Hello lan. Many thanks for your email. Like you 1 cannot remember att the names - something to do with the passing of time also known as ageing. When one think back to 1953/4 we were only youngsters then and in ourselves we haven't changed except we are now grandfathers or great,great uncles or simitar. Att this happened 50 years ago. That said t tike you joined the R.A-, was at Oswestry from mid August 1952 to early Sept 52 before being invited to Join the M.Fs.. Inkerman Barracks in September wasn't too bad and we spent many a night trying to see the ghost jump from the tower Very disappointing, no show. I went to Aldershot. marched atl the way and the next day went sick with very bad blisters. Excused marching, t took my driving test within a few days, passed and was upsquadded to 314 squad from 317 Drove back to Woking within a fortnight We were due to pass out Christmas week but passed out a week early, got Christmas leave, end of training teave and embarkation leave all in one hit. Off till the middle of January 53 when 1 arrived at Bad Rothenfelde. The worst winter they had had for many years. Within two days t was delivering rations to married families t didn't know in a place that was foreign, during the worst winter and in the dark. Great fun. Anyway I survived and eventually went to Hameln. We were the last detachment there and so back to B.R . In June 53 1 was sent on leave and saw the Coronation on TV Arrived back in B.R. ready for the move to Bielefeld butwent to Bad Hartzburg instead. Got a mention in the local paper for going to the assistance of a German civilian who was being hassled by a soldier. We went roller skating every day and on duty almost every night in the Kurhaus. We had a corporal in charge forget his name, no C Pro C's we dealt with the Canadians ourselves. Nearest C Pro C's were at Souest The Canadians at that time were the PPCL1 s which included a Trapper and a Sioux Indian. They were good company. Back to Bielefeld and on teave again. AH go wasn't it. At the end of February, for four weeks, 1 along with 11 others went to Minden and took over from 6th Armoured Div who had been recalled for training because there had been letters to the English newspapers about Minden. There was no trouble. In two nights we had impounded over 20 vehicles (mobile and unattended), charged the drivers and for the next 26 days we had a quiet peaceful time. In April t was given a Volkswagen to drive One of the G.S.O's left and so t drove the officers wives. Mrs Jostin (APM's wife) and Mrs Ayres (DAPM's wife) also Mrs Davies (RSM's wife) to the NAAFI club in Herford each week, had coffee with them afterwards before driving home driving to cocktail parties etc and being one of only two soldiers not on the Corps Day Parade. The other was Sgt Rose, RASC, the Corp Commanders driver. At this time t was driving the APM. You, t would imagine, had returned to Colchester by now. In August 541 returned to Woking and was let out. For my T A unit I joined London District and a whole load of old 1 Corps folk including Captain Culhane. On exercises in 1955 in the middle of Salisbury Plain I again met Colonel Joslin and we exchanged a few friendly words. Then the powers that be said anyone could leave if they wanted to and I was out like a shot. End of story Sorry t don't have any decent photos of myself but have hundreds of B.R., Hameln, and Bielefeld. You mentioned Wal[yMatthews. If I rememberanght Thad iust retumed^om my Coronation leave andthe following morning the whole dace was off to play soldiers but I was left(to hold the fort with a few others) I was on my way out to collect the mail and WaTty was on gate point duty 1 remember saying "Have a good holiday Wally" and he replied "Roll on death- demob's too far away" You no doubt remember that was a favourite saying. Wally'died that afternoon after coming off his m/c on a rough part of the autobahn. Hewas a great friendof Sid Dorrieot (later Chetsea Division Met Police) The other names you mention are not familiar except Pete Brobin and 1 can't be sure here either. I seem to remember we were split into drivers and motorcyclists and as t drove everything we had from the 3 tanner down to jeeps and Volkswagens. I may never have had much to do with motorcyclists. There must be some other old "Onecorpites" somewhere. Maybe they just don t want to remember-who can btamethem. National Service was forced on us and I know a lot were not too happy about it. During my time there were two deaths and an

RTU Anyway it was good to hear from you and I wish you afl the best for the future-

Regards, lan Gray

Wednesday February 26th 2003. ____ ______ __