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A few words.........
Chubby has served in the 2 Cavalry Squadron for 42 years.....1961 to
2003
John began his recruit training with the 2nd
Maximus Legion /Cohort of Foot/ Boiling Oil Section in
Gaul. He achieved the rank of Centurion (acting
rank) before joining the 2nd Motor Squadron
Among his many claims to fame, be they fact or fiction, disregarding the
destruction of a Volkswagen Beetle in the Congo by means
of an 84mm anti tank round. He just as effectively destroyed Tpr
Joe Duffy's Ford Escort on the Dundalk road by means of a camouflaged
rock. Chubby will always be remembered by
the older 2 Cav vets as the great strangler , smoker
of ancient pipes and reader of pulp fiction in the
form of cowboy books. His ten gallon mug is a throw
back to his Boiling Oil Section days and should go
down in history as a unit heirloom to be ceremoniously paraded to the
military archive building. Troopers soon learned to get to
the burko ahead of chubby and his great draining device.
His bed space was a mini library/kitchen. He could be heard
puffing and giggling while engrossed in his latest read, till the wee
hours. Weapons of mass destruction are all the vogue
but alas Chubby was ahead of them......we slept in our respirators
back in the 80's as chubby produced an impenetrable smoke screen
generated by his Indian Peace Pipe and the steam sauna
produced by his combat flask. By
way of revenge, We decided to strike back ,by nailing the
offending mug/bucket to his side locker while tearing the last page from
his book and removing the bulb from his reading lamp. His Combat
Teddy has placed in a pot of boiling water. A ransom note was
dispatched but to no avail .....he killed the messenger and just
strangled everybody he suspected, till one of us cracked. A7 was a
billet in the Glen in those days. Morale
was high.
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On a serious note John has
given forty two years to the Army and the 2Cavalry Squadron in
particular. We owe him a debt of gratitude for the experience and
knowledge he has passed on. He can go on recce to civvy street
with a great deal of pride in a job well done and the respect of
everyone in the 2Cavalry Squadron.
Chubby has served on eleven overseas
missions dating from 1961 to 1987.
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This page is published in
recognition
of his many years of loyal service.