Monday, July 8, 2013

Black Boots

Singleton Recruit Course, AFX 1977 and Singleton AFX 1978.
 


 


12 comments:

Jim said...

At least you got GPs in recruits.
1RTB in 1971 all we got was ABs and gaiters.

kae said...

Hi Jim
I joined in April 1975 - ARES C Coy, 4RNSWR.
I didn't get onto a recruit course until 1977 as I was in year 12 in 1976. I was issued with all my uniform pretty early in the piece, and walked a couple of miles in the new boots to a weekend bivouac site.
Maybe I got the boots 'cos there weren't too many size 6 feet in the army at that stage?

Jim said...



No, I think it was just to be a pain in the arse to new recruits.
When I finally got to my regiment, they swapped them out for GPs

kae said...

Maybe it was the times, and that you were regular?

I was just a little ARES WRAAC...

I gave my uniforms away.

You know what I always wanted? A big woollen great coat. Never got one though. I don't think you can get them any more.

My brother lost my lovely woollen khaki jumper searching for a downed plane in Barrington Tops. I coulda killed him, Mum decided to lend it to him and he lost it!! (It fell out of the top of his pack.)

I had some good friends, ex regulars, Vietnam Vets, at C Coy. Don't know where they are now. Ron Meyers, Gordon Fogarty, Bruce Ralston. They're the names I remember. I think they were in D Coy in Vietnam, but not sure.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kae: A quiet day in the Orderly Room? ... I hope your S/Sgt was around when you were leaning on the spade ... ha! Stevo

kae said...

Hi Stevo
The main work was done during the night - we'd be up until 3 or 4 am typing up and gestetnering the ROs etc from the meeting the evening of the day before. It was hectic. Whoever was up late was allowed to sleep in (even though the Sgt was told we had to get up at 5am, he said that was wrong! Chilsholm was his name). The camp was pretty good, we had stretchers which was a luxury! And mosquito nets, and all in a big tent.

kc said...

I think you looked stunning.

I tried to join the US Navy not long after I got out of high school. Everything was going along well, till the recruiter talked to my mum (I was 17) and found out I take thyroid meds every day. So ended my illustrious career, before it ever started...I cried for 3 days.

Minicapt said...

http://www.armynavydeals.ca/asp/products_details.asp?SKU=cfsdtrnch&catid=2100&ItemName=Canada%20Service%20Dress%20All%20Weather%20Trench%20Coat

Cheers

kae said...

Hi kc

I did look pretty good, didn't I? I feel your pain. I wanted to join the police but missed a hurdle. So disappointed.

Hi Mini

Hmm. The Australian Great Coat is khaki and an old style which flares at the waist a bit and has a, um, split up the back so that you can wear it to ride a horse or a bike. They were very long, too.

kae said...

God I hate this thing. Click the wrong button sequence and all you've typed is deleted and not retrievable. Gaaaah!

Hi kc
Yes, I did look pretty good then! I feel your pain. I wanted to join the New South Wales Police Force in 1977 but was too young. Then a couple of years later when I was old enough I made it through two interviews and a test but "fell" at one of the hurdles (an interview, I think they thought I'd get married or something and wasn't a good risk!).

Hi Mini

The old Australian Army Great Coats were very long and woollen and khaki. They had a split at the back which allowed riding (bike or horse), and they were very, very warm. I always wanted one! You could still get them in the 70s, I don't see them anywhere on the web now, and they stopped making them years ago as the uniforms changed. Here's a picture of the coat from a site:

http://www.onesixth.co.uk/vb4forum/showthread.php?1768-Men-in-coats-1939-greatcoats-scratchbuilt

Here's a link to a blue one from 1942 which is dear as poison and not in crash hot condition.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/WW2-Australian-Army-AIF-Greatcoat-1942-/321157099140?pt=AU_Militaria&hash=item4ac6746e84

Here's one at the Australian War Memorial (an amazing site, have a sticky if you haven't already, Mini!).

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/REL37651/

Glenn Mark Cassel said...

We were young once...............

kae said...

Yes, Glenn.

And we looked pretty damn good, too!