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L.D.

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Your main commentary should be focused on noun phrases expressing of totality. Additional topics may also be addressed. Weapon training was especially interesting. We were all given a 7.62 Self- whole kit including an old rifle they kept especially for swimming with. It was Loading Rifle, which was to be our personal weapon. After some initial very hard to keep afloat with all this kit on, let alone swim. training to learn the workings of the weapon, it was off to the range to sight After a few weeks’ training, we were taken to the gym to play games against a it in. The first thing to do was to get the SLR set up for my own eyesight. At squad that was further into their training than we were. We played a variety of 5 a range of 25 yards, we were told to load five rounds and fire at the centre of 40 games, including volleyball, football and some chase and contact games. We a 'Figure Eleven, Charging Man target.' After the five rounds were fired, Cpl lost them all. We didn't even get near to winning any of them. It was a lesson Bouchard proved the SLR empty, the weapons training instructor. Proving that was very important. We had a lecture afterward, telling us that we were means checking that a weapon is empty. When all weapons had been not expected to win anything. The extra training that the more advanced squad proved, we were sent to stand by our targets, for evaluation. The purpose of had, had increased their fitness and their confidence to such a degree, ...

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• Publié par: Zoed
• Nombre de lectures: 168
• Langue: English

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Your main commentary should be focused on noun phrases expressing of totality. Additional topics may also be addressed.

Weapon training was especially interesting. We were all given a 7.62 Self-

Loading Rifle, which was to be our personal weapon. After some initial

training to learn the workings of the weapon, it was off to the range to sight

it in. The first thing to do was to get the SLR set up for my own eyesight. At

a range of 25 yards, we were told to load five rounds and fire at the centre of

a 'Figure Eleven, Charging Man target.' After the five rounds were fired, Cpl

Bouchard proved the SLR empty, the weapons training instructor. Proving

means checking that a weapon is empty. When all weapons had been

proved, we were sent to stand by our targets, for evaluation. The purpose of

this exercise was to see where the group was printing so that Cpl Bouchard

could adjust the sights to hit the centre of the target. The hope was that all

recruits would be able to hit the target sufficiently well to make an

assessment. This didn't prove to be the case. As I walked past some of the

targets to get to mine, I couldn't help laughing. Some had hardly hit the

target at all. Those who had were all over the place. The corporal was

moving up the line cursing and swearing at each recruit in turn. When he got

to me I was still sniggering. [. . .]

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He said, 'that's pretty good, but where's the fifth shot.'

I said, 'It went through one of the other holes corporal.'

'Show me.' He said.

I showed him the very slight clip on the side of one of the holes. He just

said, 'well done'.

We had to learn to swim for great distances carrying large amounts of

equipment. Like everything else, it was to be a gradual build up of

proficiency. First time at the pool, the instructor said, good swimmers to one

end and poor swimmers to the other end. I thought that if I went with the

poor swimmers it would give me time to build up my stamina.

He shouted, 'everybody in the pool.'

Some jumped in, some lowered themselves in and some dived in. I dived in

and after a couple of strokes, I came up on the other side of the pool. The

instructor had seen it and shouted, 'YOU! Get up the other end.' So I was in

the experienced class after all. First of all we swam round and round the pool

for increasing lengths of time. Then we started swimming while wearing

more and more kit. Starting with combat jacket and trousers, then adding

boots, then packs, then stones in the pack to simulate a full kit, then the

whole kit including an old rifle they kept especially for swimming with. It was

very hard to keep afloat with all this kit on, let alone swim.

After a few weeks’ training, we were taken to the gym to play games against a

squad that was further into their training than we were. We played a variety of

games, including volleyball, football and some chase and contact games. We

lost them all. We didn't even get near to winning any of them. It was a lesson

that was very important. We had a lecture afterward, telling us that we were

not expected to win anything. The extra training that the more advanced squad

had, had increased their fitness and their confidence to such a degree, that we

had never stood a chance. It would soon be our turn to play these games

against a squad earlier in it's training than us and we would be expected to

annihilate them, as we had been annihilated. [. . .]

After a shower, Alfie and I went to the galley for dinner. Marine barracks are

classed as ships, so nautical terms are used. [. . .]

The Reverend G P Thornley was the Navy Vicar for the Deal barracks. Geoff

Thornley and I became friends very quickly. We just hit it off together. I was

soon reading the lesson during the church services on Sundays. I had done it

many times before at school. Although I have never been a religious person, it

didn't seem to matter to Geoff. He never came on with a holy attitude, though

there was never any doubt that he was a holy man. Our friendship has endured

for nearly thirty years, although we rarely see each other these days, but we

still keep in touch.

The post was handed out every morning at first assembly. We were ordered

to form up as a squad, outside the barracks. Sergeant Watkins called out each

name in turn, then handed any post to the persons concerned. I seemed to have

something almost every day, mainly from girlfriends. One day he called my

name, while waving a beautifully pink coloured envelope in the air. He said to

everyone, while holding my letter to his nose. 'Look at this, a pink scented

letter from America, what ever next.'

Cliff B

ALLINGER

(UK),

A Gloucester Boy

, 1999