The Sins of the Father

A large number of feet quickly hit the floor as the sergeant major marched down the centre of the hut, his pace stick banging the end of any bed whose incumbent still didn't have both feet on the ground.

'Now listen, and listen carefully,' he continued. 'I'm going to give you four minutes to wash and shave, four minutes to make your bed, four minutes to get dressed and eight minutes to have breakfast. Twenty minutes in all. I don't recommend any talking, on account of the fact you can't afford to waste the time, and in any case, I'm the only one who's allowed to talk. Is that understood?'

'It most certainly is,' said Giles, which was followed by a ripple of surprised laughter.

A moment later the sergeant major was standing in front of him. 'Whenever you open your mouth, sonny,' he barked, placing his pace stick on Giles's shoulder, 'all I want to hear is yes, sir, no, sir, three bags full, sir. Is that clear?'

'Yes, sir,' said Giles.

'I don't think I heard you, sonny.'

'Yes, sir!' shouted Giles.

'That's better. Now get yourself in the washroom, you horrible little man, before I put you on jankers.'

Giles had no idea what jankers was, but it didn't sound enticing.

Bates was already on his way out of the washroom when Giles walked in. By the time he'd shaved, Bates had made his bed, dressed and was on his way to the canteen. When Giles eventually caught up with him, he took a seat on the bench opposite.

'How do you manage it?' asked Giles in admiration.

'Manage what?' asked Bates.

'To be so wide awake, when the rest of us are still half asleep.'

'Simple really. I'm a butcher, like me dad. Up every mornin' at four, and off to the market. If I want the best cuts I have to be waitin' for them the moment they're delivered from the docks or the station. Only have to be a few minutes late, and I'm gettin' second best. Half an hour late, and it's scrag-ends, and your mum wouldn't thank me for that, would she?'

Giles laughed as Bates leapt up and began heading back to the barracks, only to discover that the sergeant major hadn't allowed any time for cleaning teeth.

Most of the morning was spent fitting up the 'sprogs', as they were referred to, with uniforms, one or two of which looked as if they'd had a previous owner. Berets, belts, boots, tin hats, blanco, Brasso and boot polish followed. Once they had been kitted out, the recruits were taken on to the parade ground for their first drill session. Having served, if somewhat inattentively, in the school's Combined Cadet Force, Giles started with a slight advantage, but he had a feeling it wouldn't be too long before Terry Bates caught up with him.

At twelve, they were marched off to the canteen. Giles was so hungry he ate almost everything on offer. After lunch, they returned to the barracks and changed into their gym kit before being herded across to the gymnasium. Giles silently thanked his prep school PT instructor for having taught him how to climb a rope, how to balance on a beam and how to use the wall bars for stretching. He couldn't help noticing that Bates shadowed his every move.

The afternoon ended with a five-mile run across the Devon moors. Only eight of the thirty-six raw recruits came back through the barracks gates at the same time as their gym instructor. One even managed to get lost and a search party had to be sent out to look for him. Tea was followed by what the sergeant major described as recreation, which for most of the lads turned out to be collapsing on their bunks and falling into a deep sleep.

The Sins of the Father

At five the following morning, the door to the barracks flew open once again, and this time several pairs of feet were already on the ground before the sergeant major had switched the lights on. Breakfast was followed by another hour of marching on the parade ground, and by now almost everyone was in step. The new recruits then sat in a circle on the grass and learnt how to strip, clean, load and fire a rifle. The corporal pulled a 4 by 2 through the barrel in one clean movement, reminding them that the bullet doesn't know which side it's on, so give it every chance to leave the barrel from the front and kill the enemy, and not backfire and kill you.

The afternoon was spent on the rifle range, where the instructors taught each recruit to nestle the butt of the rifle firmly into their shoulder, line up the foresight and rear-sight with the centre circle of the target, and squeeze the trigger gently, never snatch at it. This time Giles thanked his grandfather for the hours spent on his grouse moor that ensured he kept hitting the bullseye.

The day ended with another five-mile run, tea and recreation, followed by lights out at ten. Most of the men had collapsed on their beds long before that, wishing the sun would fail to rise the next morning, or at least that the sergeant major would die in his sleep. They didn't get lucky. The first week felt like a month to Giles, but by the end of the second he was beginning to master the routine, although he never once got to the washroom ahead of Bates.

Although he didn't enjoy basic training any more than the next man, Giles did relish the challenge of competition. But he had to admit that as each day went by, he was finding it more and more difficult to shake off the butcher from Broad Street. Bates was able to match him punch for punch in the boxing ring, trade bullseyes on the rifle range, and when they started wearing heavy boots and having to carry a rifle on the five-mile run, the man who for years had been hauling carcasses of beef around on his shoulder, morning, noon and night, suddenly became a lot harder to beat.

The Sins of the Father

At the end of the sixth week, no one was surprised that it was Barrington and Bates who were selected for promotion to lance corporal, and each given a section of their own.

No sooner had they sewn on their stripes than the two sections they led became deadly rivals; not just on the parade ground or in the gymnasium, but whenever they went out on night ops or were involved in field exercises and troop movements. At the end of each day, like a couple of schoolboys, Giles and Bates would both declare themselves the winner. Often the sergeant major would have to prise them apart.

As they approached the day of the passing-out parade, Giles could sense the pride in both sections, who'd begun to believe they might just be worthy of calling themselves Wessexions by the time they passed out; although the sergeant major repeatedly warned them that it wouldn't be long before they had to take part in a real battle, against a real enemy with real bullets. He also reminded them that he wouldn't be around to hold their hands. For the first time Giles accepted that he was going to miss the damn man.

'Bring 'em on,' was all Bates had to say on the subject.

When they finally passed out on the Friday of the twelfth week, Giles assumed that he would be returning to Bristol with the other lads, to enjoy a weekend's leave before reporting to the regimental depot the following Monday. But when he walked off the parade ground that afternoon, the sergeant major took him to one side.

'Corporal Barrington, you're to report to Major Radcliffe immediately.'

Giles would have asked why, but he knew he wouldn't get an answer.

He marched across the parade ground and knocked on the office door of the adjutant, a man he'd only ever seen at a distance.

'Enter,' said a voice. Giles walked in, stood to attention and saluted. 'Barrington,' Major Radcliffe said after he'd returned the salute, 'I have some good news for you. You've been accepted for officer training school.'