In December 1954 I was called up for National Service. The money was lousy so after three months I decided to sign on for three years instead of the mandatory two. This also gave me a choice of posting and after a short spell at Army MT Trials stationed at Bordon, I was posted to FARELF, Malaya and Singapore.
We sailed in the July of 1956 from Southampton on the Dunera but after only a few days Colonel Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal and we were returned to the UK. After weeks in the Depot we were to fly out and so we took the train to Swindon and on to an overnight at RAF Lyneham. Next morning the French and the British forces went in to take the Canal back and all flights over the Middle East were cancelled. Another wait. Then in the first week of the new year I was on board the Empire Fowey and on the first troop ship to go around Africa since the Second World War.
One of our stops was Cape Town where hundreds of locals came to the dockside and collected us in their cars for a trip around their city and up onto Table Mountain as in the photo.
This was cable car up with Cape town below and the next picture is me on the top.
Then on to Singapore and Fort Canning.
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The photo above shows the Southern end of the Fort Canning Block. My room was on the upper level facing East. The land slopes away to the East giving a great view over part of the city sixty years ago.
Close to the SSE corner of the Fort Canning block and down the hill slightly was this little Temple. So typical and charming.
During my time in Singapore I found a small shop selling enamelware at 259 Beach Road. The owner was Robert Tan, and his hobby interest was Hi-Fi. At the rear of his shop was a small air-conditioned room with ampifiers from Pioneer, Trio and Sansui. He had also just received the first Sony stereo tape recorder. From England he had the Cecil Watts “Dust Bug”. Robert and I became good friends and he helped a great deal in my subsquent dealings with Japan.
Towards the end of my military service I had to decide where my next career path would lie. My father was a shareholder and Director of WW Saunders, a car dealership and garage group with branches in Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamstead. Cars interested me and I wanted to go into this side of the family business, so, being a Regular Soldier, I was entitled to 30 days early release to work in a commercial enterprise to gain experience for my return to civilian life. I wrote to three garage groups. I waited a month for a reply, but none came, so I turned to my other interest, Hi-Fi and wrote to three Hi-Fi companies. I received a letter from Imhofs by return of post offering me free training. I accepted their offer and my career path changed. One week latter Blue Star Garages replied but it was too late.