Friendship

Lt Col (Retd) John Edwards OBE recounts some of the friendships made during a long and varied career in the REME.

Scribe Lt Col (Retd) John Edwards OBE

Until I read the April edition of The Craftsman, I didn’t know that there was an “International Day of Friendship” to be held on 30th July. That date is not in my diary, my wedding anniversary the following day is!

As for REME friendship, where do you begin? You make friends right from the start. I still keep in touch, and meet up, with friends going back to school days from Welbeck College (1973-75) then the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (1975 – 77), and then to the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham (1978-82). Jon, a REME friend from my youth, was going to be my best man but found himself in the Falklands War (1982) and I was forced to have a Sapper replacement. There are many stories about our (Jon and I) friendship from RYO Courses (what goes on courses stops on courses) to my mum doing his washing, to later, my wife doing his washing (he eventually bought a Hotpoint), and to bumping into him on the helipad in the Green Zone, Baghdad (2006). I could go on, especially as our friendship blossomed when he was Regt Col and I worked for him on Corps recruiting but having spoken to the editor, I have been limited to 500 words.

Bill and I dressed appropriately to watch the annual Warrant Officer John Muise ice hockey tournament at the Andy Anderson arena, Base Borden

So, my special friendship story is about the time (1995-97) spent in Canada, at the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Borden, when as a British Exchange Officer, I was OC Artisan Company responsible for overseeing the technical training for all Canadian EME soldiers/technicians in the trades: Fire Control Systems, Materials and Weapons. It was a wonderful 2 years, and my

Maj Bill Thompson (left) and I in our day, 1996, prior to the annual CFSEME Parade Capt Greg Crowe (left), Bill (right) and I in 2019 having Canadian refreshment

family and I had a really enjoyable time making many more friends; friends we still see today.

A really good friend, a friend for life, was Maj Bill Thompson, OC HQ Coy. I relied on him a great deal, he was experienced in all manner of things EME, was a fountain of knowledge on all things technical training, and had a thoroughly good sense of humour; he had been about a bit and had seen a lot. A truly good man with a lovely family, who lived 3 doors down, at 7 Popular Place. My wife, Rosemary, got on very well with his wife, Jane, and our daughter, Charlotte, made friends quickly with their daughters, Kelly and Meghan. We spent a great deal of time together; we have the same values and standards, and it was fun. Sadly, Meghan has died but she is remembered when we FaceTime. Whilst at Borden, I learnt to play ice hockey and Bill lent me the kit, same for skiing. We would spend time at the ice rink cheering on the CFSEME “A” team, at which he would explain the rules. Knowing the rules came in handy when we both played for the “C” team in the annual EME Tournament – a week of playing ice hockey and because so many teams Bill and I in 2019 watching the Barrie Colts - Ontario Hockey League Ice Hockey had entered, we had to play at ‘ridiculous o’clock’ – being woken by Bill at 0400 hours to put on cold kit to go and I had one in Capt Greg Crowe. I realise delegation is an ’art’ and I and play is not to be recommended. He introduced me to Harley gave Greg a lot to do but he immediately knew and understood my Davidsons, skidoos, Canadian beer, Canadian whisky, Canadian intent, which was a tad scary – he done good. Now a police officer in maple syrup and much much more. Bill went onto command Art Coy the Barrie/Toronto area, he is doing another fine job. I’ve sat in the and never once complained about the skeletons that I left behind in back of his police car just for the experience – promise! That’s the cupboard; an all-round decent person. That’s friendship. friendship. For the first time in many a year, because of COVID, I failed

To allow me to explore Borden and Canada, and have time to play to return to Canada last Nov to watch some ice hockey, primarily, the ice hockey, soccer (football), go on the ski slopes, and trips to REME Stallions and BATUS Wolves, and, of course, meet up with Niagara Falls with visitors, I needed a good, an incredibly good 2IC, friends; fingers crossed for Nov 2021.

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