HMForces

THIS July sees the 50th anniversary of one the last intakes of young recruits called up to do two years’ gruelling National Service.

There is a picture of one of the final Midlands cohorts to be plucked out of civilian life and plunged into strict military discipline.

The sepia snap shows the Toulouse Platoon of The Royal Warwickshire Regiment outside the ancient walls of Stirling Castle in Scotland, where the group did basic training between July and September, 1960.

Brian Swinbourne, fourth from the right on the back row, who is now hoping to track down some of his old army pals.

“I’d love to be able to meet some of them again,” said the 71- year-old former factory worker.

"I thought every minute of it was great and enjoyed it all.

"Of course you miss your but you can’t get near to the closeness you have when people share something like that.

“You know they will always be there for you.”

After basic training with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment in Scotland, Brian’s unit were sent to Hong Kong before finally being stationed in Germany.

Fight But he managed to avoid being forced to fight for his country, never being sent to an active front.

He added: "We had troops in Aden at the time but thankfully we didn’t get sent to that.

"In fact considering it was called National Service I never spent one day of it in England.

“I am still in touch with a few of them but I would love to find more.”

If you knew Brian in the Toulouse Platoon, ring him on 0121 3603805.

Snapshot of Balsall Heath in the 1950s WHILE clearing my late father’s house I came across this delightful family photo.

It was taken in the Malvern Street area of Balsall Heath during the early 1950s.

I believe the lady, who was a neighbour of my grandmother’s, was named Lily and the little boy Barry.

Maybe some readers may recall the family.

BRENDA DEAKIN Love affair that began thanks to the Mercury A COUPLE celebrated 50 happy years of marriage by renewing their vows this week – after originally meeting through the Sunday Mercury.

David and Norma Graves, both aged 73, married on February 6 1960 after meeting through an advertisement for pen pals.

Mr Graves was doing his National Service in 1955 when both replied to Mercury columnist Janet Faye after an appeal for pen friends.

David said: "There was a trend of having pen friends back then.

“All of my friends went away after National Service when I was 18 and left me on my own, so I decided to give it a go.”

After being put in touch with each other, they met over a cup of tea.

“It could have gone badly”, said David. "I’m a Birmingham fan, and she supported Wolves.

“But we chatted about our hobbies and family, and got on well.” David joined the Coldstream Guards in 1956 and was stationed in London, but they kept in touch and he returned home soon afterwards.

They got hitched four years later, and now have two sons and five grandchildren.

The pair retied the knot yesterday and renewed their vows at St Chad’s church, Lichfield, to coincide with their Golden Wedding anniversary.

David and Norma still buy the Sunday Mercury every week.

Ladywood recalled WHAT a lovely book “In And Around Ladywood” is, as I was born in Barker Street in 1937, where my mother and father had a grocers business and I lived at No 49 until I moved to Wales in 1959.

It brought back many happy memories as I walked up the steps to St Vincent Street then up Sheepcote Street into Broad Street then into Granville Street to St Thomas’s School on the corner of Granville Street and Bath Row until I left in 1952.

I wait every Sunday for the village shop to open for my Mercury, which I have been a reader of for well over 50 years.

Once again, thank you for good reading.

The Royal Regiment of Scotland

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