Thank you for the invite to the Beachley Boys Chepstow FB Group.
I am a former member of the RAMC, joining as a boy soldier in September 1963 at Crookham and passing out in December 1965 to Royal Herbert Hospital Woolwich. My eldest lad Andy joined the JLR REs at Dover in December 1985. He is now serving with The German/Nederland's NATO HQ in Munster as a Lt Col.
The reason that I have requested to join your Group is that I am currently doing a project on the RAMC Boy Soldiers. AAS School Chepstow in 1951 started to accept RAMC boy soldiers, who received 18 months educational training prior to being posted to the RAMC Depot to commence their trade training. After 4 years of trial, the few RAMC apprentices ceased to come to Beachley for 18 months of general education. In such a short spell, they were not getting the full benefit from boys' training, and so, the RAMC decided to open its own Army Apprentice School at the Depot & Training Establishment at Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Crookham. A total of 66 RAMC apprentices passed through the AAS Chepstow Gates between 1951 and 1955.
RAMC boy soldiers were in the following Intakes; 51A, 51B, 52A, 52B, 53A, 53B, 54A, 54B and 55B and they are listed below:
INTAKE 51A: - Roger Charles DANIELS, Robert Edward HARVEY, Alastair William THOMSON, Albert Frederick WOODWARD. (4)
INTAKE 51B: - Frank Edward Alfred DAVIS, Colin DEAN, Grenvilla Arthur LIVESLEY, Ian Martin OUTRAM, Brian Charles RIDDLESTONE, David Machennan WHITFIELD. (6)
INTAKE 52A: - Raymond John CARTER, Michael Ferguson DUNWOODIE, Daniel Michael HALL. (3)
INTAKE 52B: - Colin Phillip BISWELL, Stewart George CAMPBELL, Alan Beckham COOK, Trevor Reginald COOPER-TYDEMAN, Peter Lyle Keith DARROCH, Richard Charles EVEREST, Ross Munroe FORSYTH, Roger WILCOX. (😎
INTAKE 53A: - Davis Bertram ANDERSON, David John BARNARD, Alan David BOOTH, Michael George KING, Ronald Gilbert KNIGHT, Edward Patrick STOKES. (6)
INTAKE 53B: - Reginald Lewis BAVERSTOCK, David John BENCH, George Frederick BLANNIN, Kenneth BOWDEN, Peter DARRINGTON, Robert Montgomery DAVIS, Norman GRIFFITHS, Anthony David HALE, Lawrence Charles KAINES, Christopher Robin OLSEN, Terrence George REILLY, John Bryan WILKINSON. (12)
INTAKE 54A: - Geoffrey George BOOME, Carl Lionel BURGESS, Duncan Sinclair DONACHIE, Roy FOREMAN, Clifford FOWLER, Alexander GRAY, Roland HUMPHREYS, Roy MALCOLM, Graham Frank MUGGRIDGE, Terrence Stuart REYNOLDS, Stanley RYCROFT, Anthony William SPARGO, Donald Gerald TAYLOR. (13)
INTAKE 54B: - Gordon BRAY, Sidney John CARTER, Keith COLLINS, Grant Clive DAVIES, Victor Edward DUFFIELD, Anthony Graham FOWLER, Anthony Philip GIBBON, Roger Anthony GILMOUR, Peter John McGILL, Francis Peter McLEOD, Brian Michael PHILBEAM, Brian Gerald ROBARDS, Barry Walton WOODCOCK. (13)
INTAKE 55B: - Gareth WILLIAMS (1)
On 2 June 2021 I visited the Heritage Centre at Beachley in order to gain information for my project. I noticed that there was a lack of Intake group photos for Intakes 51A to 55B. If there are any members of these groups who would happen to have any photos covering these intakes, I would be grateful if you could send me an image of any photos with names displayed. My email address is: mccran.historyramcboysoldiers@gmail.com or forward a copy to: Michael McCran, 132 Nightingale Crescent, Lincoln LN6 0JZ.
I look forward in anticipation of hearing from any members.
Kind regards
Mick