Ex Royal Marines - Raymond Pidgley

by Raymond Pidgley
(Spilsby, Lincolnshire)

I spent my childhood in The New Forest at Godshill next door to the school, and often visit it for camping holidays and visiting my brother in Totton.
It was a Bombing Range,used by the Royal Air Force with a small detachment and A Bomb Disposal Unit situated nearly opposite The Fighting Cocks that were kept really busy disposing of unexploded bombs both German and British, because there was a dummy aerodrome along the Southampton Road near Millersford.
Later on the whole area surrounding Fordingbridge was packed with American Troops training to invade France, and Aerodromes skirting the forest like Stoney Cross and Ibsley.
The New Forest has always belonged to the people, and should forever remain belonging to the people.

Hi Raymond
Thank you very much for your heartfelt comments on my New Forest Save Our Forests page. Yours is a view shared by many who have experienced and love the New Forest.
Christina

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Apr 11, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		Fondest memories
by: Anonymous

When I was a recruit in the Royal Marines (1952) I was posted to Commando School at Bickleigh, near Plymouth and met up with a friend that I had at Godshill School, Roy (Dougie) Horsburgh. We then served together for two and a half years in 40 Commando Royal Marines in the Egyptian Canal Zone mainly, and Cyprus and Malta, although I spent three months of that with Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten the Queens Uncle on HMS Surprise. Whilst I was a recruit at Eastney Barracks, Portsmouth, I won the Light Welterweight Boxing Championship of the Royal Marines. A proud Gipsy.

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