THE FINAL DAY

3. I found my name and read my fate with mixed emotions. My new regiment would be the Royal Artillery. Good, I thought, I probably wouldn't have to slog it on foot anymore, but the rest of my assignment puzzled me. Based on an aptitude test we had all undergone several weeks before, I was trained as a vehicle mechanic - me, who would - should this be "wouldn't"? know an internal combustion engine if I tripped over it. But first, with uncharacteristic insight, the Army was sending me to a base in North Wales to be taught how to drive.

9. "The following people will be in charge of the various groups traveling to new assignments on Sunday," and he read out the names. To my surprise, I had been selected to lead the other three, who were also going to the Artillery. I went with the other leaders to the C Company offices. There we were given travel vouchers, railway timetables, and explicit directions to our new bases. I was starting t - to leave when a Corporal called my name.

17. "I see you have done quite well with your training but your punishment record is even more impressive," he said. I remained quite. "According to your file you still have 22 days extra duty left to serve," he continued.

22. "Good luck in your new assignment, and keep you nose clean - dismiss - should this be dismissed?!"

28. That afternoon I went to the kitchen of the mess to tell? some verb the cooks I had been relieved of all punishment, and to say goodbye to the friends I had made. I wanted to see them before they became busy with the preparations for the evening meal.

29. "No more jankers," Sgt.   "Chin's" - something seems off - just extra spaces? grinned. "Just when you were becoming an expert with the dishwashing machines."

39. "Do you think we should as - ask Sgt. Parker and Cpl. Tomkins to come too?" A third voice queried. This time there was no ready agreement.

45. "I must admit that I didn't give you people a hope in Hades that you'd ever successfully complete your basis training," he said. "The most I hoped for was that you wouldn't embarrass me too badly. But, you all fooled me, and so I give you, "The Dozey Platoon!" We had no trouble drinking to that.

46. I looked around at the young men with whom I had just spent 24 hours a day for the past six weeks. It was easy to see that we had all changed and matured from the boys who had arrived at Topsham Barracks a month-and-a-half earlier, - I know you said to ignore punctuation, but this one's too big for me to ignore I knew I would miss these lads that I had come to know so well. I suppose what we had experienced together is now referred to as "Male Bonding," a rather cold, clinical term for what we thought of as comradeship back in the 1940's. I knew I would miss the daily stimulation of training, the constant attention of Sgt. Parker and Cpl. Tomkins and, strangely, even the extra duty punishment the Army had so generously sent my way. I had also gained about 12 pounds of muscle, was in the best physical condition of my life, and possessed confidence in myself I had never known before.