Ivan Bond kindly sent some photos, his Army driving licence AND a pair of boots which probably hadn't seen a drop of Kiwi since the fifties for the Konigslutter exhibition. I never thought it would happen but I've just polished a pair of boots again. As for bulling, I might try a bit of black nail varnish instead. (Before anyone says anything, we Goths like a bit of black).
I remember being told that during the retreat from North to South of Crete soldiers' boots literally fell to pieces on the stony mountain paths due to their having been burned during the bulling process we Old Soldiers will recall. Has anyone heard this or is it an apocryphal story?
Ernie Callaghan
Paul, you're talking a lot of old bull.
Geoff Buckley
THE BOGS
Paul, just think of what might have been achieved as your additional contribution to the exhibition in June if we had begun this item a couple of months ago and invited the lads to send in all their personal recollections of the bogs - well those that were printable!
When I think of the many, many times this subject has been recalled over the years, and many times in the presence of our ladies, I guess you would have have either brought the house down or closed the exhibition at a stroke!
And the 'writings on the walls' were beyond belief, certainly mostly beyond print.
When one of the lads was coming to stay with us, I produced a little notice to stick on the mirror in the cloakroom - "ITS NO GOOD STANDING ON THE SEAT, THE CRABS IN HERE CAN JUMP SIX FEET", needless to say I was ostracised for a considerable time. Sad really, I thought it would bring a smile to his face and it was the only bit of Langeleben poetry I could remember. But then, I bet many of the lads have a much better memory than mine.
Geoff
paul croxson
You are right Geoff.
I think that of all the things that will bring back memories of Langeleben it will be the bogs that will produce the most stories - at least from thr 'Old soldiers'
Can you imagine what the regulars could talk about when the new toilets had been built and "DAYS TO DO" no longer had any meaning. Who will forget that classic insult "GET SOME IN"? Even a single day was useful for 'gripping'. Are there any more time related expressions that we used to use?
I remember being horrified at hearing the 'F' word. There was a Glaswegian chap who got out of the Army by bed wetting (we've heard that story before, Paul) who managed to get it in between any two words he uttered. I don't think I understod a single sentence he said in the two weeks we shared a common bed space.
paul croxson
Young Mr Bond's boots are still causing me some grief. I think they had been used on a building site or something and despite furious 'bulling' - well, of a sort - I decided to resort to varnish. Not nail arnish as I originally planned but some yacht varnish left over from model yacht restoration days.
They looked absolutely splendid and I wish that I had photographed them and had thought of it in July 1954.
Thank goodness I did not! Three days later the varnish still has not dried and I may yet be back to square one.
Bill Lloyd also got a block of blanco on ebay (no end to the ingenuity of our members) and it has arrived. Not the block of powder that I recall from my days just requiring a bit of water and an old toothbrush but a waxy block of something. I have no idea as to how to apply it. Any suggestions?
I spent yesterday evening polishing brasses on a couple of belts for the exhibition; that took me back! I also had a go in making a brand new cap badge look more like that of an 'Old Soldier', recalling the drill Corp claiming that I had rubbed it down. Which, of course, I had done. I've still got the two pairs of gaiters to have 'a go' at.
This re-union really is waking up what little memory I have of those times and I am looking forward to meeting those slim good looking lads and drinking the 16 or so beers without which, no Friday evening (when not on Watch), was complete.
Dream on Croxson! Two small red wines is more likely nowadays.
