My Favourite Postings

Tony Bowdler

I joined Her Majesty's Forces in 1954. After my pre-service interview at RMP Shrewsbury,(Nesdiffe) I was given my shilling and travel warrant and made my way to Woking, Surrey.

It was a lovely sunny July day when as a regular direct enlistment I entered the gates of Inkerman Barracks, home of the Royal Military Police Depot and Training Establishment.

After five months with 458 Squad, i was asked where I would like to be posted. My brother had been to the Far East with REME so I applied for Hong Kong and my request was accepted.

In January 1955 I was posted to 3 Div Pro Coy, at Cavalry Barracks, Colchester. Most of the lads there were just back from Egypt and Trieste. Whilst in 3 Div I did exercises in Thetford PTA and patrols in Ipswich. Bury-St-Edmunds and Clacton-on-Sea and lots of convoy escort duties. 156 Pro Coy also based in Colchester was responsible for local police duties.

After about five months I was told I could apply for a Hong Kong posting. I did, and my application was accepted (again)!

Off to the depot, to be kitted out, then to London's Warren Street underground transit depot.

In July 1955, twelve months after joining RMP I took off from Heathrow Airport, en route to Hong Kong.

One of the aeroplane's two piston engines was giving the pilot a few problems and to enable us to get to Singapore we landed and stayed a while in Rome, Nicosia, Bahrain, Karachi. New Delhi, Calcutta and Bangkok.

As the plane was decommissioned in Singapore, I went to Nee Soon transit camp to await the next troop ship for Hong Kong. After a few days at Nee Soon the garrison commander told me I was frightening the troops and I must go to the RMP unit and wait there. I immediately thought - super, forget Hong Kong, 200 Pro Coy Singapore suits me fine.

The next day I boarded the train for Kuala Lumpur. The OC of Malaya Command Provost Unit was not expecting me. I told him not to worry as I was simply waiting for transport to Hong Kong - (apparently his laughter could be heard by 17 Gurkha Div Pro Coy in Johore Bahru!)

I was just getting used to the climate and being in Kuala Lumpur, a lovely city, when I was told to go to the newly formed 28 Commonwealth Brigade Provost Unit, based in Penang, an island off the west coast of Malaya. Those that had been around for a while told me menacingly, it was a godforsaken place and a punishment posting!

The island of Penang was, and still is, a lovely place (I have been back several times).

Whilst in 28 Bde I did several detachment tours to the Cameron Highlands, Ipoh, Taiping and Butterworth. They even dragged me into the jungle a couple of times.

In June 1958. after three years in the Far East I was asked where I would like to be posted next. I asked for a London posting and went to London Dist Pro Coy. Church Street, Kensington.

After a couple of days in London and all set to enjoy all that goes on in the big city, I was sent to Colchester to escort a convoy of troops to Blandford, Dorset.

Upon my return to London I was given a travel warrant, in three languages, and off I went to ALFCE Pro Coy Fontainebleau (a beautiful Chateau town south of Paris).

In September 1960, after two years of smoking French cigarettes, chewing American gum and forgetting what it was like to be a member of Her Majesty's Forces, I was asked what posting I would like next.

I felt I deserved my home posting. I was told Fontainebleau is a detachment of London District and therefore a home posting. (For the last two years I had received 35 shillings a week overseas allowance!)

Thinking I had done the Far East and Europe (we did get about a bit in ALFCE), I would now go for the Middle East. Tripoli was available. I applied and was accepted.

I got on to the troop ship in Southampton bound for Tripoli. I was quite looking forward to all that sand and sunshine.

In November 1960,1 disembarked in Famagusta, Cyprus. On board, I told the powers that be a thousand times that I was going to Tripoli. I was told I could go wherever I liked, but the ship was going to Hong Kong (my Hong Kong!)

Standing on the quayside, alongside a Military Police Land Rover were two RMP Lance Corporals. They knew I was coming to Cyprus!

I joined 3 Inf Bde Pro Unit RMP at Anzio Camp just outside Dhekelia; a lot of the lads were ex 51 Bde and 227 Pro Coy. British troops had left Nicosia and Famagusta was a 3 Bde RMP detachment. Whilst in 3 Bde I was involved in exercises in the Troodos Mountains and the Libyan Desert.

My final posting request in 1963, after nine years with the Corps, was the UK and home. I was offered it, accepted, and actually got it!

Since leaving the Forces, my wife and I have lived in Birmingham. Cardiff, Dudley, "Scotland (Strathaven), Bristol, Stockport and Droitwich. Her Majesty had nothing to do with these moves.

After enjoying my military service and having some of the best postings available, at that time, I often wonder what life may have been like if I had actually got the postings the War Office promised me!

Tony Bowdler