Catalogue description PP/MCR/174

Harold Foster joined the Grenadier Guards in 1934, during the depression, in order, he says, to avoid the dole queues. The Account gives a fascinating insight into the life and mentality of a Guards' trained Non Commissioned Officer, for although Foster transferred to the Gordon Highlanders in 1945, he took with him to his new regiment the traditions and high standards of discipline of the Guards.

The account opens with a description of Foster's early life in Stoke-on-Trent, where his father, an ex-policeman, ran a public house. He joined the Guards at the age of 19, and carried out his recruit training at the Guard's Depot at Caterham. Life here was extremely severe, and Foster writes

"It will be hard for anyone who did not pass through the Guards Depot as a Recruit during the period of the 1930s to believe the harsh discipline and methods of training that prevailed at that time" (p 22).

He goes on to describe how recruits were 'drilled to the point of exhaustion'.

Despite these rigours Foster nevertheless vindicates the system which he writes, produced a strong 'esprit de corps'.

Chapters 4-6 trace the full course of Guards training at Caterham, during which time recruits were "instilled with a fierce pride in our Regiment" (p 37).

At this time he was presented with the opportunity to return home to join the police force, but decided to stay on.

"What of my Squad mates? What would they think of me if I bought myself out would they think after all I had no sand in the belly!? (p 39).

In Chaper 6 he describes sentry duty and patrolling, and records how one night he was ordered to patrol "the penalty box on the football field" (p 42).

In the same chapter he describes their final parades and passing out inspection. Foster was posted to the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards at Aldershot in January 1935. He records his more leisurely life here, and the routine of inspections and parades (Chapter 7). During this time he was offered a promotion to the rank of corporal in the RASC, but turned this down on the grounds that it was unthinkable for him to leave the Guards. In June 1935 the Battalion was posted to Chelsea barracks. Foster writes that

"The glamour and the thrill of taking part in the Guards on Royal residences and the Bank of England went a long way to relieve the hum drum routine of barrack life" (p 51).

This section contains an interesting description of the 'Bank picket' (p 54) and Foster cites examples of the comradeship which developed during guard duties (p 52).

In March 1936 the battalion went to Egypt. The voyage out and life in Alexandria are recorded in Chapter 8. During his first year in Alexandria the battalion spent two weeks' leave in barracks in the course of which standards of cleanliness dropped dramatically. "I was truly converted to the belief that there must be strict routine and inspections" (p 59). Foster also records his first clashes with the authorities, which took place during his time in Egypt, on pp 60-64.

He undertook a six weeks' Physical Training Course whilst he was in Egypt and was later offered training which would lead to the post of Battalion P.T. instructor, and a further three years in the Army. After some hesitation, Foster accepted this (p 73). Other incidents of interest relating to the Battalion's tour of duty in Egypt concern relations with the Royal Navy and a trip in HMS BARHAM (pp 66-68).

The Battalion returned to England in December 1937. In Chapter 9 Foster describes his PT course which took place at Aldershot (pp 75-81), following a period spent training recruits at Caterham Barracks he went on to Wellington Barracks where he took the post of Battalion PT instructor. At this point he describes the 'Credit System'.

"These credits were not given lightly but they were much sought after and were always an incentive to do things a little better" (pp 84-85).

As PT instructor Foster was called upon to organise boxing competitions. He describes a notable event with the Silvertown Club (pp 85-86) and subsequent matches against other London clubs (p 87).

Foster's battalion joined the 3rd Infantry Division in France in September 1939. He was promoted to the rank of platoon sergeant at this time, and describes the conditions attached to promotions made on the outbreak of war (p 95). Foster describes his work digging trenches in France and writes:

"We were all, I think, guilty at this time of having a Peace-time, or "Pirbright Camp", complex and couldn't grasp the fact that those days and conditions were gone for ever" (p 98).

Foster returned to England for a course in anti gas warfare in January 1940. He was married during this period (p 100) and on his return to France was promoted to the rank of CQMS.

Foster took part in the retreat to Dunkirk in May 1940. His account of this is the most interesting of his war time experiences (pp 102-110). On his arrival at Dunkirk, Foster swam out to a minesweeper, which he describes as the 'Last boat' to pick up survivors for England. His description of the chaotic conditions which prevailed on his arrival in England is also noteworthy (pp 110-113).

Chapter 11 covers the period from July 1940 until February 1943 when he was posted to North Africa. During this period he served on the South Coast as CSM with a 'troublesome' company and later at Windsor Barracks, where he took part in a secret exercise which involved a 'raid' on Windsor Castle (pp 124-127). Prior to his departure for North Africa Foster was promoted to the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major with the 5th Battalion Grenadier Guards.

Foster saw action at Bari (p 132). He was subsequently appointed to run 'courses for NCOs who were recovering from wounds.' At the end of the war he was posted to a transit camp at Toulon. Conditions here were extremely bad "the Military Police had a very busy time and many Courts Martial were the result" (p 135). Foster held a key disciplinary position and his comments relating the camp are thus especially interesting (pp 133-138). Following a period of home leave, Foster returned to a new transit camp at La Crau, 10 miles from Toulon. In his account of life here, he mentions the good relations which existed between German POW labourers and the camp authorities (pp 143-146).

When his work at the transit camp had finished Foster was offered the opportunity to transfer to the Gordon Highlanders with the permanent rank of Warrant Officer I. Taking his family commitments into account he decided to accept this transfer, rather than remain in the Guards with the rank of Warrant Officer II.

Chapter 13 describes Foster's move to the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders who were stationed in Essen. The Battalion wished to appoint a RSM from the Guards since

"peace time standards of drill, discipline and administration had been allowed to lapse in favour of Battle Efficiency ... a strict disciplinarian of Guards standards was needed" (p 149).

for his part, Foster had decided

"Once a Grenadier, always a Grenadier. I was determined to try and stick to their high standards of discipline and become a good Gordon Highlander" (p 147).

He goes on to describe his activities with the battalion and the close relations which existed between himself and his Commanding Officer. Besides his work preparing the battalion for parades, Foster was also concerned with the apprehension of a band of deserters who were terrorising units of the Army of the Rhine in 1947. He describes the capture of one of these deserters on pp 161-164.

The battalion received a number of National Servicemen and Foster describes the special activities which were designed to send them back home "good citizens rather than professional soldiers." (p 173).

His battalion was posted to Berlin at the time of the airlift, however this operation only receives cursory attention. The account concentrates on domestic affairs in particular his wife's horse riding excursions with the wife of the Commanding Officer (pp 176-7). On his return to London in the early 1950s, Foster carried out a tour of duty as RSM with the London Scottish Regiment TA. The most noteable event of the period was the funeral parade of King George VI (p 183).

At the end of this tour of duty, Foster was offered the opportunity to go to Malaya for three years; his function was to train soldiers of the Malaya Regiment. Foster and his wife enjoyed their life in Malaya greatly and made many friends among the Malay NCOs and their families. Much of Foster's work seems to have been involved in preparations for parades (eg p 201) the coronation parade of Queen Elizabeth II and p 207, 21st anniversary parade of the Malay regiment). Foster also briefly describes the political situation in this part of SE Asia as he saw it (p 192), and explains how he helped the friend of a member of the regiment to bring his family out of China (p 222).

Following a period of home leave in 1956, Foster was sent to a prison in Batu Gaja, where internees were being held. The events which he describes in Chapter 18 are of very great interest. In the course of prison riot, several internees were shot by their British guards. Foster describes the internees as "men confined because of their known sympathies and help to the terrorists." No report of this incident was made in the newspapers and Foster assumes that he was appointed to reintroduce order and "to keep the whole matter from the press". He first of all improved discipline amongst the prison guards then arranged for the alleged ringleaders to "assault" individual guards so that they could 'legally' be put in isolation.

Foster explains that although he supposed this action was morally wrong

"I hated the things these people stood for and the majority of the internees were simple people who if left alone would have been decent citizens" (p 250).

He goes on to explain that "the death of the men at the prison camp had been caused by allowing a minor incident to grow into a riot and the bad discipline and lack of control amongst the staff" (p 251).

Foster returned to his Unit having succeeded in the task to which he had been appointed. The most important event of his second period with the Malay regiment was the granting of Malaya's Independence which took place in September 1957: "my task was to see that all Parades were carried out correctly and that correct military protocol was observed" (p 263). The final ceremony which Foster organised in Malaya was the King's birthday parade, "based trooping of the colour ceremony held in London." No British officers participated in this ceremony.

Since Foster had now completed twenty-three years' service and was due to leave Malaya he was forced to think about his future.

This problem was temporarily postponed however, since on his return to England he gained a commission and was posted to the 1st battalion, Gordon Highlanders in Germany. (pp 278-280). Foster finally left the regular army in 1961, with "no idea what I was going to do to earn my living."

After a very brief period as Adjutnant to the CCF at Wellington College, he accepted a post with the Territorial Army Association of the Gordon Highlanders in Aberdeen which he held until 1966. From 1966 until his retirement in 1976 Harold Foster and his wife ran a village shop in Aberdeenshire.