The Screwjack Letters – No. 18 Mess Business
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ajor Price was posted back to the UK and he shipped his Jaguar car home as well. I was sorry to see him go. His replacement as Company OC was Major Charles Wilson. When we met, he made it clear that he would have preferred an older ex-Artificer running the Workshop. I refrained from saying who I might prefer as OC, of course. John Horne was also replaced by John Taylor. The senior Gurkha Captain gave a speech at John Horne’s departure, addressing him as “Singh Sahib” to everyone’s amusement. I had undertaken the jobs of gardens member and films member in the mess. I celebrated our first day of active service by transplanting a purple-flowering bougainvillea tree from Stan Yates’ garden into the corner of the mess lawn. The lawn was ringed with yellow-flowering shrubs that appeared happy to be left alone; the lawn grass seemed disinclined to grow, so I left that alone too. Sometime later the OC’s wife announced that she and other ladies of the mess had formed a Gardens Club and
Gill’s Malay driving licence
The sectioned Bedford engine
46 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk
would take over responsibility for the garden. I agreed to stand aside. A week or so later Mrs Wilson told me that she and the other ladies had decided on their plans for the garden. She asked “Where is the gardener?” I said “There is no gardener, only your Gardens Club”. That was the end of the ladies’ Gardens Club. As films member I was more active. I knew how to operate the projector and reels of film were ordered from the Army Kinema Corporation. The projector was used sometimes for training films by HQ GASC. One evening I set up the rows of chairs in the ante-room and on a table at the rear I put the projector and film reels, but the projector tripod was missing. Major Bennet, the HQ 2IC, went to look for it. Two of the younger wives, Jenny Taylor and Kathy Vincent came in early and sat down a few rows in front of me. Meantime I erected a makeshift stand for the projector, using some books. Major Bennet came back, still minus the tripod and said “Ah Mike, OK, I see you’ve got an erection.” I said “Yes sir, I’ll -er- have a word with my tailor.” Jenny and Kathy seemed to sink to the floor. My wife Gill took driving lessons and passed the test locally. She could now drive our TR2. I attach a copy of her driving licence. As a State Registered Nurse she was qualified and taught first aid at a local school. Brigadier Peter Vaux, Commander Malaya Area, came to do our annual admin inspection. He took an interest in a sectioned Bedford engine which our metalsmith, “Omo”* Whitehurst, had sectioned with a hand grinder to enable us to explain the workings of an engine to the Gurkha drivers. When the Brigadier inspected the workshop single men’s rooms, we came to a small room at the end of the veranda to which there was a locked door marked “Recovery Room”. Nobody had the key so I said “Well, we don’t keep the Scammel in there, sir.” Brig Vaux, a kindly chap, accepted the logic of this and moved on. Later Major Wilson admitted that this was the one moment of calm, stark reality in an otherwise frenetic day. I never did find out what or who was in the Recovery Room. Screwjack *OMO was a much-advertised washing powder in the UK at the time.
