Lance Corporal John E Foxall

I enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) at Shrewsbury, Shropshire, on 8 August 1953 and joined my Unit on 24 August 1953 at Blenheim Barracks Farnborough. My service was to be 3 years with The Colours and 4 years with The Reserve.

After kitting out and basic training, I was posted to Ellis (Elles) Barracks, 3 Training Battalion RASC Farnborough, to train as a Driver. I passed my Driver B4, on 14 November 1953 and a few days later I was posted to Buller Barracks, Aldershot for a further four weeks training.

Completing this course within a couple of days of Christmas, I was given 10 days leave, 24 December 1953 to 4 January 1954. After this leave I reported to The Parachute Balloon Training Company (PBTC) at RAF Cardington, Bedford. I spent two years and four months with the PBTC at Cardington.

I arrived there on the 4 January 1954 and reported to The Company Office, and to CSM Ted Creasy. The CO was Major Powell and I believe that Captain Cassidy was 2IC.

After our introduction to Major Powell and CSM Ted Creasey, the new intake were kitted out with “jungle green” kit and then began the training course on Balloon Equipment; which included a great deal of instruction in rope and wire splicing, knots etc, and Winch Driving. Interestingly since the balloons were considered to be ships, many of the terms were naval in origin. So we were army personnel, based on an RAF base, using naval terminology!

I do remember the time that the company bicycle was out of service, because Captain Cassidy had collided with a fence-post on his return from the Officer’s Mess. This incident was the cause of much merriment in the Balloon Crews.

As fully trained Balloon Operators we went out to various locations where the annual training for the T.A etc was being held. Some of the locations/D.Z’s (Dropping Zones) my crew attended were: The Gower Peninsular, South Wales Ely Racecourse, Cardiff Bodney Warren Battle Training Area, Norfolk; RAF (WAAFS) Hawkinge, Kent;  RAF Hendon, Middx; Fylingdales Moors, N Yorks; Royal Naval Air Station, Yelverton, Devon; Lincoln Racecourse, Lincs; Frensham Common, Surrey; Cubert Common, Cornwall.

I think that Lieutenant Nicholl took over as 2IC after Captain Cassidy was posted. He was responsible for persuading most or all of the Company to join “The Post Office Savings Bank” (POSB). The money was taken directly from our pay. Needless to say most of us were at the Post Office on the day after Pay-Parade to withdraw the savings, leaving just one shilling in to keep the account open. It seems that Lt. Nicoll didn’t know us too well.