A Walk Down Memory Lane

Mr Colin Andrews and his wife Pat visiting the Infantry Officers Mess where he once served.

If you got a chance to revisit one of your special haunts after 43 years had elapsed you would probably grab the opportunity. Mr Colin Andrews, an ex-soldier of the British Armed Forces did just that on 08 September 1998 when he toured the military base at Up Park Camp during his vacation in Jamaica with his wife Pat.

Mr Andrews is an ex-service man from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in the United Kingdom. He served with his battalion in Jamaica as part of the British West India Regiment from 1952 to 1954. He had attained the rank of Corporal during this tour of duty in Jamaica.

You wouldn’t believe the awesome capacity of his memory and energy unless you experienced it for yourself, as I did. His trip down memory lane started at the Headquarters of the Jamaica Defence Force. Mr Andrews bolted away with excitement as his memory of the places he served in Up Park Camp unfolded. During some stages of the tour he became the guide as he got carried away with interesting anecdotes. "This is the Officers Mess where we were sent to serve the officers, we had no choice but to go," he told his wife.

In Lathbury Barracks, Mr Andrews recalled the many guard duties, booking in and out procedures and all the other activities that took place at Lathbury Barracks Guard Room. When we left the Guard Room, he literally ran away from us.

Mr Andrews knew exactly where to find the swimming pool, Navy Army Air Force Institute (NAAFI), Canteen and Corporals Club and the barrack rooms. He was able to identify the one in which he lived while in Charlie Company back then.

Mr Colin Andrews as a soldier at the Newcastle camp in St Andrew.

Mr ANDREWS remembered serving in Newcastle alongside the Jamaica Battalion. His vivid description of the JDF Training Depot was astounding, without prior knowledge, one would not get the impression that so much time had passed since his tour of duty in Jamaica. He remembers quite well the gruelling weeks spent on a Senior Non Commissioned Officers Cadre.

Guarding the ammunition dump at Port Royal was another duty that he said he would never forget.

The ex-soldier remembers the visit of Her Majesty the Queen in 1953 as one of the most important events during his tour of duty here. "I remember that we had four parades that day. We had to be met en route and issued with fresh sets of uniform in order to be ready for the next parade. It was a very challenging day but we were all very proud to be out there on Parade for the Queen and her mother."

It was at that point that his wife Pat reminded him of the marvellous coincidence that their tour driver, Mr. Wilbert Brown, had been part of the said Parade as the driver of Her Majesty’s spare car and as such was able to confirm his account of the event. Mr Andrews was relating the experience of the Queen’s visit to Mr Brown who had revealed to the couple that he had also been involved in the Parade.

Mr Colin Andrews as a soldier with friend.

Pressed for time, the tour lasted for only two hours, but the Andrews during their tour of the Camp expressed only absolute delight and satisfaction. As his wife Pat expressed, she wanted the visit to Jamaica to be special for her husband, Colin.

"After 43 years of marriage a girl knows exactly what her guy wants," she beamed. "Would you believe that I wrote this chap over 200 letters while he was in Jamaica? I sent him an average of three per week, and at the end of his tour he came right home and married me. Isn’t that right Colin?" she asked.

Colin and Pat Andrews were vacationing on Jamaica’s North Coast. They have returned to Glamorgan, Wales after what would have been a nostalgic experience for the veteran.