NAM.2012-03-6-1

Memoir: Dad’s Army - some personal recollections of National Service in the 1950s. Word processed memoir written by David Croghan in February 2010. Associated with Egypt (1945-1956). David Croghan was called up for National Service in October 1951 and despite originally wanting to join the RAF this was oversubscribed and he became a Sapper in the Royal Engineers. He passed the War Office Selection Board and in March 1952 he arrived at Mons Officer Cadet Training School in Aldershot, and went later to No.11 School of Military Engineering Regiment at Strood. 2/Lt Croghan left for Egypt (Middle East Land Forces) in early September 1952 and was posted to 37 Field Squadron, RE, 32 Guards Brigade. The memoir is full of images of desert patrols, bridge building, sport, searching local villages, and practising with explosives. June 1953 saw 2/Lt Croghan posted to Baghdad to help organise a military tattoo with Iraqi troops for King Faisal II. In early 1953 he designed a Class 30 Extra Wide Bailey Bridge to cross the Sweet Water Canal, but was posted back to the UK for demobilisation before seeing it completed. He flew back to England on 8 Sep 1953 to serve eight years in the Army Emergency Reserve of Officers, later becoming a Captain.

Egypt (1945-1956)