T H E C O V E N A N T E R
A telegraph from the UK, told us that wives. We always made a good profit and
John’s mother had died suddenly at this in turn paid for dances and outings.
Jedburgh in Scotland. She was only sixty The next major happening was an exercise
years old and after working all her married called ‘Short Commons’, four Bns in the area
life, was told to take it easy, and to clear up were approached by the top brass boffins to
an ulcer in her leg, go to bed and rest it but see if any of them would take part, all turned
after three days she died. it down as it was in the middle of winter.
It seems that life is never fair. John’s mum However, the Cameronians took it on and
had eight children and worked all the time it was a very hard task. All the food was
as her husband could not get work in the dried mixtures, and the troops did twenty
early thirties. She was twenty years younger mile route marches in the snow night and
than he was, but he lived on until his 90th day. They then had to be stripped, weighed
birthday. and measured for fat tissue etc, urine and
John arrived in Jedburgh to find all the faeces also were tested. The Bn stood up to
sisters were waiting for him do all the it very well.
arrangements. He had to think it out as Half way through the exercise the Btn
he’d never had to do this before. However, football team were due to play in the final
he coped very well, and the funeral went of the British Army of the Rhine Cup. The
without a hitch. CO trucked the whole Btn to the football
Meanwhile, I was getting used to funerals. ground in Minden. And the Military Police
Day old babies were buried in Germany, so made sure they were sealed off from all
sometimes I was the only mourner, apart possible food, not to mention families.
from the parents and the Family’s Officer, The Cameronians won the cup and the
as it required four people to lower the moral of the troops was lifted for the rest of
coffin, small though they were, I would be the exercise. The scientists thanked the Bn
left holding wreaths, flags, hats and sticks and a lot was learned about the quality of
on my own at the head of the grave. One survival food.
sad funeral was a young boy drowned in Ian came to Germany for holidays. The
the fire water tank in the barracks. logistics were as follows; John’s sister put
By the end of the four years, I had him on the train for London (when he was
attended thirteen funerals. The dark suit I older he made the trip with the other boys).
had bought for these occasions was never Then mum and dad put him on the plane
worn again, it reminded me too much of at Heathrow and we drove to Hanover to
sad times. pick him up, at the end of the holidays it
The money from the wives club allowed was a reverse procedure.
us to run a families dance every two months Another major happening the whole
and a night out for a dinner with all the world heard about! There was a pub on the
wives. River Wesser in Minden which some of the
Another summer, I started a Saturday troops frequented. It was a bit of a dive and
morning cinema it was a great success. I it was also used by the German Bargees. On
hired the films from the AKC at Minden. this particular night one or more bargees
Every child paid 6 pence (old money) and called the troops ‘poison dwarfs’ well most
was handed a raffle ticket, then half way Cameronians from the Glasgow area are
through the film we held the raffle - mainly short but they make up for it in fighting
boxes of small sweets the kids loved this spirit. So, naturally, a fight broke out and
and it helped the summer holidays along. the landlord called the Military Police and
Christmas and New Year were very busy all concerned were arrested. They were duly
times. We held a tombola night with up before the CO charged and sentenced,
prizes instead of money. Milly and I visited all this was over and forgotten. Until...
Hanover, Beilefeld, Minden and Verden for A few weeks later all hell broke loose. The
suitable prizes at reasonable prices. press had somehow missed the incident and
We had become very good at this doing swarmed all over us, the CO went ballistic
the same for weekly raffles and all the shop but gave very good statements.
keepers got to know us and were always The press came round the houses about
ready to show us something new. midnight, trying to question the families,
We also held sales of work, lots of wives it was an absolute disgrace - I have never
would make things, we travelled miles to trusted the press since. The paper headlines
other British units to get wool for knitting in the UK read ‘The Poison Dwarfs’. It took
and collecting goods for the stalls from the years to live down that name, ours was a
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