8th U. S. Signal Battalion Bad Kreznach
The British
Army are renowned for planning 'Summer Camp' in the dead of Winter and the same
was true of 260 Signal Squadron (SAM).
In a report
published in the WIRE Magazine dated July - August 1974 with the heading
'A truly splendid fortnight' 260 Sqn are hosted by 8 U.S.
Signal Battalion.
Winter
cobwebs and Dortmund smog having settled in liberal quantities over the
Squadron, it became apparent that remedial action was necessary. The OC Major
Alan Stutchbury, chaired a meeting and decided unanimously that a summer camp
was the answer.
Summer came
early to the Squadron and on the 29th April 1974 a dark dismal day, saw the
Squadron depart for Bad Kreuznach in the American sector for two weeks
training.
The Squadron
was hosted by 8th (US) Signal Battalion and the plan was to cement Anglo -
American relationships by joint participation in all training activities. The
training programme was an extremely full and active one, including PT, BE
Tests, weapons classification, fieldcraft, orienteering, rock climbing,
canoeing and various sporting activities.
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TORTURE! _
NO ONLY KEEP FIT EXERCISES |
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LCpl 'Tommo' Thomas, Sig 'Geordie' Hume, Sig 'Rasputin' Turnbull
and an un-named suffering G.I. Signaller on one of the keep fit
exercises |
A Variety of Activities
For the
purpose of training the Squadron was reorganised into four troops of twenty men
and each of these troops had ten American soldiers attached to them for
training purposes. Training started at 6am with a vigorous run, or once over
the local 'Keep Fit' course in the nearby 'Wanderweg' area. At 9am our American
cousins joined us and training commenced. Lieutenant David Case, who incidently
never wants to see a canoe again, supervised canoeing and assault boat
activities on the river Nahe where each troop froliced for the day, trying
their hardest not to be plunged into the icy waters ! Second Lieutenant Gerry
Corbet who never believed that 6 o'clock occurred twice a day, organised the
orienteering very successfully from his sleeping bag, only to be disturbed once
when his able assistant SSgt Dave Meredith injured his ankle when he missed his
footing on a tricky bar stool! Sgts Duncan Innes and Jim Downie instructed
field craft and having devised a very difficult night movement exercise, had to
abandon the activity when Sgt Innes discovered a far less effective but a much
more painful way of firing a Shermuley flare. Cpl Pete Tarrant instructed rock
climbing to the willing and pushed the others up and down the rock faces, and
we hope to see Cpl 'Steve' Stevens back with the Squadron just as soon as his
leg mends. 'Other Activities' were organised by Capt David Dobson and the whole
exercise presided over by Maj Alan Stutchbury, both of whom spent the whole of
the exercise searching for Capt Steve Bloom who is alleged to have been with
the Squadron during the period.
Sport - Not forgetting the mobile beer
bar
Friday the
3rd May 1974 was Anglo - American sports day which started off with great gusto
when 8 Signal Battalion and 260 Signal Squadron pounded over the 'Keep Fit'
course as a warmer for the days sporting activities. But before the sports,
Lieutenant Colonel Donald J. Callahan CO of 8th Signal Battalion had a little
surprise for the Squadron members, for after a suitable refreshment and a ten
minute breather, he led his Battalion and the Squadron on a four mile run back
to his barracks. On reaching the barracks the awaiting band of the 8th (US)
Infantry Division broke into 'Its a long way to Tipperary', to the cheers of
the seemingly untried soldiers. Already in high spirits the soldiers were
delighted to see a jeep heavily disguised as a a beer bar from which copious
amounts of beer flowed, until every man was revitalised enough to take part in
the sports. The order of the day was two games each of softball, basket ball,
volleyball and soccer - the result was as expected, British honour only being
saved by our footballers.
However, the
results proved unimportant as friendships were made or renewed and players
swapped sides to even up the various teams where necessary. The run , sports,
splendid Bar-B-Q lunch and wonderful hospitality made the day and ended the
first week of the exercise.
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RIVAL
COMMANDERS SHOOT IT OUT |
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Maj Alan Stutchbury and Lieutenant - Colonel Donald J. Callahan
getting the feel of the S.L.R. At centre rear a somewhat astonished Sgt Gerry
Lilley |
Range Work and Presentation
Week two saw
both units on the range firing and classifying on each others weapons, also the
Squadron had the opportunity to inspect American communication equipment, The
last day saw the combined troops on the road for their BE Tests and
classification. The weather had by now changed and was sweltering hot for this
event. In the afternoon the Battalion came to our tented camp area and with
both units formed up both Lieutenant-Colonel Callahan and Major Stutchbury took
the opportunity to address the parade. Then, after a neat drill movement which
placed every American signaller opposite his British counterpart the Americans
presented each British soldier with a Battalion Crest. As can be seen at the
head of this report.
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BADGE
PRESENTATION CEREMONY |
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With the Squadron already at the open order 8th (US) Signal
Battalion march onto parade prior to the badge presentation
ceremony |
The parade
ended a truly splendid fortnight and the Squadron returned to Dortmund taking
with it many and we hope long lasting, friendships of 8th Signal
Battalion.
Purple Heart - Sargent Joseph W. Gloodt, USA
We were
honoured to be given the Purple Heart awarded to Sargent Joseph W. Gloodt, USA
for gallantry in Vietnam which we now proudly displaying in our unit
lines.
Sincere Thanks
Our sincere
thanks go to Lieutenant-Colonel Donald J. Callahan for all the assistance that
he and his Battalion gave us, to Second-Lieutenant Bill Pope for all his hard
work as Liaison Officer, to Captain Randall Skinner for coordinating the
training programme, to Lieutenant Marvia Nephew for organising the Sports Day
and to ALL members of 8th Signal Battalion who helped to make the exercise such
a tremendous success. We congratulate them on their Spirit and professionalism
and commend to them their Battalion motto "DRIVE ON". Thanks Also to those
members of HQ 8th (US) Infantry Division and 8th Supply and Transport Battalion
who did so much behind the scenes to help us..
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