Chilwell Barracks

A Memory of Nottingham.

I was stationed at Chilwell barracks just outside Nottingham in 1953. I was posted there from Deepcut after serving a year in an Ordnance Field Park. Incredibly my father was stationed in the same barracks which were nick named the spiders from 1942 until 1946. I joined the battalion band as a bugler and we were kept very busy with events. The major event for us was the Coronation in June of that year. We paraded through the grounds of Nottingham castle in front of a big crowd of onlookers and military top brass. There was an embarrasing moment for me during this parade as a ginger lad of about five feet and six inches was out of step immediately in front of me. This lad was from Ryton about five miles from my home town in Gateshead. I was glad when it was all over and this lad claimed that he was the only one in step. I worked in the office at Chilwell and I fancied this girl from the village. I was playing snooker with this Irish lad and was too late to make the date and when I apologised next day she wasn't too happy and there was no chance of another date. I do hope she reads this as I often wonder about her and hope she did well in life. She will be 75 now. I used to go into Nottingham town centre and have a drink in the Denman and go over the road to the Astoria ballroom where I saw some great bands such as Delaney who had been a drummer for Geraldo. Ted heath with his singers including Lita Rosa, Dickie Valentine, and Dennis Lotus. Ken McIntosh, I saw all these bands later at the Oxford Galleries in Newcastle when I was demobbed. I was lucky enough to see Alec Bedser rout Australia in test match at Trent Bridge. His contribution of 15 wickets for 99 runs was to win the ashes back for the first times since the 1930's. I was only there for one day on the Saturday and it cost three shillings (15 p) I haven't been back to Nottingham since I was demobbed but I believe that Chilwell barracks have been demolished. Also I heard that the Astoria ballroom has also gone. Well I have been in the Trip to Jerusalem a couple of times and there will be no chance of that historic building being pulled down If any of my old mates in the band read this I hope they will get in touch. Also my office friend who I let down on a date will forgive me after all these years and maybe say so in an e-mail. Les May---- lsmy59@aol.com