Easter 1981, I was dined out from 2 PC Regt RE, at South Cerney having completed my 22 years of service:

CO                                                              – Peter Westcott

2 i/c                                                           – Geoff Manning

RSM                                                           – I handed over to Bob Randall.

SSM                                                           – Barry Wilding

UK Postal Inspection team                    – ????  (My abject apologies for the lapse once more, it`s all a VERY long                                                                                 time ago)

Next door hangar to us, was UK PCS Courier team base:  Eddie Dent, ????

Names on my leaving supper include:   Barry Wilding, `Yorky Ashton (SSM RCT),…….. no other Posties living in!

In 1982 we were invited back to the Summer Ball –

L to R:  Me, Marj, Jack Griffiths, Evelyn Butler, Bridget Norris & Hubby (Admin staff), Sandie & Pete Golightly, Barbara Inkpen / Stevenson and Col Peter Westcott.

1982 – Falklands war, RSM Bob Randall arrived as advance party at Ascension Island, found the Naval buildings allocation officer: “Require a CDO for forces mail, please”  Politely informed that this was ******* war zone. OK, says Bob, there are 600 bags of mail arriving on the next `Herc …….. He related this little snippet to me in 1984, when the awake for Dick Inkpen took place at South Cerney.

Courtesy of Peter Capon:  In 1986, staffing of 2 PC Regt including 20 PC Sqn, comprised:

21 PC Sqn are listed as being:

I have been referring to my `Filed` bits and pieces in my search for names, `Cerney RSMs board  (dates have been corrected in table, original board attached below) would probably interest quite a few:

RSMs of UK Spt PU RE  –  Later: 2 PC Regt RE
Stationed at: Duke of Gloucster Barracks, South Cerney Cirencester GL7 5RD
Rank	Name	Dates from	Dates to	Remarks
				UK Support PU / PCCU RE – NOTE: RSMs were based at HQ 3  Div Bulford with SSMs at South Cerney.      Moving to South Cerney prior to 2 PC Regt forming there in 1979.
WO 1 (RSM)	WE (Bill) Twigg	Oct, 1973	Nov, 1974	Dates taken from RSM Boards – subject to errors?
WO 1 (RSM)	Norman JFH Lockwood	Nov, 1974	Jan, 1975	Was at Bulford, may have covered for a few months
WO 1 (RSM)	Paul A Stoddart	Jan, 1975	Nov, 1976	Posted to Hong Kong
WO 1 (RSM)	E C (Ted) Wolton	Nov, 1976	?, 1978	Posted to Hong Kong
WO 1 (RSM)	Paul A Stoddart	Dec, 1978	Apr, 1979	Last RSM of 3 Div
				Redesignated to 2 PC Regt RE
WO 1 (RSM)	Paul A Stoddart	May, 1979	Jul, 1980	1st RSM of 2 PC Regt RE and completed career
WO 1 (RSM)	D John Jackett	Mar, 1980	Mar, 1981	Last 12 mths in UK
WO 1 (RSM)	RG (Bob) Randall MBE	Mar, 1981	Apr, 1984	Set up CDO Ascension for Falklands war [Apr 84, supervised Dick Inkpens funeral as RSM]
WO 1 (RSM)	Gordon Ferguson	Aug, 1983	Dec, 1985
WO 1 (RSM)	Peter G Capon	Dec, 1985	May, 1987	Commissioned
WO 1 (RSM)	George Kehoe	May, 1987	Aug, 1989	Commissioned
WO 1 (RSM)	Alec Carson	Aug, 1989	Apr, 1992	Commissioned into TA
WO 1 (RSM)	F Macleod	Apr, 1992	Apr, 1993	Change of cap badge to RLC
				80 PC Sqn RLC
WO 2 (SSM)	Graham Gritt	1989	1993
WO 2 (SSM)	P A Dinsdale	Apr, 1993	Aug, 1994
WO 2 (SSM)	P Barclay	Aug, 1994	Nov, 1996
WO 2 (SSM)	N C Owen	Nov, 1996	Nov, 1998
WO 2 (SSM)	R Ellis	Nov, 1998	Mar, 2001
WO 2 (SSM)	N S Wardell	Mar, 2001	Jul, 2003
WO 2 (SSM)	M A Dixon	Jul, 2003	Jan, 2006

This board was retrieved from a cellar, once Lou Lister and I started making enquiries!!
It is a frightening thought, looking back at these names, how many of them are no longer with us!!
REspect as always.

 

Please feel free to contact me if there are any errors or omissions….. this is how I remember it all, it is after all 40 years ago!!

Easter 1980, Mick Kimberley and I shared a farewell `do` in the WOs and Sgts mess at Duss, so the staffing estimate of 3 PC Regt RE around Easter time of 1980 @ Dusseldorf:

CO – Len Calcutt

2 i/c – OC Depot / 30 something Sqn)  – Andy Murray (Feb 80) / Peter Linney

Other Officers – Don Bramley, Laurie Watkins, John Connelly

RSM – Bob Davidson

WO 1s Tech – Lenny Perkins, Pete Golightly, ??

HQ Sqn (30 or something??) – Alec Wilson, Dave Gladwin, Stu Cambridge, Dave Blane, Graham Warden,

Mick Buckley, Jack Kennington, Mick Kimberley, Norman Joy, Brian

(Andy) Anderson, [Some may have already left?]

Depot Sqn (30 or something) –

Don Scott [left in 78], Pat Elliott, Gerry Maguire (newly promoted from Brunsum), Mick Pickard, Graham Stewart, Terry East, Alf Fensome, Jim Brady, Terry Hughes, Lofty Brooks, Paddy Vance, Bill  Winfield, Jimmy Craig, Johnny Fee, Geoff Salmon, Lou Lister, Nigel Dickens, Geoff Baker, John (Tommy) Sands, Alf Manship,  Bob Short, `Eck Horsborough, Alan Monks, Jim Davidson, Gary Pearson. `Taff Lockwood, Don Lomax, Terry Hart, Frank Gray,

Amongst the WRAC, some names taken from my leaving card – were:  Cheryl Cannon and Scouse, Sharon, `Midge aka Michelle Francis, Sandy O, Mabs, Lynda Bunce, Jan Fairgrieve (?), Mary Ruttel (?), Ruth, Ann Sampson, Debbie Lake.

[ Maybe left already? ] : Di Waddington, Sue Battison,

Some civilian names – 40 years later very sadly I am unable to read all of them from my card: Yanis, Fr Jausen (?), Unina Haggart (?),

More names listed on F/B –  from Nov 1980, whether they overlapped with Easter of 1980, perhaps someone could clarify – these names have been suggested:  Jimmy Welfare, Johnny Wheeler, Simon Hazell, Scouse Billington, Lonny Lonnergen, Chris Clark, Bernie Breen, Spike Martin, Liz Stewart, Heather Crawford, Kim Higgingbottom,

(there must have been many others – 18 early morning courier departures, 3 x nightly TRS runs, daily staff required at Depot end = 83 persons.   Once again my apologies for the name lapses)

Accounts                                             – Tom O`Grady, Fred Wright, ????

Mails Branch                                       – Norman Harman [ left in 79], Ray Gaffey, Douggie Kerr,  Civvy net: Sandra                                                                              Archibald, Hilde Taylor, Faz Huck &  Walter ?

ERS Sqn (30 or something)              – Nick Wand, Me – replaced by Joe Kelly, FPO Lohausen staff:??

MT at Scotton Barracks                     – Andy Quinn, Dick Inkpen, Clive Billings & David Scott (REME),                                                                                                 Geordie Lachs, ????

Photos of that time that may jog a memory – or two :

I was stationed in Duss – Jan 1977 up to Easter 1980

Full details – as researched by Lou Lister, myself and many others, are on the PCS F/book sites under “Files” and also on the PCS website.

1978 – Regimental dinner night –

Me, Jack Griffiths, Ray Gaffey, Stu Macfarlane.  Seated: Maureen Griffiths, Marj, Moira Macfarlane, Tommy O`Grady, Norah Gaffey, Norman Harman and Sue on the end, Renate O`Grady between them.

1977/78 Footy team – Allegedly:  Danny McKeown, David Scott, Norman Harman, Mac Maccoll, Eck Horsburgh, Dougie Swanson, John Norton, Clive Billings, Dougie Kerr, Geordie Lachs, Ray Gaffey, Alan Monks, Jimmy Grant, Trevor Lindley.    Taken at Mill Hill around 77-78.

1978 – Unit Bar-b-que at Scotton Bcks –

The Quinn family on both photos plus: Tom O`Grady and son Simon, with Cheryl Cannon amongst those at the rear, my wife between mother and daughter.

I have several “group” photos – I am unable to find three, in particular:   Food queue, Darts, volleyball teams.Volleyball photo is mine – Scott and his mum Maureen Griffiths, Norman Harman and family, Stu Macfarlane with his back to camera.   Courtesy of Dave Blane: Dave Gladwin / Alec Wilson (not McDonald) and families.

(1979) Dustbin lid: Barbara & Dick Inkpen, with Marj between them, Pete & Sandie Golightly, Maureen & Jack Griffiths (leaving do), Graham & Rita Warden, with me at the front.

Don Bramley had established a caravan for holidays in the South of France, Dick & Barbara Inkpen used to check it out before / after lettings in the early days, by 1979 we had to book through an agency.

Where the road to St Tropez turned off the local road was a 3 lane roundabout, our first week – that was a nightmare, the 2nd week locals had gone elsewhere and it was a doddle!!   Siesta-time in France is rigidly abided by, we arrived for a day in St Tropez around late morning, not much opened until mid afternoon.  Boats everywhere – on a VERY grand scale!!

1 May 1979     Re-designation from `8 Command to 3 PC Regt RE Cpl Don Lomax was the flag bearer.

Sunday Oct 1, 1979: “several” Landrovers went to Paris for a weekend march, I was interviewed why we had been away nearly a week ………. ” We all had a great time – thank you, Sir!! ”

Up the Eifel Tower went – Jack, Dick and me.

John Jackett, Geordie Lachs (Kepi – MT driver), Steve Wade, Benny Hannon, Jack Kennington, John Connoly, Dick Inkpen, & Tommy Sands.

Front? David Scott (REME), Nigel (Budgie) Dickens and Jonny (pick up the log) Fee.

1980 – Mick Kimberley and I hosted joint farewell evening: Bob Davidson & Mick, Jim Brady, Lenny Perkins and Faz Huck – with their ladies, as marked on each photo below  –

Meanwhile, at the bar: Bob Davidson (PCS RSM) Rhine Area RSM, Mick, Len Cook (RE long service), terry Hughes, Mick Buckley and Graham Stewart.

********************************************

Some of you may have seen photos by Dot (Dorothy) Stewart on my home page (F/book) about a return trip to Hong Kong of one of her family, our own daughter also went back there, not particularly on a military visit, more general sightseeing, many major changes obviously, over Christmas / New Year 2012/13 as a part of her 50th birthday celebrations.

The “Asian” railway journeys on BBC 2 this past few evenings have brought back many memories: 2 x programmes from H/K, we took R & R at Penang – via KL in 1966, had 3 weeks in Singapore in Sep 1966 – waiting for a plane home, when the peace treaty was suddenly signed and 5 Inf Bde had to “get out” of Malaysia / Borneo ASAP!!

As a family, we arrived Osborne flats off Waterloo road on Nov 74 and left on Nov 76.  Whilst I can remember most of the senior positions during 1975 and 1976, some names are cropping up – where did we all serve during those two years?

OCs were Graham Hillier followed by Bruce McCandlish,
2 i/cs were Ivor Siddall and Howard Stanley,
WO`s 1 were Pete Cussons and Stu Macfarlane.

Unit HQ (Osborne)                       –    OC, 2 i/c,  WO 1 and at least:  Graham Stewart /  Norman Peck C/Clerk
CDO RAF Kai Tak                          –    Dave Rutherford, must have been loads more ????   Derek Ewen arrived late 76
HQ FARELF (Victoria)                   –    Jim Brokenbrow, followed by ?
HMS Tamar                                  –     Dave Blane, followed by ?
FPO Sek Kong                               –     me, + Sue Battison followed by ?
FPO Osborne                                –    John Jackson, followed by me + Andy Palmer (?), Abi Torrance at some time ??

Known names that need placing – George Nicholson (just finishing his tour?), Pete Golightly, Andy Ingram, John Couling, John Mcleod, Spr Maxwell, Alex Lennie, Mike Cashmore, Geoff Card, Bobby Best …………………………. ??

Some (of many) random photos attached.   Answers on the proverbial Postcard will be very acceptable!!