Lance Corporal Cameron P Hirst

Cam Hirst joined as a regular in Oct 1950 with the Queens Royal Regiment, where he was sent for basic training to Shorncliffe in Kent. After six weeks he went to Aldershot to do P Coy, then to Abingdon for Para training.

He joined 1 PARA in March 1951, as part of HQ Coy, Signals Pltn. When 16 Independent Para Bde were told to embark for Iran (due to trouble in oilfields), he boarded HMS Warrior in Portsmouth. After setting sail, news confirmed trouble in Iran had ceased, so the Battalion disembarked in Cyprus. They were delivered by cattle truck to a tented camp opposite Nicosia Airport: "The RSM loved [the] peri-track - just right for drill & PT!". After extensive training and marching practice over the mountains of Kyrenia, Cam emplaned with the rest of the Battalion for Egypt after a coup in October 1951.

He was based in North Camp, where he oversaw the films shown at night for the Officers, Sgts Mess and the PRI canteen for free food and beer(!). There were tented camps all over the Canal Zone and British troops faced the Egyptian Army in the desert during the Cairo riots. Later, Paras helped unloading ships when dockers went on strike: "A good job - lots of food and beer!". He also went on various OPs, before ending up in Moascar on IS duties, and had to patrol with Royal Military Police (RMP)s as the Paras refused to 'play ball' with them and a few MPs got beat up - so had to have a Para NCO with them!

Cam left the Canal Zone in May 1954 for the UK and was demobbed shortly afterwards.