Mike Swales. Born 1941

I enlisted October 1959 and after a short training period I joined the 42 regiment just before Xmas. We duly went to Cyprus where I carved out an insignificant career for myself as a driver radio operator. Rising to the dizzy heights of Signals Officer driver, my Boss was Lt.J.C.C.Ward (later Captain)
BSM was Mike Fitzpatrick, we rarly saw eye to eye, even if we were the same height. I am aware that Mike is no longer with us and I solemnly respect his good name.

We had only been in Cyprus a short time when I went up into the Troodos mountains on a “listening watch” with our Royal Signals squad. This included Tony Eden’s who seems to have crept into everyone else’s photos.

Some of the memorable characters in HQ Bty at the time were Jim Orr - Pete Dickinson - Ricky Griffith - Roy Connolly - Rory Barton - John Hammond - John Brinson and of course Big Joe Lock the Regimental Heavyweight boxer. Information on any of these guys would be appreciated and if I have missed anybody out I apologise !!!!
I kept myself busy by getting involved in the boxing team and various other activities, passed my driving test thanks to Russ Grant.

Libya was good for me because being the signals Officer driver he volunteered us for all sorts of little jaunts that took us out of the usual daily grind, the mail run to either Tobruk or Tripoli was typical. I got to see Wheelers Air Base thanks to Mike Fitzpatrick and a few other Wo11s.

 

I also got to take part in an air supply drop until on the second run the loadmaster asked to see my wings, when I couldn’t produce them I was sent packing.
We took the Royal Engineers out hunting Gazelles for fresh meat and on one of the exercises it was my Birthday and Mr Ward arranged for me to fly as a spotter with the A.A.C.
Quite a trip after of celebrating. Two or three loop the loops and I declined a second trip.

On our return to Pembroke Dock, I continued with the boxing team, that’s where I met Chick Munro or at least part of him !! I think it was his right hook….
I had always fought Johnny Lorrimor, nobody ever really won.
Chick changed that, he probably wont remember its just another of his fought and won statistics. On one occasion Eddie Roberts was training for a match, I believe it may have been Inter services, I was assigned to toughen up Eddies midriff, he must have felt one of them so I lifted my gloves to say “sorry Eddie” and all of a sudden it was ten minutes later.

I ended up in hospital with appendicitis, Mr Ward had just got engaged and brought his Fiancée to visit me in Haverford West
I spent a short period as batman to the Galloping Major after I came out of hospital as light duties but driving his horsebox wasn’t exactly light duties and his Bloody dog Brock was a menace.
Apart form shovelling snow in the valleys nothing much happened in Wales unless you count the almost battle of the dock when the Para’s tried to take over, I was duty driver and the M.O was duty officer, somehow he calmed things down.

Next stop Lippstadt, that’s a different story… I was involved in allsorts.
Yachting,,,, I crewed for Capt Webbers wife Liz!
HQ battery bar,,,, I ran that for quite a while, we booked a rock group called The Maggots, couldn’t get the Beatles, they were doing the rest of Germany.
Athletics,,,, specifically the long jump, BOAR championships, I lost to a Guardsman who had legs taller than me but I don’t think 24ft 8inches was bad. Jake Nichol was better than me but he was running the hurdles.
Regimental shows,,,,I was drafted into two of them, as a singer, YES that was me.
I was demobbed on the 20th October 1965.
Until my retirement I was a long distance driver and then trained as an electrician in 1972. For my last eleven working years I installed lighting displays in the B&Q stores. You will have seem my work at some place or other I have been everywhere.

Lifes been reasonable, I now live in BAWTRY just south of Doncastor. Been trying to relax and enjoy retirement but there is no rest for the wicked they say, I am always busy, another saying is “
If you want it doing now give it to a busy man””””””