I remember mine in 1969..we got leave straight after. I remember walking along the street towards my mothers house after in my number 2s and peeked hat.. I felt like I was 10 feet tall how proud I felt, I was 15 as well I was a boy soldier LOL.
I did Infantry training in the early 70’s - 20 Weeks. We started with 33 and 16 passed out. My dad was a Grenadier, Palestine, Malayan emergency, and Cyprus (Eoka), I think the stress of Cyprus killed my mum she died a few months after we came back. I was 3.
I would guess your dad was in Cyprus about the time i was there, I was 2nd battalion based near Nicosia airport in a tented camp. The 3rd Battalion were just up the road from us.I was 18 and 3months at the time ,just made it as the minimum age for active service in those days was 18 1/4 Happy days.
@@michaelcannon3172 1957/58 Mike, We had a quarter in Ledra Road Nicosia, and yes my dad was in the 3rd battalion he was a L/Sgt. Did the 2nd Bn have a nickname "THE MODELS"? Dad was a secretary of the GG association in Aylesbury for years, Nickname - Dusty
I passed out Aug 97 with Masters Troop RLC at Pirbright also. I can honestly say when I look back upon my time in the Army, for me, this was the best time! My troop had no females, and i believe we were better for it! I loved the camaraderie and the discipline! I was the only scottish boy in my troop and I loved it! Even though I would get hammered! I was lucky to pass out with the pipes and drums of the Irish Guards as the RLC band was unavailable...superb! It's a shame though, as after this special time. I got sent to Deepcut to languish and be forgotten about for just over a year! It ruined the enthusiasm I had for the Army! To go from being told what to do, when to do it and feeling a sense of achievement...to nothing for a year! Soul destroying! Getting eventually sent to your unit and realising...man this isn't like the brochure at all! Still I did it and learned a lot. I mostly learnt that I should have joined the Navy!
Ex Gunner here from the 1980s, in my opinion those inspecting officers are a bloody disgrace bumbling along like they are at a toffs tea party on what is a very important day for these young soldiers, well done new sqaddies.
@@JammyDodger45 They should march yes, not shuffle along like they are at a shoot or a tea party, it just doesn't look right with everybody else making an effort to look smart.
What a tragedy that was. Turning the Guards Depot over to the chippies! That place was the home of the five foot guards Regiments. Still is in spirit anyway.
@@goldbloke Not going to argue that point with you, but for our generation Pirbright was our spiritual home. I know the old and bold trained at Caterham, I was there myself but in Battalion.
Guards Depot Caterham 1958 - Pirbright field training then Cyprus. Ex Grenadier. When you are 18 1/2 it is a great experience. Caterham in those days was Brutal.
Dinger Bell yeah, it's because the guards now train at catterick, and pirbright is only for non infantry roles (and I say that since the guard division trained there) and they where in the infantry. And the guard depot is is gone (I think) because now they pass it still without the bearskins (since you get that when you do the job) and still have the same cap badge hats expect they pass out now in their ceremonial clothing.
Passed out in 79, after 1 year then another 6 months at Gib, and Church Crookham. Were we dopes? In all my photos, I was checking out the Birds I had no family present, We couldn't afford it, so I had a few English girl friends there. FUN !!!
I was one of the last platoons to pass out from the Guards depot in Pirbright in 2001, before all guards done basic at ITC Catterick. Also last Platoon to pass out from the Guards block in Catterick, so when we done our pass out parade it was back to swab the block, as the Guards were moving to the other barracks, Vimy I think. It was just across the road from old bks of which I cannot remember the name.
Helles was bollocks; the knackered fire alarm system meant we were constantly having to parade every time it was triggered - which felt like every 2nd minute. It made shining parade an absolute ballache. When I went through in 98, I understood the intention was to move all the Guards platoons to Vimy. Helles was mostly reserved for P company. There were only 2 Guards platoons in Helles at that time. Strange to think they eventually moved them all back to Helles.
@@jockmcscottish7569 so guards don't do their basic at pirbright anymore? I was based at pirbright in Elizabeth barracks for a couple of years, just up from the atc.
Passed out in December 1986 at Bassingbourn Barracks, Queens Depot, it was peeing down. During the general salute presence arms my bleeding bayonet fell off and clatter to the ground.
Was there and passed out the same year (1997) with the SG. Was in Banner Plt (opposite the HQ/QMS and the old Guard's Independant Parachute Coy block. Sandy's I hated, too expensive and lining up for the phone box lol. NAFFI runs were common and stuck in block not allowed to talk to anyone except other guardsmen. The memories lol. Then off to Catterick for phase 2 of hell!!!
Some smart lads and lasses there! well done! I passed out 50 years ago at age 17 in the 24th Regt, we always marched off to that great old march 'Children of the Regiment' They had done that since WW1 so I believe?
Sarcasm and criticism apart no matter what regiment, corps or whatever they all signed on the dotted line, the enemy's bullet, bomb or shell doesn't differentiate, well done young people.
Did my basic training at Pirbright in 1986 when it was the guards depot and it was hell on earth, I hated every second of it and had 6 months of pure hell. How anyone can say they liked basic training is beyond me they must be masochists. The bullshit was unbelievable and you barely got time to get some scoff down your neck or your head down. A lot of people look back fondly on the past but it was the worst 6 months of my life , but afterwards I went to battalion and had a better time and met some great blokes. I got out after 6 years because of family problems but I remember time in battalion with affection but wouldn't want to go through that hell again.
Only the ones from the guards platoon were guardsmen and household. The other 2 troops d.s were rlc and artillery, we didn't need drill pigs and donkey wallpapers to teach us drill!
love watching old pass out videos from Pirbright, only so i can get some nostalgia from the vids. loved seeing the gas chamber at 3.45 and trying to workout the other buildings. i spent so many hours on that square and surrounding areas during my time there.
Very impressive. You must be very proud looking back. I find it interesting to see members of the guards regiments on parade as well. I thought they had their own passing out parade at the guards depot and then pirbright
Thank you that's very kind. Yes I'm always going to be proud of it. Sadly if I was honest I haven't spoken to any of them for so many years. (pretty sad really) we all went separate ways after training. It's a shame it would be nice to speak to some of them again.
Hey Dinger, was that Brummie Housell as the Pltn Sgt on the first Pltn? He was one of my protégées, glad to see his ugly mug again, WO1 (SSM) N Davies RLC Rtd
Euan Campbell at 5.50, went through training with that plonker, we were the stick orderlies for our passing out parade 1989, he got 2ic for making Pete McDonald a brew, one of our instructors, always was a bit of an arse lick, wondered where he went , the fuckin depot,
I knew Pete Mcdonald he was in my company in 1st battalion after depot time. He travelled across with us crows to join the battalion in South Armagh, wasn't a bad nco. Southerner if I remember.
I started training at Pirbright in October 1999 Cant remember the date I passed out I will have to have a look at my pass out pics and video but I used to love it there I was in Aines platoon (spelling shite). Its all changed now though new blocks have been built they must of knocked the old ones down. Faze 2 training up ITC Catterick training there wasnt to bad either but I dont have my pass out video for Catterick it would be good to watch that back shame that.
+pete bishop That's a shame. It is indeed the proudest day of my life (apart from my children of course). I had my mum and sister there. I'm sorry to hear you didn't.
I was an orphan that day too! My old man was on a course and my youngest brother was just young at the time so my mum didn't want to travel from the north of Scotland to deepest darkest Surrey! It took about 16 hrs ISH on the train back then! I think I was the only orphan that day and I couldn't even spot myself on the film, but I'm in there somewhere!
I passed out from pirbright in 1974 1st bn Coldstream Guards . Theses lads do not know they were born , not half as hard as it used to be , we did 18 weeks and a if we were not good enough we would get BACK SQUADDED .
@@davidsmith2356 Hi David , no i did not know Chris as i joined later in the year , my R S M was Black Alec , Dumonnd who went on to become G S M he too was from Leeds . Sadly rifting the Angels now .
Lol yet to find out what makes it different 🤔! "when men were men" lol. So basically my time in Iraq where I think I was lucky to come back, when sadly so many didn't... and my two tours of northern Ireland were not manly enough! (not that I truly get what you mean by manly) there's so many men and women that have sadly left this earth since I joined the Army. So please tell me what you mean by "WHEN MEN WERE MEN" you arrogant shit. Don't assume you know my life and the lives of others because you are older..... My dad served your time if not indeed before you he was in the 17th 21st lancers he was the bravest person I knew he didn't have your pethetic sad view you have. Neither has my mother as she served in the army. What you think is what you think I neither care or give two shits what you think of me now. To use your stupid pethetic wording Bye bye from the pussy
Have to agree. The passing off drill was 100p/c. from the squaddies. However, the same can not be said for the male & female ruperts... They Ruined it. However, dont think the parents & genpop would have noticed that. No Doubt a few of these guy & guyesses will be S. N.C.O's now if this was pass of was 97.
Thorny5718 Because it’s an all arms pass out parade. If it was purely an infantry pass out they’d have bayonets fixed. The infantry students aren’t using bayonets for the sake of uniformity.
All the guardsmen had FA cup lugs so it was deemed unsafe for them to perform rifle drill with bayonets fixed on the parade after a few van Gough incidents in the practices. The rest of us had to wear our bayonets in the scabbard so we didn't show them up!
Some of the guardsmen had suffered van Gogh style injuries during the practices, so in the interests of them not putting on a horror show, their bayonets were to remain safely in their scabbards! The rest of us had to scabbard ours so as not to make them look like dicks!
The drilling needs a lot of improvement. Some officers have no idea what it means to slow march. Mr. Loud mouth parade commander in one instance said, (while the parade had their rifles at the shoulder arms). Gave the word of command to stand at ease, then he said stand easy, order arms. Disgraceful show, he should be busted down.
