Robbie Burns A Soldiers Story.

Like most servicemen of my era, I left the coalmining industry "Kinglassie Pit" to join the army, find adventure, see the world, meet new and interesting people and shoot them! (joke)
I left the NCB in 1959- I had the unfortunate experience of being conned into joining the
"25 mile snipers" acka the Royal Regiment of Artillery or the "Planks"as they are affectionatly
called by the rest of the Army. As soon as I got to the RA. training regiment at Rhyl, I knew I had
been conned. "join the RA. the recruiting Sgt. said then you can go into the 33rd. artillery
Airborne" No way at least for the next 3 years. I quickly bought myself out for £25..ie less than
3 months service, we were paid a pittance in those days so the NS. lads coughed up halfcrowns
and ten bob notes to get me out.
 
I returned home and got a temporary job at the Kinglassie opencast, quickly paid back what I
owed to the NS lads and then immediately reinlisted into the Paras, 185 platoon.
The majority of the people that passed in 185 were earmarked for 2 Para based at Nicosia Cyprus
(The shiny 2nd. best battalion in 16th Para Bgde.)
I travelled out in the Troopship MS. Dilwara a trooper of 12,555 tonnes. There were 11 paras and
one full screw on board. We were all promoted to ships RMPs and giving the task of maintaining
discipline outbound to Cyprus, There were familiies on board, girl friends, WRACs QARANCs,
Blackwatch, Durham LI.et al all heading out to Cyprus and beyond! and the Paras were in charge!!!
 
Cyprus was a great experience, we had a fantastic Colonel "Big Frank" King, Arnhem vetern and
future CIGS. We seemed to spend all of our time on exercise in the troodos mountains learning our
"trade" what ever the weather. We had a bit of excitment in 1962 when we were first into Kuwait for
the Iraqi invasion...unfortunately they didn't keep our appointment, perhaps it was just as well, we
landed with very little ammo, riflemen had 4 mags, I was Regt. Sigs and had 16 rounds for my
Sterling, The support company anti/tks, mortars and Vickers MMGs had minimum ammo also.
As a result of a cockup at the MELF ammo depot Bahrain ( The canvas belts for the Vickers ammo was having been 1945 vintage and having been improperly stored for years) luckily every Regt. in
Cyprus was raided and we had full ammo issue after a couple of days.
 
On return to UK from Cyprus we were posted to Guillemont barracks at Cove, then later shipped out to Bahrain where a number of the battalion quickly tried to become alcoholics! apart from that it was the most bloody boring place on earth.
I voluntered for SAS selection but the then 2 Para Colonel was pretty anti Regiment, and screwed up two of my applications. Taking advice from an ex SAS lad in the 2Para I wrote straight to Capt. Paul Wilson the SAS selection OC. One week later I was on my way , after a severe bollocking from the Colonel and dire threats about my return! I did'nt care, I was'nt going back. If I failed I was going
out to join the Aussies in Viet Nam, a couple of mates from 2Para were already there.
 
3 Toms including myself and 1 officer passed selection. We then went through the regiments usual training route, Jungle, desert, troop training, specialist training. etc. I served in Borneo, Aden, Oman, NI. and various other exotic locations at the behest of HMG.
I went on AAC aircrew selection in 1971 unfortunatly due to damage to my high frequency hearing
I couldn't train as a pilot, this must rank as one of the greatest disapointments of my Army career.I had some noteable highlights. BG. to the Belgian Consul during the latter days of Aden. Attachment the French Foreign Legion, Training in forest rescue by the CAF in British Columbia, all boys own adventure stuff.
 
On leaving the Army I decided to do something entirely different, I had been trained as a troop medic and thought I would train as a doctor, I went on a 16 month university entrance course at Kirkcaldy Tech. aimed at people with no previous educational qualifications.
I quickly found out I wasn't bright enough to become a doctor...maths and physics I couldn't hack. I changed tack and studied Architecture, a long course! I passed and worked 5 years with a local authority....it was mind numbing and as boring as Bahrain without the heat.
Via the old comrades net,I was invited out to Qatar because of my army background to help design and build the Qatar armed forces military bases, from Qatar I went on to Oman and designed police stations, fire stations and prisons.
Oman is a super country well worth a visit.
 
I was then offered a job with the British Standards Institute to be a building and construction auditor...the thing that attracted me was the travel, all over the middle east, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, UAE et al.
Its from there I retired.....but I got so bloody bored I'm now doing part time work as a building and construction health and safety assessor.
I keep in touch with my army buddies, as you all know we never make friends like them in civvy street, I do a lot of walking with my lurcher dog, I paint and draw, love going on hols, especialy where the British army has fought. My wife and I (she who must be obeyed!) went out on an all our yesterdays trip in 2008 organised by 22SAS regt. assoc. thru Singapore, Malayasia
and Borneo and paid our respects at various war cemeteries, it was a very poignant especialy for many of us who
had left comrades there.