George Smith shared his memories and photos:

I went into Devizes Training Centre on the 18th February 1958 under 227 Intake 58/04 Group but towards the end of my Training I contracted Bronchitis and ended up in Tidworth Military Hospital so was subsequently Back Squadded to 229 Platoon hence the Photo and then blow me I suffered another blow Cpl Fisher *** hit me in the ribs with a Rifle Butt and broke them so I couldn’t do any Rifle Drill, anyway we got Champion Platoon and you will hopefully see in another Photo of me receiving the Champion Platoon Cup, as for Cpl Fisher he was stripped and Posted to God Knows Where the result of my having to be taken to the MI who wanted to know what had happened and there was no way I could cover up for him as much as I tried!

In the July of that year I was Posted to RPO Stockbridge which is as you know just a few miles from Worthy Down at that time it was HMS Ariel, during my National Service days I also was attached to The Royal Green Jackets in Winchester as a Physical Training Instructor, after which I took onscripts on Physical Training at RPO Stockbridge having converted a Billet into a Gymnasium, I was demobbed from there in the February of 1960.

I settled down in Winchester after demob and served a local Company for 29 years until we went into Liquidation in September 1992, during that time I met up with the old CSM at Devizes (George “Dusty” Miller) who came to work in our Post Room, if memory serves me right he was instrumental in setting up the RAPC Museum at Worthy Down so he once said.

I also have some Photographs taken of RPO Stockbridge which you might like to see, the Camp as was is now just a field across from the Downs.

Click on the images to view large