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Leader Magazine
SUMMER 1964.
'C' COMPANY NOTES.
Most of the events of the past year are reported, with various degrees of accuracy and bias, in the Platoon notes which follow.
However, quite a number of the permanent staff have gone and been replaced by new arrivals. Lieutenant W. Horsfall R.A.S.C. was the first to leave the cooling breezes of Tonfanau and is now sweltering in the torrid heat of Aden. Captain A.F. Goddard R.A.S.C. left at the beginning of the Christmas term and visitors to Aldershot (who know where to look) may be lucky enough to catch sight of this officer astride a horse in his capacity as Adjutant, No. 1 Training Battalion R.A.S.C.
Company Sergeant Major E.W. Webb R.Signals also left at this time for Germany on appointment as Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant.
A little later in the Christmas term, Major R.F.C. Gladwyn, M.B.E., R.Signals, left for Germany but is now home again as a Lieutenant Colonel at the Ministry of Defence.
Lieutenant L. Earnshaw, Int.Corps, retired from the Army at the end of the Christmas term and is now helping to run a sort of "R" Company for the approved schools in the Darlington area. Somebody was heard to remark something about frying pans and fires.
Mrs. Miller, who will be remembered for her sterling work in the company office, has left our ranks but is still in Married Quarters here.
A recital of achievements and otherwise in the Champion Company Competition does not follow. Suffice it to say that, we are tired of taking second place and hope to do better this term.
All of us would like to hear a little more often from "Old Boys". We really are interested to know how they get on when they leave the "protection" of Tonfanau for the hard world. So how about it?
At this distance it seems a little ludicrous to welcome the "New" members of the staff during the past twelve months so we will just publish a list of the present incumbents.
Officer Commanding
Major C.S. Galbraith, R.Signals
Second in Command
Captain A.E. Nye, R.A.S.C.
Company Sergeant Major
W.O.2 J. Pedder, R.Signals
Company Quartermaster Sergeant
Staff Sergeant D. V. Smith, R.Signals
Company Clerk
Mrs. A. Evans
Normandy (Champion) Platoon
Lieutenant P.S. Norris, L.F.
Sergeant H.A. Redknap, M.M., R.A.
Sergeant A.J. Thomson, K.O.S.B.
Alamein Platoon
Captain N. Murch, R.Ir.F. (with a shining new star)
Sergeant R.C. Bishop, R.Signals
Sergeant I. Brown, R.A.S.C.
Tunisia Platoon
Lieutenant P.K. Robinson, R.A.S.C.
Sergeant G.W.E. Hope, R.Signals
Sergeant G. Finlay, R. Worcs.
Rhine Platoon
Captain R. Costello, R.Signals (Adjutant designate - attached for indoctrination)
Lieutenant K. Shirlaw, Ins. Corps (at present attached to "R" Coy)
Sergeant G. Chambers, R.Signals
NORMANDY PLATOON
The past year, on recollection, has been a happy one, mainly as we have worked hard and played hard. As proof of the former we won both the Champion Platoon Cup and the Champion Room Competition in the Easter term, the first term that these competitions had been run. With both the cup and room shield on display in the platoon everyone is quite deservedly pleased with themselves, but not complacent.
We have been unfortunate in our termly shooting competition against Knightsbridge Platoon. Both platoons have always come in the first three in the regimental competition, but we have always narrowly lost to the "A" Company Platoon. We always wondered why Mr. Gillies had an abundance of 7.62 mm. pencils ready at hand! We have redeemed ourselves, on one occasion only, by beating them at darts.
We congratulate J/Gnr. Pook on his first-class boxing record last term. In the lightweight class he was the Army and Imperial Services Boxing Champion, for which he gained his colours in both accounts. A fine record.
J/C.S.M. Ellis has been a prominent member of the Fencing Team, whilst J/Sgt. Wilson and J/Sgt. Young both gained places in the Army Cycling Roller Championships at Oswestry in February.
Foster 970 won the Jack Ball Trophy for social services in the Easter term. During the Easter leave he worked at the Christian Youth Adventure Centre at Arthog. This caused some confusion in Tonfanau.
We welcome J/Tpr. Brewin to the platoon from the R.A.C. Junior Leaders Regiment. Another newcomer is Lanham, who is taller then Sgt. Redknap, M.M., and an extra long bed and mattress have been ordered for him, through the Q.M.s Department.
J/C.S.M. Ellis and J/Sgt. Bennett both helped to run a successful dance at Menai Bridge Camp in February. Foster 970 had better be more cautious at the coming dance. Sgt. Hope R.Signals is threatening to have a more powerful torch!
The platoon has done well within the company - at present there are three J/Sgts. and one J/C.S.M. who have all come from Normandy. Apart from winning the room end champion platoon competition, this is added proof that Normandy is well out in front!
An internal loudspeaker system has been installed in the platoon lines. The music is controlled from a radio in the J/Sgts. room. This has proved successful and a great morale booster, especially at Reveille!
We started a magnificent shop in the platoon in December. Sgts Redknap and Thomson are to be thanked for all the hard work they put into it. The shop proved to be an instant success - however the profits were too great; the taxman couldn't keep pace and we had to close! However, we are on the lookout for new money making schemes - we are contemplating collecting old compo tins and going into the canning business. What do we can? Naturally, fresh Welsh mountain air, then sell the tins to the Birmingham holiday makers.
ALAMEIN PLATOON
Since last compiling Platoon Notes a great deal has happened. We have moved from block 94 to the old "R" Company lines behind the Q.M. Store, This move took place at the end of last summer. It did not take long to settle into the new lines during the Winter Term, and improving the rooms became a passion. Lockers and beds were painted, pelmets constructed, and, not least, home made posters put up. Sgt. Bishop installed the Platoon intercom and broadcast equipment, which soon made its presence felt by ordering the Commandant and his inspecting party to report to the office! The winter term ended in a very successful party held in the Social Centre where J/Sgt. Thomas and a rare bunch of old lags were ejected. All are doing well, which is surprising! Even Strubins has now a 10 ton truck under his command. A fearful thought, after remembering the damage, caused by him on his test, to the seafront in Aberdovey!
The spring term was even better. Although our platoon results were not astounding, it could be said to have been the quietest for a good while. J/Sgt. Rainsbury ran the platoon well and kept things up to a good standard. We all wish him success with his R.C.B., which he takes shortly. We had a good Menai Camp, and, with the rest of the company, enjoyed the Social and Dance on the last evening.
We did well to win the Champion Platoon cup on its first presentation, and were sorry to see it go to our rivals, Normandy, for a few points at the end of term. The Barrack Room Competition has proved popular and we can say that we have had our share of wins; not only that, it has kept the rooms tidy as well. The platoon commander thinks the most astounding achievement of the term was the burning of the lid of a cast iron fireplace in room 212; he said, "If they can do that, they can do anything!"
The summer term has now commenced and we hope to surpass past achievements. J/Sgt. Deegan is making plans to do just that. Also we are beginning a new round of improvements to the lines and at the moment a bamboo partition is partially built in one of our largest barrack rooms. Thus optimism rises once again in the Platoon. One hopes it will he fully realised by the end of term.
TUNISIA PLATOON
We have had a fairly successful year, winning the Company Inter Platoon Football Competition and then going on to defeat in the Regimental League after two very close fought games.
The first winner of the new "Best Barrack Room" Competition were Room 30, having turned their hut into a cross between a railway station and a football museum.
In individual efforts it is always difficult to single out a few, but Cpl. Pearce, Captain of the Regimental Fencing Team, member of the Platoon Football and Cricket Teams, and a leading shot in the Rhyl Cup and Shooting Teams, deserves mention.
We have had little news of old boys excepting one, an ex-R.S.M., now in the R.M.P. He, it is rumoured, whilst on duty at Waterloo Station, apprehended a member of the platoon who was A.W.O.L. at the time. You never know when an old friend may be able to help you out ...
Sgt. Hope has been in hospital some time, but has now fully recovered and is back with us. We welcome also a new member from "R" Coy, Sgt. Finlay.
Finally mention must be made of L/Cpl. Tarring, R.Signals, who after many abortive attempts has achieved journalistic fame with his "Tale of Tonfanau" in the "Wire". A certain member of the R.Signals is not amused, however, as his favourite saying has been ascribed to another and an infantry man to boot.
RHINE PLATOON
During the past year Rhine Platoon has certainly succeeded in making a name for itself.
We have had three Army Champions in the platoon - High Jump. Curtis, Boxing, Hinchciffe and Cycling, Wilson. We have also provided more than our fair share of the Regimental Rugby Team with Williams, Jardine and Reed.
The end of last term saw the departure of the remaining members of the "old school", Boxall, Powney and Simmons, the latter being the first person from the Regiment to graduate to R.E.M.E.
Rhine is now a "young" platoon, making good progress in the Champion Platoon Competition and has had a steady run of winners in the Barrack Room Contest - this last in spite of stiff competition from Normandy.
At the moment we have our third Platoon Commander this year - Captain Costello, R.Signals. We are training him ready for his job as Adjutant.
All ex-members of Rhine will be pleased that the "Chubby Checker" is still with us and is going strong.
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