Such A Long Time.......

Just can't believe how long since I last posted. Been so busy I guess. Since last year I have moved house, decorated, done up the new garden,not alone I have to say, but with the help of my incredibly hard working wife. Don't know where I'd be without her!!

It's not all been just about hard work. Since the days that I was in Tidworth......54 years ago as I write this, I have wanted to get involved in working as a radio producer/presenter. In 1983, I got the chance to do so. I won't go into how, when,where at this time, I'll do that another day. Suffice it to say, I left the business in 1995.

I've always missed the studio environment, and despite my really longing to get involved again, I didn't have the courage to try. Come January 2014, I decided to take my courage in both hands and look around to see who would take on a 67 year old ex-Soldier and ex-NHS manager.I searched the internet and found Miskin Radio. I emailed via the website, and much to my surprise, got an invitation to go for a trial. Have to say here and now, the station manager was a guy that had worked at a previous station I also worked for, did that help? Possibly!!!!! Was I nervous? yep, I certainly was. After a while during which I practiced and and found that it still gave me a tremendous buzz, I was offered a show once a week. 

My first broadcast seemed like the worst thing I'd ever done, and I was ready to walk away. My new boss encouraged me to keep going...so I did. I now do two shows each week, would love to do more but the long distances between home and the studio put me off a bit. Look below, and you'll see a link to my shows, Monday and Tuesday mornings every week, 10am through 12MD UK times.

visit Miskin Radio via www.tunein.com Just put Miskin Radio in the search box and you'll find it.

Not only do I broadcast on that station, I now also work for Veteransradionet. I currently officially have two shows each week, this time on Saturday and Sunday mornings, between 10am through 12MD each day. From time to time I pop up at other times...currently July 2014, I'm on every day from 6pm through 8pm covering for the usual presenter who is unwell. This station is a great set up, run by British Forces Veterans, for Veterans around the world. It supports colleagues in times of stress and hardship, by putting them in touch with the relevant organisations. It is also a great shoulder on which to lean, and a great listener to those with something they want to get off their chest.

Visit us in two ways. Via the Facebook page, veteransradionet, or via www.veteransradionet.com

Hope you'll get the chance to join me on either of the above station, or even both, when you get the chance.

The Late Maj- Gen. Patrick Dignan

Back in the 1960's, while based at Tidworth Military Hospital, I had the priveledge of working with a number of people who influenced my training and future learning. They ranged from Ward Sisters, Operating Theatre Sisters, Operating Theatre Technicians, and even  one or two Regimental Seargeant Majors!!!!

Above all those people though, the one name that stands out for me is a man that we Technicians knew as "Paddy" Dignan. Not that we addressed him as such though! Major Dignan he was at the time, a General Surgeon, which really means that he was capable of operating on most areas of the human body, although I would say that Opthalmic Surgery, ENT Surgery and Dental Surgery were not on his list of "To Do's." He was, to me and to many others, a Gentleman. I never knew him to once ignore anyone as he went about his daily work, acknowledging nurses and addressing them politely and with respect, and treating theatre staff in an equally respectful manner. There were of course, moments when it could clearly be seen that he was deep in thought as he walked through the hospital, his mind probably focussed on his next task.

With such excellent memories of this Gentleman, and the influence he had on my training, and that of others, along with his exceptional devotion to the treatment, well being and recovery of his patients, it was with great sadness that I recently learned of his death. I have attached a copy of the Obituary published in the Daily Telegraph, recording the passing of Maj-Gen. Dignan. I won't try to outdo this obituary, but I can add a couple of things that don't feature in it.

Maj. Dignan, as he was when I knew him, always gave the impression of loving his work, and especially his research programmes. His operating days were Tuesday and Thursday, back to back lists which means he was in theatres all day each day. We technicians looked forward to the publication of his surgical lists, with some trepidation-wondering just how many cases he was able to get through in one single day. I don't ever remember seeing short lists. I do remember lists with up to 20 cases though!!

Also memorable was the research programme he conducted with regard to the treatment of Duodenal Ulcers. The work that resulted from the reasearch was lauded world-wide when published. I can't remember how many Vagotomy and Pyloroplasty operations were carried out during that reasearch, but it kept us all very very busy for some time.

You'll notice I am sure, that I have headed this article Maj- Gen. Patrick Dignan. His full name though was Albert Patrick Dignan.  The Albert part of the name was never mentioned by anyone, let alone him. He is quoted as saying he "abhored" the name Albert. The Dignan part of his name is the anglicised version of the Irish name, O'Duigenan. In his book, "A Doctors Experiences Of Life," published in 1994, tells an amusing story of a car salesman and his insistence on addressing him as Albert. I won't disclose the outcome of the potential sale, you can find that out in the book. I would just say that if you should come by a copy of his book, buy it. I am fortunate enough to have a signed copy-NO its's not for sale!!!

Finally, I would reiterate my total respect for a man who became an outstanding surgeon, as well as being a much loved and sorely missed family man.

R.I.P. Patrick Dignan, born July 25th 1920. Died October 11th 2012.


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• Patrick Dignan

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.

I Wasn't The Only One........

If you dig deep enough in the pages of this Blog, you'll find tales of my early days in nursing and how, from time to time, things didn't go quite according to plan. Although it is rather cruel of me to say so, I'm glad it didn't just happen to me!!

During my early days in Tidworth, I had the pleasure of working in the same unit as John Silkstone. John was a transferee from the Royal Artillery, who became a very popular Medic. John has kindly submitted a piece for publication, which is shown below. (If the name rings a bell, yes, he has contributed before, for which I thank him.)

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In May 1964 I was posted to the UN in Cyprus for 6 months, eventually returning to Tidworth in December 1964, were I then went on two weeks leave.

R and E DEPARTMENT

My leave over, I returned to BHM Tidworth. My new job was working in the Casualty department, and one of the first people I met there was Jan Lord who had been posted back to Tidworth from BMH Dhekelia Cyprus and so we started going out together.

WHAT ENTERTAINMENT!

Tidworth was only a small village and there was very little to do there. Most people went to the army cinema, which was run by the Army Kinema Corps. Douglas McLeod, one of the medics from the hospital, worked at the cinema and would always save Jan and me our seats on the back row.
With nowhere else to go, Jan knew she could always find me in the games room playing snooker with Sammy Shaw, Ken Brock, Pete Deck and sometimes Taffy Leek, just to name a few.
In the hospital library on a Tuesday night from 19.00 – 21.00 hrs, Colonel Harston the Gynaecologist would hold a jazz club night. One night he informed us that he had been told by the Commanding Officer that he had to stop the junior ranks from calling him Tony. His next statement was to say, that from this night onwards we had to call him Anthony.

NEVER MIND THE QUALITY, FEEL THE MIRTH.

One night I was on duty when an unconscious Ghurkha was brought into casualty. A Colonel whom I shall not name was also on duty. After giving the patient a thorough examination, he declared that the patient was suffering from urine retention. “As the patient is unconscious and won’t feel any pain,” he said, “I intend to exert pressure on his bladder and remove the blockage.”
I went off to collect a urine bottle; upon my return I placed the man's penis into the bottle. I expected the doctor to exert a firm but gentle pressure on the man’s abdomen; it’s not often I’m right, and I was wrong again. The doctor placed both hands on the patient’s abdomen and applied his full weight. The sudden movement caused the man's penis to pop out of the bottle, and the external pressure on the abdomen caused a small stone to be dislodged. The bladder, now being freed from its blockage, sent a stream of urine about five feet into the air. Seeing this eruption of urine, I jumped back away from the table. The Colonel, being of sounder stock, stood his ground.
The urine, not having the necessary velocity to escape Earth’s gravitational pull, now started its downward motion in the direction of the doctor. The cascading urine landed on his right shoulder and ran down his white coat. As a smirk spread across my face the Colonel said, “I suppose you think this is funny?”
Still gazing at the urine running down his coat, I saw that his right hand pocket, which held his stethoscope, was now filling up. This vision was too much for me and I erupted into laughter.
I laugh so much that I went into a hysterical laughing fit, and the anaesthetist had to be call out to put me to sleep. I awoke on recovery ward to find that my ribs felt as though they had been marched over by a regiment of soldiers. On top of all that, I was charged for insubordination, which got me another seven days restricted privileges.

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Thanks John.

It's Just The Little Things............

English: Tidworth - Derelict Bowling Alley This was the former Tidworth Bowl, once one of the highlights of Tidworth's nightlife. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The question I am most asked is, What was so special about Tidworth? Quite simply put-it was the little things that made it so special.

The biggest of the little things was the amount of trust shown in me-a young and former village boy whose only hope for the future had been that I was on the short-list as a future Village Idiot in the Buckinghamshire village in which I was raised. 

I believe Trust is something that people show in others, once a person has demonstrated a level of capability that can be demonstrated instinctively. Clearly, someone in Tidworth trusted me to do the jobs I had trained for. It was something I had never experienced before. Being allowed to practice one's trade without overt supervision is something rather special. (Just wish my wife had the same trust in me today-apparently I am incapable of hoovering the living room properly. And as for cleaning up in the kitchen-don't even go there!) After sufficient training I was allowed to practice nursing and Operating Theatre Technician duties both during the day, and at night in the Casualty Department, as part of a team and as an individual.

I have a humbling memory of an incident in which I attended a road accident late at night, involving three cars and numerous casualties. One of the casualties I attended to was a young lady who had clearly suffered a fractured jaw and who needed immediate treatment and oxygen therapy. Be as gentle as you might, treating anyone with a fracture at the roadside inevitably involves causing that person further pain and discomfort. In those days we did not carry much more than first aid equipment and oxygen in the ambulance. I did what I had been trained to do, but was not enjoying the reaction of the patient. Having achieved this and having also determined that she was the more serious of the casualties, we set off back to the hospital leaving the second ambulance team to carry on. While on the journey back, this young lady looked at me and smiled as best she could while reaching her hand out to me, which I took hold of. She trusted me. I have never got over that one incident and the expression of faith in me. A very humbling moment.

Another "little thing" that stays with me is the ability to tie a knot with one hand, surgeon style. I learnt this "skill" after a short while when training as a Theatre Technician. At first I was spell bound by this seemingly magical articulacy that surgeons, and doctors in casualty demonstrated when suturing wounds.  Silly I know, but I'm chuffed that I can still do it!

Freedom was something I enjoyed about Tidworth. Sounds silly perhaps, but where I was brought up it was difficult to travel anywhere. By the time I left Twyford to join the Army, there were just three buses a week to get about in. Tuesday it was Buckingham, Friday it was Bicester and Saturday was to Aylesbury. Miss one of these and it was awhole week 'til the next one. In Tidworth however, there was the Number 8 bus at least once an hour I believe. From one side of the road the bus would take you to Andover. From the other, it would take you to Salisbury. Never had such freedom been known to me. I loved it. Again, something so simple.

I loved the village as well. Yes, I know, another very simple thing. To me though it had more to offer than my home village. There we had one general store, a village hall, a butcher and two pubs. Tidowrth had so much more on offer. two cafes, a bowling alley, a YMCA, several Naffi Shops, a multitude of NAAFI bars, a Chemist, two general stores, a fruit and veg shop a ladies and gents hairdresses and a cinema. Who needed London when you've got all that? Different picture now I believe.

Last but not least for now, it was quite simply a great hospital in which to work. The people working there, both civilian and military, got on together so well. Each helped the other without having to be asked. Teamwork and camaraderie were the order of the day.

Would I have rather started my career in some whiz bang city hospital? Absolutely not!

Tidworth Social Life In The Sixties-Part Two

Tidworth - The Ram Public House A popular drinking establishment which was built in 1848. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Where shall we go next in our whirlwind tour of the village of Tidworth and its entertainments? We have a choice of a Pub, A Bookmakers or yet another NAAFI.

We'll start with the Pub. The only public house I knew of was "The Ram." I don't know the origin of the name, but as it was in a rural area where sheep, amongst other farm animals could be found, the name certainly didn't seem to be out of character with the area. It was hardly a new establishment as it dated from 1848. It had worn well though, despite the passage of literally thousands of soldiers through its doors. I always remember there being a welcome given to hospital staff when we visited. I remember visiting, not too frequently though, with friends, and with my girlfriend, who later became my wife. I was not, at that time at least, too familiar with the ways of drinking and "knowing my ales." I will only say that the brewery supplying The Ram was Brickwoods which I believe was a Southampton brewery. I was told by the more experienced drinkers of the day, that it was "a good pint." This I won't contest-all I will say is that I have tasted others since then that suit my palate better. The favourite games in the pub were the inevitable darts and dominoes. I never took part in these as (a) I wasn't safe with a sharpened pencil in my hand let alone a tungsten tipped mini-spear, and (b) what the hell is this dominoes thing all about anyway? Way over my head it was, and still is! 

As popular as The Ram might have been with the local populace and the military, I reckon there was one place that was equally, if not more popular. What could this place be? It was none other than Captain Keith Hurts' betting emporium, the local Bookies. I have to admit to being attracted to the place in my early days in Tidworth. I heard so many of my colleagues talking about winning pound after pound in the bookies, that I became tempted to try and do likewise. Thankfully, I soon discovered that it was a fallacy that riches were just waiting for me to collect. My first Theatre boss was a keen visitor to this establishment-in fact I seem to remember he almost lived there! The bookies, strangely enough actually became a popular place for me a little later.

One of the ways that the Hospital Management Team found to keep their staff amused was by having Regimental Weekends. For those not familiar with this term, Regimental Weekends were a legitimate use of a soldiers time and energy in terms of using cheap, if not free labour at weekends to tidy up the local area, apply coats of paint to peeling woodwork, cut grass etc, so that the areas around the hospital and barrack areas were always "ship-shaped and Bristol fashion." Sorry about using a naval term, but I couldn't think of an army equivalent. Sadly though, they were occasionally used as a form of punishment. If the Regimental Sergeant-Major (RSM) and or Company Commander carried out a Barrack Room inspection whilst suffering with a hangover, or having lost at the bookies or whatever else might have upset them, they would declare a Regimental Weekend as punishment for even the most minor problem discovered during the inspection. To cut a long story short, we had an RSM with a heart for a short while, prior to his accepting a Quartemaster Commision. His wife knew my wife, via the Wives Club. I had a record of being late for work at one time, so, this particular RSM, and I promise you this is true-bought me an alarm clock to bring my lateness to an end. He would also, on the occasion of a Regimental Weekend, make me report to his office mid-way through the Saturday morning for "Duty Runner" duties. Always my task was the same. He would pass to me an envelope with his bets for that day along with cash, and send me hot foot to the bookies. From there, having collected his betting slip, I should return to his office prior to being dismissed for the rest of the weekend. All this happened because of the Wives Club. For anyone who doesn't know of such clubs, the Cosa Nostra could learn a lot from them in terms of influence!

The third and final social centre was the NAAFI complex in Station Road. Within could be found a Bar and a Store cum Supermarket. Without doubt, at the time I was there, this was the biggest store in Tidworth. Later a Ten Pin Bowling Alley was built next to the store. An instant hit, it served as a popular place to meet and have a burger and a drink as well as to hire a pair of shoes and throw overweight balls down an immaculately maintained runway, with the expected result that all ten pins would be knocked over as one. Not, strictly speaking, always the case for me. Nevertheless, great fun was had by many. It helped us while away an afternoon or evening. I look back and remember how I enjoyed making others laugh with my failures, while they continued to improve. I seem to remember that I never received an invitation to join the hospital bowling team. Still, their loss not mine.

As well as the complex having a bowling alley, it also was blessed with a manager who appeared to have been separated at birth from both a sense of humour and any conception of good manners. Popularity was not a word that featured in his vocabulary. Many a young soldier was removed from either the bar of bowling alley for at might have been a minor misdemeanour. Now, this is where the story really starts.

At this time I was married, and renting a small flat above the Green Grocers part way up Station Road. I had married before I reached the age of 21 years, so didn't qualify for a Married Quarter. (Don't worry, the wives club sorted that one out for me after just a few months.) At the back of the building was an alley way that ran the length of the hill, up to the NAFFI Complex. One Sunday morning we were awoken by a member of the local Constabulary. (My wife, bless her, immediately said that I had been at home all night and didn't do it anyway, whatever it was.) Casting flippancy aside, "whatever it was" turned out to be the discovery of the NAAFI managers body in the toilets of the club. All of us living in the vacinity were questioned for some time about whether we had seen or heard anything "suspicious" overnight. Regardless of the lack his popularity, he did not deserve to have his life ended in was was later reported as a violent way. The bowling alley was closed for some time. I will be honest and say that I was shocked by the whole affair. It took some time for the earlier happy atmosphere to return to the premises. Eventually there was an arrest and a prosecution for murder committed in the course of a robbery.

Well thats all I remember of social facilities in Tidworth from days gone by. I'm sure there were more. If you remember any that I have missed-do let me know, via the comments facility at the bottom of this article. Many Thanks.