Army, Navy or Air Force?

[BruceS]

It's become obvious that quite a few on the forum have served the country in one of the forces.
Perhaps some of you may wish to mention a few details of when, where & why?
This is the place to do it.
Who knows some of you may find common acquaintances.

[norman]

Ok ... i,ll start the ball rolling.I did CMT 2 years of it in the Royal Artillery.after basic training was posted to Malta when they had their civil unrest.this was 1957 to 59...Was a really good posting .....I got a plum job i was the battery commanders batman. no parades no guard duties and came and went as I pleased.got paid an extra 10bob a week to boot..

[Craig]

I did 30 years service in the Royal Australian Navy, this period includes 10 years as an active reserve. I still work for the Dept. of Defence occasionally, but as a contractor. Postings were mainly in Cairns, and Victoria and NSW.

Craig

[Chuck]

RAAF 63 - 84.

Communications: Radio, flashing messages around the world, cryptography... some other stuff.

64 - Melbourne.
66 - SE Asia.
68 - Melbourne.
70 - Butterworth Malaysia.
72 - Headquarters Operational Command (HQOC) Lapstone NSW.
75 - Darwin, as part of the communications relief team / Cyclone Tracy.
78 - Adelaide (Edinburgh)... whilst here was posted to Washington (Embassy) but cancelled due to having just recovered from quadruple bypass.
82 - HQOC Lapstone (AOCC).
84 - Resigned.

[pelbo]

Called up for National Service, 3rd intake '68. Two years Artillery.

Recruit training at Pucka. Corp training North Head, Manly. Sent to 103 Medium Battery Holsworthy. I was a Gun layer. Did 3 weeks Canungra in preparation to go to 'Nam. 103 had just returned from Nam when I arrived at the battery, so I was on standby as a replacement. Then shifted to a test unit to try out new guns to replace the venerable WW2 vintage M2A2. Back to North Head for 3 months testing the new guns. Then out to Woomera to continue field testing. Fascinating place, but boring.....work that one out! The ELDO project was still in operation at Woomera then.
I was the last to fire the old WW1 heavy 5.5inch field gun - the lifting mechanism failed just as the lanyard was pulled and the gun dropped down as it fired, the shell landing about 100 metres from the OP, blowing all the officers off their walking sticks (folding chairs). No one ever watched from the bunker, as the stale smell of urine in the hot bunker was overpowering. Lucky nobody was killed. But the guns were grounded that day, never to be fired again. They had worn out. Nobody minded the stale smell of urine in the bunker after that either!

[Keith Morris]

"tanks" here--- I am already in for all to read---

go to the 1st post at the Top of the Drop in and Chat section:-

"How I became a Gentleman of Armour" which covers my time in Royal Aust Artillery, Royal Aust Armoured Corps, R.A.A.Medical Corps, Military Intelligence. (G.S.O.2. Vic Bks.) etc. Artillery time was on [25 pdr Field Arty -all Gun Numbers except #1, 5.5in Medium Arty] Noosa Range, and then Tin Can Bay.
Armoured Corps time covered [Staghounds, White Armoured Car, 17 pdr Anti Tank, 120 B.A.T Anti Tank, Ferret Scout Cars, Saracens and Saladens ---never got my hands on a Centurion Tank 'till a 4 day Live-In-Reunion (the first Corps Reunion) at Pucka in the late 1990's. when the Cent took out the Tank Wash Wall. 1 foot thick Reinforced Concrete is no match against a 60 ton of Centurion Tank.

I notice one of the Forum Members had time on a 5.5 in -------"THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES"
(1/4679 1953 era onwards)
Keith.

[Keith Morris]

Called up for National Service, 3rd intake '68. Two years Artillery.

Recruit training at Pucka. Corp training North Head, Manly. Sent to 103 Medium Battery Holsworthy. I was a Gun layer. Did 3 weeks Canungra in preparation to go to 'Nam. 103 had just returned from Nam when I arrived at the battery, so I was on standby as a replacement. Then shifted to a test unit to try out new guns to replace the venerable WW2 vintage M2A2. Back to North Head for 3 months testing the new guns. Then out to Woomera to continue field testing. Fascinating place, but boring.....work that one out! The ELDO project was still in operation at Woomera then.
I was the last to fire the old WW1 heavy 5.5inch field gun - the lifting mechanism failed just as the lanyard was pulled and the gun dropped down as it fired, the shell landing about 100 metres from the OP, blowing all the officers off their walking sticks (folding chairs). No one ever watched from the bunker, as the stale smell of urine in the hot bunker was overpowering. Lucky nobody was killed. But the guns were grounded that day, never to be fired again. They had worn out. Nobody minded the stale smell of urine in the bunker after that either!

"TANKS" HERE --Was W.O.2 "Wacka" Gilchrist (RAAC) the RSM at Woomera when you were there ? He passed away at age (?) 98 this year.

[John M]

Ex RAN, Qmg (Dib dab to the initiated) joined May 1964, Payed off Jan 1973. Served on frigates, Parramatta and Stuart, with a spell on Attack class patrol boats and The Vung Tau Ferry, shore bases Cerberus, Waterhen, Lonsdale, Harman and Belconnen TS.