Joboy Sorry about the slip-up with your username. As you will have guessed, I'm in my Eighties with failing vision and an operation for cataracts on the cards...!
I have been trying for years to make contact on the Web with old messmates but nothing so far. So when i saw your picture of A3 Squad and caught my eye on Cpl.Croke I was amazed at the 'likeness' and I really had to ask whether it could be him.
He was a popular bloke with 960 Squad. I remember when he went off on a weekend leave and didn't get back until very late. The squad woke up at reveille to find him stretched out on his bed almost fully clothed - and fast asleep!
We decided there was no way he was going to make breakfast and the parade ground in time. So some of us set to and did his brasses and blancoing and finally managed to wake him to go and get a wash and shave...!
But - as I say - Cpl Croke was a popular bloke, strict in training though he was.
Probably, you know that he had been awarded a bravery decoration - the Military Medal, or something like that. But when we used to ask him how he got it he always made a joke of it and we never found out what he'd done to earn the it.
Anyway, Joboy, nice to have been in contact with a fellow bootneck. Perhaps we'll exchange a contact some other time...
Cheers,
pedlar
