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T H E C O V E N A N T E R
every Monday night for four years. Our babysitter was asleep on the settee so
After nearly a year John became RSM of we left him there and gave him breakfast
the Bn. The wives club finally came in from before he went back to Camp.
the cold. We were given the empty dining Now we had a car, we decided to have a
hall under the Sergeants Mess - what a camping holiday in Germany. We borrowed
difference this made, we could really spread two tents from the Bn. One shaped like a
out and numbers went right up. At one tepee and one a three sided tent for cooking
point we had ten tables of whist and about in, and went north to the Plonasea area.
100 for tombola and with the raffle we were The camp site was basic but the Germans
coining money. had better tents than we had.
In 1961, I took part in my first of many The village was called ‘Da Soime’; meaning
funerals. The wife of a Colour Sergeant had The Pig - why - I have no idea! The weather
died from a brain clot, I and other wives was good but the nearby lake was a bit
went with wreaths from the families, this chilly, we swam quite a bit.
meant a drive to Hanover on the autobahn The last day was a colder day, John
to the Army Cemetery. suggested we had one last swim. Soon after
I had never been on the autobahn before, John’s back seized up, and he couldn’t drive
and to keep a steady place behind a hearse the car. Fortunately, we had already packed
in a right hand drive car was a bit hair- up the camping gear. Now comes the test,
raising, with cars whizzing by at 100 miles I’d only driven round Minden, so now I
an hour. That was the last time I went had to drive 250 miles and a lot of it was
behind the hearse. Thereafter, I always autobahn but even so driving on the right,
made my own way there. in a right hand drive is quite wearing.
Ian was reaching the end of primary On arrival Milly gave us the budgie she
school, and we had to decide what to had been minding for us, and the next
do about his education. The schools morning it was lying feet up in the cage.
in Germany for secondary pupils were The house must have been too cold.
boarding schools and we did not think they Ian and Marion were upset so we got out
were very good. a shoebox and lined it. Ian dug a hole in the
The alternative was Queen Victoria School garden and we laid him to rest.
at Dunblane for the sons of ‘other ranks’. Next again day, I go down with pneumonia
We worried about it for ages, we sent away and couldn’t breathe. John could not get
for the information and received brochures the central heating going, so Milly came in
back. We went home on leave and took and got it working. Some end to a holiday!
him to the School. It was a good place Next happening, Bill, Milly’s husband
but I hated leaving him. He was just 10
1
⁄2 came racing along to say Milly was ill, I
and we had been a close family. He must went down and he left for work.
have been homesick, but he stuck it. And On seeing Milly I realised it was something
after two years was Head Boy of the Junior quite serious, and sent a neighbour to call
School. His first Christmas he spent with the Army Doctor. - she was being sick
my mother and father. My sister-in-law put every two minutes and I told him to get
him on trains to London and my dad met an ambulance, it could be appendicitis. He
him at the other end. did so, and Bill came back to go with her
The Annual Ball for the Bn Sgts Mess to Rinteln. The Army hospital was twenty
took place on New Year’s Eve, it was always miles away, on arrival Milly was operated
a splendid affair, long evening dresses and on immediately and was only an hour away
long gloves. The best thing however was from peritonitis, so the Surgeon said.
that all Mess members had a new Mess I looked after the children while she was
dress - a jacket in dark green, and fine trews. away and Bill stayed in barracks.
I made John a cumberband from the new The Bn was away on an exercise and I
stiff lining (just on the market) covered it was just walking back home from a coffee
with black satin, it was very smart. I ended morning when a big black car drew up and
up making 15 more for other members. out popped the Families Officer, a Major,
All the top brass from Brigade came, and “Mrs Sneddon I need your help”. I got into
also other units came by invitation. It was the car and he told me a Corporal had
very funny watching English units trying to died on the exercise from a breach block
do the reels and other Scottish dances. We misfire, and would I go with him to see the
danced till about 3am. The dance band was wife. Well, I could hardly say no, so off we
excellent and no-one wanted to leave. went.

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