Colonel, John, you told me you was in the REME in 1955/58, so was I, Jan 1955 at Blandford Sgt woods platoon, then Norton manor camp Taunton, for Motor & recovery training, then November sent to 31 arm wksp baor, Rotenberg near Bremen, so I feel our paths must have crossed? Sandman Norman
hiya,
Norm there must be a song somewhere entitled Old Soldiers Never Die they join the BRS.
thanks harry long retired.
Norman Ingram:
Colonel, John, you told me you was in the REME in 1955/58, so was I, Jan 1955 at Blandford Sgt woods platoon, then Norton manor camp Taunton, for Motor & recovery training, then November sent to 31 arm wksp baor, Rotenberg near Bremen, so I feel our paths must have crossed? Sandman Norman
Small world, isn’t it Norman. I enlisted at Blandford Forum in September 1955, so I am younger than you. My Army Number was 23254464 Sir, I did basic training at Barton Stacey then trade training at Gosport then assigned to 7th Infantry Workshops, Colchester.
After I got my wings that I became a part of the 16th Independent Para brigade.
Served in Kenya, Cyprus, Aden, Malaya, Suez and Lebanon.
John, my number is 23235373, b/s was where the tanks were ?, came out in april 1958 after man united crashed in Munich, saw them play three times in Germany. Done a tank course in duisberg, went on the neumagen march, Green Howards, and Durham light infan, done it in the shortish time, 100 miles is a long march, we held our end up for the REME,the Dutch maidens put garlands of flowers around our neck, we was not infantry. Sandman Norman
hiya,
best i ever did was a 9 mile bash was totally knackered after it that was in early training days, walked a long way through the Malayan jungle once but that was a week job, they could’nt prise me out of the cab after that i was a driver after all walking/marching they had infantry for that job did’nt they.
thanks harry long retired.
Now then Harry and Norman, Chris sent you to the docks for a load of timber. Which one of you loaded this? 
Ray
hiya,
FF dob’t know who loaded it, but glad i won’t have to take it, never seen one like that before, have loaded over the shed in the past but the lump has been indivisable, cracking pic of yesteryear though.
thanks harry long retired.
FF it was not me, I have never stacked wood that high, I have seen the Turks do it, but it would be longer and touching the ground at the rear, so they would tie a set of wheels to it, so it didn’t wear the wood away ha ha ha, honest fellows it is true, ask the mushroomman Steve. Sandman Norman
FF it was not me, I have never stacked wood that high, I have seen the Turks do it, but it would be longer and touching the ground at the rear, so they would tie a set of wheels to it, so it didn’t wear the wood away ha ha ha, honest fellows it is true, ask the mushroomman Steve. Sandman Norman
hiya,
Norm you had to go that high on an eight wheeler to get your weight same on the trailer but only three lifts hated timber you was forever having to tighten your ropes/chains i could never keep the stuff straight, nightmare, and some you had to sheet tongue and groove and finished stuff, hated that work with a vengeance.
thanks harry long retired.
Harry, I did not carry a lot of timber, more steel than anything when on tramping, oh a few bricks, and wheat, I hated that was a mauling, dirty, dusty, job, whiskey etc. Sandman Norman
hiya,
could’nt beat the steel Norm, couple of chains and tensioners, fly sheet and away you go, remember once about 40 loads of plate were sent from Consett steelworks to Appledore shipbuilders in Devon, found to be wrong quality hence 40 loads returned only had to bare the corner of the top plate it was rejected so straight back, bet the BRS made a few bob out of that ■■■■.
thanks harry long retired.
Harry, Corby was a big steel place once, only problem, was they spoke with a scottish accent, I kept thinking I was up in Scotland, but I was only 20 miles from home. Sandman Norman
Hi boys
Come on lads, pull your fingers out Chris is back and he wants to know what youv’e been messing about at. Have you all done the work he set you 
Regards Keith.
hiya,
Keith,we’ve made Chris so much money in his absence he’s only ten bob behind old Norm now and believe me thats proper spondulicks, why is it that i’m the only skint one on the firm,i’m chucking it now.
thanks harry long retired.
Hi boys
Harry it’s because you’ve spent to much time in those cafes 
Regards Keith
hiya,
cafe’s who me? i always worked on the principal “you can’t do enough for a good gaffer” trouble was never came across a good gaffer so gave the cafe’s a bit of welly out of spite, not true the BRS always insisted you took proper breaks “away from the wagon” so back to the cafe, you can only blame them, i did’nt want to sit about all day,only most of it.
thanks harry long retired.
flishflunk:
Now then Harry and Norman, Chris sent you to the docks for a load of timber. Which one of you loaded this?
Ray
Hello lads,back on air,nowt special to report,didn’t see any blind Venetians but BRS Venice depot is still going and I’ll put a pic on when I’ve the film developed,not gone digital yet.
Ray,that’s one hell of a load of timber,only just went under Tower Bridge.Good old AEC MK3 though.If she’s got the 9.6 engine and 6-speed box she’ll be a flyer and Harry would get plenty of dodgys with her. 
Can I put my tin hat and 303 away? Is all quiet on the Western Front? 
Hi Chris,
Hope you had a good holiday. I think the long pipe chas been smoken around the campfire,so you can stand down for a spell,probably have to keep one eye ope for a while. Glad you are back,Keith and me had a bit of a job keeping the two old red and rust veterans from going over their hours,but I think they made a small profit.
Cheers Dave.
Hi Dave,thanks for that.I was a bit concerned when we flew over Northampton en route to Leeds/Bradford in case any missiles or shrapnel etc were flying about.Glad they made a profit,so yourself,Keith,Ray and myself can expect an envelope soon then?
I’ll stand down then but stay alert