My Army Service Lifeby Michael J Brennan

Royal Corps of TransportOctober 1965 – October 1974

Return to Home Page: http://freepages.family.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mjbrennan/intro.htm

The Royal Corps of Transport

The Royal Corps of Transport (RCT) was a British Army Corps formed in 1965 from the transport (land, water and air) elements of the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) and the movement control element of the Royal Engineers (RE).

After joining the army my first posting in 1965 was to the home of the RCT in Buller Barracks in Aldershot. Hampshire where we completed 12 weeks initial training.

In 1993 the Royal Corps of Transport was disbanded and the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) was formed by the amalgamation of The Royal Corps of Transport, Royal Army

Ordnance Corps, Royal Pioneer Corps, Army Catering Corps, and Postal and Courier elements of the RE.

The Royal Corps of Transport

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Corps_of_Transport

Photo: Buller Barracks c.1965. Source: Hantsweb.

The Royal Corps of TransportThe Corps was Raised in 1794 as the Royal Waggoner's, the Corps then became:

The Land Transport Corps in 1855-1869The Army Service Corps in 1869-1918The Royal Army Service Corps in 1918-1965The Royal Corps of Transport in 1965-1993Royal Logistic Corps 1993

Source: http://www.54sqnrct.co.uk/waggoners.html

The Royal Corps of Transport

Royal Waggoner's History

Headquartered in Buller Barracks, Aldershot (above). Battle Honours: Peninsular; Waterloo; Lucknow; Takus Forts and Pekin.

The R.C.T. has five Victoria Crosses and One George Cross.Regimental March: "Wait for the Wagon"

Source: http://www.54sqnrct.co.uk/waggoners.html

The Royal Corps of Transport

Royal Waggoner's

October 1965 I was posted to 12 Training Regiment - Royal Corps of Transport, stationed at Buller Barracks Aldershot, Hants where I carried out my basic 12 weeks training.

Intake 117, Smith Troop. 12 Training Regiment. RCT

September 1965 I enlisted in British Army at the Army Recruitment centre in Edgware Road, London.

I then had to go to the Home Office in Whitehall, London to be sworn in.

Back row—Wright, J., Page, Rond, Skipsey, Burling, Vincent, Low (Bobby), Carey, Sinclair, Mitchell, Lane, Toogood, Cooke, L'argent, Chaplin, Boll, McMullan,

Winsborough, Brennan (Michael), Lowick, Murray, Holton, Lucas, Rockingham, Jolley, Morris.

Centre row—Iliffe, Mason, Higson, Fletcher, Grieve, Bell, C. Nuttall, Brown, Arden, Wheeler, Ball, Herbert (Johnny), Hunter, Denton-Cox, Trollope, Lewis, Thomas, Royle,

Hyley, Dew, McLean, Kinsella, Jones, Hawes, Burgess, Docherty, Spencer.Front Row—Anderson, Partlow, Clarke, R. G., Clarke. G. A., Flynn, Heanes, Maguire,

Dearing, Dunlavey, Cpl Larvin (Wl), Cpl Blundell, S/Sgt Knight, Lt Hylden, Sgt Johnston, Cpl Drake, Cpl Pickup (WT), Bell W., Wood, Murray M., Rushworth, Wright C.,

Burgin, Adams, Ridley, Grant.

Intake 117, Smith Troop. 12 Training Regiment. RCT (1965)

Houndstone CampYeovil Somerset

The Globe Cinema Guard House

Source of images: http://www.oocities.org/houndstone_camp/index.html

Cookhouse

After a short R&R I then went to Houndstone Camp, Yeovil, Somerset in December 1966 where I completed my driver training and passed my driving test in an Austin K9 in March 1966.

Houndstone CampYeovil Somerset

In Apr 1966 my first posting was to BAOR 17 Sqn RCT St. David's Barracks, Hilden. Dusseldorf. West Germany.

MT Park in 1950

Cookhouse in 1950Guard House in 1950

Main Camp in 1950

Source of photos: http://www.baor-locations.org/wrexhambks.aspx.html

Between Apr 1966 and February 1970 I visited a number of different places around Germany on various exercises and

detachments.

Bad FallingbostelFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bad Fallingbostel is the district town (Kreisstadt) of the Heidekreis district in the German state of Lower Saxony

JHQ Rheindahlen, latterly also called the Rheindahlen Military Complex, is a British forces base in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. JHQ stands for Joint Headquarters and the base has functioned as the main headquarters for British forces in Germany since it was built in the 1950s. Its German address is Mönchengladbach-JHQ with a post code of 41179.

JHQ Rheindahlen. Mönchengladbach.

Postcard sourced from ebay seller

In 1967 I went with the squadron to West Berlin. We were based at Alexander Barracks with 62 Squadron RCT for 10 weeks.

Source of photos: http://www.baor-locations.org/wrexhambks.aspx.html

Patch of the British ground forces in Berlin.The red circle symbolizes the communist threat surrounding the city.It was introduced before 1950 and was worn on the left shoulder sleeve.Source: http://www.western-allies-berlin.com/insignia/gb/gb

62 Sqn (Berlin) RCT

BAOR Training Camp, Sennelager, Germany

1970 - 27 March posted to Shajaha in the Middle East for 9 months. (Desert Rat)

In Dec 1967 - 17 Sqn RCT, was relocated to Deverall Barracks, Ripon in Nth Yorkshire. Returned to Ripon (due to defence cuts in BAOR).

Deverall Barracks, Ripon

Deverall Barracks, Ripon

Dempsey Barracks Sennelager

1968 - On exercise in Sennellager, Germany and made my second visit to Berlin with an Army Padre to attend a conference there. Drove an Austin 1300.

27th March 1970 - Travelled from Ripon to RAF Brize Norton. We flew to Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) via Bahrain (Persian Gulf) in a VC10 16 December 1970 we returned to the UK flying from Sharjah to RAF Brize Norton on a VC10 Flight No 2708 eventually returning to Ripon. Yorkshire.

16/12/70 - Travelled from Sharjah to RAF Brize Norton in a VC10 Flight No 2708Apr 1971 - Borden on a Petrol/Stores Accounts course1973 - 3 Jan - 6 Jul 'B' Troop, 38 Sqn RCT (Main) UNCYP Cyprus,(UN Meda)Jul 1973 - Aug 1974 'B' & 'C' Troop, 38 Squadron RCT, BFPO 34 (Mulheim an de Ruhr)

1970 - 27th March 1970 we was posted to Shajaha Middle East for 9 months. Returned back to Ripon in 16 December 1970.

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3th Jan 1973 to 6th Jul 1973 I was with 'B' Troop, 38 Sqn RCT (Main) UNCYP based at Blue Beret Camp Nicosia Cyprus.

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6th Jul 1973 Afterwards I was relocated to 38 Squadron RCT, BFPO 34 (Mulheim an de Rhur), West Germany until August 1974

The old Guard Room at Wrexham Barracks

Source: http://www.baor-locations.org/wrexhambks.aspx.html

1973. 5th September 1974 – Completed a one week Pre-release course in Motor Mechanics in Catterick Garrison. North Yorkshire.

Catterick Garrison. North Yorkshire c.2009 source Google Street View

Fremington Army Camp

Fremington Army Camp was a military camp in the village of Fremington, Devon, England, which was used as a base to train the United States Army Air Corps. It was originally located there to be within easy marching distance from the railway station at the Quay.11 (Amphibious Trials and Training) Squadron.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremington_Army_Camp

Photo image source: http://www.adammontague.co.uk/urban-exploring/fremington-army-camp-devon/

Apr 1971 - Borden on a Petrol/Stores Accounts course1973 - 3 Jan - 6 Jul 'B' Troop, 38 Sqn RCT (Main) UNCYP Cyprus,(UN Meda)Jul 1973 - Aug 1974 'B' & 'C' Troop, 38 Squadron RCT, BFPO 34 (Mulheim an de Ruhr)

Claro Barracks Ripon Gate House

Ripon West Yorkshire

Source of background http://www.gievesandhawkesmilitary.com/acatalog/info_187.html

Still Under construction

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