be home among civilians again, almost another world. I found I could talk to my grandfather easier than with anyone else because he had served in WWI as a Gunner in the R.H.A.

On our return from leave the intake was split up, future tank commanders to 58th Training Regt RAC. Their barracks are now the home of 1st Battalion Royal Tank Regt, situated opposite the Tank Museum.

The majority of us were posted to 52nd Training Regt. The main accommodation, known as the Sandhurst block, was only a short walk from our old hut, so we carried our kit across to the place that was to be our home for the next six months. The Sandhurst Block is the only building still there.

The first days in the regiment were spent carrying out aptitude tests. We were given various mechanical objects such as an electrical lamp holder, a door lock etc., which had been taken to pieces and told to reassemble them.

A further test involved Morse code. The instructor played two pieces of Morse to us, after which we had to decide if they were the same or different. From the results of these tests it was decided that I should be trained as a Driver Operator.

This means learning to drive wheeled vehicles (Driver IC). This latter expression means the driver of a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. The original army driver drove a horse drawn wagon. In my case I was never taught to drive any tracked vehicle.

Ron Levett, 2001