The only military presence other than the guards drill staff, the riding instructors and the physical training India-rubber men, was the Regimental Sergeant Major (Sergeant was abbreviated to Sjt at the Shop). This great man was a Gunner. We only came into contact with him over Fire Drill He would bellow "Fire will be in the Library, Action!" and we would scurry along pushing the fire engine and two extending ladders. My job was to attend on the left hand side of one of the ladders and turn the handle to raise the top to the roof. The same gallant cadet each week would then mount to the parapet carrying the end of the hose and at each practice the same pumpers would work the archaic engine to make the water flow. Water was not used to my recollection, it would have made a mess, but the gestures were run through. There was once a real fire, not in the library but in the kitchen of the Senior terms' dining room. Alas, it happened at the weekend. No complete crew of trained cadets was available; they were on leave. Volunteers were anxious to shine as the fire fighters rushed to the engine and sped to the scene, arriving only shortly after the Eltham Fire Brigade had extinguished the blaze, these professionals having come from several miles away.
I remember only one incident. The extending ladders were mounted on a derrick train, having two large road wheels, the ladders, before being extended, formed the long horizontal arm of the derrick. The short vertical arm included at its top a horizontal bar on which two gentlemen carders could apply their weight raising the ladders to bear against the library wall. The wheels would then be chocked and the ladders extended.
On one occasion by some mischance the wheels were not chocked. The unwieldy equipment then ran away from the library discouraged only by the RSM bearing down on the derrick arm. But he was immediately lifted off the ground, hanging listless on to the derrick, his legs dangling. He might have called for help. But that would not have been dignified. Instead, in his best parade ground voice he summoned "ASS-is-tance." "ASS-is-tance." I was laughing so much - and still laugh at the recollection to remember the outcry "ASS-is-tance!"
I remember only one incident. The extending ladders were mounted on a derrick train, having two large road wheels, the ladders, before being extended, formed the long horizontal arm of the derrick. The short vertical arm included at its top a horizontal bar on which two gentlemen carders could apply their weight raising the ladders to bear against the library wall. The wheels would then be chocked and the ladders extended.
On one occasion by some mischance the wheels were not chocked. The unwieldy equipment then ran away from the library discouraged only by the RSM bearing down on the derrick arm. But he was immediately lifted off the ground, hanging listless on to the derrick, his legs dangling. He might have called for help. But that would not have been dignified. Instead, in his best parade ground voice he summoned "ASS-is-tance." "ASS-is-tance." I was laughing so much - and still laugh at the recollection to remember the outcry "ASS-is-tance!"
The general was General Urquhart, the general at Arnhem - played by
ReplyDeleteConnery in the film "A Bridge Too Far"
- Guy Barker