Hi guys, can anybody tell me what sort of training this regiment would be doing at Staindrop Camp during the warm years? pete
Pete, did a quick google, and came up with this from Tom Canning who is a member on here, and a WW2 Vet. the Training regiment at Staindrop was the 61st and not the 51st - Staindrop was the training wings for driving - gunnery - wireless wheeas Streatlam Camp - two miles up the raod was the barracks camp. The 58th Regt were at themain Barnard castle camp and the 59 th were further past us on the road to West Auckland - the 58th had green lanyards - the 59th red lanyards but the BS boys at 61st had yellow ones and lots of polish and the main traing unit were N.C.O.s from the Horse guards ! Will read the whole story later ! BBC - WW2 People's War - Miscellaneous Memories: Royal Armoured Corp Ive taken the liberty of sending a link of the thread to Tom, P
IWM tag - 51st Training Regiment... Search our collection | Imperial War Museums With some painted pictures by Anthony Gross There's also a bit here (as the link above no longer works) - BBC - WW2 People's War - Miscellaneous Memories: Royal Armoured Corp About the 51st Training Regiment - with... "Having eventually done all these we were given our results and myself and about six more were told to report to the 51st Training Regt. At Staindrop Camp, Barnard Castle, Yorkshire and we would be joining the Royal Armoured Corps, this was the one section of the Army I was hoping to get in.’ 51st Training Regiment (Royal Armoured Corps) ‘Arriving at the 51st RAC Training Camp we were issued with new uniforms, badges etc., before being formed into our respective troops and barrack rooms and given instructions for the following day. Reveille would be at 6.30 a.m. and breakfast at 7.00 – 7.30 a.m. after which it was on parade for PT on the tank park which was just across the road from the main entrance. This would last for about three-quarters of an hour after which it was a shower and a chance into denim overalls for the day’s instructions which would consist of engine maintenance. The classrooms were superb with cut away engines from the little Austin Seven to a Rolls Royce and the instructors were first class. Every other day we would go out in either a Hillman or Austin pick up each with a crew of two, one driving whilst the other would be in touch with HQ at Staindrop, who would give us map instructions as to where our next point of call would be, thus we got driving, map reading and wireless communication all in one. At lunch time we would change over so that we all got the same chance on the subjects and in doing so went all over Yorkshire returning to camp late afternoon. We would then get a wash and scrub up before going to the mess for tea, after which it could be Guard Duty or evening off at the NAAFI.’ " And a later 2011 thread - 51st Training Regiment RAC
