Want to join the Territorial Army??

[Alien 10]

Yes I would agree with you. Personally I take the view that putting my life on the line is a bad enough proposition to begin with. Doing it for a lie is beyond all my comprehension.

 

Once you are a soldier you obey! Done deal! You become more than a defender you become a tool of Governments.

 

I'm not knocking here BTW as my posts elsewhere will show. I'm trying to give a wider perspective.

 

 

 

Simple words..but true.

 

If your young avoid the forces. If you have the will you can do anything the forces offer without selling yourself down the line. The man asks to give and take life in return for an absailing course. Yeesh!

[zakes 68]

T.A. Part 1

 

During early 1972 I took it upon myself to join the territorial army and I was 'stationed' at Somme barracks in Sheffield with 106 Squadron Royal Engineers. I had been told by someone that it was money for old rope and it turned out to be true. My rank was Sapper (later changed to private when I moved to the ACC (Army Catering Corps)!! I was glad to have joined up because I learned so much about life from the other part time soldiers and at training camp (in Part 2) I learned how to sew, iron, make my bed （also apple pie style), march, salute, respect seniors, how to dig a trench, map reading, survival in the wilds day or night, spit and polish brass buckles and clips, the same with boots until the heels and toes shone like mirrors and no cheating by varnishing them! Most importantly I learned self respect. I used to go to the barracks every Tuesday evening to do general duties for a couple of hours then afterwards we went to the mess, (bar) upstairs that always had a barrel of Whitbread Trophy for a few drinks, there was a full sized snooker table there and also a projector with screen and we'd watch a cheap tack all too soft blue film occasionally. For a Tuesday night I would receive a few days later a giro for 1.75 pound sterling. "Not much" I hear you say, in those days a pint of beer was roughly 12-14 pence a pint and fags 12 pence for 10. Alternatively that was my bed and board at home for a week with 25 pence change. We also got for free a best uniform and also combat gear (one mate used to wear his combats every day to work in a warehouse including beret). We also went away for weekends to places like the forests of Nottinghamshire or a river near Congleton to build a Bailey Bridge, (coincidentally our Major at Somme barracks was called Bailey) and many other exotic places. We would go to these places on Fridays and sometimes Saturdays travelling in army lorries to do what was to be done, whilst there we would be well fed eating out of mess tins and we would sleep in tents. After breakfast Sunday morning we would return to Sheffield having learned something new. For this we were paid GBP 3.50 again by giro a few days hence. On those weekends I was associated with 3 fellows who turned out to be good mates, they were older than me by 6-10 years and their names are Brian Smith, Alan Cotton and Geoff Hardy (by the way Geoff you still owe me GBP 7 for the telly I diddled for you from Wiggies, i'll let you off the interest)! Alan would also drive his car to the places of activity and when the days work was over on Saturday we four would change in to our civvies and drive to the nearest town to visit the pubs and have a gander at the local talent and afterwards some nice British chips and snips then head back to camp.

I later changed over to the ACC and travelled every second Saturday by army minibus to Strensall to do an extensive cooking course. I recall one time having to fry 75 eggs in one go with success, then half a dozen beef joints also successfully and a boat load of Yorkshire puddings that were also nicely done if you like them jet black! Ugh.

 

Part 2 will be about my training at Southwood Training Camp.

[warrior8 10]

T.A. Part 1

 

During early 1972 I took it upon myself to join the territorial army and I was 'stationed' at Somme barracks in Sheffield with 106 Squadron Royal Engineers. I had been told by someone that it was money for old rope and it turned out to be true. My rank was Sapper (later changed to private when I moved to the ACC (Army Catering Corps)!! I was glad to have joined up because I learned so much about life from the other part time soldiers and at training camp (in Part 2) I learned how to sew, iron, make my bed （also apple pie style), march, salute, respect seniors, how to dig a trench, map reading, survival in the wilds day or night, spit and polish brass buckles and clips, the same with boots until the heels and toes shone like mirrors and no cheating by varnishing them! Most importantly I learned self respect. I used to go to the barracks every Tuesday evening to do general duties for a couple of hours then afterwards we went to the mess, (bar) upstairs that always had a barrel of Whitbread Trophy for a few drinks, there was a full sized snooker table there and also a projector with screen and we'd watch a cheap tack all too soft blue film occasionally. For a Tuesday night I would receive a few days later a giro for 1.75 pound sterling. "Not much" I hear you say, in those days a pint of beer was roughly 12-14 pence a pint and fags 12 pence for 10. Alternatively that was my bed and board at home for a week with 25 pence change. We also got for free a best uniform and also combat gear (one mate used to wear his combats every day to work in a warehouse including beret). We also went away for weekends to places like the forests of Nottinghamshire or a river near Congleton to build a Bailey Bridge, (coincidentally our Major at Somme barracks was called Bailey) and many other exotic places. We would go to these places on Fridays and sometimes Saturdays travelling in army lorries to do what was to be done, whilst there we would be well fed eating out of mess tins and we would sleep in tents. After breakfast Sunday morning we would return to Sheffield having learned something new. For this we were paid GBP 3.50 again by giro a few days hence. On those weekends I was associated with 3 fellows who turned out to be good mates, they were older than me by 6-10 years and their names are Brian Smith, Alan Cotton and Geoff Hardy (by the way Geoff you still owe me GBP 7 for the telly I diddled for you from Wiggies, i'll let you off the interest)! Alan would also drive his car to the places of activity and when the days work was over on Saturday we four would change in to our civvies and drive to the nearest town to visit the pubs and have a gander at the local talent and afterwards some nice British chips and snips then head back to camp.

I later changed over to the ACC and travelled every second Saturday by army minibus to Strensall to do an extensive cooking course. I recall one time having to fry 75 eggs in one go with success, then half a dozen beef joints also successfully and a boat load of Yorkshire puddings that were also nicely done if you like them jet black! Ugh.

 

Part 2 will be about my training at Southwood Training Camp.

 

I shall look forward to part 2 but could you possibly use some spaces/paragraphs as it makes it much easier to read.

[PaymePal 10]

I was also in 72Engineer 106 Squadron as a Combat Engineer fron 1984 to 1987 based firstly at Somme Barracks and then Bailey barracks Greenhill.

I think there were spending cut backs at the time as the kit was well worn if not garbage, all hand downs from when the regulars had finished with it. Most of the lads ended up buying more and better stuff out of their pay.

Beasting was stilla big part of Army life especially if you trained with the regulars at Gibraltar Barracks, Frimley. We also trained at Otterburn,Gateshead and Strensall and once at Proteus before they shut it.

I was taught to drive the HGV's and they would never let you take your test with them incase youd just joined for that purpose.

The firing ranges were the best weekends in my experience then the bridge MGB building.

The camaradery was fantastic as has been said already and so much seems to have changed with the TA recently, for the better i feel with better recognition for the volunteers.

[Bassman62 10]

I am with The Yorkshire Regiment.

I think you can join from 17 with parents permission> The age has gone up as well - it used to be 32 but it is higher now.

I was in one of the Yorkshire Brigade regiments The 'York & Lancasters' disbanded in 1969, I was also in the 'Hallamshire Battalion' (TA battlaion of the York & lancasters) before joining the regulars, HQ was Endcliffe Hall Fullwood.

Wouldn't have missed either.

[Bedders 10]

I thought I would do a bit of recruiting for the Territorial Army. I have been in the army for coming up to 2 years now. Joining the TA has got to be the best thing I have done in my life so far.

 

In the TA you get to do so many things, some that you probably couldn't do in your civilian life - and get paid for it.

I'm in the Infantry and with this you probably get the most varied and exciting training compared with let’s say if you joined the Signals. As well as your weekend training (not every Weekend), each year you get to go on annual 2 week training camp abroad.

 

In the past 2 years there have been camps to: Cyprus, Gibraltar, Albania, Corsica, and America this year.

All of these you destinations and you get paid for it.

 

Fitness: If you don't think you are that fit now but would like to be - JOIN. I tell you now you will be fit soon after. The training is intense but I believe anybody can get through it IF THEY REALLY WANT TO. When I joined I wasn't that fit to be honest, I have been through what feels like hell and back but the sense of achievement once you complete your weekends is just amazing and you want to go back.

 

Friends: In the TA you will meet better friends than you could EVER get in civvie street. I have friends I have known ever since a nipper but my army friends are the best.

 

One thing you must be aware these days - If you are thinking about joining. It doesn't come without risks - once you are a trained soldier you WILL be deployed in to theater. - that’s going to war! I will hopefully be off to Afghanistan soon.

 

If anybody has any questions you can pm me or post on here and I will be able to answer them. Trust me, if you have the will power to get through your training you will love it.

 

Hope you are successful in your recruiting campaign!

 

I'm not anti-forces by any means, but no matter how much of a positive spin you put upon it at some point the money they are paying you , may mean you have to risk your life. Everyone's personal choice.

 

Me personally I think i should have been born in the 1940's or 50's as there was a sense of patriotism.....these days i wouldn't risk my life for this country......it's gone around the bend & not worth fighting for.

 

People who make other people's lives a misery by burglary, muggings, theft or beat up old people or con them out of their life savings......and then get community sentences.....that's not a country worth fighting for (or risking your life for!)

[zakes 68]

Want To Join The Territorial Army??

 

T.A. Part 2

 

After a long journey involving 3 trains, 1 tube and 2 bus rides laden with a large kit bag and large suitcase I finally arrived at Southwood Training Camp in Cove, Farnborough in Hampshire. Most of the things that I had learned mentioned in Part 1 were actually learned here and not with kid gloves, believe me. There was over 60 of us greenhorns from all over the country and we had a hard time and it wasn't physical but was of the mental kind, verbal stuff like "You are a piece of sh-t and you will never make it to be a soldier" or "Your mother is back home being gang banged by 12 buck ni--ers and she'll get the pox" or "Your dad has got cancer and will be dead before you get back home". This was constant and was shouted in your ear and you could feel the hot breath and spittle hitting your ear. We all got this treatment and some of the recruits left after a few days, some with tears rolling down their faces, it was quite a harrowing experience. I didn't feel the need to go home because I had decided not to let these strap bag prats break me, these prats being Sargeant Wills, Corporal Grubey, Lance Corporal Williams and a few others. Every morning we were awoken at 5.30 sharp by a Corporal crashing a big stick on the metal lockers and the first thought was that a bomb has gone off or that the ceiling has caved in. Then the Corporal then starts to prod people through the bedding with the sharp point of the stick and screaming obscenities all the time and over 60 of us had 30 minutes to wash, close shave and dress and we only had 8 wash basins, then fold our bedding crease perfect then be on the parade square in full battle dress with complete webbing ready for 1 hours square bashing. Then breakfast came at 7.00 and the canteen was massive with a wide variety of delicious food which was welcome after an hours drill. We didn't eat the fried stuff but ate cereal instead because next on the agenda was P.T and assault course and fried food has a habit of coming back up. It's worth noting (I think) that the canteen had a jukebox and at meal times you could here things like Silver Machine by Hawkwind or Sylvia's Mother by Dr Hook and the Medicine Show and lots more. We also learned to shoot SLR (self loading rifle), LMG (light machine gun), SMG (sub machine gun) and how to strap these weapons and clean them and put them back together again in double quick time. Evenings were best when imbibing a few pints of Courage or Newcastle Brown along with a few Players Weights (couldn't get Parkies or Woodies down there) and none of our 'trainers' in sight. Then off to bed because reveille was at 5.30 but I found it difficult to sleep because of the noise, the noise of snoring and the noise of 4skins clicking!

 

Finally the day of the passing out parade had arrived, and passing out was the right term for it. We were standing stiff looking like undaunted robots in smart uniforms having lost weight and looking fit. The baking hot sun was beating down upon us for ages waiting for the whisky nosed Brigadier to show his face and his collection of medals. Twas no joke standing there to attention wearing coarse woollen itchy socks, scratching underwear, our stiff shirt collars digging into our necks and our peak caps seeming to tighten around our heads by the minute and us feeling nauseous. At least a dozen of the lads fainted and lay on the floor but we were'nt allowed to pick them up and I with several others stood with our breakfast puked all over our chins and tunics. It was a good job that I remembered to wiggle my toes to keep the circulation going or I would have been on the floor too. A few hours later having passed out I was lounging on a London bound train smoking Weights and guzzling Harp lager...

 

So, to the question. Want to join the Territorial Army??

 

YES. It changed me from smart arse to smart man.

NO. I wouldn't stand on the stage for politicians who fail us with their decisions!

 

P.S. The Army paid for the travel.

[rosie731939 10]

I thought I would do a bit of recruiting for the Territorial Army. I have been in the army for coming up to 2 years now. Joining the TA has got to be the best thing I have done in my life so far.

 

In the TA you get to do so many things, some that you probably couldn't do in your civilian life - and get paid for it.

I'm in the Infantry and with this you probably get the most varied and exciting training compared with let’s say if you joined the Signals. As well as your weekend training (not every Weekend), each year you get to go on annual 2 week training camp abroad.

 

In the past 2 years there have been camps to: Cyprus, Gibraltar, Albania, Corsica, and America this year.

All of these you destinations and you get paid for it.

 

Fitness: If you don't think you are that fit now but would like to be - JOIN. I tell you now you will be fit soon after. The training is intense but I believe anybody can get through it IF THEY REALLY WANT TO. When I joined I wasn't that fit to be honest, I have been through what feels like hell and back but the sense of achievement once you complete your weekends is just amazing and you want to go back.

 

Friends: In the TA you will meet better friends than you could EVER get in civvie street. I have friends I have known ever since a nipper but my army friends are the best.

 

One thing you must be aware these days - If you are thinking about joining. It doesn't come without risks - once you are a trained soldier you WILL be deployed in to theater. - that’s going to war! I will hopefully be off to Afghanistan soon.

 

If anybody has any questions you can pm me or post on here and I will be able to answer them. Trust me, if you have the will power to get through your training you will love it.

 

Hi I need to contact someone who can give me some information, do you attend events and if so who do I contact, please reply