Church Parades at Boy Entrant School 1956

len.george (63)in #history • 7 years ago (edited)

The RNZAF felt that they owed it to our parents to ensure we became/retained our Christian upbringing.

We were split into 3 groups - Church of England [Anglican], Roman Catholics [R Cs] and all the other denominations were lumped together in [O Ds]

Every Wednesday night at 6.30 pm we were assembled, roll called, marched to a class room and given to a local padre [minister of religion] and he would talk / instruct us for an hour. Then we were able to return to the barracks to continue keeping our uniforms/shoes/boots up to showroom condition.

The ODs found out that their Padre liked to talk for up to an hour and a half or more. So after a few sessions they began taking an alarm clock with them, so the Padre would know when his time was up.

“Oh, is my time up? You may go” he’d say. By end of the year they had got him down to speaking for 35 minutes.

Every Sunday we were lined up in our religious groups, roll called and marched to the chapel for Sunday services, on the way there we had to pass the YMCA. – a cafeteria we could attend and get food, tea etc. if we had the money.

If the NCO who was taking us was not used to controlling boys, and at the rear of the flight, and If the front door of the YMCA was open, the rear rank would do a perfect right wheel and disappear into the YMCA while the rest went to the chapel.

It always paid to be in the rear rank every chance you got, even later when on base parades.

In the summer the windows of the Chapel would be open to allow some fresh air in, and some of the quickest boys out, and away before anybody noticed their absence.

I am sure the padre must have wondered why sometimes he had a full congregation and other times quite a lot less. But they never let on fortunately.

On one occasion the ‘ODs’ having used the window to good purpose, had their padre, an ex serviceman himself, insist that the NCO do a role call check at the end of his service.

The first boy out raced over to the barracks, and told the escapees what had happened. They immediately raced over to the chapel windows, some still putting on their jackets as they ran, climbed back through the window and answered their name as they exited through the door.

At the finish of the roll call the NCO told the padre that everything was correct, maybe he should concentrate on preaching and leave the control of the boys to the NCOs. ‘Phew’.

Religion was always highly regarded in the service. On parades there would be a portion where the Padre would appear and offer a prayer.

The order “Fall out the Roman Catholics and Jews” would be given. They would come to attention, step back half a pace and stand at ease again. As if this would prevent them hearing the Padre’s prayer. Then, when ordered, rejoin the ranks, for the next part of the parade.

In those times smoking wasn’t frowned on as it is now and with your parent’s consent you were allowed to smoke, and most of us did, legally or not.

It is quite a sight to see all the little ‘glow-worms’ in the night after lights out.

Another Quote from the time was from the unit W/O [Warrant Officer and chief disciplinarian].

“When I go into the toilet blocks and can hardly see the far wall for cigarette smoke. I know what’s happening, But when I see two boys come out of one cubicle I have grave suspicions of the morality of those concerned.”

Our biggest problem was lack of money. We were paid 2 pound 15 shillings a fortnight [$5.50], to encourage savings the 15 shillings [$1.50] was deducted and banked for you. But you weren’t allowed to withdraw any until the end of the year.

By the time you had bought soap, tooth paste, shoe polish, blanco [polish for web gear like waist belt and packs etc] soap powder for washing clothes etc there was little left for tobacco.

As the year progressed we found some of the old tricks for keeping the uniform smart, like, ‘put a thin layer of toilet soap down the inside of the winter uniform trousers’. If you ironed it with a damp cloth, [not brown paper because that makes the uniform shine. A singlet was good for this job], you could iron it dry in the process.

But be careful - the crease would almost cut your finger off.

Spit and polish is the best way to polish your shoes and boots, although if you apply plenty of polish, then pass the boot over a lit match to soften and melt the polish into the pores of the leather, it is a good start to a mirror shine.

Church Parades at Boy Entrant School 1956

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