Quite surprisingly I came across my old Sergeant Major on Facebook this weekend, Joe Farrell. I can't really bring myself to call him Joe, I'm simply not worthy of it.
I joined the army at 16 and he scared the shit out of me. I had never heard anyone shout as loud. When he threatened to rip your arms off and beat you with them it didn't come across as a semi comical threat as it did with most NCO's, I believed him. And when you really fucked up, like not swinging your arms high enough during a march on the parade square, you would come face to face with him as he swore and spat at you often accusing you of "Chasing the Dragon" or "Sitting down to pee". As far as soldiering goes there isn't a more soldiery soldier than Sergeant Major Farrell.
Despite all of us being scared of him, including the Officers, all of us left his squadron with nothing but respect for the man.
Joe Farrell joined the Scots Guards on 17 November 1965 and then applied for No 1 Guards Parachute Company in 1967. He passed both hardening courses and stayed until disbandment in 1975. That year he went for selection with 22 SAS but 'ran out of petrol', and returned to regimental duty with the Scots Guards until 2001. He retired after serving as a WO1 RSM at the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham. In 2000 he was awarded the MBE.
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| "Young Joe" |
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| "LCpl Joe" |
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| "Joe & Maggie" |
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| "Joe Chillin" |
Sgt Farrell was my first Platoon Sgt when I Joined the 1st Battalion as a snotty nosed recruit in Hong Kong. I joined No 1 Platoon, Right Flank and he demanded that we were fitter than any other platoon in the Battalion. (Airborne fit!) Both he and Lt Ian Ferguson ran us ragged. He was a legend then and Airborne nuts and I swear that if he could have got away with it he would have chucked us out of a Hercules just to get us used to it. He might have even let us wear a parachute! Hope you are well Joe and living the dream.
ReplyDeleteJoe was was my SSM at Army Apprentice Chepstow. A very great soldier, and always smart! Although I live in the Highlands, yes unusual for a former Royal Engineer, I speak regularly with Joe and his wife Eleanor. Proper gent, Gaurdsman epitomized and the most wicked of sense of humour!!!
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