Guestbook – Army Apprentices College and Beachley Old Boys Association

Guestbook

2024 Reunion Bookings are available, see Reunion Booklet on BOBA/Membership.

It is advisable to arrange accommodation as soon as possible.

153 entries.

john eveleigh from Edinburgh wrote on 18 February 2022 at 12:05 pm

To the Administrator
Sorry about the double entry .I was Typing when everything vanished so started again.
John 42A

Admin Reply by: Administrator

No worries John I guessed somthing like that had happened

john eveleigh from Edinburgh wrote on 18 February 2022 at 9:09 am

Hello JB Jambo
When we moved up from Egypt it was with Lee Enfield Rifles ,but shortly afterwards these were exchanged for Tommy Guns. We liked them but they were not very comfortable to sleep with. At the time we carried weapons at work ,off duty. and slept with them at night. We carried them outside of the Camp when off duty so could go to Haifa and have a few Jars carrying a weapon. Of course this could have led to weapons being stolen ,so the guidance given was, we could fire if in danger of loosing the weapon. At what point this occurred we were never told ,luckily I never had to make the decision. The carrying of weapons like this was due to the attacks that had been made on many off duty troops, in one case an officer who was flogged in public and l then released. Others were not so lucky.
We made another weapon change later and became the owners of Carbines, but not for long , before we received the Sten.
John Eveleigh 42A A C0y

john eveleigh wrote on 18 February 2022 at 8:51 am

JB Jambo
The dreaded Sten. When we came up from Egypt we had Lee Enfield Rifles ,then shortly after we were replaced with Tommy Guns. A lovely weapon with few problems although we had one men who managed to put some rounds through the Guard Room roof when he came back in. At the time we carried weapons at all times At night ,at work and off duty. This included off duty visits to the towns. The only guidance we received was that we could only fire the weapon if we were in danger. Precisely at what point this occurred we were never told of loosing it. Did you wait until your attacker had his ha

Edwin John Bass from Cologne, Germany wrote on 16 February 2022 at 9:02 pm

Hi John E...
Better not get started on Palestine or that dreadful gun called a Sten. I was out on recovery duty when the Sten was introduced to our lads. It SELF-FIRED then when the lecturing sergeant was about to explain about his not being too sure about its safery-catch reliability. I told.Curly -- my buddy -- the Sergeant had done that on purpose but Curly insisted the gun fired itself. Only a flower pot and a window suffered any damage but it was excitement enough.
Cheers JB....44a A Coy.....

john eveleigh from Edinburgh wrote on 16 February 2022 at 10:33 am

Hello JB remember our days in Palestine. I remember having to convert a Bedford i5 Cwt into a hearse at short notice .You probably remember that bodies were not kept for long due to lack of facilities.
We completed the hearse only to receive a call the morning of the funeral, to convert to take two bodies as there had been further killings.
John 42 A A Coy

Edwin John Bass from Cologne, Germany wrote on 15 February 2022 at 9:35 pm

The German government group sent me to Blantyre, Malawi and their council chief sent me to buy a hearse for the people of a Blantyre suburb called Ginnery Corner to buy them a hearse. The natives there were burying their dead by taking the unfortunates in a wheel-barrow to church. I was accompanied by two councillors who were going to buy two limousines for Blantyre Town Hall use. The company in Jo Berg converted a Dodge Pick-Up into a funeral wagon -- at a reasoable cost -- whilst the councullors were arguning with the limousine company about the colours and the music system they could have in their cars,
Somehow the sense of values and colour was lost to those two African Councillors.
Cheers!
JB..

Edwin John Bass from Cologne, Germany wrote on 14 February 2022 at 9:16 pm

My computers difficultiesr are getting worse I was writing about the reason I tell the tale that my visits to Africa were 9 or ten and the whole lot vanished. When my temper has cooled I shall try again --- maybee is it not worth the bother.... Cheers! JB..

Ken Pearson 63C C Coy from Lynemouth Northumberland wrote on 14 February 2022 at 5:02 pm

I will be in the Chepstow area during the summer and would like to visit the Heritage centre . When is it open to former appentices.

Admin Reply by: Administrator

The centre is open Wednesday and Saturday 11am - 3pm. It can be opened by appointment if needed.

Ray Hackworth from River Club Johannesburg South Africa wrote on 14 February 2022 at 3:37 pm

Hi JB this is one of the problems that we have living in Africa. Distances are far more than in Europe. My longest drive has been from Cape Town (South Africa) to Kitwe (Zambia) which is only a short drive from the Congo. I was bringing a new car from the UK to Kitwe and came out on the Windsor Castle. We use to drive a lot in Zambia up to the Angolan border and down to Rhodesia., and up to Tanzania. However when the war started in earnest in Rhodesia (I had my brother in law living in Salisbury (Harare) trips there were curtailed a lot as we had to travel in convoys for safety. to avoid being attacked by terrorists.
The resentment against British troops was very high as well as the British Government.

john eveleigh from Edinburgh wrote on 14 February 2022 at 10:29 am

Greetings JB.
Due no doubt to my age , I had forgotten that in fact had been an Author in the Past .It all happened on my last posting prior to discharge when I was posted to Tech Branch REME at Woolwich .
Our function there was to produce Repair Manuals for New Vehicles being introduced into the Service and we were referred to as Technical Authors. I had one more move after this ,to MEXE, (Military Experimental Establishment) at Christchurch, still Tech Branch ,where we produced Ease of Maintenance reports on Equipment that was being considered for use by the Army. Again we were Technical Authors.
It is quite possible that some of the readers of this page have unknowing read one of these Manual and said what a lot of rubbish, not knowing who was the Author. When you joined the Tech Branch in those days ,and before you were let loose on writing a Manual ,it was emphasised that we should assume you were writing for idiots. This meant we had to ensure every detail was recorded.
I didnt witness it, but having finished a Manual an Author sent it to our Major for Checking . it came back annotated why is this vehicle on the road with its Master Cylinder in a vice. Yes he had forgotten to say remove from the Vice.
Happy Days
John

Edwin John Bass from Cologne, Germany wrote on 13 February 2022 at 7:28 pm

Hi Ray,
Thank you. No, dont bother sending anything. I have a file on it all somewhere among my heap of paperwork that I shall get to sorting -- one of these days.. It was that when I was in Africa 9 or ten times I kept meeting Brits and Europeans that spoke of places just down the road that were often in other countries.... Compared with Britain it is a continent, of course.
Stay cool and Cheers!
John

Martin Gregor from Bristol wrote on 13 February 2022 at 4:55 pm

Hi
Just wondering are there any Old Boys from 72B C Company planning on going to the Reunion this year as its our 50th Anniversary of joining.

Ray Hackworth from River Club Johannesburg South Africa wrote on 13 February 2022 at 9:29 am

Hi JB.. Choma in Zambia is not just round the corner from me. It is some 1505 kms away, a 18/20 hour drive,plus 2 or 3 border posts depending on the way you go. I am not sure if he is still at his crocodile farm in Choma or in Livingstone. I have obtained some information on him, which mentions he is a ex boy soldier; and that he arrived in Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) in 1954 and was a garage mechanic in Lusaka. I can send this information to you about him if you let me know where I can send it to.He has had two books written about him, one by Elizabeth Balneaves Elephant Valley,and his own book Siawinda which was published in 2009 by Safari Press in the USA.

Edwin John Bass from Cologne, Germany wrote on 12 February 2022 at 8:19 pm

Sorry Ray. Many apologies Wrong Ray I guess.
Joe Brooks (44a A Coy) had a large property -- probably three farms in all -- at Choma, Zambia and lots of fishing rigs on the lake nearby. Big Game Hunter and all that sort of thing.... He treated me well during theee weekends he had me there I was working for GTZ (German government organisation)
. At Beachley after every leave Joe had cigarrettes to sell: Woodbines and Players mostly tuppence-halpenny for 5 Woodbines I remember. Quite a business man in his Chep days....

Ray Hackworth from River Club Johannesburg South Africa wrote on 12 February 2022 at 2:47 pm

Hi JB, sorry never heard of him. On my various travels i have meet very few Beachley Old boys. we seem to have moved in different circles.
I, or should I say we, my 2nd wife, (my first wife died of emphysema in 2006 after a long battle being unable to breath due to smoking) go walking with a group called Run walk for life;. which is run by our Medical Aid Group. We met twice a week (Tuesday and Thursday evenings) and walk from 1700 hrs for an hour or so. I walk up to 5 km per session. My wife and the others do above this. I am the only male in a group of 15 . Must have some pleasures in life?????
Because of the long hours we work (up to 60 plus per week), We try and take long weekends in the Bush or up in the mountains. Covid put paid to this but we are hoping to get back to this as restrictions are lifted. Had a good trip to Southern Mozambique (Ponte De Oro)a couple of years ago to attend Julies sons wedding.
He is a plastic surgeon with his Practice in Durban. These days it is dangerous to go there due to the war in the north of the country..
We might even get back to riding horses amongst the game in the various wild life parks we go to. Why dont you try it?

Edwin John Bass from Cologne, Germany wrote on 11 February 2022 at 8:00 pm

Hi Ray!
Good to see you seem still sprightly. I;ve lost touch with everyone and wonder if you know if Joe Brooks of my goup 44a A Coy at his farm just up the road from you is still alive. He was was nearly a year older than me and was really fit . I am sure he would still want to kill me as he had threatened ....
Cheers! JB....

Ray Hackworth from River Club Johannesburg South Africa wrote on 10 February 2022 at 9:04 am

I have kept tabs on the news of Beachley for a number of years. I was in 55b (C company) and initially trained as an Engine Fitter IC&P before going to Cove. (9th Training Regt RE) Was selected for NCO training, ( 3 regular NCOs cadre) and had a bad accident on Dartmoor (February 1959) when the TCV we were in left the road and plunged down the embankment. This cost me some 8 months in hospital (Plymouth Naval hospital and Aldershot) with head injuries. Back at Cove they said I was unfit and retrained me as a Clerk.When I was fit again i went to the RSME for trade upgrading, then deployed to Germany 44 Field Park at Paderborn. Then Christmas Island (running the main camp Power Station). Then deployed to the 17 Port Regt in the UK. I did not want to be re badged when 17 Post was moved out of RE control. Was then re-deployed to the Joint Services Bomb disposal unit, initially at Horsham and then Chattenden. By this time I was married and my wife did not want me to continue in the military, so her brother suggested I get a Job in Zambia (He was a Chartered Accountant there). . I did and was offered a position on the Copperbelt as an Overseas Service Engineer. When I got to Zambia they wanted me to work on the Management accounting side. By this time I had 5 O and 5 A levels (mainly from London University) and studying for the LLB Degree. However they wanted me to qualify as a Company Secretary which I did. I left Zambia (localisation) and moved to SA where I was an investment manager for a listed engineering group. Then to Botswana as a Company Secretary for De Beers Mining. Then to Papua New Guinea as a manager in a international shipping company. Then back to South Africa and joined Deloitte and Touche (the international accountants). I then took the plunge and formed my own Accounting Tax and consulting firm, I still run this today and have over 200 clients. (Local and International)
I put my success down to the excellent training I received at Chepstow and in the Royal Engineers. I do not think that I would have become a Chartered Company Secretary and a qualified management Accountant without this training.
I am still in touch with two others from these days, namely Jim Windsor and Barry Spooner in the UK. I was also in touch with John Ingram (we met up in Zambia) and stayed with him in Australia. Unfortunately John died a number of years ago from what appeared to to radiation problems he contacted whilst at Malaringa during the nuclear tests with the Royal Engineers.I am still in contact with his wife Genny.

john eveleigh from Edinburgh wrote on 9 February 2022 at 2:44 pm

Further to my last entry ,I would point out that my book is available for purchase. Chris Rickets is dealing with any requests for purchasing, and it is called To be a Soldier Boy;
I would emphasise that t I get nothing when a book is sold, my intention being that it might produce a little revenue for BOBA.
The book describes the life of a boy in as much detail as possible
during the Second World War. So if interested contact Chris and he will send details for purchase,
John Eveleigh 42A A Coy

Edwin John Bass from Cologne, Germany wrote on 7 February 2022 at 8:46 pm

Hi John E...
Yes! Getting published seems mysr´´ifying when see what does get into too many books.
I reckon you should press on. Ive had people here showing instant disbelief like one stiff German saying, Boy soldiers -- copying Adolph? Nein, never!
Had several technicl articles published whilst still performing as an engineer. I got fed up with the IMecheE in London when they changed their logo from a horse standing on the world to juszt the initials in what looked to be a drunken rectangilar Box (rhombus). That is a good example of what I mean with publishers.
My first two novels were reviewed by two women the like of which I made inro a story for my famila to have a laugh. I only met one of them: Wrinkled Mrs Kennedy wearing a miniskirt, with her hair looking as if she had had an enormous elecric shock, shooting vertically upward to wht could well hav ebeen a birdnest! I hate to tell how much I paid. i realised later how much had been severely DONE. Both MSs still unpublished -- I just cant be bothered -- but the family loved them. And my C-in-c I read to her evey day and she reckons I am a brilliant author but that is because I do the cooking...... ever day....
Cheers!
John-Boy -- Oh Lonely me of 44a A Coy.....

john eveleigh from Edinburgh wrote on 7 February 2022 at 1:04 pm

Hello JB
Nice to see your eloquence on these pages once again.
I was never an Author, that is until Chris Rickets saw a Manuscript I had written ,originally for my Family. I offered it to him in response to his request for Artefacts for the Museum.
After reading it he persuaded me to let BOBA have it printed in book form so that any one looking at the list of available books could if they wished ,purchase it. I accepted this and we agreed I would get one free copy.
He had it printed with a good layout and a very good front piece.
As the idea of having it in book form was to give old boys a chance to purchase, I expected to see it appearing in the list of available shop goods . However that has never happened and I have never been told why. I even wrote to the President but he was obviously to busy to reply.
The Imperial War Museum has shown interest in these writings especially when they can associate it with the Author. As I am a World War Two Veteran this helps as well.
Good luck with your writing .
John 42A A Coy

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