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CHARLIE! is that you??

I remember going to the galley early in the morning on fatigues, having drawn the key from the guardroom. As we switched on the lights there was a massive movement of brown bodies everywhere as the cockroaches scuttled for cover.
Then, during meals, the duty officer and duty SNCO would walk in. The SNCO would blow a whistle and shout "Any complaints". I don't think I ever heard a reply!!
Sgt King, our DL, told me to go and get his bike from the parade instructors office. There were two bikes there, an old rusty one, and a brand new one. I obviously took the new one, and had only gone a few yards when the real owner of the new bike saw me, and went ballistic; it was Tex Yardley, the First Drill. I stared death in the face for the first time that day.

Why was it that everyone avoided milk on Fridays at Lympstone?
Could the rumours about Sodium Bromide be true?
Sams or Key club, the choice is yours
Aye Harry(stacks rate, obviously)

AH DEAL what a lovely place, remember the Q stores had a sign up
"IF IT FITS BRING IT BACK"
I was with 693 squad May 58
any others out there??
Those jabs were fun we had the usual javelin throwing and told not to exercise too much for a while. GREAT we done arms drill, drill, more drill double time, normal time, back to double time.
Our DI Sgt Sticks Barton, had a wierd sense of humour as did his offsider Cpl Mick Fulton.
until only a couple of us were left standing. I survived until I got to the barrack room then died for 36hrs or so
and I think the Bromide is starting to take effect now.
Anyone out there from 693? or remember me, I went back to Deal and became a PTI took a couple of squads as a Cpl then went to 42 Cdo
love to hear from you
Sam

Keep on Keeping on 0X

Last time I saw Mick Fulton he was CSM HQ Coy Poole '72-'73 ish.

Shit "Memories"Just hit a spot and they come flooding back.
We were lucky we had BD! (WWII battle dress) I was a scrawny brat of just 5"5' and if I had'nt worn gaters I' have looked like Dopy in the seven dwarfs, with the trouser legs trailing behind me, as it was the top made me look as if I had DDD sized breasts( If you want a good laugh see the squad pic in 'Kings Squad JE16" on Tonies web under Photos, Im the one top right!!. second thoughts you'd better not , me mam thought I was training to be an Airline pilot at the time!

Thanks for that Rob Parry, Mike also had a brother who was I DI
they both were from Ireland like myself.
I left the corps in 67 as unit PTI at Poole

keep on keeping on

Sam (smudge) 0X

Maybe not a "joining" memory but certainly one from the days as a sprog ... Dutchie Holland & his burger van,parked on NCO Training Wing "Parade",outside the old Mansards @ CTC ... best burgers I ever tasted ! ... he must have "retired" a Millionaire,the amount of business he got from Nods down the years !

I'm not sure he's a millionaire, but I believe his lad now runs the chuck wagon, same food, same people needing it after cleaning their kit and themselves< they also do chips now . Dutch, a great institution and cholesterol control centre.

Rob,

Did the Corps ever "honour" him,as they do with people who have provided a long standing,valuable service to the benefit of Royal Marines ? ... 'cos if they didn't,they should !

His old "waggon" ought to be outside the Corps Museum,as a reminder of the cold,empty bellies he filled

Power to son of "Dutch" !

The other thing Dutch handed out with his food was a great dollop of understanding, he wasn't only there to take your cash, if you had any! He'd listen, commiserate/congratulate/castigate and then put it all on tick 'til Friday; when the whole cycle would start again. He should be patted on the head by the Corps, he helped keep us all going in the dark hours. It was also one of those few places where you could put your hands in your pockets to keep warm while waiting! Happy days.

Maybe there's not much of a need for Dutch these days. My son-in-law tells me that young sprogs these days get four highly nutritional meals each day; the last one at 2100 hours. They even get mars bars in the evening. All done scientiticially these days; no corn dog sarnies allowed!!! When I was at Lympstone in the sixties we had Colour Sergeant Sam Shale as the chief cook and his specialtity was 'mince on toast', more commonly known as 'shit on a raft'!!! There was a burger van outside the gates but I cannot remember who owned it, but I was always a good customer!!

Wully, pop down to CTC late one evening, park outside and on the Westerly breeze you'll smell the onions frying and hear the mournful wail of a lonely Nod, 'One eggburger, one cheeseburger and a coke please Dutch'. It's not haunted, just tradition of another kind.