Bill Broun
Royal Army Service Corps
Bill Broun was born at “The Horse and Jockey” public house, just outside Bewdley, on the Cleobury Mortimer road. Bill and his family moved a number of times before eventually moving to Bewdley, towards the end of the Second World War. In 1946 Bill’s parents returned to their native home in Birmingham, shortly afterwards Bill was called up to complete his “National service”.
Bill will tell you now, “I was supposed to go into the RAF”,
but guess what, I was called up into the damned army”. At this point Bill was
to become the most reluctant guy in the British Army. “I got posted to the RASC,
and took my driving test in a 3 tonne army lorry”. “I drove through the
narrow streets of Blandford Forum, missing the other traffic by a ‘coat of paint”. “Then
came the biggest supprise of my life! I was posted to Wolverley
Camp”.
Pte Bill Broun, with transport at Wolverley camp.
Perhaps with this news Bill, was less likely to be “the most reluctant guy in the British army”, if you consider a typical conversation over the office intercom. The commanding officer would ask, “Smut are you going home tonight”? Cpl Smith would answer in his immaculate Oxford brogue, “Certainly Sir”! “We will be out of here at 4.30pm”. And so the Commanding Officer, Sergeant, Corporal, and Driver Bill Broun went home. (Most evenings.)
“I worked in Company Headquarters, and every Thursday morning was CO’s parade, not once did any of us office members go on that parade, we all found a different way to dessert that morning”. “Remember I was only getting 49 shillings a week”.
“Well this is now getting to be what I liked about the army ’go home every night on my motor cycle’, but still unfortunately the most reluctant soldier”. “However it was all getting more palatable, my great enthusiasm for the dance floor was starting to be realised”. “Being a rather good Ballroom dancer, you could say I had a ball at the camp dances with music provided by a live band”. “Looking back I hated the army, but will always have fond memories of the social life at Wolverley”.
