Corporal Bob Anderson

I joined the Parachute Squadron RAC as a young lad who had been trained as a Clerk.

On joining the Squadron I decided to get my Wings and went through the Squadrons training programme, then went down to Aldershot which I found very hard but got through. Eventually I went off to do my jumps, which frightened me to death if I am honest, but I got through and earned my wings and as result had a great time with the Squadron. I was a clerk to the Squadron based at Tidworth and Old Sarum, and played in the Squadron football team.

I remember going to Belfast in 1973 for my first tour of N Ireland, Oman in 1974 for desert traning then back for a few months before we went to Cyprus as part of the UN peacekeeping force which we thought was going to be a nice holiday, but then the Turks invaded! We still had a good tour there, I recall doing some jumps before the invasion on Ladies Mile Beach which was fun (for once!).

We returned back to England for a short time, but were soon off to Malaya to act as 'enemy' for 1 PARA in Jungle Training. Another tour in N Ireland for Christmas then back to UK when the Squadron was being disbanded - a sad day.

I got myself an attachment with 22 SAS out in Dhofar for 6 months and stayed with them for a few months afterwards but then went back to my Regiment after getting married. Not long afterwards, I got bored back with the Regiment so went off to Belize for 6 months, then later that year my time was up so I decided to leave the Army.

I joined Derbyshire Constabulary, which is where I have been ever since, although I am now a civilian rather than a 'Bobby'. All in all, I have some great memories to fall back on and hope to get down to a reunion one day now I have found this site.

Hope to hear from anyone who can remember me and I will post some photos of my time with the Squadron once I can work out how to do it!