`PERSONALITIES`
PERSONALITY
is, of course, the one thing that characterises us all.
There were MANY `characters` (or those with `Personality` --- sometimes of a
rather dubious sort, I grant you!) amongst the A/Ts
& PS (Permanent Staff personnel) at AAS Harrogate during MY time alone ... but many more that are
doubtless remembered by many other ex `inmates` merely because they were ordinary people caught up in
the rather unique
System. For
instance, it was often said that the PS contingent was a sort of Fred Karno`s
Army (or even part of the legendary McNamara's Band!)... the amount of different cap badges & varied uniform accoutrements
worn & required to be replaced must have been the QM`s worst nightmare!!
Anyway
| WOII (CSM) Jack Walder (Grenadier Guards) | CSM of C Coy till 1964. |
| WOII (CSM) W. E. 'Chunky' Chandler (Coldstream Guards) | CSM of Scott Company/Squadron from 1964. Famous for speeding into Uniacke barracks on his moped on a Wednesday morning, just prior to Adjutant's Parade, with his pace stick balanced on the handlebars; --- SHAVING with battery razor as he rode!! |
| Sgt J.W. `Jim` Witham (RA) | 63B`s (Our!) B Platoon Sgt, Recruit Coy. WHERE ARE YOU NOW? |
| L/Sgt `Larry` Freeman (Coldstream Guards) | Pl Sgt of C Platoon, Recruit Coy |
| L/Bdr `Peanuts` Metcalfe (RA) | PTI -- later badged into & posted to 22SAS |
| L/Cpl George 'Mars Bars' Capstaff (RTR) | PTI -- later badged into & posted to 22SAS |
| Sgt Fred Dennis (Royal Signals) | ex DYRMS and then A/T from 1954; when on the PS taught Tg Ops. We renewed our acquaintance at the 'Dukies' reunion dinner at Dover in June 2005! |
| WO1 (FofS) 'Ernie' Nugent (Royal Signals) | Taught Technicians. Believed later killed in action whilst serving with SAS. |
| Cpl `Jock the Bruce` (Surname ????) | PTI (from one of the Scottish infantry regiments!) As NOS, (Night Orderly Sgt!) used to CYCLE around the Coy spiders when doing reveille! Known later to have reached at least SSgt. |
| SSgt (FofS) 'Bob' (Robin) Scriven (Royal Signals) | ex DYRMS and then A/T from 1954; when on the PS taught Tg Ops. We renewed our acquaintance at the 'Dukies' reunion dinner at Dover in June 2005! |
| A/T CSM Pat J. Whelan | ex DYRMS and then 61C Intake, C Coy (upgraded & passed out with 61B). |
| Lt Col `Jock` Furness (RAEC) | as a Major, he had earlier taught me Physics at DYRMS in 1961/62! |
| Pam Robertshaw, Josie ?, Pat ? (eventually James), Val ?, Janet Potts, Bett (Elizabeth) Hewson [nee] Taylor*, Elaine Senior*, Amy ? (Asst. Manageress @ Uniacke). | worked for NAAFI, Hildebrand & Uniacke. Elaine* & I married in 1967! |
| Col J. R. Piddington OBE MC (late Royal Signals) | Commandant (Died 22nd December 2000) |
| A/T RSM David ('Goatie') Gardiner | ex DYRMS and then A/T of Intake 60C. We renewed our acquaintance at the 'Dukies' reunion dinner at Dover in June 2005! |
| Maj S.T. Harrison (RA) | OC Phillips Squadron |
| Bugle Major Knight (HLI) | Drum Major (after Grenville Hall). Also 'encouraged' the Senior Terms along with `Pipey` Yule & Geoff Evison ... around 1965 onwards. |
| Lt Col J. P. North (Royal Signals) | Commandant. (Died in approx. April 2002) |
| Maj A. M. Stewart (QOH) | Military Trg Officer. Also OIC Senior Term & infamous for his Saturday morning room inspections of Senior Term Block accommodation -- along with Messrs. Hall/Knight, Yule & Evison of course! |
| A/T `Nev` Illman | 63A. B Coy. Recruit Leader (Apr - Jul `63) In early 1966, Nev & I (along with a then L/Cpl John D. Stokoe) served together again, this time in OR1 Tp, l1SR as Officer Recruits. |
| A/T `Matt` Mathews | 63A. B Coy. Recruit Leader (Apr - Jul `63) |
| Maj P.L. Stackhouse (Foresters) | OC Scott Squadron |
| Miss Lawrence | NAAFI Manageress, Uniacke |
| Captain (TOT) F.R. Pedley (Royal Signals) | OIC Line Group, 'B' Wing |
| Cpl Watson | RP (one of the Scottish infantry regiments!) Would happily `direct traffic` outside Uniacke main gate! |
| L/Bdr `Fred` Henry (RA) | PTI who LOVED Roy Orbison`s "Pretty Woman" record --- playing it repeatedly in the PS Cpls` Mess! |
| Sgt Smith (Duke of Wellington`s Regt) | Provost Sgt (i.e. keeper of the `Corner Shop`!) |
| A/T J.D. Stokoe | 63A. A Coy. In early 1966, John Stokoe & I served together in OR1 Tp, l1SR as Officer Recruits. John reached the rank of Maj. General with a CBE decoration and eventually was appointed Master of Signals. You see; it CAN be done!! Even better, now retired, he is President of our A.O.H.A. !! |
| SSgt J.E. Hebdon MM (Royal Signals) | SQMS 'A' Wing. Retired as WOII. Became Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London. |
| Major P. W. ('Pip') Hewitson (Royal Signals) | OC Recruit Coy -- last seen (by me, around 1967) working in Barclays Bank, Harrogate! |
| Captain Richardson? (Yorks & Lancs) | 2ic Recruit Coy ... he who explained "The Bee Flies" analogy in his welcoming `pep talk`! |
| SSgt Len Loates (Royal Signals) | SQMS 'B' Wing. Retired as WOII. Became Yeoman Warder. Regt. No: 2326875 ... to complete his details ... he died in service at The Tower of London on 8th May 1968. |
| Capt N. A. Vandyck (Royal Signals) | Succeeded Capt Richardson as 2ic Recruit Coy in around mid 1963. |
| Major R. N. ELEY (Royal Tank Regt) | Forever quoted, in his pep talks, "un petit peu" meaning to give "a little more" in French! OC Rawson Sqn. Died within the last few years. |
| WOII (SSM) Alan `Alfie` Alfred (Royal Signals) | "'The Great Alphonse'. A Legend In His Own Lifetime and a National Treasure." are his own recent words! Passed on his OC`s `pep` phrase (above) but with his bastardisation, the phrase became "Umpity Poo"!! SSM of Rawson Squadron. Later and as a Captain, formed the first Drill Squad the Corps ever had, in 11 Sig Regt (1973). Eventually retired from the Royal Signals with the rank of full Colonel. Now resides in Swaledale, North Yorkshire. |
| Maj A. S. Rawson (Royal Signals) | OC Penney Squadron (Imagine/remember the confusion?!) |
| ex-Guardsman 'Big Lou' Lewis | Orderly to RSM Rockley. We all knew 'Lou' better (or for worse!) as the Regimental Barber ... especially if you were SUS or SUCA!! |
| Sgt `Snudge` Lewis (Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers) | Attached to A Coy. He (& his wife) were Officers of the Salvation Army. Ex official hangman out in Cyprus during the EOKA troubles! (Reputed to have hanged Archbishop Makarios' brother.) Trained A/T NCOs cadre with `Drummie` Hall ... & would `clear his throat`, in front of the squad, with a mouthful of Vaseline before Muster parades! His Christian name believed to be 'Doug'. |
| Cpl Tom Keeling (North Staffords) & family | PTI. Mrs. 'Dot' K worked in Burley Bank (Shop) & Hildebrand NAAFI. Daughters Chris & Jean |
| Sig Terry Hewson (Royal Signals) | Driver in PS Coy; married to Bett* mentioned above. |
| Cpl ? (Sherwood Foresters) | RP during 1965/66. |
| Lt Col P.H. Browne (Royal Signals) | CI (Chief Instructor) -- on his `Farewell Parade` "wrecked" parade on purpose! (Retired from post as RO at Sch of Signals, Blandford ... in March 2001.) |
| L/Cpl `Ginny` Robertson? (REME) | AKC (as was, later SKC) Projectionist -- from Jamaica or was it Fiji? |
| WOII (CSM) H. C. W. `Hughie` Brawn B.E.M. (Welsh Guards) | CSM of Recruit Coy. After retirement in the late 1960s became `mine host` of "Muckles Vaults" in Harrogate for many years thereafter. Never called `Time Please` in the `pub but always, instead, "Stand By Your Beds"! Now, sadly, passed away. |
| Sgt `Jock` Fraser (Royal Signals) | He taught we Radio Techs `receiver theory`. Also was hilarious on `foot inspections` when he was NOS (Night Orderly Sgt)! |
| Sgt `Paddy` Mullin (Royal Signals) | He initiated the `Uniacke roll`! ["Roll the shoulders"!] (reached WOII in 22SR by 1966 -- taught JNCOs Cadre there whilst a SSgt.) |
| 23876079 A/T RSM `Josh` Leech P.W.J | 61C and B Coy. `Eventually` graduated, went to 244 ASSU Sig Sqn (Lippstadt), then Post NCO 22SR, Provost Sgt (RSigs) at AAC Harrogate in 1973, finally Recruiting Sgt. Died on 26th July 1984 --- funeral held in Leicester with Full Military Honours. Ex A/Ts and RSigs reps Bill Donnelly, Pete Camp, Phil Crone & myself in attendance, along with MANY Infantry personnel who served with him in his last unit. Transpires he was Best Man at the wedding of Dave Waterhouse. |
| C/Sgt `Taff` Mann (RWF) | Platoon Sgt for D Pl, Recruit Coy |
| Sgt `Bernie` Heane BEM (RA) | Platoon Sgt for A Pl, Recruit Coy |
| Sgt `Taff` Williams (RWF) | Platoon Sgt for 13 Pl, B Coy |
| Sgt `Tanky` Roberts (RTR) | Platoon Sgt for B Coy (till around early 1963) |
| Sgt 'Brasso' Jones (South Wales Borderers) | Platoon Sgt in Phillips Sqn down in Hildebrand |
| Sgt T. `Tanky` Metson (RTR) | Platoon Sgt in Phillips Sqn down in Hildebrand then Phillips Tp (Recruit Sqn) Tp Sgt for nearly 3 years. {Known later to reach WO1 (RSM)} Now living in Horncastle, Lincolnshire. |
| L/Cpl `Jack` (James) Frost (Royal Signals) | ex DYRMS (1952-57) ex A/T 60C and cornet player! Draughtsman in PS Coy. Now a member of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard & was awarded the MBE in the 1999 New Year Honours List. Reached Colonel and served with the SAS for umpty ump years! Still very much a character; we renewed our acquaintance at the 'Dukies' reunion dinner at Dover in June 2005! |
| Cpl C.S. Stan Williams (Royal Signals) | Driver in PS Coy ... & family |
| L/Cpl `Gabby` Hayes (Royal Signals) | Storeman in PS Coy |
| L/Cpl Roy Williams (Royal Signals) | Electrician/Driver in PS Coy |
| Captain 'A to Z' Antoniz (Royal Signals) | 2ic B Coy --- predecessor of Capt Mansfield. |
| L/Cpl 'G Flog' Bethal (Royal Signals?) | Another Storeman in PS Coy if memory serves me right. So nicknamed because he wore his 2, if not 3, Good Conduct chevrons with great pride! His speech was continuously full of profanities! |
| Capt R. S. `Jayne` Mansfield (Royal Signals) | 2ic B Coy/Sqn in Uniacke |
| Sgt Jim `Spud` Taylor (Royal Signals) | 63B`s (Our!) FIRST Platoon Sgt, Recruit Coy. VERY proud of the Corps. Later met again in 22SR, instructing JNCOs Cadre. |
| WOII (CSM) Ted Keating (Irish Guards) | SSM (sic) of Phillips Sqn when in Hildebrand. Since Died. |
| A/T Ken Atkinson | 63A. B Coy. Passed out with 63B. Served all his 'sentence' in Hereford. Now working for US company in ... Hereford ... for over 15 years! |
| A/T Cpl 'Les' Lightfoot | When promoted to A/T Sgt, was my successor by being appointed A/T Band Sergeant of Brass Band in April 1966. |
| A/T Rod Holt (around 64C) of Phillips Sqn. | Originally played Tenor Horn in Brass Band; then the first to play the (then new to us!) Glockenspiel or Bell Lyre --- around 1965. |
| Sgt `Drummie` Grenville Hall (QOH) | Drum Major & instructed on A/T JNCOs Cadre. Also co-terrorised the Senior Term along with `Pipey` Yule & Geoff Evison! |
| WOII Geoff Evison (Devon & Dorsets) | Band Sgt Maj. Co-terrorised the Senior Term! Now deceased. |
| WOI (RSM) D. T. Evans (Welsh Guards) | RSM --- say no more! (One daren`t, of course!) |
| WOII `Pipey` Alec Yule (A & SH) | Pipe Major & co-terrorised the Senior Term along with `Drummie` Hall & Geoff Evison! |
| WOII (CSM) `Paddy` Leo Maguire (Irish Guards) | CSM of PS Coy (which `livened `em up`!) Later became CSM of B Coy/Phillips Sqn (& livened US up!) What a character! Retired & still around today; living in North Yorkshire; a picture of health and STILL as `smart as a carrot`! |
| WOII (SSM) E. D. `Dozi` Izod (Royal Signals) | SSM of Phillips Sqn in Uniacke. Died in 2000. |
| Cpl Les Anderson (Royal Scots Greys) | Armourer. Wife, Alma, ran the PS Cpls Mess Bar ... `twas known as "Alma's Inn"! Daughters: Hazel, Ann & Jennifer. |
| Cpl Wally Unsworth (Royal Signals) | Driver. Knew Wally & wife Mavis well years later in 7Sigs (where he taught me the beginnings of the Art of MAGIC (as in Conjuring)! Wally lives in Lincoln where, sadly, Mavis died in December 2001. |
| A/T RSM Dave Hirst | 63C Rawson Sqn. Parents live(d) in Leeds. WHERE ARE YOU NOW? |
| WOI (RSM) Tom Rockley (Coldstream Guards) | RSM. The epitome of a Guards Drill Sergeant. |
| Major H.O. Groves (RA) | Adjutant |
| Cpl Barry Pottinger (Royal Signals) | PTI |
| Maj M. M. Morris A.R.R.C. (QARANC) | Matron in MRS. (previously our Nursing `Sister` in DYRMS MRS, late 1950s/early 1960s.) |
| A/T Cpl Phil Crone (D Platoon, Recruit Coy) | A/T Drum Major (Corps of Drums) later Cpl RSigs in 22Sigs. |
| A/T Sgt Rod `Bru` Dransfield (B Platoon, Recruit Coy) | 61B and passed out with his term as their A/T RSM. Returned, much later of course, as Major Rod Dransfield (Royal Signals), OC Phillips Sqn, AAC Harrogate! |
| A/T SSM Tony Cartwright | 63A Rawson Sqn. eventually reached at least WOI (RSM) Royal Signals. |
| Sgt J.K. Jim Roberts (Royal Signals) | Phillips Sqn. I believe eventually reached at least WOI (RSM). (It was he who `wangled` our first MQ in 7Sigs when he was SSgt. Many belated thanks from Elaine & I!) |
| Maj (retd) J.B. Watts (late RAEC) | Taught ACE (AST!) English! |
| WOII R. 'Tug' Wilson (DWR) | SSM of Penney Sqn (around 1964 onward) |
| Mr. Charlie Allen | The only civilian PTI on the PT Staff during our time: worked in Uniacke 'bottom' Gym. |
| SSI France (APTC) | 2ic PT during our time |
| WOII (CSM) `Tug` Wilson (Grenadier Guards) | earlier CSM of D Coy. --- unsure of this one! |
| WOII (CSMI) A. McDonald (APTC) | WO i/c Physical Training. |
| Miss Vivian Hughes (Women's Voluntary Services) | --- took us for a 'day trip' to Blackpool in Recruit Term! |
| A/T Tony Wilson-Wardle | A Coy. 62C but relegated to 63B. Presently residing in Australia ... after serving for 10 years in Royal Australian Corps of Signals.. |
| A/T Steve Farrow | B Coy. 62B. He's still going strong! |
| Maj W.H. Campbell (RA) | OC Permanent Staff Squadron |
| WOII (FoS) D.I. Tombs (Royal Signals) | Foreman of 'A' Wing. |
| Sgt `Nippon` or `Go Go` George Dawes (Kings Regt) | When NOS (Night Orderly Sgt!) used to batter the `ute` locker (spare locker containing bumper, brushes etc -- cleaning `utensils`!) or a dustbin lid in every barrack room in 'B' Coy spiders when doing reveille! What a soldier! Now deceased. |
| C/Sgt Mc? (Cameron Highlanders) | Weapons Instructor in 1966. |
| Sgt Retullough (RAPC) | Judo Instructor! |
| Sgt Jones (Royals Signals) | ineffective Troop Sgt of Phillips Sqn in Hildebrand! |
| Bdr Chapman (RA) | PTI, believed died later in mid 1960s. |
| A/T C. C. 'Lofty' Parkes (D Coy) | 61B. Trombone player in Brass Band. Later met up with him (as Signalman) based in 7 Sigs on T.E.S.T. ('Radiation') Team of BAOR -- I joined the Team in 1969. |
| A/T Mick Davis (62C, A Coy) | Played Soprano Cornet in Brass Band. Has risen to rank of Major, Royal Signals ... still serving in Army Foundation College, Uniacke Bks, Penny Pot Lane, Harrogate!! (2002) |
| A/T Cpl Dave ("You wouldn't chuckle!") J. Waterhouse (B Platoon, Recruit Coy) | 61C & What a character! Reached A/T Sgt. before graduating as Radio Tech (Lt). Transferred to REME in 1967 ... reached WOI (ASM). Commissioned & transferred to RAEC in 1981. Attained Major, retiring in 1991. Now teaching Computing & Microelectronics in the Leicestershire area. |
| A/T Sgt Archie 'Jock' Cairns (B Coy) | Best described (by some) as a National Service type NCO. Last reported sighting was in 7 Sig Regt circa 1982 as SSM 3 Sqn. Played Rugby for RSigs & (probably) for the Army itself. |
| A/T 061 Steve Holmes (we share Birthdays!) | 61C, B Coy. Played 12 string guitar --- too loud, too long & too b..... often!! A/T Drum Major of Corps of Drums (1962-65). Left Corps in 1986 - last posting Signals Wing RMA Sandhurst. Now lives & works around St. Neots, Cambridgeshire. |
| A/Ts Mick Wells, `Gatts` Gatenby & Bob Wringe | More happy `reprobates`(!) of 61C, B Coy. Mick, till recently, lived in Gronant, North Wales; now he's in Cheshire. Bob regrettably died of a heart attack in January 2001. Gatts last seen in 2001, married. |
| Local L/Cpl Roy Evans? (Royal Signals) | Storeman of A Coy. Reputedly the last National Serviceman ever to serve at Pennypot! Demobbed in late 1963. |
| A/T CSM Stuart Kitson (CSM Recruit Coy) | C Coy. AAS. (61C) Last seen in BAOR. |
| Captain George C. Speight (RAEC) | OIC Brass Band and ONC Tutor (Last seen when he visited our Married Quarter in Teesdale Road, Catterick, in 1973.) Came from Otley. Believed to have composed AAS Quick March: 'Northgrove'. Known to have later reached at least Lt. Col. Believed now deceased. |
| ALL The Lads of 63B (especially `B` Platoon) | WHERE ARE YOU NOW? |
You'll
have noticed
that the words (abbreviations) `Coy` & `Sqn) are inter-mixed in the above
nomenclature as well as the letters (A, B etc.) with the names (Rawson, Phillips
etc.)
which for a while (but not for long, fortunately!) were even called
HOUSES! When the School renamed to `College` in the mid 1960s we (the
Apprentices) were ALL confused for a while; hence the apparent inconsistencies
--- put it down to memory!
This section last automatically updated: 20 September 2007 20:50 hrs.