A Letter

Many years ago, I received a letter from a lad who had been on attachment to the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment. The attachment was because of the regiments’ assignment in the Cameroons West Africa. There was many regimental Corps attached to the regiment that sailed on the troopship Devonshire. For example: RASC, RE, RAMC, RAOC, QARANC, and ACC. I cannot speak highly enough of the valuable work these Corps do, as I am sure you ex-servicemen will agree. The lad in question came from one these, but I am not disclosing which one!
When he wrote to me he said it was an honour and a pleasure to serve with such a most efficient regiment as the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment. He had been with our platoon a few times on patrols and found it a real eye opener. He said it was the professional way they went about what was put in front of them. On his return from the Cameroons, he was attached to another regiment in England, which remains nameless. He said what a difference there was; they never came anywhere near to the King’s Own Royal Border Regiments level. He did not like mentioning this but he just felt he had too.
What he said, no doubt speaks volumes for the now amalgamated King’s Own Royal Border Regiment. I was only a two year national serviceman, but I have never found the comradeship I experienced during those two years, ever again. I read many letters from former regular soldiers of the KORB. They have a friendship between themselves that will be with them all their lives. It was a great pity, when the powers above decided to amalgamate such a fine regiment, as The King’s Own Royal Border.
Alan