THE
BRITANNIA
Capt William Gaymer kindly loaned the
editor copies of the journal; No 26 Autumn 1939 to the
last edition No 54 Aug 1959.GALLIPOLI 1915
- THE BRITANNIA NO 40 NOV 1952
Scene - Gully Ravine, Helles, Gallipoli, 1915.
The writer - unknown, but could it have been the Editor of
The Britannia, Maj RD
Ambrose MBE DCM - had been serving with
the Egyptian Army since 1908, and was at the time attached
to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
'Who the hell ever taught you soldiering, Cpl Nobby?'
'You did, Sir.'
'What do you mean?'
'You, Sir, commanded B Coy at Britannia Barracks in 1906.'
(Quite correct)
'Who was the Colour Serjeant of B Coy?'
'Haggar, Sir.' (Quite correct)
The questioner retired discomfited. One up to Cpl Nobby
who was one of a reinforcement from the 9th Foot. A,
B and D COYS in KOREA 1952 - repeated from B&C
85 Dec 95
'The Britannia' No 40 November 1952 states that A Coy,
forward with D Coy, were on "The Finger" and up
against the same problem as B Coy (successive tenants had
all had different ideas and in consequence the whole area
was a honeycomb of holes, disused cuts and old trash
dumps) and needed sorting out in a big way.
"Nevertheless, they succeeded in turning it into a
first-rate place and constructing some of the most
monumental bunkers in Korea, not the least of
which was CSM Paul Boxall's.
The CP area was in a shocking state of uncleanliness but
CSM Tim
Chatting, better known as "Camp",
soon got the place put right." The priority task for
A Echelon was the conversion of a porridge-like half mile
track into an all weather road. "This was bravely
undertaken and with CSM Winkie
Fitt as the architect and resident engineer a
most excellent road was produced. Need we say that
eventually this road was named "Winkie's Way."
The Battalion were ordered back into the line 2 weeks
earlier than expected and
"This fact wrecked our Almanza Day plans and
the only way we celebrated was by giving Chinky 10 extra
rounds harassing fire that night." B COY IN
KOREA 1952
The older men of B Coy in Korea adapted the
popular song 'Too Young' to suit their situation.
'Too old, too old to catch a Chink,
Too old, too old to really think,
They say the Chinks are fly
We think that's all in my eye.
We've heard about that 'moonshine' lots before
Too old to climb up One One Eight,
Too old to crack a Chink's pate,
And yet old Sunray will recall
We were not too old at all.'
Sunray was the popular name
of the CO 1 R Norfolk, Lt Col JHR
Orlebar.
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