"When called for National service, did people get a choice of who they served with?" Hi SarahNo you did not always get a choice as to whom you served with, personally they looked at me, and as I was 6 feet tall I was earmarked for one of the guards regiments. At the time in the guards (Grenadiers I think?) there was a certain RSM by the name of Britain, who struck fear into the hardest of men, but I was allowed to enlisting in the REME instead because I had a brother who was still in this branch of engineers.....breathes sigh of relief!The popular services like the Royal Navy and RAF would probably have taken you, if you were to "sign on" for additional years, of at least three, but "persuaded to sign for 22 years. During this time there were many conflicts and protection treaties that we were involved with like Korea, Cyprus, Egypt, Aden, Gibraltar, Malaya and many others, so it was a question of "where and with whom" bodies were needed. If you were lucky you may well have got the service of your choice, but more often than not you didn't.I remember that while on board the SS Empire Windrush en route to Malaya, I spoke to a lad in a kilt and referred to him as "Jock", but he told me in unprintable language that he came from Shepherds Bush.......retreat in embarrassment!
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