"Broadback" wrote in message
...
I too think National Service was a good thing, it took teenagers in
their most aggressive years and channelled their energies elsewhere.
However I have to say, as and ex regular, that the end of National
Service improved the conditions in the services beyond recognition. as
usual there are two sides to everything.

I was very lucky in that I did my National Service in the Royal Navy, and
very few of us there were, so consequently we had it very good and were
treated in the same way as the Regulars were, with a very, very few minor
differences. For example and this was 'a major difference', the regulars
were issued with a lovely big white terry towelling bath towel :-)) I had to
buy mine for 10/= (50 pence to you youngsters). The trade training was the
same, as was the food, the living accommodation, the duties etc etc etc.
With regards to trade training, after I came out I applied for a job on the
old GPO Telephones and my H.M.S.Collingwood Course notes got me the job. I
took my books to the interview and when asked what they were and I
explained, it was a case of 'When can you start?'

THAT is the sort of NS I would like to see come back, none of the stupid
things shown in "Lads Army" on TV a short while back. That was crap and
'played out' for TV.

The total figures for National Service under the 1947 Act make interesting
reading. 1,132,972 for the Army, 388,907 for the RAF and only 90,700 for the
Royal Navy!! They could afford to treat us well ;-))

Mike