The two photos were taken at
Soltau Concentration in the autumn of 1966. The senior NCOs are the
platoon
sergeant major (Bill Banks), two section heads (SSgts Ed McClafferty and Jerry
Conway) and Sgts of the
Forward Repair Platoon of 4 Field Workshop. The other picture shows some of the
Craftsmen and Corporals
of the platoon, along with the platoon commander Lt. Jim Hanson. As our older
fellow RCEME Rats will attest, a
typical cfn in those days might have to serve ten or so years before making
Cpl; Paul Hellyer screwed that up
a year or two later, when everybody and his dog became a Cpl. A few of the more
colourful characters are
missing from the second photo, including Dave Hurgett, who was Murray Cole`s
partner in a
Mobile Repair Team (MRT), Sgt Arn Adrian etc. The platoon added Wpns
Techs, Electrical Techs, Instrument
Techs etc when it went to the weeds. (Bill Major in the second photo was a Wpns
type). At the time, if memory
serves, Cfn Bill McNeight was the Inst tech; Cfn Jim Bonney the Elect tech etc.
They were probably at Soltau
but may have been out on jobs when these photos were taken. The platoon was
bivouaced at Reinsehlen
Camp, a grass airstrip at the west end of the Soltau - Luneburg Training Area
when the photo was taken. It was
a pretty foggy and rainy day at the time.
For a larger view of above picture (click here)
The above photo was taken in late 1973 of the
officers and senior NCOs of Maintenance Company 1 Service Battalion (along
with the CO and RSM of the unit; they were both RCASC). Thanks to old age
and a fading memory, I have forgotten some of the names, but those I can
recall are as follows:
Front row, from the left:Lt Sandy Dawson, Lt
Bob Keats, MWO Charlie O'Grady (CSM), CWO Merv Kelly (ETSM), Maj Jim Hanson (OC),
LCol Dick Leech (CO), RSM Cec Short, Capt Bohdan Wasilewski, Capt Len Rozon (RCOC:
Spart Parts Pl), Lt Don Norrie, and MWO Bob Dunham; Bob was Acting OIC
Ancillary Platoon. Missing: Capt Mike Bardon, BEME.
Second Row:Sgt Doug Braun (RCOC), next two?,
Sgt Bill Devlin, Sgt Saban, MWO Dave Davidson, WO Pete Goodmanson, unknown,
WO Barry Connaty, unknown, WO Jerry Conway, next two?, WO Nelson Crane (RCASC,
Chief Clerk), WO Lou Dow, Sgt Desmond T. Montague.
Last Row: Sgt Hank Cunningham (Control Clerk),
next two ?, Sgt Bill Brown (Machine Shop), John ? (RCOC, Spare Parts), Albert
Macbeth (RCOC, CQMS), Sgt John Higgins, Sgt Dennis Cregan (RCASC; Coy
Transport Sgt), Sgt Woody Coburn, next ?, Sgt. Steve Crowell, Sgt Tommy Young (welder).
Back in those days Maint Coy owned the Spart
Parts Platoon, and had its own CQMS, and a small transport section with RCASC
drivers. The Transportation Coy had its own first line Veh Techs too. A few
guys must have been away when this photo was taken, some of them on UNEF II,
which started at about the time this photo was taken. CWO Kelly retired late
in 1973, and CWO Bob Stooke replaced him as ETSM. It was a helluva company and
a helluva unit (Maj Bob Baxter had the Truckin' Coy, and Ian Campbell had the
Supply Coy). However, Maint Coy was still the best.
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