71 HAA RA – FAYID 1951-52

MY DAYS WITH ‘D/C’ TROOP

As Remembered By L/Bdr Jeremy Davies

My call up was deferred for two years due to the fact that I was studying graphic art at the West of England College of Art. The summer of 1950 found me at Bristol station, with my travel warrant to Shrewsbury, kitting out, square basing and then on to Tonfanau Camp, RA, West Wales coast for training on the MK7 gun control radar.

Entrained early December for rotten old London Assembly Centre. Entrained again for Liverpool and the Troopship Empire Fowey with a rough passage through the Bay of Biscay but as I never get sea sick there was plenty of extra food from my shipmates!

Disembarked at Port Said early January. Entrained for Fayid where we were collected by a 15 cwt truck – 5 of us were for 71st HAA. At first we had to sleep on truckle beds under canvas but later we had luxury huts built.

My most vivid memory is going on parade at 6:00am, hungry and assailed by the aroma of baking bread from the garrison bake-house across the road! This was followed by 2 hours of bull and cleaning the AEC Matador tow trucks.

Then at 8am it was march off to breakfast parade. This was usually porridge with Golden Syrup which my mother used to send me, plus Marmite, from the UK. Then it was bacon and eggs, and bread dipped in the bacon fat. Yum yum, we were hungry by then and could have eaten a camel! After breakfast it was wash you plates in luke warm greasy water – ugh! No thanks, the answer was to dig the plate into the sand and scour it perfectly clean!

Back to barracks for 30 minutes before the next parade.

Spend till 12:00pm on training and instructing on use of radar set and getting lecturer’s throat! On parade to march off for lunch break. Probably roast beef, potatoes (I remember peeling 100’s of those on cookhouse fatigues) and greens, followed by sponge pudding and yellow peril or something similar. Back to barracks for siesta or maybe a swim in the Bitter Lakes (where you couldn’t sink!) Back to camp in time for tea, bread & butter, jam and a chunk of watermelon.

On parade for a couple more hours, bulling the brass or, in my case as a graphic artist, renewing the signwriting and unit numbers. Then fall out for evening and down to the NAAFI for a Stella beer and fried egg roll and a fag or two. Then it was back to the pit until reveille.

That was a typical day, unless you were caught for guard duty (about once a month), then it would be an afternoon of bulling up boots and brasses. Anyway, that sums up a typical day in camp.

Having dealt with the routine, I can now reminisce about the occasional desert trip for live firing or sometimes R&R as all leave had been cancelled at that time. No trips to Cyprus anymore! These annual desert trips were to give us a break from routine.

Desert Exercise

My rig - MK 7 Radar
Me & the MK7 crew	In front of one of the water carriers
Dgging sleeping trench	Gladwin

Anyone recognize any of these etks, off for a swim or collecting water from camp?
?Geordie Collier on the left I think, but I can’t remember the others

In camp the bane of our lives was RSM ‘Smudger’ Smith. His favourite expression was “Nothing’s new, it’s all been done before”.
This photo was obviously taken on a desert exercise. looking at the background.

Finally, a few more photos of the motley gang, I think I’ve got their names correct:

Finally it was time of go home. “One more day and an early breakfast!”

Bussed to nearby airstrip to board a rattling old Avro York aircraft flying at 8000 ft back to Blighty. Landed at night in a cold rain storm – Boy, what a wonderful smell after the arid desert! Back to Woolwich for demob procedures and then back home.

I must say the experience never did me any harm and I certainly returned home fit.

I would be pleased to hear from others who may remember me or had a similar experience as I have plenty more photos they may like to see.

I leave you with a Dancing Monkey Street Performer!

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