New Community Page

[BobH]

Just to re-liven up our website and keep interest going I've started a Community Page where anyone who wants to tell us a story are able to do so.

My latest addition is the story of George Maggs

I think you'll find it interesting

https://www.1420th.org.uk/who.html

[Pinky]

Excellent account.
Thanks
Pinky

[john kerwin]

Great page. Like it
John k

[Bill Bentley]

Well done indeed Bob !
I should like to have learned more about your time with the 14/20th, but I guess you didn't want to write an autobiography.
Stay safe and well ...
Bill & Rahi

[BobH]

I guess my 1420H life was much like all others.

Trooper - Crewman
L/Cpl - Provost
Cpl - Sqn Bar manager - Tank Commander
Sgt - Signals Instructor - Recruiter
B Squadron, 5th Troop Leader in Hong Kong

My highlight would be as captain of the Regimental Canoe Team

BAOR Championships - River Weser - many times
French Army Championships - River Marne
Devises to Westminster Canoe Race - only (2-man) crew to finish

Ribadesella - the world famous descent (Asturias, Spain)

Interestingly we received a message from The England (ACU) team that, owing to illness, they were unable to field a team. We were asked to represent England so, (unofficially) we are able to say that we canoed for England. No medals or shirts as souvenirs though, although we did get a certificate .

This race was gruelling to say the least. 20 Km on the River Sella, A Le Mans start, weirs to shoot, rapids to negotiate, and a constant threat of a smashed up boat.

This is the race where a railway train follows the river and it's amazing to see spectators hanging on top, underneath, and anywhere else they can get a grip!

The bullfight in Gijon was pretty spectacular too! Oh, and the Asturian cider is not for the faint-hearted either! (once you've mastered the art of pouring it!)

Click below to watch

[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdRlmDHzrcE&t=37s[url]

canoe-5.jpg (113.96 KiB) Viewed 1333 times

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[Arnie]

Hi Bob, and all,

one escapade happened while in Berlin, unfortunately, no photographs. Incidentally, yours were superb!

I was the Sgt Major of 3 Int and security Coy, and one day my phone rang and it was the G3 (Int) of HQ Berlin Field Force.

He asked me if would take the Chief of Staff of the Field Force and show him some of the seamier side of Berlin, on expenses of course, take some of your men for escorts.

I asked just, out of curiosity, Why ask me? His reply surprised me. He said "Well, when one thinks of the low life of Berlin your name immediately comes to mind". He knew me well!!!!

Many of the members who ever served in Berlin will remember Stutgarter Str and all the girlie bars in and around Charlottenburg. We took him for a guided tour and then surprisingly he asked to be taken to a Sex Bar.

I didn't take him to one or two of the more raunchier ones which I knew, purely in the line of duty you have to understand. We went to a club called The 22 Mommsen Club, funnily enough, situated in Mommsen Str.

The 1st act was 5 or 6 scantily dressed girls who stood in front of 5 or 6 of the audience who were invited to remove one of the items of their attire.
They would next move on to the next man to the right. I was sitting next to the COS so I could demonstrate what he should do. I removed her G String and she moved on to the COS. He just ran his fingers in a tickling motion up and down her back. My only thought was, 'What a wimp'. We watched the rest of the show and left before the climax, which was all who were interested in continuing on (wink wink) would be invited to strip naked and dance with the girls who were also naked.

The G3 (Int) reported to me that the COS was very glad he went???

[Pinky]

Holy shit, great story.
One time after leaving East Berlin late the group decided to go to the delights of grotty Charlotty. We were still in uniform and carrying our red no2 hats under our arms we were mistaken for RMP's by a small group of very drunk Scottish infantryman. Like I said they thought we were RMP's checking bars for drunks etc.........turns out they bought us all our drinks if we didn't arrest them!!! Remember it like yesterday.

Pinky

[Arnie]

Hi Yall,

I know I am reasonably rough and ready, and can at times be crude but I did not think my last on this topic was 'over the top' crude!!! .
Have I offended some of you? If I have, too bad. It was an incident in my life.

[JOHN LYALL]

Arnie,

I always enjoy reading your posts as I do reading other posts by the members. I wouldn't be concerned about offending people with your experiences gained in your life. I would have rather been paired or teamed up with you and others on this site in my working life, compared to some of the Liberal types I had to work with. Character and strong personalities are rare nowadays, it's better to step out and live a life than to hide in the background and not live a life.

Keep the enjoyable posts coming!

All the best,

JL/

[Arnie]

Hi Yall, John, Pinky and Bob.

My next story, like Pinky' concerns both East Berlin and the RMP.

First a short lesson in the rules for traveling into and being entertained in East Berlin of the days I was there 1976, 77, and 78.

Providing you were armed with the right documentation there usually was no trouble. The cardinal rule for leaving was that you had to be out through Checkpoint Charlie before 0200 hrs or the RMP manning the said post had to follow a rigorous, mandatory procedure. (Note: we in the Int Corps did have permission to stay in the East overnight for very strictly controlled reason) This procedure consisted of reporting the fact of somebody late returning late at CC to HQ Berlin Field Force. It was always surmised that something was amiss and they were to be considered 'missing'. HQ BFF then had to report the incident to HQ Rheindahlen, who reported it to the British Ambassador in Bonn, who passed on to the Ambassador in Moscow. They passed it on to the necessary Department in the Kremlin. They then eventually notified the Soviet Army HQ in East Berlin would organise a search for the missing person/s. After all the hoo-hah we in the Int & Sy Coy, after an investigation gathered all the facts, would submit a report on the matter.

Sometime in 1977, I organised a trip into East Berlin for all the available men NOT on duty, 16 men in all. Got a Signal L/Cpl to drive a 17-seater bus.
We had booked a table in a very good restaurant on the ground floor of the Hotel Stadt Berlin, on Karl Marx Alle. We had a rousing, very good meal and decided that we would spend the rest of our allotted time in the Night Club on the 37th floor.

Because all 16 of us could not get into one or even two lifts we ascended in small parties, me being in charge, was in the last party shepherding the stragglers. When I got there the earlier parties had returned to the ground floor, the Female Wrestler bouncer had refused permission for the lads to enter. When I returned to the lobby I was met by the driver, who handed the keys of the bus to me, saying "I am having F... All to do with this".
It seems that some of the lads had encountered some young ladies between the restaurant, the Night Club and the lobby. They were all milling cheerfully on the bus with their soldier boys. As anybody who had ever been posted to Berlin since the Wall went up in 1961 would know that this is a very serious No-No. Finally got the girls off the bus, with their escorts who had instructions to walk the 3/400 yards along Karl Marx Alle to the Cfe Moscow Club. A good time was had by all, possibly with the exception of the mother-hen, ME.

At 0130 hrs hours I started to worry but we eventually all got on the bus, minus the girls, at 0205hrs.

When we got to CC, at 0220 hrs we were in deep trouble, particularly me. Absolutely luckily for me the RMP on duty that night were all our friends, (their offices in the Olympic Stadium were situated under ours) and they said that as it was us they had not followed procedure. Phew!!!!