Description
Object description
British cook served with 1st Bn Cameronians <Scottish Rifles> in Germany, GB and Aden, 1961-1968; served with 1st Bn Royal Highland Fusiliers in GB and Gibraltar, 1968-1969
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Hamilton, 1943-1960: social circumstances; education; part-time work; work in colliery, 1958-1960; training with Army Cadets, 4/5th Bn, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) at Hamilton Barracks, 1955-1960; service as territorial with 6/7th Bn, Cameronians; background to enlistment as regular at Recruitment Office, Glasgow, 31/10/1960. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine at Winston Barracks, Lanark, 11/1960-1/1961: national service composition of draft; kitting out; barrack room; food rations; muster parade; drill; training and opinion of SLR rifle, Bren gun and Sterling gun.
REEL 2 Continues: training in hand grenades, bayonet, 2" mortar, rocket launcher, Inerga rifle grenade and pistol; PT; tactical training and fieldcraft; assault courses; lectures; preparing for kit inspections; canteen; visits to Lanark; relationship with ORs and instructors. Recollections of period with A and Headquarters Coys, 1st Bn, Cameronians at Elizabeth Barracks, Minden, Germany, 1/1961-1/1964: journey out with draft; reception; barrack accommodation; lectures in history of regiment; question of catholic and protestant tensions within unit.
REEL 3 Continues: differences in drill methods in rifles; training and assessment of skills; opinion of Major Dick Wolton; opinion of Captain Ronnie Gibson and duties as his officer's servant; guard duties and selection as 'stick man'; opinion of 2nd Lieutenant Browne; story of celebrating Neuve Chapelle battle honour in snow, 10/3/1961; opinion of Company Sergeant Majors Johnny Hammer and Tommy Quinn, Sergeants Tom Quinn, Bill Todd and Ian Collinson, Corporal Paddy Carr, Rifleman Joe Neill, Colonels Harper and Kettle and Regimental Sergeant Major Ritchie; cookery course and use of field kitchens.
REEL 4 Continues: cookery course including basic cookery skills, hygiene and qualification as trained cook; rejoining unit during exercise and story of making urn of tea; daily routine duties as cook on exercise including ration packs, preparing breakfast, porridge, question of 'seconds', tasting food, fatigue party duties, use of powdered potato and preparation of lunch and tea; duties as cook in barracks including preparing breakfast.
REEL 5 Continues: duties as cook in barracks including preparing breakfast, lunch and evening meal and choices provided; organisation of kitchen shifts; stories illustrating relationship with Cook Sergeant Donovan and Cook Sergeant Major George Winkley; duties as cook working in sergeants' mess and learning cookery skills from Lance Corporal Jim Tallon; question of healthy eating habits; sport and recreations; relationship with German civilians; German civilian workers in kitchens including former concentration camp inmates.
REEL 6 Continues: assisting at special sergeants' mess functions and consequent extra pay; cold conditions during exercise and story of burning trousers; story of fight in nightclub and subsequent trouble in Minden resulting in Cameronians nickname of 'Poisoned Dwarfs' and loss of unit Hong Kong posting; period returned to rifleman duty with A Coy prior to return to kitchens. Recollections of period at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh, 1/1964-5/1966: attending course with Army Catering Corps, Aldershot; opinion of various NCOs; accommodation in sergeants' mess; work with Army Youth Teams and role as skiing instructors; duties with recruiting team in Lanarkshire.
REEL 7 Continues: story of incident of bullying, 1961; status as regimental cook; work with Army Youth Teamn; duties with recruiting team in Lanarkshire; work as cook in officers' and sergeants' messes; typical menu for officers' mess functions; work plucking grouse during detachment as Queen's Guard at Balmoral Castle, 8/1965; acting as guard to royal palaces in London, ca 10/1965-11/1965; internal security training prior to posting to Aden; issue of tropical kit; question of effect of vaccinations on subsequent health of soldiers; flight out to Aden.
REEL 8 Continues: Recollections of period in Aden, 5/1966-1/1967: first impressions; periods at Redfan Camp; kitchen and food rations; recreational visits into Aden; periods at Dhala Camp; Ramadhan celebrations of Arab civilians; contact with soldiers of Special Air Service; story illustrating atmosphere at night; story of learning to make curry; shift system; story of visit by Major General Jolly to kitchens; opinion of Colonel Leslie Dow; question of sunburn; flight back with advance party to GB, 1/1957. Story of failing course as officers' cook at St Omar Barracks, Aldershot, 22/1967.
REEL 9 Continues: Period at Calvary Barracks, Edinburgh, 3/1957-8/1968: marriage; reaction to news of unit disbandment; disbandment ceremony at Douglas, 14/5/1968; question of application to join Army Catering Corps. Period with 1st Bn, Royal Highland Fusiliers at Fort George and Gibraltar, 8/1968-1/1969: first impressions; stories illustrating duties as cook in sergeants' and officers' mess; story of reception on joining unit; 'ghost' story; question of signing on for extended service; background to posting with unit to Gibraltar; question of promotion; superiority of RAF cooking standards; return to Fort Grange, 1/1969; procedure on leaving army. Post-service career: work as hospital cook; importance of army experience.
REEL 10 Continues: work as bus conductor and bus driver; part-time catering activities; service as cook with territorial unit; role as secretary and welfare officer of Cameronians Regimental Association, 1997-2003.