More Jottings

Somewhere to share your tales, anecdotes and memories from past days.

Moderator: dromia

Forum rules
Please remember to respect the copyright of the author. Please do not post content from this section elsewhere without the specific permission of the author.
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
Jenks
Posts: 5949
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 5:07 pm

More Jottings

#1 Post by Jenks »

More of my Dads jottings..


Having spent so many eventful and happy years of my life serving in a fine regiment in the Far East, I have a compulsion to describe life as it was in those pre-war days.

As one gets to my age (79 years ) I guess it is normal for the mind to wander down memory lane, and reminisce over events which today may seem strange, but were commonplace 60 years ago.

The Infantry Regiments at that time with a few exceptions, were of two battalions with one based overseas and the other at home.

The overseas battalions in India were kept at a strength of approximately 1000 all ranks, this included 200 odd ranks who were over the war establishment and I recall when we had a mobilisation exercise, these excess numbers were moved away (that is on paper). The Home Battalion being much under strength could quickly be made up by reservists.

My regiment was the 43rd and 52nd Light Infantry (Oxf and Bucks). These battalions were the first units to form Sir John Moore’s famous Light Brigade, later with other Light Infantry Regiments to form the Light Division of the Peninsular War fame. The Royal Marines were later to join.

Besides fighting in close formations they were trained and used as skirmishers being dressed in dark green uniforms. In those days it was thought that Riflemen who operated out of direct control of their officers would become an undisciplined “Mob”. My battalion in India (52nd Light Infantry) had an exceptionally high standard of weapon training. Every morning just after breakfast the bugle sounded the “fall in” for 10 minutes weapon training. Everybody including cooks, clerks and all employed people had to turn out. Third class shots were given extra range practice.

I recall while stationed at RAF Station Upper Heyford in 1948 I visited an old friend who was R.S.M. at the regimental depot (Cowley Bks Oxford). He was the champion shot (both rifle and pistol) of the BA pre-war, and had achieved a placing in the top ten at Bisley. He had his own rifle kept at his married quarters and practiced daily. As an example of the low standard of most units. In 1957 (Malaya) I took my Flight (1907 AOP) to the ranges to zero their rifles. As most service people know, this is done by firing with rifle rested at 100 yards and taking the same aim, firing 5 rounds. This should give a “group”. For a good shot this group would all be in a diameter of 4 inches, or possibly 8 inches for a mediocre shot.

I was really disgusted to find that not one could achieve anything like a group (i.e. holes widely spread all over the 4 foot target). Quite useless for the armourer to adjust the foresights. I had taken my 12 year old son * along and he produced a satisfactory group, he had previously only fired an air rifle.

* My first experience with the No4 Rifle.. That same day I got to play with a Jungle Carbine and Bren gun.


Jenks
Robin128

Re: More Jottings

#2 Post by Robin128 »

Good one, Jenks...keep them coming.

:D
User avatar
Ovenpaa
Site Supporter Since 2015
Posts: 24680
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 8:27 pm
Location: Årbjerg, Morsø DK
Contact:

Re: More Jottings

#3 Post by Ovenpaa »

Another good one Jenks ;)
/d

Du lytter aldrig til de ord jeg siger. Du ser mig kun for det tøj jeg har paa ...

Shed Journal
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests