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Leader Magazine
SUMMER 1963.
'B' COMPANY NOTES.
Writing this on a quiet spring day, it is difficult to visualise some of the events of the period covered by these notes. Did Somme Platoon billet really nearly get blown down in a gale? Were we frozen up for weeks? and what about the great water shortage? Ah well, it was an excuse for some to wash a little less well than usual. But the main impression left is how cheerfully and efficiently the Company coped. And what have we to cope with now? At present it is builders and painters. Gallipoli have had to move house and Somme have played sardines. Egypt have had their painting completed and Ypres' turn has yet to come.
GALLIPOLI - We managed to maintain our good Rhyl Cup record of always coming first in `B' Company. J/Pte Ainsley will never forget how he lost his aerial and fell in the canal yet still managed to gain almost full marks on the wireless question. We have featured well amongst the end of term prizes this year. J/Pte Shrubsole managed to win the Junior Weapon Training prize, making it a second success here for the platoon. The Junior A's hope to make it a hat-trick this term and are getting plenty of encouragement from Sgt Silverside. We have some first-class end of term parties and the platoon has rather grand plans for a trip to Pwllheli this summer. At the end of the Easter term we were sorry to lose J/Sgt Boylan; J/Sgt Watson has taken over the platoon with plenty of vigour.
EGYPT - A most successful term is the best phrase to summarise Egypt Platoon's fortunes since Christmas. These successes were notably achieved in the academic and military fields and also by our self-employed interior decorators on a small budget of under £5. Our decorations are now being completed by skilled craftsmen on a slightly larger budget. Egypt's military success came in the Rhyl Cup with the highest placing ever achieved by the Platoon. J/CSM Parr, who led the team, was also Regimental Rugby captain. Captain R. Zala RA, who relinquished his command of the Platoon at half-term when posted, attended presentations by the Platoon and the Company. Several letters were received from ex-graduates, all stating that the writers were enjoying themselves. Elsewhere in the magazine is J/Pte Stockle's report of the Military Pilgrimage to Lourdes.
SOMME - L/Cpl Howarth RMP, ex J/Cpl Somme Platoon, is now, in Verden BAOR with 1 Div. Provost Unit. He is working as a security NCO at Divisional HQ. He has met quite a few ex-Tonfanau PS and boys, not, we trust, in the line of duty. We have been well represented in the Regimental sports teams, at Rugby by Boundy and Bragg, at Cricket by Boundy, Bragg and Sadler and at Cross-Country by Fox. Ritchie and Elsey have been to Worcester to take part in a canoeing regatta. Jenner, Lee, Barnes and Boundy have all been away to their old schools and, we trust, have spread the gospel. We think Gregge may have created a record by completing his Gold Award with a term still to go.
YPRES - The Easter term started with the world pitted against us - the worst weather imaginable, Sgt Bailey with an inoperative leg, and to cap it all a new Platoon Commander. However, things seemed to get going well. Our highly successful decorating of the ex-Somme billets was only one of several changes. J/Sgt Saunders was this term promoted to J/CSM, J/Cpl Ferguson taking his place. News of ex-graduates filters through from time to time. Ex J/Pte Oldfield (now L/Cpl) was last heard of taking a draft over to his Battalion in Germany. We wonder if he is to be the Ultimate Deterrent? Although not essentially a sporting platoon, we seem to have a fair amount of success in inter-Platoon matches. J/L/Cpl Page represented the Regiment throughout the Easter term, and J/Pte Gard is in the Regimental Cricket team. J/Pte Cleland is to be thoroughly commended on winning the Commandants' Bugler Competition for the third successive term.
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