THE COVENANTER
It didn’t even make to the stranded trucks; it Generals pennant on the bonnet.
was too heavy and got stuck not far into the There were rumours going round that the
wood. So much for being hot -shot drivers. General would be taking a piper,driver,and
We had to spend the night in the vehicles other staff from the Regiment with him
and were rescued by the recovery vehicle toNATO headquarters and since the Bn was
from the REME workshop in the morning. away in Kenya it would be people who were
You never learn though, I found myself in around the place who would be chosen.
the Tinto Hill situation once more during As it turned out the driver chosen for the
my service although this time up country in job was Davie Keen who had just finished his
Aden on our last tour and this time I was on recruit training but was a very good driver
my own. who had worked with cars in civvy street.
It must have seemed some stroke of luck
It wasn’t all irresposible nonsense at the to join the Regiment, finish basic training,
Depot though. When General Murray was get promoted to Cpl and be sent off to
to visit us (I think it was prior to his going drive limousines around the Embassies and
Norway to become Commander of Northern Palaces of Scandinavia.
Army Group in NATO ) He to wanted to go
down to the wonderful old saddlers shop When it came time for the Admin inspection
which was in one of the closes off Lanark that year it was the usual Cameronian
High Street and I was to take him in our overkill throughout the admin side of the
Landrover. This was too good a chance to depot and it was no different in the MT. I
miss and we cleaned and polished every had the trucks polished and cleaned to
inch of it. Buxtehude Bullshit” standard (Anyone who
Despite our best efforts it was still just a tired was in the MT in Buxtehude will know what
looking old Landrover but then I found out that means) Every tyre pressure exact, oil
that one of the recruits had just completed levels right on the mark, no stones in the tyre
his apprenticeship as a coach painter. He treads and every document in place and up
agreed to do the business on the vehicle if we to date, in short all the usual nonsense, Hell,
bought him the fancy brushes and things he We even painted the inside of the pit again
needed but this was one crafty guy and once as it would be used to inspect the trucks. It
we had everything prepared and had all the worked a treat though , the inspecting REME
expensive kit he wanted he then decided Tech Sgt was well impressed and gave us an
that if he was to give us the benefit of his excellent report.
training and study at night school etc etc He did note that one vehicle had worn
then we had to come across with something wheelbearings and the three tonner had
in return. In short he wanted a driving worn propshaft bearings but this could not
licence and he knew it was possible for us be seen as a fault on our part since I’d never
to give him the coveted pink slip which had any training in MT matters other than
would get him a civilian licence for free. As a driving cadre in Germany, anything else
it turned out he had been driving his fathers had to be picked up as you went along .
car since he was eighteen and was perfectly He did surprise me by saying that he had
competent so Major Quinn agreed to sign a recommended I be sent on a course and it
slip if the job he did was up to expectation. worked because not long afterwards I went
on the MT Officers and Sgts Course over
three months at Bordon camp in England.
The job he did was indeed excellent,nicely The course was quite good but too much
painted and finished with a special varnish time was spent on driver training lessons and
( no laquer in those days) and once we fitted not enough on the more important aspects
a new shiny pair of headlamps I scammed of being in charge of operating regimental
out of the good old REME workshop by transport in the real world, for instance ,
“accidentaly” cracking the glass in one and only one half day on vehicle recovery which
“losing” the chrome securing ring on the was just a demonstration of it being done by
other we had a vehicle fit for a General. REME and a look at the various ropes and
Well not quite, it was still let down by the pulleys used. Another half day on the use
well worn seating but Major Quinn fixed and maintenance of motor cycles was spent
that by having someone make up white watching the instructors having fun riding
linen seatcovers. Come the big day I drove in a sandpit. One hour long lesson on the
the General down to Lanark feeling quite storage and transport of fuel and nothing
proud of myself but I didn’t get to put the about things like the working of a water
36
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