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Post by deepsix on Apr 23, 2009 20:22:19 GMT
Did any on remember the lads in the photos I posted some time back of 37th in the Congo would love to know.Andy how are you
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Post by afcmoore on Apr 23, 2009 21:10:44 GMT
Hi Deepsix. Nice to have you back i cant put names to the photos but i recognise some of the faces.That was a good one taking you down the stairs in the bed.The tricks we used to get up to that time and all good fun.I remember we put nettles in this chap danny's bed but he slept with his legs curled up.Hi Michael how did you get so tall? Michael i used to be small like Danny got taller by trying to reach the bottom of the bed by stretching my legs.It worked a treat as the victim slowly stretched his legs and when his feet touched the nettles called us some nice names . Cheers Anthony
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Post by afcmoore on May 3, 2009 23:06:53 GMT
Hi All. I would like to tell Matt and all the members and readers of this forum some good news. I have made contact with an Ex Trooper who served with me in Plunkett Barracks more than 45yrs ago.He has lived no more than 5 miles from where i live for the last 40yrs .I will be meeting him tomorrow in Kingston Upon Thames and its thanks to this forum started by Matt. I will let you know more in the next few days and perhaps his name once i have cleared it with him. Cheerio for now Anthony
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Post by Martin Christie on May 4, 2009 1:35:33 GMT
andy small world big place im in tipperary was in londen last week meet two lads from the curragh never seen in 15 years by god storys we had
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Post by Matt McNamara on May 4, 2009 7:47:22 GMT
Hi All. I would like to tell Matt and all the members and readers of this forum some good news. I have made contact with an Ex Trooper who served with me in Plunkett Barracks more than 45yrs ago.He has lived no more than 5 miles from where i live for the last 40yrs .I will be meeting him tomorrow in Kingston Upon Thames and its thanks to this forum started by Matt. I will let you know more in the next few days and perhaps his name once i have cleared it with him. Cheerio for now Anthony Hi Anthony That is really good to hear, amazing that you lived so close and never seen each other in that length of time. Hopefully he will contribute to the forum and share his memories of his service on The Curragh. I was home on leave in the last couple of weeks and went to the West of Ireland for a couple of days with my family, anyhow my son Pete and I decided that we would climb Croke Patrick. The weather was very bad and not many people were climbing, but up in the clouds and mist we bumped into a guy that I had served with in the 3rd Battalion over 20 years ago. He had left the Curragh and moved over to the West. So it goes to show you never know where you will bump into old comrades. Friendships formed years ago and especially in the Army are never lost and once the conversation starts and names and nick-names of guys from your unit are mentioned, you can truly get lost in time. Anyhow Anthony keep us updated and all the best. Matt
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Post by afcmoore on May 14, 2009 8:04:03 GMT
Hi Everyone. I met an old Buddy Noel O'Neill on the bank holiday Monday in Kingston.Noel is from Athy and was stationed at Plunkett 61 to 64 and was in the 4th Motor Squadron.We met early in the morning and went to Richmond Park.We had a great chat about old times in the Curragh Camp and the people we served with in Plunkett. The time just flew and it seemed like 10 mins but it was nearer 10hrs.I'm sure Matt had the same experience when he met his old comrade on Croke Patrick.I hope you didn't have to descend in the dark Matt. Well Matt after your time abroad you picked a good place to get a bit of Irish air into your lungs.Im sure all your family were happy to see you even it was only for a short stay. Cheers Anthony
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Post by afcmoore on May 18, 2009 23:50:55 GMT
Hi All. While on guard in the magazine we would leave the guardroom to patrol inside the magazine.I remember we would take the old green Army bikes and cycle around the compound.We would usually end up racing each other and i don't think the brakes were very good because we always had to burn leather to stop them. . The other thing i remember about those guard duties was drawing the rations.The food was good steaks at night and a big fry up in the morning. Cheers Anthony
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Post by Matt McNamara on May 20, 2009 7:57:13 GMT
Hi Everyone. I met an old Buddy Noel O'Neill on the bank holiday Monday in Kingston.Noel is from Athy and was stationed at Plunkett 61 to 64 and was in the 4th Motor Squadron.We met early in the morning and went to Richmond Park.We had a great chat about old times in the Curragh Camp and the people we served with in Plunkett. The time just flew and it seemed like 10 mins but it was nearer 10hrs.I'm sure Matt had the same experience when he met his old comrade on Croke Patrick.I hope you didn't have to descend in the dark Matt. Well Matt after your time abroad you picked a good place to get a bit of Irish air into your lungs.Im sure all your family were happy to see you even it was only for a short stay. Cheers Anthony Hi Anthony That was good to hear and I bet you covered a lot of areas. Did you mention the "Captains Curry" ;D Matt
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Post by afcmoore on May 21, 2009 18:14:12 GMT
Hi Matt. Yeah its nice to add a bit of spice to the conversation and i couldn't let him have all the say. Heck you know what its like two Irish on a get together after 45yrs wouldn't be tongue tied. The crack was mighty as they say. Cheers Anthony and Good Luck.
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Post by afcmoore on May 22, 2009 9:37:07 GMT
Hi Folks. In Elizabethville with the 37Th Batt we had a garden tidy competition.The army at the time did these things to keep the moral of the troops up and stop them getting into mischief. We occupied a two storey red brick house with a balcony as most of the others were single storey called villas. The NCO in charge of the house was standing on a tar barrel fixing a climbing rose to existing archway.The arch was to the front entrance to the house.One of the soldiers in the house boiled a kettle and had an oil bottle near it.He then went onto the balcony and fired two rounds from his Gustav into the barrel which the NCO was standing on.He then came back in replaced the rounds in the magazine and flushed the barrel and oiled.The NCO recovering from shock came up to the rooms and asked who fired their weapon.The old Army code came into play i didn't see anything.I know two of his mates were in on it and at least couple of others witnessed it .Who knows if you told you might get a bullet from one of his friends.The PAS came in checked all the weapons and question everyone and the matter was dropped. The NCO served at least 30yrs in Plunkett and lived all his life in the Curragh.The lad who fired the shots came from Dublin to join the 37Th at Plunkett a few days before we went to the Congo.I did see him a few years later working as a traffic warden on the quays of Dublin. The NCO was one of nicest gentlemen that you could hope to serve with or under.I just cant believe anyone would get away with that today. Cheers Anthony
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Post by afcmoore on May 29, 2009 7:53:29 GMT
Hi All. Just checking the posts and Joey Kelly mentioned grey Army socks.We used to call them rabbits and i must say they kept the feet nice and warm in the Winter.The socks didn't fit or look good if you wore shoes much too bulky.The other memory i have was them been used as items of distaste on kit inspections.The kit inspections would be carried out by two NCOS and an Officer and the socks would go flying around the billet floor.Private whats this a sock Sergeant ,Reply a sock its filthy its manky and he would take it with a stick fling it on the floor as he raised his nose.I think it was a good way of selling socks as you would always have to pay for two pair.I have seen young lads close to tears on the first couple of inspections and I'm sure it was a test to sort the men from the boys? Cheers Anthony
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Post by tommyhetherington on May 29, 2009 22:45:53 GMT
Hi Anthony, The rabbits would shrink in the wash and go hard and we as kids would see them hanging in the barrack lines with bottles in them to stop them from shrinking. What else could we do but throw stones, many a chase from irate soldiers
Tommy H Ps enjoying reading your stories
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Post by afcmoore on May 31, 2009 21:41:41 GMT
Hi Folks. If memory serves me right we had a lower inside pocket in our Army tunic.The pocket contained a packet it was called a field dressing.Can anyone tell me if this is correct and what did the field dressing consist of.Do the Soldiers of today carry a field dressing pack.??
Thanks Tommy for your kind comments . Cheers Anthony.
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Post by tommyhetherington on May 31, 2009 22:09:51 GMT
Hi Anthony, The field dressing is a padded bandage and yes we still carry one, checks are still done by the duty officer prior to going on duty.they are now carried in a pockek on the arm of the combat tunic.
Tommy H
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Post by afcmoore on Jun 1, 2009 8:09:48 GMT
Hi Folks. During pre-training for the Congo we were taught in the use of a highly technical weapon. This weapon was made of timber wide at the top and narrow at the bottom about 4ft in length and called a pick axe handle.The handles would be used in our first line of defence in breaking up riots.When this failed next would come tear gas and fixed bayonets.When the bayonets were fixed and the sun shining on them no man would break ranks or waver as we went forward. With the 37Th we never had to face the mob or break up riots. Getting back to the pick axe handles they were used as spindles in staircases in the 30s in houses in Raynes Park also they were made of oak. Cheerio Anthony.
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