Seasonal Goings On

English: Tidworth - Tidworth Park Fine avenue of trees in Tidworth Park. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Now it could be, and it has been said, that I am none too bright for my age. Yes, even those closest to me have confirmed what others have thought and said.

The reason I bring this to your attention is thus. Try as hard as I might, I cannot remember what we used to get up to over Christmas and New Year back in the mid to late sixties, other than working of course. Christmas in Tidworth would have been as well celebrated by the men and women of the British Army, based there, as well as the families, as it would have been anywhere. Of that there would be no doubt.


English: Farmland near Tidworth Alongside the A338. Tidworth can be seen in the background. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For my first three Christmases and New Years, I was a single lad with very little cash to spend, as the maximum pay I earned was in the region of £3 a week after tax in 1965. Mind you, food and accommodation were provided as part of my contract with the Ministry of Defence to defend Queen and Country, so I should not complain. (or so I was told) If anyone remembers better than I do what the scales of pay were at that time, I would appreciate you reminding me.

On the work side of things, as many military  patients as was possible were discharged and R.T.U'd. Sorry, that was jargon-unforgivable. It means Returned To Unit. Civilian patients were sent home, some to return once the festive season had expired, and wives and children discharged to home.

One thing I do remember, when working on the children's ward during the build up to Christmas, was the number of very young children being admitted via casualty after being brought in during the very late evenings and in very cold weather. I am sorry to say, that young kids became a bit of a nuisance to some very young parents who were likely to miss out on parties if they couldn't get a baby sitter. (Strangely enough, similar things happens these day in the NHS, but the nuisance relative is the elderly relative.)

On male adult wards at least, Christmas Presents were handed out in the form of boxes of cigarettes. They were boxes of 50 each. They were presents from another country and cost the UK tax payer nothing. Those that didn't smoke still accepted them, as they would become valuable in bartering later on.

Apart from working, as mentioned before, I have no recollection of any particular festivities. If anyone reading this DOES have any memories from that period, please use the comments facility at the end of this article. Thanks.