T H E C O V E N A N T E R
The next item out of Pandora’s box was be a long journey and the miscreant
a complaint from another Lanarkshire unit would have plenty of time to explain
that a cup for .22 rifle shooting which the why he was coming back from camp so
6/7th had recently won was invalid because soon to his parents, girlfriend or wife - 40
we had cheated. Seemingly our rifle range years ago ‘partner’ did not have the same
which had presumably been constructed connotation it has now. In the event
by the T.A. Association was about 2’ short. everyone behaved themselves and we got
I promptly arranged for the cup to be through camp without any trouble from
handed over to this unit without more that quarter.
ado as I had much more important tasks to The following year our big exercise was
tackle before we departed for Bellerby. If it to be cordon and search in the Glencoe
takes two to tango it certainly takes two to mountains, a terrain not appealing to our
engage in feuding. Since we were not one bloodhounds who soon found easier quarry
of them the matter stopped there and we to pursue.
were able to get on with our task. I think Reverting to Camp 1962, I have already
the offended unit was rather disappointed referred to Bellerby which is a few miles
at not being able to complain to higher from Richmond and is part of the Catterick
authority and get us put on the carpet thus Training Area but is not easy to find on
making a name for themselves. most maps. In some ways this is a pity
During the three months before we went because Bellerby is famous for its mist. The
to Bellerby I had to work hard to brush up famous Bellerby mist ensures that every
on my battle procedures and re-learn the article of clothing is very damp at all times
art of moving troops from A to B, by the of the day and night so our tents were
best route, at the right time and in the right hardly luxurious and the wearing of mess
order, only this time having to deal with kit with its stiff shirts became a nightmare.
greatly increased numbers. General John and Brigadier Jack put us
We had a number of exercises organised through our paces with testing exercises
by Brig Monteith to get us on our starting one of which had to be aborted because of
blocks for the more sophisticated exercise(s) the mist. It was so thick that one, myself
at camp. All this time I was more than included, could get lost moving from one
conscious of the Poison Dwarf cloud company position to another. Major John
hanging over my head. By the time we Craig ensured that his company did not
arrived at Bellerby Camp in Yorkshire it get cold because he got a blazing fire going
was clear that the media campaigners were knowing that it could not be seen from
going to extract the last ounce of flesh from more that a few yards away.
any misdemeanour the battalion might be Although we tried to get maximum
perceived to have committed. In fact I still numbers out onto the high ground of the
recall having nightmares with newspaper training area I soon discovered that there
headlines proclaiming ‘Scottish T.A. soldiers were more soldiers in the company areas
terrorise peaceful Yorkshire countryside’, than on the training area. This was soon
simply because one of us tripped coming stopped and only those who were essential
out of a pub with a reporter lurking in the for the maintenance of the company areas
background ready to pounce. were excused. After the rest of us had
Accordingly on our first morning at marched out onto the training area our
camp I decided to speak to the battalion. training officer Major Alan Campbell (later
RSM Murray had them paraded in serried Lieutenant Colonel) inspected the company
ranks, just like the troops of Titipu and areas to ensure there were no dodgers.
was appalled when I took a leaf out of On passing the pipe band which was
FM Montgomery’s book and told them officially practising for beating retreat
to gather round and sit on the ground. in local holiday resorts he paused to
Luckily the ground was somewhat drier listen. The pipers were practising on their
that our usual habitat. I made it clear chanters while the drummers were doing
that our behaviour had to be exemplary their taps but all the time they kept up a
and that unless I was satisfied that any continuous conversation with the F word
accusation brought by the media was predominating. Alan held up his hand at
totally unjustified, the soldier concerned which they stopped and he said, “Do you
including officers and my son who was realise that if a certain word was banned
present would be back on the next train to from the English language you would all be
the west of Scotland in disgrace. It would F . . . speechless!” This was much more
27
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