Thanks Colyn, however’ the book is already in print.
Here is the intro to the book
This book is published on condition that:
1. It is understood that the 30 year limit on the Official Secrets Act, though now expired, won’t prevent me having a fair trial in the Tower of London, and that I will be granted legal aid.
2. Ranby Psychiatric Hospital for the criminally insane will attribute the cause of my mental condition to time served in the Military Forces.
3. The Tabloids won’t be leaking advanced copies sold to them by a clerk at Depot Headquarters.
4. A well known author will write a best seller out of my experiences and we’ll share the profits of book and film rights.
5. My mates are only jesting when they say, “You’ll hear from my solicitors first thing in the morning.”
In the telling, many details are left out or taken for granted. The tales themselves are honed on the storytellers’ stone to suit the audience.
Items or events are deleted or added to enhance the tale in its best light. In reality, after many recitations by others and me, the truth is often a million miles away from the actual facts.
LIST OF MILITARY RANKS
By Anon
GENERAL: Leaps over skyscrapers in a single bound. More powerful than an express train. Faster than a speeding bullet. Walks on water. Gives counsel to God.
COLONEL: Leaps lesser buildings in a single bound. More powerful than a shunting engine. As fast as a speeding bullet. Sometimes walks on water. Talks to God.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL: Leaps lesser buildings, given a good run up and a favourable wind. Has the same pushing power as a shunting engine. Can fire a gun, but not necessarily hit the target. Totters on water. Talks to God, occasionally.
MAJOR: Barely clears the height of a bivvy tent. Is often run over by a shunting engine. Can handle a gun and hit the target, but only at the edges. Swims well. Sometimes pleases God.
QUARTERMASTER: Provides the bricks for buildings. Places demands for various trains. Supplies both guns and bullets. Can do the dog paddle. Will supply God with crystal balls if necessary.
CAPTAIN: Collapses on bivvy tent when attempting to jump it. Recognises trains. Is never issued with live ammunition. Can float in a life jacket. Talks to brick walls.
LIEUTENANT: Runs into brick walls. Can use a train set. Owns his own cap gun. Sinks without swimming. Mutters to himself.
2nd LIEUTENANT: Falls over doorstep when entering building. Says “Oooh, look at the choo choo.” Wets himself while playing with his water pistol. Can stand in the shallow end. Talks to plants.
REGIMENTAL SERGEANT MAJOR: Lifts multi-storey buildings and walks under them. Kicks all types of engines off their tracks. Catches bullets in his teeth. Freezes water at a single glance. Talks to no one.
HE IS GOD!
I dedicate this book to my father, and all those that have fought or served for this great country of ours.
The following is a copy of my father’s mention in the London Gazette.
LONDON GAZETTE SUPPLEMENT, 4TH MARCH 1918.
240730 C.S.M. Martin Silkstone, W. Yorks. B. (Leeds).
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during heavy fighting on two occasions, when every officer in his company became a casualty. Observing that some high ground 150 yards away entirely dominated him, he at once took men to occupy it. Though met by much rifle fire he captured the position and from it was able to direct fire on the advancing enemy columns. Eventually outflanked, with all his N.C.Os, Lewis-gun teams and casualties, he withdrew the survivors to Battalion H.Q., where he re-organised for a new advance, which was at once commenced.
THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF MY FATHER’S MILITARY CAREER.
SILKSTONE, Martin (D.C.M., M.M.), Company Sergeant Major, 1st West Yorks. Regiment.
Mobilised in August 1914, he was immediately drafted to the Western Front, where he took part in the fighting at Mons. He also fought in the Battle of
Ypres and the Somme plus many other important engagements, and was wounded in action a total of five times.
He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for great gallantry and devotion to duty, displayed in taking entire charge of his Company when all his officers were killed, and was granted the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery in the Field. He also holds the Mons Star, General Service and Victory Medals, and was discharged in April 1920.
DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL
Established in 1854, the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) is Britain’s oldest award for gallantry and second only to the Victoria Cross.
It was awarded to enlisted personnel, non-commissioned officers and warrant officers of any nation, in any branch of the service, for distinguished conduct in battle.
Military Medal (MM)
Established on the 25th March 1916, the Military Medal (MM) was awarded for individual or associated acts of bravery on the field of battle.
I DO NOT KNOW YOUR NAME
By Kenny Martin
I do not know your name, but I know you died
I do not know from where you came, but I know you died
Your uniform, branch of service, it matters not to me
Whether Volunteer or Conscript, or how it came to be
That politicians failures, or some power-mad ambition
Brought you too soon to your death, in the name of any nation
You saw, you felt, you knew full well, as friend and foe were taken
By bloody death, that your life too, was forfeit and forsaken
Yet on you went and fought and died, in your close and private hell
For Mate or Pal or Regiment and memories never to tell
It was for each other, through shot and shell, the madness you endured
Side by side, through wound and pain, and comradeship assured
No family ties, or bloodline link, could match that bond of friend
Who shared the horror and kept on going, at last until the end
We cannot know, we were not there, it's beyond our comprehension
To know the toll that battle brings, of resolute intention
To carry on, day by day, for all you loved and hoped for
To live in peace a happy life, away from bloody war
For far too many, no long life ahead, free of struggle and pain and the gun
And we must remember the price that was paid, by each and every one
Regardless of views, opinions aside, no matter how each of us sees it
They were there and I cannot forget, even though I did not live it
I do not know your name, but I know you died
I do not know from where you came, but I know you died.
I’m please to say that I know Kenny from one of the military site that I belong to. To me, his poem says all that needs to be said about a serviceman. I thank him for allowing me to include his poem within my book.
As I write, our troops are dying in Iraq and other foreign lands. People state that we should not be there. However, ask the soldier, and he will tell you that he is not there to kill; he is there to give the people a better life.
Most military men class themselves as International Law Enforcers. They fight to end oppression and bring a better life to the suffering.
MY TIME IN THE ARMY
Endorsement has not been received or sought from the people mentioned in these anecdotes. I enjoyed my time in the army, which lasted from November 1956 to June 1981.
There were bad times and good times. I’m glad to say that the good outweighed the bad. The good times stay with you and, thankfully, the bad fade into antiquity.
I have met many brave and outstanding people in my time; they performed their duty for Queen and Country in true military fashion. The surprising thing was that these outstanding men were the bane of the depot drill sergeant’s life. They had two left feet, couldn’t swing their arms and, once dressed in uniform; they resembled a sack of potatoes tied around the middle with string.
One soon learnt that the old saying ‘Never judge a book by its cover’ couldn’t be more apt.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Alexander the Great was only 16 when, in 340BC, he joined the Army and became ruler of Macedonia. He liquidated all his rivals, consolidated his political power in Greece, then set out raping, plundering, and pillaging until he had conquered the whole of Asia Minor. He then put down a major riot in Egypt and returned home at the head of an Army of over two and a half million, just in time to celebrate his 20th birthday and be crowned King.
I was one year older than Alexander when I began my Army Career in the Royal Artillery. I transferred to the Medical Corps in January 1962.
The Royal Army Medical Corps is the butt of most jokes in the forces - especially from the Regiments who think that to be a medic is to be a sissy.
In battle situations when a man is injured, his voice will carry high above the noise of shot and shell. The one word he shouts is, “MEDIC!” It is then realised that the medic is not such a sissy after all.
To all medics, I say: “Keep your head down, look after yourself, and keep making those house calls on the field of battle.”
Silky
The following Colyn is just one of the snippets and will give you some idea on what the book is about
ANOTHER SEVEN DAYS RPs
For some misdemeanour that I can’t remember, I was once again placed on seven days restricted privileges (R.P.s). One evening I was painting the white lines around the hospital parking spaces when the Catering Officer approached and told me to follow him. He took me to the rear of the kitchen and pointed to a spot on the ground. My eyes followed his pointing finger as he said, “I want my own parking space painted in that spot, and I want my abbreviations within the said space, so no one else will park in it, okay?”
I answered in the affirmative and proceeded to paint as instructed. The following morning I was once more dusting the CO's mat.
“Left, right, left, right, mark time, halt. Left turn.” called out Reg Carnell the RSM.
“Are you 23494015 private Silkstone?” asked the Commanding Officer
“Yes sir.”
“You are hereby charged under section 69 of the Army Act 1955, in that you did on such and such a date paint a car parking space for the Catering Officer and placed inside the said space in three foot high letters, the Catering Officer’s abbreviations. How do you plead?”
“Guilty Sir.”
I was then informed that the abbreviation for Catering Officer was ‘Cat Off’ and not ‘F Off’, for Food Officer. I received a further seven days.
Silky
