My Army Service Life
by Michael J Brennan
Royal Corps of Transport
October 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).
The Royal Corps of Transport
Photo: Buller Barracks c.1965. Source: Hantsweb.
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.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Corps_of_Transport
The Royal Corps of Transport
Royal Waggoner's History
The Royal Corps of Transport
The Corps was Raised in 1794 as the Royal Waggoner's, the Corps then became:
The Land Transport Corps in 1855-1869
The Army Service Corps in 1869-1918
The Royal Army Service Corps in 1918-1965
The Royal Corps of Transport in 1965-1993
Royal Logistic Corps 1993
Source: http://www.54sqnrct.co.uk/waggoners.html
The Royal Corps of Transport
Royal Waggoner's
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
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.
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 (1965)
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.
Houndstone Camp
Yeovil Somerset
After a short R&R I then went to 6 Driver
Training Regiment, 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.
Guard House
Cookhouse
Source of images: http://www.oocities.org/houndstone_camp/index.html
The Globe Cinema
Houndstone Camp
Yeovil Somerset
6 Driver Training Regiment, Houndstone Camp, Yeovil, Somerset . I completed my
driver training in an Austin K9 in March 1966.
Source of images http://www.milweb.net/webvert/75932
In Apr 1966 my first posting was to BAOR 17 Sqn RCT St. David's
Barracks, Hilden. Dusseldorf. West Germany.
Source of photos: http://www.baor-locations.org/wrexhambks.aspx.html
MT Park in 1950
Main Camp in 1950
Guard House in 1950
Cookhouse in 1950
Between Apr 1966 and February 1970 I visited a number of
different places around Germany on various exercises and
detachments.
Bad Fallingbostel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bad Fallingbostel is the district town (Kreisstadt) of the Heidekreis district in the
German state of Lower Saxony
JHQ Rheindahlen. Mönchengladbach.
Postcard sourced from ebay seller
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 MönchengladbachJHQ with a post code of 41179.
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
Postcard from ebay seller
1970 - 27 March posted to Shajaha in the Middle East for 9
months. (Desert Rat)
Deverall Barracks, Ripon
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
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 RAF VC10
16 December 1970 we returned to the UK flying from Sharjah to RAF Brize Norton on a
RAF VC10 Flight No 2708 eventually returning to Ripon. Yorkshire.
16/12/70 - Travelled from Sharjah to RAF Brize Norton in a VC10 Flight No 2708
Apr 1971 - Borden on a Petrol/Stores Accounts course
1973 - 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)
Shajaha Middle East
1970 - 27th March 1970 we was posted to Shajaha Middle East for 9 months.
Returned back to Ripon in 16 December 1970.
Awaiting image/picture
3th Jan 1973 to 6th Jul 1973 I was with 'B' Troop, 38 Sqn RCT (Main) UNCYP based
at Blue Beret Camp Nicosia Cyprus.
The old Guard Room at Wrexham Barracks
6th Jul 1973 Afterwards I was relocated to 38 Squadron RCT, BFPO 34 (Mulheim
an de Rhur), West Germany until August 1974
Source: http://www.baor-locations.org/wrexhambks.aspx.html
Todendorf
Anti Aircraft Firing Range
Todendorf
Anti Aircraft Firing Range
For the benefit of those who have never heard of
Todendorf, it must be briefly explained that the ranges
lie on the Baltic coast, east of Kiel in Germany.
The Camp was established by NATO for the use of
Allied Anti-Aircraft units, and Britain was entrusted by
NATO with the task of running the ranges until 31
March 1958, when Germany took over.
Todendorf
Anti Aircraft Firing Range 1964-67
Catterick Garrison. North Yorkshire c.2009
source Google Street View
1973. 5th September 1974 – Completed a one week Pre-release course in Motor
Mechanics in Catterick Garrison. North Yorkshire.
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/
Ripon West Yorkshire
Claro Barracks Ripon Gate House
Awaiting image/picture
Source of background http://www.gievesandhawkesmilitary.com/acatalog/info_187.html
Still Under construction