News of events and comments from and about ex-members

"Hi Peter. Just found your website. I was in 217 between 1984 and 1988 ish on and off. Brought back lots of happy memories, In the photos HGB training Chattenden 1985 ? photo 007d in the middle is Micky Naim, he was my corporal for a while. I am in the next photo 007f leaning against the bridge facing the camera. No hats it was a sunny easy going chilling out sort of day. I had just joined 217 must have done my recruits course. John Keene was my sergeant. Its like looking back in time. I had black hair then. I joined against my parents wishes when I was 17 and a half. I was known as young un or Ossie for the whole of the time at 217. I think I was the youngest in the Squadron for about 3 years. I spent my time in 1 and 2 troop. I learnt an awful lot in 217 and worked with some great people. I always consider myself fortunate and extremely lucky for spending those years at 217. Vic Chitry took a stack of photos whilst I was there I remember him always walking round with his camera."

I live in Tamworth and have just retired from Jaguar/Landrover, was there since Feb 1999, great company to work for (Solihull.) I am so sad Gabby is gone. Re First Cyprus camp [1970], believe we flew from Luton with monarch and the hostesses uniforms were canary yellow!

"Hi Peter I joined the RNZE in 1975 and lived in London 1978 - 1980 during which time I was posted to 217. Can remember with much fondness the night parades at Holloway, regimental training, amazing regimental dinners etc. most of all I remember annual camp 1980, ex Crusader, for a young kiwi officer it was like a kid in a lolly shop, the move over air, rail, bus and the meals every time one stopped. I served as the sqn security officer, and enough stories of events to write a book. A great unit and I remember the professional officers, NCOs with such a depth of knowledge and experience, an experience I will never forget. Col Alister McCaw NZDF"

"Just been looking at the 217 website and the photos submitted by Graham Chambers.
I was in the unit from 1980 til 1993 then transferred to ULOTC until 2005 then went to London District and finally now at London Oratory School as their military instructor for the cadets in total so far 35 years. I worked in the stores with Richie Courval before being signals Sgt and finally in 2 troop as acting Ssgt. Recognised some of the characters in the bridge building photos.
Regards"

"Hi Peter, I just found your website and thought it's brilliant, so many memories came flooding back fro my time there as a PSI back in the 80's. Here's a few photos you can have I hope they  help get a few ex members thinking."

Brief history of 73 Engr Regt and 217 (London) Fld Sqn

Significant events 1969-1990

At Holloway Road

Annual Camp, 1969, Altcar

Annual Camp, 1970, Cyprus

Annual Camp, 1971, Wyke Regis, Weymouth

Annual Camp, 1972, Cyprus

Annual Camp, 1973, Weymouth?

Annual Camp, 1974 (?), Stanford PTA (Thetford)

Annual Camp, 1975 Where?

Annual Camps, 1974 and/or 1976, Stanford PTA (Thetford)

Germany 1977

Börry

Annual Camp, 1980 - Exercise Crusader, Germany

Tin City

"One day I was detailed to work in the Sennelager Training Area with a Muir Hill LWT - Light Wheeled Tractor - and was led to a site a few miles from our base by the Plant Troop Sgt, Ted Allen. I had to dig a trench around a house, but told not to enter the building beause it was booby-trapped. Food and fuel were promised for later on and off he went.

Several hours later, I was geting hungry and low on fuel when I saw in the distance some army trucks going towards a compound. I set off in the LWT but by the time I arrived the trucks had gone. The compound was surrounded by high CGI (Corrugated Iron) sheets, and the gates were locked. I walked around the compound and found a way in round the back and soon found myself in a deserted and poorly constructed housing estate.

A few minutes later a couple of women appeared around a corner pushing a pram. We exchanged glances but didn't speak. I was begnning to think this was like something out of Alice in Wonderland, or where Alice walked through a doorway into a bizarre world where nothing was what it seemed. Then I heard the sound of troops running and from behind me came about 20 squaddies running quiet fast, but in proper time and three abreast. They were led by a red-faced NCO who could have been a composite of all the characters in the Alice books. In fact it was Chris Wilton, so I was spot-on.

They disappeared and then I heard lots of shouting and banging. When I rounded the bend I was at a cross-roads with troops everywhere and some civvies too. I stood with my back to a CGI wall wondering what the hell was going on. A WO2 came over and said 'don't just stand there, rub this brick across the CGI like the others'. He spoke with an Ulster accent. The penny dropped, this was a training area for Northern Ireland."

"The noise got louder and louder. Then a beaten up car appeared and stopped in the middle of the roundabout. A couple of lads jumped out and ran off. Then another car, more lads, lots of shouting, bricks being thrown, even at me. And I only wanted a sandwich and a couple of gallons of diesel.

Then an army Land Rover arrived and armed troops with shields chased the lads, and caught a couple. Lots more lads appeared, more shouting, more bricks, a car was overturned and set on fire. I'd done a couple of weeks in Ulster in 1968 at the start of "the troubles, but this was much, much more scary. I was rubbing the brick across the tin sheets like mad, and ducking out of the way of more missiles.

It all died down eventually, the cars were dragged away and the place cleared up. The WO2 and maybe ten others walked down a street and disppeared into a building. Intrigued, and with nothing else to do, and hoping they might have some food, I followed and found them in a bar. An Irish bar, with Irish music and patriotic sogns. I went in and was handed a can of Guiness. They were talking in various degrees of attempts at a Belfast accent about the "incident" or exercise, then it dawned on the WO2 that whereas they were all in comabat dress, I was in overalls (OK, they're really known as coveralls) and no belt or puttees. He asked who I was. It went quite. I said, in I think a much more convincing Ulster accent, that I had come in to try to get a sandwich and some fuel for my digger. They looked nasty, so I quickly added "I'm TA". A couple laughed. He got quite angry, asked how I'd got in, what unit I was with, what I was doing near there. Eventually he calmed down and gave me another beer.

After a while I left the compound the way I'd come in, and went back to where I'd been working. At some stage a Land Rover arrived with some fuel but no food (thanks Ted, that was really good of you, and I said I wouldn't forget that). I said where I'd been and was told I shouldn't have gone there. I asked why I hadn't been told about the place. Apparently it was only divulged on a "need to know" basis, and I didn't need to.

Later I learned the place was called "Tin City" and it was politically sensitive, the UK Govenment didn't want the Germans to know it existed, although they must have done. Anyway I was told not to talk about it, and haven't until now except to Chris Wilton when we swapped yarns back at Holloway some weeks later. And luckily for Ted I nicked his map and have kept it a safe place ever since 'cos he'd done something he shouldn't have - written the name Tin City on it in ink at the spot that was supposed to be something else."

1994 Silver Jubilee Dinner at Holloway

heading

Mystery corner - who, where, what, when?

"Top left, I don't know the blokes, but the truck is unmistakeable - it's a Leyland Martian 6x6 with a straight-eight Rolls Royce petrol engine, introduced in the early 50s as an artillery gun-tractor with a 12-13 seater cab, and used in the 70s at the School of Transport at Bordon for HGV Driver Instructor courses."

"When I said if you want to pass your test you'll need to get stuck in, I didn't mean like that!"

Canal restoration near Devizes

Hurrah for the CRE!