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

Letters to Alan – National Service – Army Catering Corps

National Service in the A.C.C.

Like many more have said I just happend to see your Web site,and it stirred my old grey matter.
When I went for my medical they asked me what I wanted to join. the Navy I said, but I got my call up for the Army Catering Corps.
I reported to Aldershot for basic taining then got posted too Catterick for my cooks course, that done. I got posted to Kure Japan. I embarked on the Empire Orwell,a troop ship,where I spent eleven weeks cooking in the ships galley.I was dropped off at Kure and spent six months cooking for RMP then Iwas posted to Korea. It was so cold that I had to boil frozen eggs first before I could fry them.I spent six months in Korea, then I was sent back to Japan for me to catch the troop ship Asturias home so I thought. Only to be dropped of at Singapore and spent two weeks in a transit camp before being posted up to Malaya with the RASC in the jungle. The journey took four days sat on a wood slat seat on a train that must have been built in the eighteen hundreds.I did my time there and was told I would be flown home for demob, but no such luck .
The Suez crisis came up and I was stuck and had to wait for it to finish.So I did a little bit more N/S than most. My pay of one pound per week of which,ten bob of that was taken from my pay to be sent home to my mum to save for me for when I got outof the army. The trouble was my Mum had spent it each week as it was sent,So when I got my demob and being skint. I had two days off then it was back to work down the mine.
Yours truly
Laurie Avison 23100328 A.C.C Leeds W/Yokshire