National service

[mossdog]

What do people think of Camerons plans to introduce a watered down national service for the younger element?

[Texas]

Watered down? I haven't seen that. Could be good , certainly something is needed. As long as it doesn't f*** up the proper army.

[Texas]

I've had a look thro' the Canal Zone website I mentioned, not a Signals bod in sight! Still worth a look though and it jogged the memory somewhat. There are pictures of that Egyptian owned shop near the Cameronia Cinema in Fayid , the 'Hole in the Wall'. What did they sell? Damned if I can remember. There was a camera shop nearby and a shoeshop. I had a pair of moccasin type shoes made there,( I was into Miles Davis at the time) and they crippled me for years. But the Cameronia. I used to call it the local fire hazard. I saw Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in 'At War with the Army' there. What a memory,eh!

The other cinema was the Globe. It was just behind our camp at 3GHQ. If you got guard duty on 3GHQ's MT sheds, and stood on the main gate, you could just see the top left-hand corner of the screen,(it was a open-air cinema). I saw a left-hand corner of 'Singing in the Rain' once.

[Soosie]

Hi Sweetdexter, my husband was in the RAF in Hong Kong in 1957-59. He thoroughly enjoyed it and was going back when his National service was over but met me and that put paid to that. By the way his name is Dexter.

[flyer]

It would seem from the pic's that Egypt had a lot more going that we had,but we had sand sand oh yes and more sand I do believe Libya was the 2nd worst posting in the world,I was only in Aden for 6 hrs but had them all beat (I think)

[911wasalie]

Yes Aden was a dump but i enjoyed my posting to Benghazi, nice beach, knock off at 1300 hrs in summer. Swans to the RAF station to play them at waterpolo which we got thrashed. Hong kong was probably my best posting. I was offered by a Chinaman who had just built 4 blocks of flats the job of collecting the rents. It came with a large penthouse on the roof and an office at street level. They were on Mody rd. in Kowloon. I must have been mad to turn the job down.

[sweetdexter]

Hi Sweetdexter, my husband was in the RAF in Hong Kong in 1957-59. He thoroughly enjoyed it and was going back when his National service was over but met me and that put paid to that. By the way his name is Dexter.

 

Maybe your hubby can remember when the Duke of Edinburgh reviewed the troops maybe 1959-60.I think the entire Hong Kong garrison turned out .

The only place big enough to hold it was Kia Tak airport.We turned out at 4 am a few times for rehearsal because the airport was in use the rest of the time.

A pain in the neck .

The Duke of E reviewed the troops standing up in a Land rover it was all over in 10 minuets.

Complete waste of time

Maybe Dexter can remember the name of the troop ship he went on

I am not sure but it may have been the Devonshire we went on both ways.

Sick as a dog in the Bay of Biscay going out .No problems coming back

[Texas]

It would seem from the pic's that Egypt had a lot more going that we had,but we had sand sand oh yes and more sand I do believe Libya was the 2nd worst posting in the world,I was only in Aden for 6 hrs but had them all beat (I think)

Thinking about it I guess you're right flyer, It wasn't so bad at Fayid in the Signals. I mean it wasn't like we were pegged out over an ant-hill in the desert or something. I think it depended on which 'mob' you were in. I used to feel sorry for the infantry bods', such as the Guards regiments. We used to see them on the square en-route to the Transmitter site , I think it was the Grenadier Guards, every morning they were at it, all that marching up and down, Jeez.

The R.A.F. had it cushy I'm thinking. Of course they'll say different, but I remember schlepping up the Treaty road a few times to R.A.F Abyad, because they had this little club where you could get a beer and listen to some jazz. It was on records, but they had a good collection. No, taking it all in all, it wasn't so bad.

Incidently, how's your mince pie?

Edited July 26, 2010 by Texas
Addition.

[stackrock]

bring back national service, both civil and military, for all 16 to 21 year olds.

[bazjea]

bring back national service, both civil and military, for all 16 to 21 year olds.

 

If they bring it back it is only fair that they should restart it where they left

off in the early 60s. I had to do it, dont see why anyone else, who is

fit enough to carry out some sort of National Service should be exempt.