NATIONAL SERVICE

[UserRemovedAccount]

We older folk who left Housie between 1946 and 1962 had one virtually unavoidable destination - National Service. Who took part and what do you remember most? Just to establish my authenticity, my number was 23462195 - ingrained for ever!

[Great Plum]

What did you have to do?

[J.R.]

As I left in 1963, I was safe by about a couple of years. I would have loved to have done it though !

[UserRemovedAccount]

What did you have to do?

Actually only three months, because then I transferred to the Regular Army and did 30 years, but I started off as a National Serviceman and did the dreaded basic training - during the second worst winter in living memory. There was a 'flu epidemic which meant that those of us who didn't catch it simply got even greater attention from the instructors - none of whom caught the flu. For reasons which escape me, we became convinced that the way for us few remaining fit ones to catch flu and thus be admitted to hospital was to immerse ourselves in a scalding hot bath until we could no longer bear it and then rush out naked into the snow-storm. We must have been barking mad, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time and needless to say all that happened was that we got very hot and then extremely cold - but no flu!

[J.R.]

What did you have to do?

Actually only three months, because then I transferred to the Regular Army and did 30 years, but I started off as a National Serviceman and did the dreaded basic training - during the second worst winter in living memory. There was a 'flu epidemic which meant that those of us who didn't catch it simply got even greater attention from the instructors - none of whom caught the flu. For reasons which escape me, we became convinced that the way for us few remaining fit ones to catch flu and thus be admitted to hospital was to immerse ourselves in a scalding hot bath until we could no longer bear it and then rush out naked into the snow-storm. We must have been barking mad, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time and needless to say all that happened was that we got very hot and then extremely cold - but no flu!

So thats what basic training involved !

I thought it was bull, square-bashing then more bull !

[JackD]

1951-1953 RAF Padgate, Digby grading school, Kirton-in-Lindsey basic training, then Canada for 10 months of flight training. Back to England to learn about lousy weather. Out in December 53.

Really loved it but not enough to want to stay in. Have been flying ever since.

[UserRemovedAccount]

So thats what basic training involved !

I thought it was bull, square-bashing then more bull !

There was plenty of bull, square-bashing, bull, fieldcraft, bull, square bashing, PT, bull, etc, etc, and then more bull and square-bashing. But the CH of those days was a tremendous preparation for National Service, which was like a boarding school where the CCF had got slightly out-of-hand. In fact, the Army food was better and there was more of it, and the beds were much more comfortable - well, at least they were in barracks, although at Housie we did not have to fold our blankets and sheets with quite such mathematical precision as was demanded by the Army.

[JGSteel]

I left in the Summer of 47 and managed to get deferred so that I could study engineering. I then did a student apprenticeship in the aircraft industry and continued to be deferred because my company (Rotax) was supplying electrical equipment to the RAF for the V bombers - Valiant, Victor and Vulcan. The system finally caught up with me in 1956 and I went in the RAF but not to make use of my civvy expertise; that would have been too logical. Lots of bull and rushing about doing pointless things; just like school so nothing new there. Danger zones having avoided Korea and Malaya (as it was then), were Cyprus, Aden and hydrogen bomb tests in the Pacific. I went to Germany where my luck held even avoiding Suez although our squadrons were on standby to go. Overall view - a terrible waste of time although quite a few national servicemen who had acquired technical expertise were often essential to keep aircraft serviceable. Those who I met who had witnessed the H-bomb explosions were changed people. They said to me that politicians had no idea whatsoever of the damage these weapons would wreak on civilisation; none.

[Hendrik]

Those who I met who had witnessed the H-bomb explosions were changed people. They said to me that politicians had no idea whatsoever of the damage these weapons would wreak on civilisation; none.

... and they still don't.
Even though we've signed the NPT, we're spending billions on upgrading Trident.

What do people think about the system of National Service that they have on the continent, where you can join the army and do square bashing or you can do Civilian National Service and do something useful?

[englishangel]

I think that a year between school and university doing something to benefit the community is a great idea. A lot of young people take a gap year, some volunteering but many others just doing their thing with no idea of how the other half live.

I went straight from CH to Uni. and I didn't have a clue. I think joining the armed services is unnecessary, I have 2 who could take it, but it would break the other one who is a gentle soul, he would be great as a carer though.