RootsChat.Com

Hi Jim
Yes the Bowering that came to see Dad did his time in the Royal Marines
and then came out. He then got a commission in the Army and retired a Lt.Colonel. He let me copy his old squad picture of 961 NS Squad which shows you in the second row Jim and also Ramsden.

John

  Hi, John,

  So pleased that - at last - I have been able to identify an old shipmate after so much searching, even though it is not direct.

  Thanks for the information regarding Terry.  I knew he would go on to better things...

  Incidentally, when I first responded to your post and my ancient memory started to work, I said I had entered as a 960 squadie then was back-squaded to 961.  Wrong...!  Now that my memory is starting to operate once more, I remember that when I was inducted as a recruit into Depot RM at Deal, I went straight into sick-bay with the 'flu'.  I spent a week in there which caused my joining the next batch of recruits which became 961.

  The later back-squading, after the accident on the assault course, put me into a continuous service squad to finish my training.  I was always having nightmares that it would be forgotten that I was National Service, and that I would find myself stuck in the Marines for another 25 years...!  Not that I wasn't proud to be a Marine, but, at that time, I had other plans for my future.

  However, there have been many times since then that I have wished I had stayed in...!!

  John, I wonder if you would do me a favour?  Only this morning, I have been trying to find my old squad photograph.  After our posts, I wanted to take another look at my old shipmates.  But I can't find it. Is it possible that you could email me a copy - always supposing that you have it on your computer photograph file.  Joe has already suggested that you do this, and I think it might be a good idea.

  I believe we can switch to 'private' posting for the exchange of email addresses.  I'd certainly appreciate it if you could do this for me.

  Cheers,

  Jim

 

 Stonehouse Boy,

 Great to hear from you.  I was certainly surprised, after all my attempts to contact old shipmates, to see the picture that Joboy posted.  And to recognise "Crokey" was a bonus...

 960 Squad regretted having to leave your dad behind when we were posted on to Lympstone for more advanced training. I never saw him again.  I say "I" never saw him again because whilst I was training at Lympstone I had an accident on the assault course, which put me in sick-bay for six weeks.

 Consequently, I was back-squadded to 961 in which squad I finished my National Service.  My six weeks in sick-bay cheated me out of a stint in Malta where 960 finished their National Service training.  Whether my old 960 oppos ever saw your dad again, I don't know.  I did see one or two of my old 960 mates when they came back to be demobbed, but they never said whether they had ever run across "Croaky" again...

 So sorry to hear that Corporal Croke died after a long illness.  I'm sure that if any of my old squad mates appear on Roots they would be sorry, too, because - I repeat - your dad was a popular bloke, and I, for one, regret the fact he is not still around.

 Regards,

 pedlar
 

Morganllan,

  I hang my head in shame.  Never gave it a thought after this particular skeleton jumped out of the closet...!

  Then again, I must confess that when I  found Roots, I was so impressed with the facilities, i never gave 'Rules' much attention.

  Sorry, again, and your reprimand is noted.

  Cheers,

  pedlar

 Thank you, BumbleB.  I realise that the obvious action would have been to visit the library.  Unfortunately however, as a result of disability, I am housebound and cannot visit for myself.

 Nevertheless, I have relatives who are also interested in family research and, no doubt, as soon as I can contact them, they might follow up for me. 

 But I was hoping that I could request online assistance through the various record sources - such as the library - and since I am a comparative newbie at the game, I was looking for advice in this particular direction.

 Thanks again,

 Cheers,

 pedlar