Captain Justin Spreadborough R.E. QM 34 Field Squadron (Air Support) - Spreaders
One of the main reasons for going to Cambridge was to catch up with Spreaders and to kick off my Chepstow project.
24 years ago Spreaders, like myself, joined the army. I knew that I would be leaving as soon as my time was up but Spreaders was the opposite, once he got going he knew he would be in for a long time. 24 years later Spreaders is still serving, having been through all the non-commissioned ranks he is now a commissioned officer at the rank of Captain. The way that I see it you should know you're in the presence of an officer before you see the pips and you get just this with Spreaders. Unwarranted though it was, I felt proud.
We spoke for a while and reminisced about old times. It's funny that despite intensely not liking my time in the army I only really remember the funny and sweet things about it. Spreaders recounted a memory from a very cold trench digging exercise in South Wales, and despite the -15° wind chill, or the fact that his Grandfather died whilst he was on this exercise, the thing he remembered most was the comradery his peers showed when he was woken for his midnight stag duty with a warm cup of tea because it was his birthday.
None of us from the old Squadron will have failed to be influenced by our Scots Guards Sergeant Major Joe Farrell (now MBE). He was in every sense a great man and an even greater soldier. I once heard a story (God knows if it's true or not, he is the kind of man mountain that myths will be created about. It wouldn't surprise me if in a hundred years or so people will be saying that the Falklands was won by one man, Joe!) how he was posted to a training regiment during the Falklands conflict and when his battalion was sent to the Falklands he wasn't allowed to go, so he made his own way there! And when it came to drill there wasn't any excuse to not be the very best, everyone in 86 Squadron 24 years ago left Chepstow part guardsmen. Spreaders said that one of his proudest moments was marching the Royal Engineers out onto Buckingham Palace where the Royal Engineers were performing the palace guard for the first time in 21 years. If Joe Farrell could have seen this I imagine he would have had a tear in his eye.
As a Sergeant Major Spreaders will have been in charge of an entire Regiment of men. He will have been feared and respected, so it was strange to hear him tell a story of how he was bollocked the other week by a Major! He smiled as he admitted that in some ways it's a game you just have to go along with.
Even though he virtually began his greeting with, "Well at least I'm not the only one losing my hair" (the cheeky bastard!) what a very pleasant man he is and always was.
24 years ago Spreaders, like myself, joined the army. I knew that I would be leaving as soon as my time was up but Spreaders was the opposite, once he got going he knew he would be in for a long time. 24 years later Spreaders is still serving, having been through all the non-commissioned ranks he is now a commissioned officer at the rank of Captain. The way that I see it you should know you're in the presence of an officer before you see the pips and you get just this with Spreaders. Unwarranted though it was, I felt proud.
We spoke for a while and reminisced about old times. It's funny that despite intensely not liking my time in the army I only really remember the funny and sweet things about it. Spreaders recounted a memory from a very cold trench digging exercise in South Wales, and despite the -15° wind chill, or the fact that his Grandfather died whilst he was on this exercise, the thing he remembered most was the comradery his peers showed when he was woken for his midnight stag duty with a warm cup of tea because it was his birthday.
None of us from the old Squadron will have failed to be influenced by our Scots Guards Sergeant Major Joe Farrell (now MBE). He was in every sense a great man and an even greater soldier. I once heard a story (God knows if it's true or not, he is the kind of man mountain that myths will be created about. It wouldn't surprise me if in a hundred years or so people will be saying that the Falklands was won by one man, Joe!) how he was posted to a training regiment during the Falklands conflict and when his battalion was sent to the Falklands he wasn't allowed to go, so he made his own way there! And when it came to drill there wasn't any excuse to not be the very best, everyone in 86 Squadron 24 years ago left Chepstow part guardsmen. Spreaders said that one of his proudest moments was marching the Royal Engineers out onto Buckingham Palace where the Royal Engineers were performing the palace guard for the first time in 21 years. If Joe Farrell could have seen this I imagine he would have had a tear in his eye.
As a Sergeant Major Spreaders will have been in charge of an entire Regiment of men. He will have been feared and respected, so it was strange to hear him tell a story of how he was bollocked the other week by a Major! He smiled as he admitted that in some ways it's a game you just have to go along with.
Even though he virtually began his greeting with, "Well at least I'm not the only one losing my hair" (the cheeky bastard!) what a very pleasant man he is and always was.
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| "Sapper J. Spreadborough R.E., 1987" |
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| "Captain J. Spreadborough R.E., 2010" |
Joe FARRELL... fond memories also... 1987 passing out parade and seeing his cap bobbing up and down, on his pace stick, above the back of the parade square seating. What a star. And what a thoroughly good bloke.
ReplyDeleteRoly Watmore (85c D Coy. / 86 Sqn.)
I remember Joe Farrell very well, lucky enough to be trained by him at 86 Squadron RE Chepstow in 1986. When he arrived we thought life had ended, but after getting to know him, behind his immaculate presence and unprecedented discipline was a brilliant sense of humour. I spent a lot of time with him learning many disciplines he taught so well, including how to embellish every situation while smiling inside. Lessons that I use today in business and as a dad to 3. I believe he's now a postman in Chepstow, would like to meet him again if anyone knows his contact details.
ReplyDeleteNeil Cusdin (Cuz) App SSM 86 Squadron RE 86-88 neil@cusdin.co.uk
Wow... just retracing my history... D coy / 86 Sam too... We'll done spreaders you discus proud.
ReplyDelete