Alan J. Scott (Pen Portrait)
‘AJ’ Scott probably deserves a punch on the nose but I have fond memories of him. He was the mastermind of numerous pranks played on younger, and more gullible band members and I was particularly susceptible. Even though his humour was quite cruel, I idolized him.
‘AJ’ Scott when he wasn’t terrorizing anyone (1974 Cyprus)
He was close friends with Dave Seeley, Bones, Ken Kane and Steve Eccles all of whom were probably around 8-10 years my senior and either lance corporals or corporals. I remember being invited to AJ’s house in Munster, accompanied by his ‘gang’ where they plied me me with alcohol and then told me some German women were shortly about to visit and that they didn’t like men in Y-fronts. They suggested I go into the bathroom and put them on back to front. Naturally, I did as they suggested. Later, they played some marching music and had me practice around the living room. I believe Taff Shipp may have been with us, he joined the band on the same day I did, 17th of September 1973, I believe, but after a couple of years at Junior Leaders, all gullibility had been removed.
They were up to something (Steve Eccles, AJ Scott and John Macavoy. Cyprus 1874)
I can’t even remember when ‘AJ’ left the band but I certainly missed him. I think I inherited some of his sense of humour. He was one of those ex-comrades who simply seemed to vanish off the face of the Earth. There were rumours he moved to the USA and I vaguely recall it may have been Seattle as I seemed to remember trawling phone directories for his name when I once visited there.
if only they’d known…
During Christmas 1974/75, Alan MacDonald, Robert Fox and Paul Kinley arrived in Cyprus and I was told ‘AJ’ had them ‘sign’ for cracks in the floor, creaking doors, and any cracks or chinks in windows.
© 林東哲 2011 Creative Commons Licence.
Philip ‘Taff’ Coleman (Pen Portrait)
Taff Coleman (details ?)
Service – 1976-92
Instrument – Euphonium
Final Rank – Staff Sergeant
Family – married Caroline in 198?, children Kyle, Lewis, Harriet. Re-married Oct 23 2010 (Janette)
Current Location – Taff died Dec 1st 2010 (FTW)
Taff was born in South Wales in 1957. Quite often we got to meet relatives of band members as they would visit but I don’t recall meeting his mother, (Thelma), father, or sisters (Shiela and Carol). This is a little surprising as Taff’s first marriage, to Caroline, was in Osnabrück, around 1982 (?) but I cannot remember his relatives from that occasion probably because my parents were visiting at the time. Indeed, my parents also attended his wedding.
He joined the army in 1974, and trained as a bandsman in Bovington where he was a Junior Leader. He joined the band in Catterick as a euphonium player around 1976 (?) replacing Robert ‘Foxy’ Fox, who was killed in a car accident in 1975-76(?). Shortly after arriving in Catterick, the regiment was posted for it’s lengthy stint in York Barracks, Osnabrück (West Germany).
Taff saw subsequent regimental posting to Tidworth (84-86 ?), Paderborn (86-?) and by the time he left the ranks, (1992) he was a Staff Sergeant.
When did Taff leave the regiment? I’m guessing around 1992?
Where were the band stationed after Paderborn (and the amalgamation) and when did they leave Paderborn?
© 林東哲 2011 Creative Commons Licence.
Elwood 5566 
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