Libya Cont'd Me atop my Saladin somewhere
in the Cyrenica 1962 One particular scheme I remember well was on the Misratah flats a hundred miles from the coast. Miles and miles of nothingness.. Our map showed an unusual Trig Point on it, which we had to get to. When we arrived the trig was a pyramid of Alsops and Tennants empty beer cans that had been deposited there by thousands of Tankies or the like over the years.
On the same scheme we parked one night at an Arab burial site with its own Prayer Tree. The tree was decorated with family mementos of the dead and the living.
In the morning one of our troop drivers had the ignominious reputation of being the only Saladin driver ever to reverse into a Prayer Tree. It took him a long time to live it down.
 After returning from that scheme I read on the Squadron notice board volunteers required to man 6 Ferrets and go back out into the desert. The scheme was to be held with pilots from the Aircraft carrier Ark Royal. The idea being to go and hide and let the planes find us and try and destroy. Naturally I volunteered, as it was more interesting out there than in the barracks.
The reason this scheme particularly sticks in my mind is because it was the first time that cornflakes were issued in C rations. We motored out to our respective positions and waited and waited. After 3 days of not seeing anything remotely like a jet plane we decided to break silence and find out what was happening. It seemed that the pilots just could not find us. We gave our grid positions and Headquarters said that we could expect the jets tomorrow.
In the morning at about 7 oclock I decided it was about time we tried these cornflakes. So out came the mess tin and watered down the tinned milk. Before I could get the spoon to my mouth the mess tin and its contents were all over me, running down the back of my neck. The jet had come out of the sun and of course you cannot hear it until it has passed. It must have been flying at about 50 feet of the ground, the antenna on the Ferret swished back and forth like a whiplash.
 Leptis Magna
by Homs Back in barracks things were pretty peaceful. That is of course if you were a fan of the bagpipes. Every Saturday morning the Scots had a RSM.Parade. This was done in full dress uniform and the pipe band.
They say that the 1st Royal Scots had the strictest discipline in the British army. I cannot confirm that but I do know the RSM had a mirror screwed into the toecap of his boot so that he could look upwards to see if a particular soldier was wearing underpants. On parade this was not allowed. The guardhouse always seemed pretty full with their lads. I found them as a whole smashing people; of course there were a few who had questionable parentage.
To break up the tedium I took some leave . Went along the coast to Leptis Magna the largest Roman site in Libya.After that took a seven pound return trip to Malta.
Many of us got invites to the US Airforce base at Weelus.What a place,a sea plane flying up and down the coast all day just to taking the dependants children for fun rides. 6 flavours of fresh milk in the messes flown in from Scotland daily. 4 choices of meat daily, not like us in our mess, 1 and take it or leave it.
I was also very lucky to be invited to a show there hosted by Bob Hope.
In the May of 1962, the powers to be decided that the 2nd tanks would form an air portable squadron, to be based in England. This meant that we had to become parachutists, great stuff I thought.
A few months later I wish I had eaten my words.
I was chosen to go on the first intake. The squadron had chosen those that were, or looked slightly fitter than the rest. I had played a bit of football while I was in Libya so I suppose that counted for something. I believe the squadron did not want to be shown up by sending lads who quite openly knew they had not a chance of passing the Para course.
So leave the sand sea and heat and back to GB.
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