Fifty one years ago in August I joined the Corps of Royal Engineers. My journey started from Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station. Where I said cheerio to my parents on the platform there was another father and son, (Graeme) who was about to go on the same journey as myself.
The Train journey took overnight to London, with my fathers advice ringing in my ears the two of us headed towards the underground. The signage and throngs of people leaving the mainline station for was overwhelming for two teenage boys of 15yrs. So we boys said lets just get a taxi to the next train station so jumped in a taxi and asked to go to Charing Cross to get the next train on our journey.
We caught the next train for Dover, The countryside we travelled through seemed to be flat unlike Scotland. We arrived at Dover to be met by 2 men in uniform with red sashes across their chests. these men directed us to a waiting Champ as this was our transport up to the camp. Driving through the town of Dover with the wind blowing into our faces seemed like to me anyway that we were all grown up.
Arrival at the camp we were taken to the Regimental HQ and into a large room names taken and handed a piece of paper with an eight figure number there-on and told to remember it as it would be ours forever more. (Still know it).
