NEWSLETTER
28 NOVEMBER 1975

INTRODUCTION
This being Edition number three from Londonderry I have quite run out of ideas. That is not exactly true as I am not sure I had any for the other two editions either. Never the less I hope The Newsletter is bringing some light relief to those of our readers who still languishing in Fallingbostel, even if it just gives the Kids something to tear up.
asked to explain what the various static points in the Regimental Area were- Having scratched my head and glanced quickly through Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) I realised that the task was all to big and managed to farm it out on Lt Christopher Sibley. The article appears in this edition and will, I hope, make it easier for you to picture some of the Regimental activities. The bulk of our time is taken lip with manning these static points therefore they feature regularly in our conversation.
' We again have two sides of photographs, showing a few of the Regimental activities from the last fortnight. The number of photographs taken since the last picture page was produced has decreased but variety has not- The two cartoons are the work of the QM, Major MASON. We will miss his artistry as he returns to Fallingbostel The reproduction of these cartoons is superior to the line drawings of previous Newsletters.

The Editor would be very pleased to receive articles from Fallingbostel. The only stipulation being that they must be about recent events. That is things that have happened in the last fortnight. So we look forward to at least one article a week, any takers! Poems of any sort will also be accepted gratefully. There must be some budding poets who would like to express their pent up feelings in these columns.

I face the facts,
I Know the score.
I am under no illusions.
There is just one thing, I cannot draw
And that is conclusions.

The trip to Ulster calling did not prove as successful as it had been hoped. Therefore trips to Belfast will be more frequent to give a greater chance of people having requests. These trips will still be in Battery groups but will be fortnightly.

CHECKPOINT CHARLIES

Many will be wonderinag what it is that we find to do for up to 12 hours a day
(6 on, 6 off, etc, etc) on the checkpoints that are so often talked about in these pages. The truth is, not much, but checkpoints play a vital role in maintaining the security of the city and their presence makes Derry a safer place for us all to live in.

Checkpoints (CPs) come in two flavours: Vehicle (VCP) and Pedestrian (PGP), and it shouldn't to take a genius to guess what gets checked at each. They rule the life of 18 Battery which has 11 of them. 49 Battery fares a little better with 7; but Battery maintains none, on the well-established principle that anything in DMS boots that stops moving in the Bogside for more than a few minutes is going to cause more trouble than its worth. Instead they man up to 5 Observation Posts (OPs), taking advantage of their birds-eye view from the western city wall to check the goings-on below them.
Roughly speaking, VCPs form the outer security ring around the Regimental Area to stop the big stuff and the wanted criminals from getting in. Manning these points successfully means developing a "nose” for searching.
Clearly each one of 10,000 or so vehicles that daily come over the Craigavon grid cannot be thoroughly searched, and so selectivity is the key. It is a tedious task, and on the bridge and inevitably chilly one with few thanks and, to date, no tangible proof of success, although success is perhaps best measured in terms of the effective deterrent which the men on duty represent. The Bridge checkpoint also carries out an important role in checking for stolen cars.

Within these boundaries there exists a smaller "secure” area which takes in the principle commercial and shopping precincts of the city, namely the old walled city and the lower end of the Stranr3 Road, access to these parts is through a POP only and it is here that parcels, shopping, handbags and the like are scrupulously examined. The few PCPs that allow vehicle access search each in turn and for goods vehicles entering the walled city a "Soak" area operates for anything that cannot be properly examined. Here the drivers have to put their feet up for an hour or so whilst details of the cargo are taken down and an explosives detector, (or "sniffer"), runs over it.

In our checkpoint tasks we enjoy the company of the WRMP, WRAC and Civilian Search Unit (CSU) members, who relieve us of the task of body-searching females, examining handbags and dealing with the feminine element generally. Male members of the CSU perform duties with us on PC,s but only in the Strand road area.

It is not long before one gets to know the ''regulars" through each checkpoint and the area is not so unfriendly that many will not stop for a chat. Local residents provide a generous supply of tea and biscuits in a few cases.

There have been few incidents since we arrived and these have been largely restricted to the stone-throwing activities of roving bands of DYH (Derry young hooligans)

A touch of humour brightened the day of checkpoint P6, when a soldier who was helping to cope with the rush of handbags, produced from one an item that turned the young woman Scarlett with embarrassment, she must have unaware of the search drill and with no attempt made by P6 to cover her distress. She was later seen hurrying into the centre flushing like a belisha beacon.

G TROOP JOTTINGS
The troop has been responsible for the gates of the city which has brought us, . naturally, into very close contact with the natives. Due to this closeness our understanding of the local language has improved tremendously, some of the lads even learning words they didnt know existed.
We have also looked after Craigavon Bridge without disrupting the city traffic.

Gnr “THUNDER” THEOBOLT can be seen at any time of the day or night in the company of his toy dog called “Knuckle duster” which he assures me has got more service in than anyone he knows. Talking of dogs the battery dog, Bdr MUTTLY (who's real name is rebel and he comes from the Bogside) has spent many hours on our foot patrols with us. We may not see much of him but its quite easy to follow his puddles.

Lbdr “NASTY” NAYLOR has the following story which he assures me is true, whilst at Shipquay Gate he was asked by an American tourist how he could get onto the walls to take some photographs. Having been given the necessary information the American went to fetch his pals, returning with two full blooded American Indians.
On informing the Battery Ops Officer of their presence no one would believe him. The rest of his crew, think he has been reading too many books lately.

The main topic of conversation at Ferry Quay Gate is where the BC will move his barriers to next. Were not .quite sure who hes trying confuse, the natives or us.
Someone suggested cementing them down to fool him but apparently the cement wouldn't dry quick enough.

when 18 battery arrived in 'Derry the slogan "Dame Vera Lynn rules was painted on every wall. It has since been daubed in Dublin. This encouraged the Battery scribe to compose the following poem:

I.T.W.A.
(Its that woman again)
Do they teach it in schools
That Dame Vera Lynn rules?
Is it fantasy , fiction or fact
By some scrivening hand
I am dubbed as her fan
And expected to live with the fact.

Well, I'm telling you now,
(fur the record) , Just how
Very strongly this link I deplore
Though (ad nauseam) played
And outrageously staid,
She's deposed, vanquished, banished, no more.
The troop has settled into the routine of the strand well, the main task is guarding the check points into the strand which are manned by civil searchers during the day. We take over the task of actually searching from 1830 to 0800. Our other tasks include guarding the RUC station, patrolling an manning the vehicle check point, for traffic coming into the city.
The vehicle check point provides a change of scenery as its on the dock side and with the coming and going of ships the change is pleasant. It can be amusing when one looks at the types that meet cargo boats.

We have all found life far removed from that of Fallingbostel, and far less exciting. Apart from the odd yob throwing stones or empty bottles we have had nothing to get the "adrenalin" going.

There was one moment when GNR SALT reported an eight foot hairy Irishman wielding a pistol outside the college in the Strand.
Bdr DEREK BEECH and the boys of 12 section went into action with a cordon and search operation with all guns being brought to bear. All they apprehended was a 5 year old boy playing cowboys with a banana. He wouldn't have minded but the boy had eaten the banana.

GNR MORRIS reports that SGT NORMAN HARRIS is still well in the lead in the sleeping competition. This can't be confirmed as SGT HARRIS is still sleeping.

ORIGINAL IRISH JOKES
Overheard in Shipquay Street, two old men in ardent conversation
What a beautiful autumn day it is
I will tell you how beautiful it is,
Its so pretty today that I wish I was working again so that I could take the day off".

Sign in a shop window at Ferryquay Gate
Extra strong zips, 1p per inch.
4 inch = 4p
12 ins = 12p
16 ins = l6p
22 ins = 22p
(Ed - and all without a calculator)

Sign on the back of a Mini Van stopped at a check point:
“Short Vehicle”

I Troop Notes

Taking a rare look at the calendar this morning I came to the realisation that we had been here for exactly three weeks. Time has passed very quickly and we have Settled in well to our operational routine.
If the opposition haven't realized we are a new unit by now with the little labels tied to the barrels of our rifles and the debris of RAF packed lunches still extruding from our pockets!! (Ed - They are obviously still searching for the washing machine) One characteristic of Londonderry which we failed to appreciate from the maps and photographs which we perused in Fallingbostle are the very steep gradients on the streets here. Gunner Ted HEATH does not complain hovever as he believes the fitness training will prepare him for the commando course he threatens to volunteer for next year .
The rest of us are still searching for a route back to base which does not involve an uphill slog. It seems a fruitless venture.

We have done a large number of early morning house searches, and Bdr Philip WILDE and his search team have had plenty of opportunity to practise their "bedside manner". One quote from our trusty search team commander on asking a lady to sign a search
Damage claim form finding she did. not have a pen was "Thats all right Madam were not all scholars (ED - No wonder we need a PRO). Lance Bombardier Colin FILL has been playing rugby for the Regiment resulting in his being temporarily off the road. with a knee injury. Last Thursday evening we had our first taste of aggro when two of our patrols were stoned in the area of the Stardust Club

Gunner Kenneth CHUTCHLEY demonstrated his ability to fire the "elephant gun" accurately which held off our attackers but he is in trouble with the RQMS for not picking up and returning the empty cases (Ed - They fetch £1 as souvenirs and the RQMS wanted his cut). Gunner “Plug“ LEADBETTER celebrated his birthday last week standing in the pouring rain or a search cordon. we look forwarded to the first of our day trips to Coleraine next week.

TALES OF THE 84MM TROOP (BHQ 49 BTY)

A few months ago, on a windy day, a band of men were brought together to work as a team. This handful of men who had never worked together were to become one of' the finest, boldest resolute launcher teams that 'Charlie G had ever known. Our training took the form of a 15- minute talk of past experiences from our leader SGT TONY RICHARDS of the Royal Regiment of Wales. We were told to push this, .pull that, not that, this! And after this our first strip, laid out in front of us our “Charlie G“... What a wondrous sight, thought this merry band looking down at the pieces of our 'CG' . Our first firing took place at 1100 hrs the same day, master shot BQMS PETER BEARD, took up the weapon and ordered load to his No 2, master loader GNR PETER YARDLEY. What a sight they made standing as firm as a rock, all eyes were on our master shot. Bang! A hit! Everyone cheered, hats flew in the air, pats on the back and even a photograph was taken of this memorable event.

One by one these bold men move up to the firing point and score a hit.
Our chief, the industrious Major DAVID WHITWORTH said to us. "Men, you are now ready to take your place amongst those who forge the way through, get out and show em.
We are still "getting out and showing em !!

The merry band has since split up. Major David WHITWORTH to run the Battery Operations Room, the Battery Shop, the Battery account', the Battery this, the Battery that and anything else anyone can think of.
Followed closely by the BSM, W02 BILL KIRCHEL manning the Battery OPs room in the BKs absence, the Sgts Mess, the Cookhouse, the Skip, and the hole outside the Battery block!
BDR MICHAEL SCAIFE runs the Manual of Military Law, Queens Regs, Battery Orders, the typewriter, and the ration sstate. (Its great, we all have things to run)
Lbdr ROD CAMERON and Gnr CHRIS LEESE run the MT, drive the MT, clean the MT and look after the BC.
GNR JOHN WEST runs the Sgts Mess and a finer teamaker, washer-upper, beer disher outer we have yet to find! He thinks its great also!
Last week GNR PETER YARDLEY and GNR JOHN WEST had the pleasure of guarding the Altnagelvin Hospital. They had to do 24 hour shifts between them. Their job was to guard military patients in the hospital and the staff. Every morning they would change over and GNR PETER YARDLEY eyes half way down his cheek was heard to remark "They don't let you sleep there". Whether it is the nurses or the patients we do not know but there must be some good points attached to the job. BDR JOHN ADAMS was heard to say, if I don't get my civvies, I can't do a guard.
Although the merry band was split up into the different departments to work, we are still eagerly waiting to strip and fire our 'CG' again. Maybe next week we will have more exciting things to write.
.
Stop Press
Iat the moment the BSM,s hole has stretched from the dining room to the wog shop, a distance of about 30 yards!! If it gets any bigger we shall have to use the 'CG' to stop the workers from sinking our ship.

Ed - Carl Gustav is a hand held anti tank rocket launcher affectionately

called Charlie G)



BACK