Britannia and Castle - Some memorable quotes concerning the Royal Norfolk and Royal Anglian Regiments

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The Britannia and Castle
Norfolk Section

'On one side of a penny is the Queen's head.
On the other is a young lady, riding a bicycle, called Ruby Tanyer.'

1960s Schoolboy Howlers Book.
Click coin to enlarge

DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY - SIR DAVID THORNE
In the DNB, written by John Ezard of the Guardian: “Arguably the most vivid tribute had already been paid to Sir David Thorne. In a farewell signal from the Queen’s Own Highlanders, as they left his command in the Falklands: ‘For CBF [Commander, British Forces] from All Ranks. Job 10 Verses 12 and 13 Highland Version. Thou hast granted us life and steadfast love, and thy care has preserved our spirit. We know this was thy purpose.’ ”

SIR DAVID THORNE BY BARONESS MARGARET THATCHER
In her letter to Lady Thorne after Sir David Thorne’s death on St George's Day, 23 April 2000, Baroness Thatcher wrote: 'Our way of life in Britain has a habit of bringing forth heroes, and David was one of them.'

SIR DAVID THORNE BY GENERAL SIR MICHAEL WALKER (LATER BARON WALKER OF ALDRINGHAM)
"I remember taking off from Stanley Airfield having said goodbye to him, and seeing, as the aircraft turned on its long flight back to Ascension Island, this tiny figure precariously suspended on a rope underneath a helicopter over the South Atlantic. It was David being lowered onto the tug towing an accommodation ship taking a navigational and weather gamble to get round the island to where the soldiers desperately needed somewhere to live. David was going to support the skipper on his journey. And another occasion when he alighted from a helicopter to visit his engineers building the San Carlos cemetery with a bottle of champagne for a corporal whose birthday he’d discovered it was.
David was a soldiers’ general first and foremost. He had under command the 1st Bn of The Queens Own Highlanders, who had been under his
command before in Northern Ireland when their CO, David Blair, was killed at Warrenpoint. As they left the Falkland Islands, their signal to him exemplifies
the profound respect and affection that David earned from his soldiers. It read: 'For CBF from All Ranks. Job 10 Verses 12 and 13, Highland Version. Thou
hast granted us life and steadfast love, and thy care has preserved our spirit. We know this was thy purpose. [Caber feidh].' "
Gen Sir Michael Walker GCB CMG CBE ADC Gen (later Baron Walker of Aldringham), at the Norwich Cathedral Memorial Service on 21 Jul 2000.

SIR DAVID THORNE BY HELEN TRIDGELL
'Long before anyone else had arrived in the office, there would be pages of his inimitable handwriting, which one of the team described as like a ‘spider
crawling through an inkwell’, waiting on our desks for attention.'
Helen Tridgell, Royal Commonwealth Society, at the Norwich Cathedral Memorial Service on 21 Jul 2000.

WISE ADVICE !
'Never bugger the men about' : The Late Col Tim Swayne TD DL, former CO 6 R Anglian.

IF IT DOESN’T MOVE - PAINT IT !
Ray Segon tells a tale about paint. A National Serviceman accidentally spilled the best part of a gallon of white paint on the tarmac near the Guard Room. Thinking quickly, he converted the huge splash into a square. Years later Ray was passing the barracks and called in.
There, freshly painted, was the white square !

THE 3 TYPES OF WW2 OFFICERS
From Maj Bryan Coward obe ^*1 bn ^*2: [Born in May 1918. See obit]
Regulars : Officers and Gentlemen.
Territorials : Gentlemen.
Emergency : Neither Officers nor Gentlemen.
^*1 obe = 'Over Bloody Eighty'
^*2 bn = 'Bloody 90'

Maj David Clarke reported on the 12th North Elmham Gathering in 2006 :
'The return of 1 Royal Norfolk from Cyprus 50 years ago was celebrated by a somewhat chaotic welcome at Thorpe station. A surprised officer from Britannia Barracks stood on the engine and tried forlornly to explain travel arrangements while kind WVS ladies with tea and sandwiches looked bewildered as 700 happy young National Servicemen surged forward to be greeted by relieved wives, families and girlfriends.
The Colonel of the Regt was accompanied on the train from Liverpool by the acting adjutant, who amongst all the spit and polish, was wearing the most awful pair of battered brown shoes instead of his erstwhile immaculate boots. The evening before, whilst aboard the Empire Clyde, a visiting officer had consumed his fair share of beverage and demanded even more when the bar closed. He was convinced the poor unfortunate acting adjutant had a bottle of something very good in his cabin. To press his point he confronted him with a loaded automatic. To demonstrate the weapon was loaded, he placed the Adjutant’s gleaming boots in the porthole, which, fortunately was facing the harbour, and after taking a somewhat blurred aim, he squeezed the trigger. The bullet flew true and the beautiful boots leapt into Liverpool harbour at some speed! The battered brown shoes, discarded as clearly beyond any economical repair, were then retrieved from the dustbin outside the Sgts Mess. Promotion then came very slowly for the adjutant!'
(Names have been provided for the Regimental Archives ! Ed.)

TONY FISHLOCK
Tony Fishlock is part of HSF folklore.
He was at the bottom of a trench in the 1980s when Lord Trefgarne visited the Norwich HSF (Home Service Force) F Coy on exercise.
‘What are you doing?’ asked the noble Lord.
‘Digging a sh** hole.’
[Most recently in B&C 107, Dec 06]
(Finding this site page, Tony added in Jun 07: ‘It was a case of mistaken identity. I thought Lord Trefgarne was my old cricketing mate Malcolm Allsopp of Anglia TV!’)
[Added to B&C 109, Dec 07.]

'Later that evening, Frank Fleming and I visited the NAAFI to ascertain that our other American cousins from the USS Algol were being looked after properly.
On entering, our chests swelled with pride. There were the 20 or so sailors being 'looked after' by well over 200 members of the Regiment. What a grand lot our lads were to give up a Saturday night in Kowloon in order to entertain our US guests.
It was only the next day I learned that the US sailors, on first entering the NAAFI premises, perhaps not being used to military establishments that sold booze, gave the NAAFI manager something like $2000 with the words: 'Drinks on the house for everyone. Let us know when it runs out for there is plenty more where that came from if it is necessary.'
I gather a host of Holy Boys did their very best to make sure it was necessary.'
[From B&C 90 Jun 98, reporting the occasion of the visit by USS Algol offrs and seamen to the R Norfolks at Dills’ Corner, sent by the late Maj Tom Styles who died in 2001.]

'I was marching up the Burma-Siam railway in April 1943, carrying all my kit, and after 16 miles on a very hot day came to Tarso Camp, commanded by Lt Col Knights with ‘Tuppeny’ Rice MM BEM as his RSM. I was knackered. Rice rushed off and got me a small bag of salt as I was suffering from heat exhaustion. I knew then the full meaning of Regimental brotherhood. I've never been so glad to see the old Britannia and I have never forgotten this incident after more than 50 years.’ Maj Bob Hamond

' 'There is a story told of your 2nd Bn in Burma of a heavy bout of shelling, which sent everyone flying for their foxholes.
When it lifted the Coy Commander was astonished to see a solitary Private standing at the ready with his rifle.
'Why didn't you take cover like all the others?'
'Sir, Sergeant said you stand there till I tell you to move - that's what I did.' '
The Rt Revd Michael Mann at the Laying up of the Regimental Colour of 1 Royal Anglian in Norwich Cathedral, 4 May 1996.

‘It may well be that local influences caused my mind to dwell upon Jack Randle VC and his sublime heroism in that single-handed act of gallantry. Perhaps it was that final determination of Randle’s to make certain that his object was successful, that jamming of his stricken body into the loophole, which is so remarkable. Be that as it may, Randle’s sacrifice is one that comes instantly to my mind as the finest example of single-handed gallantry I know.’
Centurion author of ‘More Men whose fathers were men - their medals and their message’

At the 2002 Royal Anglian Norwich and District Branch Lunch: ‘I know I’m a cantankerous old bastard but appreciate the support of you all.
Looking in a mirror I don’t recognise myself from the compliments!’
Click here for a photograph of the speaker. As if you need a reminder!

B&C No 89 Dec 97 quoted remarks heard by the B&C Norfolk Section Editor at the pre-Bosnia deployment briefing for 19 Mech Bde in Catterick, Oct 97. General Angus Ramsey described the Czechs working in Bosnia in MND SW as ‘incredibly Wilco’ and the work of IFOR under General Sir Michael Walker as having ‘gone into an uneven seam in the carpet of history and stamped on it.’

Maj Bob Godfrey MC (Suffolk Section Editor) was undergoing HGV driver training on STANTA in the 1980s while serving as PSAO (Permanent Staff Admin Officer) to A (Royal Norfolk) Company when the Norfolk Editor was the OC and called in at dusk while we were training.
'Hev' yow hed yer tea yit Capn' Godfrey?' enquired cook (aah - now a Chef!) Cpl Jarrett.
Expectantly, Bob replied: 'No, I haven't.'
'Tha's a pity,' said the toothless Corporal, 'we ar' jus' had ourn!'

The late Maj David Standley TD (d 1987) was at Annual Camp with the 4th Bn at Buckenham Tofts on Stanford, Norfolk. He related how one officer spent R&R afternoons with the bell tent brailing 'flaps down'.
The said officer was henceforth known as 'Flaps Down'! Name withheld to protect the guilty!
(But visit the Officers' Mess at the TA Centre in Aylsham Rd, Norwich and locate the photograph of The Late HRH The Princess Margaret with an officer wearing the Britannia collar dogs facing inwards !)

In the 1970s, at a 6 R Anglian Annual TA camp, a General was visiting, his first since appointment as Director Volunteers, Territorials and Cadets.
He asked a LCpl from the 6 (V) R ANGLIAN, Norwich (Apache) Platoon, then commanded by, now Lt Col, Miles Green (Retd) for how long he had been in the TA.
'Two years sir.'
'You have done well', responded the great man.
'And how long have you been in the TA?' enquired the curious LCpl.
The General thought about this and replied, 'About 2 weeks.'
'You have done bloody well, sir!'

The Late General Sir Ian Freland was visiting A (Royal Norfolk) Coy at Annual Camp at Otterburn in 1976.
Speaking to Pte Chieseman of the Norwich (Apache) Platoon, Commanded by 2Lt Miles M Green (later Intelligence Offr, Bn HQ; 2IC A [Royal Norfolk] Coy, 6 R Anglian and Dep Commdt Norfolk Army Cadet Force, as Lt Col) the General enquired what he did when not with the TA.
'You are not going to believe this sir, but I am a lightship keeper.'
'I'll believe anything about the TA!' responded the General.

'Humphrey’s active Service career ended in 1963. He was re-employed as a retired officer in London followed by the post of Range Officer in Sennybridge, where, with his instincts for all things natural in that lovely part of Britain, still wearing quite illegally his Britannia cap badge, this marvellous old fashioned officer finally hung up his boots in 1976.'
Extract from Obituary for Lt Col Humphrey Wilson MC by Maj General Jack Dye CBE MC DL

TRI-SERVICE GOODWILL
In 1967, on the notice board in the Officers’ Mess at RAF Watton, Norfolk, appeared an Admiralty Order:
‘It has come to our attention that some Royal Naval officers are calling Army officers 'Pongoes'.
In future all Pongoes are to be referred to as Army Officers.’

WISE QUOTES
'There are only two kinds of people in the army; medics and patients.’
‘Only those who dare to live their dreams are truly free to live life to the full.’
Capt Bill Dixon RAMC (V) Staff Officer Bosnia 1997

AGINCOURT
Maj Ron James TD, latterly 2IC 6 R Anglian and OC F Coy HSF (formerly OC 'B' [Brutal Beds] Coy), tells the tale of being informed, on a parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, by the Adjutant, that his family had been at Crecy.
Ron, in a rush of judgement, said that his family had been at Agincourt.
'And what were they doing at Agincourt ?', asked the Guards Adjutant from atop his horse.
On his green Sandhurst bicycle, trying to balance while sitting to attention, forgetting you are allowed to place one foot on the ground, Ron replied, 'In the dressing room, going through the pockets of the archers.'

Ron received 7 days Horse-sh*t shovelling !

PRO PATRIA

The inscription on a headstone on a Christian cemetery in India reads:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
CAPTAIN MAURICE JAMES BUTLER
ROYAL IRISH RIFLES.
ACCIDENTALLY SHOT DEAD BY HIS BATMAN
ON THE FOURTH DAY OF APRIL 1882
'WELL DONE THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT'

ANY OLD FOOL
'Any old fool can do anything any-odd how but it takes someone special to do it right.'
'Wasgonnas only have their dreams.'
Wise words from The Late Gwyn Button, quoted at his 'Celebration of Life' Sep 05.

'On the BBC website, I read with interest that scientists in Australia have discovered the smallest fish known to exist. They've obviously never been to the Britannia Chippy on the Gloucester Road.'
Alan J, London, Feb 06

SUEDE SHOES
The Telegraph, 6 Aug 01, obituary for Sir Martyn Bartlett Bt, who died on 1 Aug 01, aged 81, included: ‘In 1940, after Sandhurst, Bartlett was commissioned into The Coldstream Guards but was dismissed for arriving late on Morning Parade, direct from a night club, wearing suede shoes.’
B&C 97 Dec 01

INEBRIATED
In the 1960s, a young RAF Pilot Officer had 3 pints of Watney’s Red Barrel in the ‘Crown’ in Watton, Norfolk, with his Duty Sgt.
Proceeding to the RAF Watton Station Guard Room he sees an elderly LAC, who, judging by the shadow of 3 stripes on his tunic, had once been a Sgt.
Young Officer asks: ‘What would you do if a person, obviously drunk, approached the gates?’
Without hesitation, the wise old LAC replies: ‘I’d help him to his feet, Sir, and escort him to the Officers’ Mess!’
B&C 97 Dec 01

BROWN SHOES
On his Commissioning Course at The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in April 1975, Offr Cdt Miles M Green (later Intelligence Offr, Bn HQ; 2IC A [Royal Norfolk] Coy, 6 R Anglian and Dep Commdt Norfolk Army Cadet Force, as Lt Col) was espied by CSgt Proctor of The Black Watch ('The Poison Dwarf’) wearing a pair of ‘Cobbly Wobblies’. The background needs explanation. On his first ever TA weekend out in the field with 6 R Anglian in 1973, the Regimental chronicler, Offr Cdt JR Libald, (later Major and TD**) shared an ambush site with Offr Cdt Miles Green. We crawled into position by the bailey bridge on Stanford Training Area, the frozen nettle stalks snapping in the sub-zero temperatures. We lay for hours waiting for the ambush to be sprung then gave up and slowly retreated across the bridge. At that moment the enemy opened up with bursts of automatic fire so we legged it, illuminated by schermulies and verey flares. Miles caught his foot in a trip flare wire we had forgotten. The faster he ran the more the flaming pot wrapped itself round his foot. Next parade night in Norwich, the PSI, CSgt Ben Turner, conned him into exchanging that slightly singed pair of 1942 Army ammunition boots for a pair of Cobbly Wobblies (Boots, Arctic, soles double). At Endex Ben Turner asked the chronicler to return to a ruined house by the bridge and retrieve a yard of cam net hanging from a tree. In due course this sample was exchanged with the late QM Danny Bebbington for a 12’ x 12’ net! Those Cobbly Wobblies were later to cause Colour Sgt Proctor of the Black Watch, Drill Instructor at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, much grief. Firmly anchored by the boots and swaying to attention in a stiff wind on the Parade Square at Sandhurst, elevated by the boots to a height towering above the Poison Dwarf, Miles was informed: ‘Ye’ll no come on ma parrrade in them boots. Have ye no shoooes Misterrr Grrreeen?’ Miles is the only Officer Cadet ever to complete the Parade Ground element of the Sandhurst course in shoes brown. Then he conned the Band to play ‘On Ilkley Moor Baht At’ when we marched off at the Commissioning parade!
B&C 97 Dec 01

SITREP
(ie 'Situation Report) from 3 (UK) Division to HQ Bosnia in Mar 1996:
‘He clearly prefers to keep fit by leaping to conclusions.’

MORE SHOES
Years ago, a now-retired Senior Suffolk ACF chappie, as a Boy Soldier with the Royal Norfolks, had to borrow a pair of shoes in order to visit the local County Town so he could purchase a pair for himself !
Ask the former Suffolk ACF County Commandant, Col Paul Denny, to name the culprit.

BANG HEADS !
At the Sep 1999 Association Dinner, the CO of The East of England Regiment, Lt Col Clive Newell PWRR, addressed us on the founding of The East of England Regiment, formed from 6 R Anglian and 3 WFR. His keynote remark was : 'There is a requirement to ‘Bang heads together to ensure we are facing in the same direction’.'

MY ARCHITECT
More adept at the wearing of non-issue kit than at double entry accounts, Miles Green (later Intelligence Offr, Bn HQ; 2IC A [Royal Norfolk] Coy, 6 R Anglian and Dep Commdt Norfolk Army Cadet Force, as Lt Col) had managed to be away on many of the 6 R Anglian Audit weekends with the most laudable of excuses. I believe his was the ultimate excuse : 'My architect is coming to extend the East Wing'. On investiture as A (Royal Norfolk) Coy Account Holder he did not avail himself of 'The Master' Major Fred Ayers TD and so confused the next Audit Board by his 'back of fag packet' accounting that the CO, the late Colonel Tom Dean, decreed that ALL Junior Officers would undergo a period of proper training in the Preparation, Maintenance and Presentation of Accounts. In due course the Battalion Paymaster - Lt Gerry Gandon (later Capt and PSAO {Permanent Staff Admin Offr} to A (Royal Norfolk) Coy then, on retirement, Offrs Mess Secretary Norfolk ACF) - ran an Accounts Cadre at the remotest outpost of the Battalion in Braintree.

In the obituary for Maj John Housego :
Cpl David Eyles: ‘As a young man, I joined the Thetford platoon. My first weekend was based at Bodney Camp and on the Saturday night I was ‘volunteered’ to be on guard from midnight to 0300 hrs. I was told by my NCO to remind the CSM to book me down for the overtime so the next morning I did as instructed. John said the matter was in hand. Later, he handed me a note stating 'IOU £1' written on a sheet of MOD toilet paper! John got me again while on exercise in the Battle area. He addressed the assembled company, asking who held an HGV licence, so up I jumped up: ‘Me sir, I do.’ ‘Good boy,’ he said, ‘drive over there and get me a cup of tea from the cook.’ It was about 20 feet away. Some years later I had started to sharpen up a bit, thankfully. It was a bitterly cold November day as we left Norwich TA centre at 6 am heading for Colchester for a weekend of shooting. John decided to ride shotgun with me in the ammo truck. We soon realised the heater was broken and the temperature in the cab soon dropped below freezing. John took command. His decision was to raise the temperature by filling our two large pipes with his famous ‘shag’ and we puffed our way down to Cavalry Barracks. On arrival Lt Raybould sent two soldiers over carrying fire extinguishers. ‘What the hell do you two want,’ barked the CSM. They replied: ‘We were told to run over here as the cab is so full of smoke you must be on fire!’ Consequently they spent the evening on guard duty for being so soft while we went down to the pub. All of the 6th Bn have fond memories of CSM Housego. He was always firm but fair and it was an honour to have served with him, and I am proud to call him friend.’
B&C 111 Dec 08

BICYCLE
'Did you hear of the night RSM Swingler went on his bicycle to a local pub? When he came out he found his bicycle tied up at the top of a lamp post !'
Alan Solomon (decd 22 Jan 2005)

BRIGHT IDEAS
In the obituary for General Sir Peter Leng KCB MBE MC
"Some years later, when Leng was commanding a Corps, a brother officer said to him: ‘Still sparking those bright ideas, I see. I bet some of them are bloody losers.’
‘Perhaps,’ replied Leng with a smile, ‘but nobody dares tell me now.’ "
From 'The Telegraph' - Mar 2009

11 September 2001 A Tribute

Site edited and maintained by Major JL Raybould TD Editor, Norfolk Section, The Britannia and Castle

The Norfolk Editor/Webmaster was, 2000-2005, Rotary 1080 (East Anglia) District DICO. Yes, I know! (District Internet Communications Officer!)
In the 1990s, 19 Inf Bde had the DICS Comms System. Having some knowledge of IT, I was appointed to look after DICS and was known in the Ops Room as the 'DIC Head'. It was something to do with Wavell or some IT kit.
Thanks to Tony Ooi, 1 RANGLIAN 1962-66, we now know this is the 'Digital Integrated Command System'.

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