Army Boot Camp Stories

Army Boot Camp Stories

Help Support Blind World War Two Heroes

Every person alive today owes a debt of gratitude to the brave men and women, who served in World War Two. Many sacrificed their lives, others were maimed and injured in battle, or on the home front. St Dunstans is a charity founded in 1915, to help blind and visually impaired ex-servicemen to re-build their lives. Below is the life experience of Ray Sherrif. One of the many ex-servicemen and women,who have benefited from the kind generosity of the people who support St Dunstans.

This is just one of the many life stories that you can discover about, on the St Dunstans website. 

Ray Sherrif joined the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry regiment at the age of 16 and his first posting was to Bombay, India in 1937. He was still there when war was declared.

Returning to England, to fight on the home front, Ray left the infantry to join the 3rd Para, in one of the first airborne divisions:

"Churchill wanted men to start airborne forces, so I volunteered for SAS, Paras, Airgunners - I thought that was the best way you were going to get into action. By that time, my best friend was a PoW already, and in my heart I thought it would be nice to get over to Germany and help him to escape."

 Ray's first jump was six weeks later, into Sicily. He describes that time as being "pretty horrible", not least because they almost got dropped into Mount Etna! They returned to England in 1943, and resumed Training in Lincolnshire for the next operation. Though they didn't know it at the time, this would be Arnhem, where Ray lost his sight.

 "We were dropped at Arnhem on 17th September, 1944. We got about five miles before we came under heavy fire and had to take cover. I was in charge of a Bren group when an 88 mm landed. It felt as though a handful of gravel had been thrown in my face. I rubbed my eyes, knowing I was badly injured, though I kept rubbing, thinking - you'll be able to see in a minute - but nothing happened."

 During the continued fire fight, Ray was also shot in the leg. He was taken to a Dutch eye hospital, where he was treated by one of the best opthamologists in the country and told he would never see again. Though the staff at the hospital tried to keep him from being taken as a prisoner of war, complications with his leg wound meant he was transferred to an ordinary hospital.

 Ray eventually ended up at Stalag 11b, a PoW camp between Hanover and Hamburg. Incarcerated with 17,000 other PoWs, Ray thought his time was up, but it was by lucky circumstance that the man in charge there should be legendary RSM JC Lord, general at Sandhurst. Ray gives Lord the credit for keeping his spirits up.

 "Lord got that place organised - with Exercise and discipline, when everyone else had thought all was lost. He got me a uniform, boots, beret, stripes and ordered medical orderlies to take me to the washrooms in morning. He used to come and see me at least once a week, and wanted to get me marching again."

 When Ray and the other PoWs at Stalag 11b were freed, he returned to England. He was sent to hospital in Oxfordshire, where he first heard about St Dunstan's.

 "I hated the thought of going into anything to do with the blind, and white sticks and what have you. I eventually did go along to St Dunstan's centre at Church Stretton, and I felt very humbled to see the people there, some much worse off than me. Most of my friends, I made there."

 Having joined the army straight from school, Ray had no trade to speak of. St Dunstan's suggested starting a business, for which they loaned him the capital. He set up a tobacconists in Kent with his wife. After his wife's became ill, Ray sold the shop and trained as a telephonist, before taking up a post at an engineering company where he stayed for the next 20 years.Throughout this period, Ray maintained contact with members of the original 3rd Para, determined to do another jump. He eventually spoke to a friend who arranged for Ray to do a tandem jump. Ray describes the experience as "thrilling - completely different to a solo jump."

Ray has been parachuting ever since, and has completed 15 jumps since 1990. His final jump was in 2004, for the 60th anniversary of Arnhem.

 "I think I've tended to get on with life. I've managed to have a go at climbing, long distance swimming, a five mile swim, 15 marathons, parachuting - I've had a go at most things."

 After reading about Ray Sherrif`s life. Don`t you feel proud that our country had such brave and courageous men in it`s darkest day`s.    I know I felt a litle ashamed of my own petty credit crunch worries and problems in life. Because they don`t seem so bad after all, compared to the struggles of heroes like Ray. If you want to help people like Ray. There is a link to the St Dunstan`s donation web-page below. Please give generously.       

I thank you in advance for your kind generosity. 

                                      

http://www.st-dunstans.org.uk/support_us/make_a_donation/index.html

 

 

About the Author

Charity Faith Hope supports numerous charitable causes by publishing their good works and contact link details in article directories. Hopefully this will raise awareness and support for their cause.

Do you think the politically correct crowd will come after the Marines like they did the other branches?

I went through army basic training at Fort Jackson, SC in 2003, and I have to tell you it sucked. It was WAAAYYYYY too easy. I was hoping for a Full Metal Jacket type experience, something I could brag about, but this was stuff to be embarassed about.

No, it's not a case of me being tougher than the others and it just seeming easier. I've never been a very tough guy, and I still found it easy.

We went through AIT with Marines, and as I listened to their stories, it was more and more embarrasing to talk about Ft. Jackson.

You think that the PC crowd will try to put the same BS into Marine Boot Camp in the next few years? Gender integration, toning down the yelling, saying that they have to use positive reinforcement, and taking more of a "counselor" role.

I know a lot of you Marines might say "Hell, no" or "It's an insult that you even ask," Hilary gets elected, there's a very good chance it could happen. She's a good part of the reason the army went soft.

WRONG!!

The military has changed its image to increase recruitment. They had a lot of drop outs and they decided that basic training should be easier. It has nothing to do with the "PC" crowd, the military runs itself the way it wants to run itself.

Incidentally, the reason why they don't do stuff like in Full Metal Jacket is because they had a lot of nut jobs come out of the Marines and do stuff like, oh, climbing a clock tower or a book suppository with a loaded rifle. They want soldiers, not maniacs.

Boot Camp - A Soldier's Story

 

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