Major John L Raybould TD Webmaster Suffolk
ACF bids you welcome to the new Suffolk ACF site
I first came across the Army Cadets in East Africa, in
1968. It indelibly marked the start of a most worthwhile
and rewarding part-time career. After commanding the
Luanshya CCF 3-Platoon Coy and a Band, and, later,
keeping rather quiet while the late and infamous Idi
Amin ruled in Uganda (though his brother knew of my
background !) it was the Territorial Army that I joined
on returning to East Anglia. I am proud to have
commanded the first TA Platoon established in Thetford
in 1968 at the site of the flagship WETC at Croxton Rd.
Known variously as 'Gangster Pl', or, as we preferred,
'The Destroyers', a prime requirement for joining was
having served a juvenile term at Her Majesty's
displeasure.
One of that Pl now wears a Crown on his cuff with
Suffolk ACF but it beats me how he passed the stringent
basic joining requirements !
During TA appointments as Coy 2IC, Battalion
Intelligence Officer, OC HQ Coy, Bn Operations Offr, OC
A Coy and serving with 19 Inf (later Mech) Bde in UK and
BAOR, it was a pleasure to often be invited to perform
the duty as Visiting Offr at various ACF Detachments. I
recall making a mental note to re-join the Cadet
movement when age called a halt to TA Service.
However, before the grey hair arrived, the Commandant of
'another County ACF' bade me welcome so I was
double-hatted for a while as PRO and D of E Offr. In
fact, it was triple-hatted as I promptly went off to
serve with the Regular Army for 3 Operational Tours in
Bosnia !
Now, I'm ending my uniformed service with Suffolk ACF -
but not for another 5 years ! (Hopefully ?)
Among familiar faces from the last century are the
Suffolk Commandant, Col Paul Denny, Majors Bill Pratt and Gary Turner so it should be a fun time
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After over 40
years of doing lessons before an OHP and blackboard (Can
I still say that ?), instructing on Map Reading,
Navigation, the Sub-Machine & Bren Gun and various
rifles, Grenades, NBC and a host of other long-forgotten
military matters, I'm now much happier to leave such
warry matters to the non-grey-haired and use my camera
and 2-fingred mispyting skills to present Press Releases
and Website material to show, at its best, the finest
Youth Organisation anywhere !
If you see me about with my camera, do stop me for the
taking of your photograph !
Finally, have you heard my tale of crossing the 'Great,
Grey, Green, Greasy Limpopo' (aka Rudyard Kipling) when
heading North through Rhodesia to the Congo. It was a
hot and steamy night ... |
Webmaster Comment:
Thanks John! We'll no doubt hear your Limpopo tale later
and that of your hunting of the crocodile on Lake Kariba
and the hippopotamus on the Nile, your encounters with a
boomslang snake, Black Mamba and python in East Africa
as well as the soldier ants, termites, mosquitoes,
monkeys and parrots!
You seem to have a scurrilous mention at: www.sandawana.freeserve.co.uk/6_ranglian/eve_of_show_notes_libald.htm
It doesn't mention a succinct summary from an OC of that
proverbial 'other County ACF' on your departure:
'We'll miss your wit, expertise, and (I hope you won't
be offended) eccentricity, but most of all we'll miss
your friendship and smiling face.'
Nor does it state a masterpiece of understatement from
your last Chief of Staff in Bosnia, former PARA, Maj
Alex Boyd (now a Lt Col) in your final Confidential
Report : '.... often somewhat dishevelled ...'
And what about that 2004 comment from 'Stan The Man, Red
and Yellow' : 'You really are the most weird officer I
have ever come across.' ?
Using those immortal words addressed to uninspiring
Show-Biz Hopefuls: 'Don't contact us. We'll call you !'
PS What's that natty number next to the gongs in the photograph above? Surely it is not
that most rare award of the 'Dinner Cross' ?
I'm told it was only ever awarded to those Officers who
survived three 1980s 6 R Anglian mid-audit-weekend
'Black tie suppers' correctly attired in dinner jackets
with a 'Come Dancing' style number pinned to the back of
the jacket.
It is understood this lively, but little award, is a
pale blue miniature bow tie and that these awards are
now defunct and the Dinner Cross can only be worn on the
lapel with a black tie at the 6 R Anglian Annual
Re-union Dinner.
Do I spot a Bar to the DC ?
PPS It seems you are, as ever, improperly dressed as you
are not wearing that other unique award, the Chapatti
Star ? |
Response
from Major John L
Raybould CS DC * TD**
Dear Webmaster,
You are indeed correct concerning the Dinner Cross. Yes,
a bar to the DC is there, discretely.
You should, however, take a look at the Regulations
concerning the wearing of the (CS) Chapatti Star.
As decreed by Gen Kitson, when he saw it worn by Maj
Alan Spearing, OC B (Brutal) Coy, at Warminster, along
with the DC, the CS was henceforth only to be worn on a
DPM Combat Jacket or Shirt (and, presumably, desert kit
?).
The CS (Chapatti Star), representing a miniature brown
chapatti, is the highest military award. Only a few were
honoured because attendance was voluntary - those who
braved three Curry Lunches, correctly attired in suits.
The only known surviving recipients are Col Alan
Fairless TD JP, Majors Mike Van der Gucht TD, John
Raybould TD and Alan Spearing TD. |
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Photographs
