As an addendum to my last post; on reflection, in my full time service I never left these sunny shores but I was bayonetted and thus may cast myself in the light of the "wounded!" It was June 1953 and a blissfully hot day and our platoon were engaged in pointless thrust and parry exercises; two men each with rifle and fixed bayonet having a go at each other. Despite our Sergeants screaming and yelling, we were all a bit slow on the uptake and sure enough, I failed to dodge out of the way as my partner, a lad name Preston as I recall, lunged at me. Happily the blade did not enter my superstructure but shaved the skin off my arm all the way down and it bled profusely. The other lad threw down his rifle, put his arm around me and said "Sorry old mate, r u OK?" Good old Sergeant Stock (in reality a lovely man) yelled "When you get to Korea and a Chink puts his bayonet in you, do you think he is going to say he is sorry?" "That's what I like to see, lads taking a genuine interest and blood, lots of lovely blood!" And thus it went on, the madness day by day! And no, we did not go to Korea, happily the UN and the other side signed an Armistice which thankfully holds uneasily to this day!