I spent 1976 in Cyprus on a 6 month tour with the UN. It was warmer in the UK than in Cyprus which was a bit annoying because I'd gone all that way for a gorgeous summer when it was happening at home. Still I did enjoy the tour and found the time to go on a driving cadre at Akrotiri. People even today look a bit quizzical if I say I passed my driving test in Cyprus.

On the basis that there must be a statute of limitations on these matters, I used to always cash up a fiver or tenners worth of the old five pence pieces when going back to Germany from leave. The NAAFI used to keep old fashioned opening hours so was quite often shut but they had vending machines for everything including beer. You just trebled the value of your money!

Originally Posted by rgjbloke

On the basis that there must be a statute of limitations on these matters, I used to always cash up a fiver or tenners worth of the old five pence pieces when going back to Germany from leave. The NAAFI used to keep old fashioned opening hours so was quite often shut but they had vending machines for everything including beer. You just trebled the value of your money!

Did they vend shovels rgjbloke?

Originally Posted by chokinthechicken

Oh yes, putting out fires around Keogh, day and night. Mytchett place (Officers pads), was 20 mins from going up. Panic!!!! Oh yes. A good year for CTC, transfered and changed my life around.
CTC

Yup, remember that - and the fires on the ranges at Bisley.
CENTSAM was hard work that year.

That was the year I became a civvy. I started a real job and for the first time in my sheltered young life had to worry about being made redundant / selling a house in Catterick / buying a new one in Sconnie Botland.

What sticks in my mind most was going back to Catterick one weekend for a piss-up in the golf club c/o the YofS in the Cypher School on Whinny Hill (remember that place - and the ghost?). All the lads were asking what was it like being a civvy. When I talked about the above (worrying about mortgages etc.) they just looked blank and started gripping about the exercise that weekend and how they'd have to get their webbing and kit ready or being orderly sergeant in the guardroom and what a pain that was.

Made me realise what a strange, surreal life I'd been leading for the past 9 years

I remember walking the highlands with GrandmaMOB at weekends that summer and being astonished at how low the reservoirs were. They looked like those photos of droughts you see in Africa or wherever.

But we were young and foolish then - now we're just .... foolish

GMOB

Spent it behind the wire, "HEY SOLDIER, WHO'S FUKCING YER WIFE" when they went on guard mount. Remember that?

Actually got moved to a seaside house called Woburn. No fanny there at all apart from pans people on the TV.

The Wurzels at no1; slightly see-thru cheesecloth shirts; sweeties with even more e-numbers than haribo; Hong Kong Phooey on the telly (and was it Saturday Night Fever at the flicks, or was that 77?)

Originally Posted by vampangua

The Wurzels at no1; slightly see-thru cheesecloth shirts; sweeties with even more e-numbers than haribo; Hong Kong Phooey on the telly (and was it Saturday Night Fever at the flicks, or was that 77?)

I distinctly remember not going to see Saturday Night Fever in 1977.

I was being born.
Luckily 20 odd years later that 5p/Shilling trick still worked im some machines.

Originally Posted by vampangua

The Wurzels at no1; slightly see-thru cheesecloth shirts; sweeties with even more e-numbers than haribo; Hong Kong Phooey on the telly (and was it Saturday Night Fever at the flicks, or was that 77?)

I think it was the time the satiny shiny shorts came in and my mother bought my dad some. The whining from him was unreal as his underwear normally came to his knees and she bought him some y fronts. Poor fcuker wondered around all holiday pulling and tugging at his shorts and saying things should hang down naturally and not be trussed up.

IIRC, 1976 was an extremely hot summer for Niki Lauda.