When The Bugle Calls My Journey Through Life b y W.J. Rogers Bill Rogers The cover photo was taken on summer leave in 1950 after leaving the Army Apprentice School (AAS) and before joining the Regular Army. I spent 5½ years as a Dukie – at the Duke of York’s Royal Military School: at Saunton, Devon, from 1942 to 1946, and at Dover, Kent, from 1946 to 1947. I was apprenticed for three years at AAS Arborfield, 1947 to 1950. I joined the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) as a Craftsman Vehicle Mechanic, serving 16 years from 1950 to 1965. Then I worked for 29 years as a toolmaker at High Duty Alloys in Cumbria, 1965- 1994, taking early retirement through the firm’s redundancy scheme when aged 62. This book covers the time spent as a Dukie, at Arborfield, and in the REME. 2 Contents Foreword ............................................................................................................................. 5 Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 6 1. Pre-War Years ............................................................................................................... 13 2. Hitler declares war. 1939 .............................................................................................. 16 3. Doodle Bugs and Rockets ............................................................................................. 21 4. Saunton Sands, 1942-1946 ............................................................................................ 26 5. Sport and Education ...................................................................................................... 29 6. Button stick and boot polish .......................................................................................... 31 7. Danger at play ............................................................................................................... 37 8. Our American Allies ..................................................................................................... 42 9. Trades ............................................................................................................................ 44 10. Entertainment .............................................................................................................. 45 11. Return to Dover, 1946 ................................................................................................. 47 12. Arborfield, 1947-1950................................................................................................. 53 13. The Regular Army. Warminster, 1950 ........................................................................ 59 14. The Far East. Hong Kong,1953 ................................................................................... 66 15. Return to Blighty, 1955 ............................................................................................... 76 16. Return to Hong Kong, 1958 ........................................................................................ 78 17. Malaya, 1960 ............................................................................................................... 82 18. Return to Blighty, 1961 ............................................................................................... 87 19. Civvy Street, August 1965 .......................................................................................... 93 20. Retirement, August 1994 ............................................................................................ 95 Photos and other Illustrations Bill Rogers of more mature years ....................................................................................... 7 School Band ........................................................................................................................ 9 School Band 2014 ............................................................................................................... 9 The School Song ............................................................................................................... 10 Music Score for School Song ............................................................................................ 10 The School Hymn ............................................................................................................. 11 The Old School Badge ...................................................................................................... 12 New School Badge ............................................................................................................ 12 My father as a young Recruit. ........................................................................................... 22 As a Reservist.................................................................................................................... 23 On Salisbury Plains. .......................................................................................................... 23 Mum and Sons. ................................................................................................................. 23 Saunton Hotel. ................................................................................................................... 25 Braunton Rail Station. ....................................................................................................... 25 Weeding Party. .................................................................................................................. 33 Boxing with CSM ‘Dusty’ Miller. .................................................................................... 34 Drumhead Service. ............................................................................................................ 34 The March Back. ............................................................................................................... 35 Route march to Croyde and back. ..................................................................................... 35 3 Saunton Burrows ............................................................................................................... 41 Saunton Beach. .................................................................................................................. 41 Aerial view of the School. ................................................................................................. 49 The School 2014. .............................................................................................................. 49 Members of Wellington House. 1946. .............................................................................. 50 Summer leavers. 1947. ...................................................................................................... 50 Entry in School Register ................................................................................................... 53 Badge of the Army Apprentices School ............................................................................ 53 Intake 47B, ‘B’ Coy. AAS Arborfield. ............................................................................. 59 Badge of The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. .............................................. 59 REME LAD, Army MT School, Bordon, Hants ............................................................... 65 S.S. New Australia. ........................................................................................................... 65 27 Inf. Brigade LAD Wksps. Fanling ............................................................................... 68 REME LAD, 32 Med. Regt. RA, Sek-Kong. .................................................................... 69 Off to Korea ...................................................................................................................... 69 Camp at Kansas Lines ....................................................................................................... 71 Approach to Robin’s Nest Observation Post. ................................................................... 71 Camp at Kansas Lines S. Korea 1954. .............................................................................. 72 View over North Korea ..................................................................................................... 72 S.S.Dunera. ....................................................................................................................... 73 On top of the World .......................................................................................................... 75 S.S. Nevasa ....................................................................................................................... 75 S.S.Sandsend. .................................................................................................................... 77 H.M.T. Oxfordshire .......................................................................................................... 78 Sgts’ Mess Dinner. ............................................................................................................ 81 S.S.Dunera. ....................................................................................................................... 81 REME LAD Wksps Malaya ............................................................................................. 82 Taxi! .................................................................................................................................