The period from Feb 45 to July 46 encompassed being stationed at
1. Berwick on Tweed, 6th Training Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers.
Forced Route Marches up to 25 miles with full kit met on return by Band at Berwick playing “The British Grenadiers March.”Very inspiring and energizing in spite of the foot blisters. Rock climbing at Whitley Bay
Almost daily runs up to the Scottish border.

2 & 3. Hunstanton / Fakenham - At one of these went to a dance at an RAF station where there were WAAFs who were posted from Tangmere where Douglas Bader was stationed.  This presented a welcome opportunity for socialising with the female of the species. It did entail a long, short cut, walk back to base across a live aircraft runway, but well worth the risk, and the midnight trek  -- and the dances (but they didn’t do the Argentine Tango in those days- not in Norfolk anyway!!)

4.  - 8th May 1945 VE Day -Victory in Europe. Celebrated in Newcastle.
at The NAAFI Club.  Around this period of time I was sent on an educational course at Catterick were we taught how to make critical appraisals of a book.  I think I did ok but probably made the mistake of taking a literal short cut using a phrase already at the back of the book. The lecturer summarized our efforts and said there was some evidence plagiarism without mentioning any names. Yet another misdemeanor  Nowadays Wikipedia is used extensively for studies which is a sort of plagiarism. 

5. Wrotham - Selected  and posted Pre-Officer Cadet Training (OCTU) at Wrotham in Kent for 6 weeks. This was physically and mentally very demanding as it was designed to put potential officers through more rigorous training than other ranks have to do. This included field exercises:--- assault courses under live ammunition overhead from the top of Halling quarry, hand grenades exploding adjacently. Firing at moving dummy targets, climbing walls, swinging over ditches, climbing up the face of the quarry. On one occasion one recruit fired at and killed a staff machine gunner at the top of the quarry. Also leading patrols through the night and bivouacking and finding and cooking the found food like rabbits and cherries; capturing the dummy opposition platoon.
Climbing almost daily the escarpment at Wrotham Hill with full pack and taking turns with carrying a PIAT Anti tank Gun (All a far cry from RAF aircrew training.) Learning to drive Motorbikes in convoy through Maidstone. One man drove through Woolworths doors (slowly); riding over Dartford heath and learning how to fall off; driving 5 cwt and 15 cwt truck in convoy through Kent.

15th Aug 1945 A Sergeant came round shouting “ The War is over” You have the day off. You can go up to London by train but make your own way back. We waited outside Buckingham Palace and King George V1 came out on the balcony. Thousands danced and sang and kissed in the streets.  That day two Atom Bombs had been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Victory in Japan announced.  Shortly after it was recommended that I should have 6 months further Army experience and training in the field before going to full OCTU training in The Brecon Beacons.  

Played in one Rugby match for the Army against the Navy at Gosport Rugby ground.

6. Hartford Bridge/Morpeth - Whilst at Hartford Bridge met and became friends with Elizabeth Greaves whose father and brother were coal miners. I joined these two on a bus load of miners to watch a 1st Division Football match. The repartee was very robust and hilarious.

7. Fort Darland - During this period I was “volunteered” to go on a course at Fort Darland military detention barracks (prison or Glasshouse) and promoted from Lance Corporal to  - Acting Sergeant Military Provost Staff Corps).) The course involved learning about Punishment diets, the most severe of which was bread and water and solitary confinement.  The Fort with 12 ft high fence had achieved great notoriety. 
In 1943 one rifleman was incarcerated and abused physically so badly by two Warrant Officers, that he died. Soldiers were in fear and dread of being sent to this detention centre.  After 6 weeks training I passed the course with distinction and would have been made a sergeant  -- but my distaste for the job caused me to refuse to accept it, along with a friend and we were returned to our unit in Morpeth as lance corporals again.  Unfortunately, I thought that, as it was a bank holiday, I could make a detour homewards - to Yeovil .  However Fort Darland telexed a notice of my return therefore I was posted as AWOL. This resulted in 1) demotion to private, 2) 7 day confined to barracks and 3) 7 days cookhouse duties (a severe personal punishment).-- misdemeanor.