LUNDY ISLAND

I am sure many a tale can be told about the pranks subalterns have played on new arrivals . Fortunately I think I missed what had be organised for me due to a black porter on Birmingham Station . The train that went to Somerset split at Gloster and half went to Taunton and the other half to Cardiff . The porter put my two trunks on the wrong half & I followed the trunks assuming the porter had got it right . Well after Gloster I think I must have dozed off because the tanoy announced next stop Newport . That did not ring a bell so I looked at the map in my diary . My goodness I was in Wales . I jumped off the train at Newport with trunks and thought what next . There was only one option go all the way back to Gloster and get the next train to Taunton . I rang up the Adjutant and explained I would be late (a mix up in the timetables ! )

I got into the barracks (Doniford Camp, Watchet) pretty late, had a late meal and was allocated a room .The next morning I had to embarrasingly introduce myself at breakfast . I was then taken to see the Adjutant and then meet my Company Commander. It was rumoured he ate subalterns for breakfast .

I was informed that the next day (Fri)  I was to take my platoon and the drums platoon to Lundy Island for amphibious training . Lundy Island is in the middle of the Bristol Channel off the Devon coast . In fact if you go due West you end up in Canada . The Island is 3.5 miles long and half a mile wide ; flat green plateau on top which leads to cliffs all round .

We departed at 5am and got to Barnstable about 7am . I reported to the Adjutant of this RASC Amphibious Regiment who told me breakfast was on for the lads and after that I was to load them onto these Ducks on the square. These are vehicles which can go on roads and in the water . In fact you see them in New York painted yellow presumably for trips round the harbour . All went well and we boarded this much larger Tank Landing Ship and headed for Lunday.Nobody had actually explained what we were going to do when we got there so I approached this major in the RAOC who seemed to be the most senior person present . He said his group were on the last day of a long petroleum course and were on a swan so do what you like when you get there. We did get there but all Lunday had was one pub , two derelict churches and a thousand sheep. I therefore explained to everyone they could explore the Island , Have no more than two pints at lunch and be back on the beach at 1630hrs .

Come 1630 hrs back on the beach one missing Pte Hurcomb . I quized everyone and a Pte Coppin said he had walked along the cliff with him and when he turned round he was gone so he assumed he had taken a shortcut along the beach . Well I went with Coppin and the Drum Major to the last point where they had been together and there bedded into the grass almost at the edge of the cliff was a sheet of corrugated iron .Fearing the worst I borrowed a rope from some climbers nearby and abseiled down the cliff . Hurcomb was there at the bottom very dead . We got a helicopter from Chivenar to get the body out . On the trip back this RAOC major thought we should hold a Board of Enquiry to establish the facts . Then when we got back to Barnstable he took me home to his house gave me a large whisky and suggested I ring my Adjutant. Well I got through ok and explained I had lost a soldier. His response was well go and find him. I then explained I knew where he was ie the morgue in Chivenar. You had better come back then .

On the Sat I went to a Coroners Inquest with the CSM ; Sun I practised funeral drill and on Monday we buried poor Hurcomb.That was my first week as a new second lieutenant.