Ever since my very good chum, John Wallis put the Cumbrian Connection on the board I have had a mind to tell you about my very own Cumbrian Connection, which goes back such a long time,
Perhaps even before your dad met your mum…. tripping over his flared trousers just to look up her mini-skirt….. Then came the Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, followed closely by yourselves of course…..so long ago now….when you were just little shallots in your dad’s allotment
And what better time to write about it than today…..Remembrance Sunday…I’ll use this as an excuse then, because this is pure nostalgia for me and it’s a shame to take up your time….But….Indulge me…Please….Those Geordie bastards next door won’t
I found this photo about a month ago, in the pages of an old book…..I had nearly forgot about it…on the back it says ;
“Geordie and me, Carlisle Ranges, January 1960”
And that good looking man with the rifle is me…
Nearly as good looking as Paul Smith….
And slightly better looking then, than my avatar would admit too…
I had just turned twenty-one, two months previously….how time flies when you are enjoying yourself..
I thought I was living, but I was only breathing in and out.
I thought it was life, but I was only misusing oxygen
I remember that winter, and that day being especially cold…Greatcoat order in fact
And note the rifle….great to fire….you put the cork in the end attached to its piece of string, pulled the trigger, and pop, there was the cork at the end of its string, ready for your next go…..Great fun, but not much use against the Taliban
I told Peter Rycroft about these ranges sometime ago, and although he tried to find them, their whereabouts’ still remain a mystery
Little did he know that they are called the Mary Celeste ranges….Thanks for trying though Peter.
I was stationed at Durranhill camp, east of Carlisle…Probably where the M6 runs now….I was a Motor mechanic, attached to 39 Regiment R.A…..Going on with them to Germany to become the very first Honest John rocket regiment….Happy Days indeed,
I hated every minute of the three years that I was there…But….I had some very good friends then,
We have good camaraderie in this club, but the mates you have in the army stay in your thoughts forever…It’s something special….Ron Don will agree with me in this, although he spent most of the war years hiding in a haystack just outside of Gosforth!
The pubs in Carlisle were nationalised then….Are they still?...No they can’t be….
I spent most of my spare time, upstairs in the County Hotel…chasing everything that wore a skirt….
(Now I spend more time wearing one)
Me and Geordie used to compete, to see who could pull the most women, and come in the latest back to the billet at night…..No contest….But I must admit, buss’s mustn’t have been invented then, cos, I spent a lot of time walking/hitchhiking back from places with strange sounding names like….Botcherby? rings a bell….Yes? No?
Still, we where all young once, Life repeats itself, so I was doing nothing more than what young men do at the present time…….The lucky bastards
So there you have it then….Thanks for listening to me for so long…the next time you want to tell me your life story, and you are passing my front door…..then…just
Keep on passing!
Click on the link below to see a handsome young Mad Dog
http://picasaweb.google.com/jw.wallis/M ... 0321781650
My Cumbrian Connection by John Miller
Moderator: Club Moderators
carlisle ranges
Now that i have a bit more information about the area you were based and the regiment you were attached to maybe i can get nearer to finding more info. I take it R.A. = Royal artillery. I looked at some of my dads photos the other day.I also found his army shooting target logbook.He seemed to be a good shot.This was even before your time John (1950).My mam says she saw him shooting at Lazonby Fell once .Does that ring any bells John. Peter r. (maybe this should be a PM ,i'll delete it after Johns read it.).
- John Wallis
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Carlisle Ranges
When John named them Marie Celeste ranges he wasn't wrong.The latest news i have is that just between Plumpton and Penrith the TA had/has a range at Wan Fell.They also use /used one at Clifton Moor ,but i'm not sure where that is.Hopefully these names might ring a bell and bring back a memory or two.I have one more person to see, who was an old friend of my dads.He was in the TA for a long time so hopefully can tell me which,if any,the regular army might have used.Thanks to Jan Little for passing on what scant information i could find .At least you will know where your old camp was John ,certainly looks different now.P.S. Botcherby is still there.Be careful there maybe some lookalikes. Peter r.
carlisle ranges
Well i'm afraid my search has come to a fruitless end.The friend of my dads remembers going to Wan Fell range ,but cannot connect Johns photo to anywhere he might have been.Apart from driving out and searching the countryside my fun/work is done for now....unless you know something new?? Peter r.