Interesting short story from Ron Jones ex CMP.

I was posted from the Welch Regiment to the Aycliffe CMP Training Depot near Heighington on the 18th October 1945.

As I recall, the squad that I was in was made up of ex 'Primary Training Rookie Privates' from various General Service Centres around the UK with six weeks service under their belts.

With one barrack hut of blokes like myself who were 'old soldiers'-actually 'transferees' from all over the place-including overseas-allthe 'old lags' as it were who were already skilled in the art of drill and all the other facets of soldiering, who were subjected to a different course to the former 'rookie' types. Our course was shortened to twelve weeks, and we finished at the end of January 1946-whereas the'rookies' finished their course in March 1946.

The 'WideOpen' camp was being used as a CMP motor-cycle training camp and was an annexe to Aycliffe. I have an idea that it had been used for something else previously, because it was quite a large camp, larger than that needed for just the CMP motor-cycle course!

I began demob leave in January 1948. The leave expired on the 17th March 1948. I was then released to "Class Reserve".

I have no idea about any squad numbers. I don't think that it was the same as the later Inkerman scene!

I read in a RMPA Journal about a squaddie (in the Infantry or Artillery), who wrote that whereever he was at the time, had an option, according to the detail of the day, that he could either go on a cross-country run in freezing cold wet weather, or attend a lecture in the warm given by one RSM Reg. Kibble, the 6feet 4 inches RSM at Aycliffe during my time there, this man decided on the lecture, and after listening to the impressive Reg. Kibble, decided to volunteer to transfer to the CMP!

It may have been possible that not long after I departed from Aycliffe, it may have been closed and the CMP depot transferred to 'WideOpen'-at least for a short time until National Service kicked in a bit later-when it all went to Inkerman.

A few names that I recall:

Aycliffe Depot:RSM Reg.Kibble-CSM Airborne-ex Arnhem.

S/Sgt.or CSM 'Bluenose' Jones-Blue Cap-CMP-Ex E]Regular Army with 32 years service (extended because of WW2).

Bill Powell-Ex Welch regt. from Cardiff, South Wales, who was sadly killed when his motor-cycle went under a tram.

Sgt. 'Biff' Whitehead-Motor-Cycle Instructor from Yorkshire.

'Charlie' whose sister Dillys Powell was the first female PC in the Cardiff police force.

Ron Jones.

29th September 2006.