Page 12 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 54

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

The Last Post

would be so out of step with our times. John’s career took him to what were
Somehow though it still sounds like a then, some of the most interesting post-
good idea, especially when you consider ings available, the ACC School BAOR
from that start, the enormous success Duisberg, where he formed part of a
and contribution that John made during combined Garrison ACC/REME team
his life in the Corps. to compete in a ‘Schutzenfest’ against
For those young boys, who lived the local shooting clubs. Again we have
through and were schooled during the no record of John’s prowess in this regard
WW2 life was tough, but the bond of but he was clearly very active participant
friendship and camaraderie, as those in most things going.
Major (QM) John Brumfitt first ‘apprentices’, lasted a lifetime. The He served in the Independent
John sadly passed away very close to quality, expertise, skills and experi- Brigade in Berlin; Singapore where he
the publication of the last edition of The ence of the instructors for that intake took over at the ACC Wing Far East
Flaming Cauldron therefore I promised a became legendary and as was recorded Training Centre, BOR Messing, (not
more fitting tribute to him in this edition. at the time “the boys showed remarka- even sure what that was but obviously
I am most grateful to Peter Jones for this ble enthusiasm even in drawing up their important) and Hong Kong where he
entry. Editor uniforms and whites as they prepared appeared as an expert witness in a mur-
for their 3 year intensive course”. der case involving a heavy duty mincer!
For those of us who had the pleasure and
The ‘Boy’ Brumfitt, they were known He was considered to have given a
the privilege of knowing John Brumfitt,
as ‘Boys’, was something of a sportsman, masterly performance but nearly came
we knew him as an ebullient character full
when at the ACC Training Centre undone when asked the horsepower
of life with a very common sense down-
Gymkhana and Sports event in 1947, he of the mincer. Fortunately he was able
to-earth approach. In many ways John
won the hundred yards flat for enlisted to spot the small brass plaque attached
changed little, if you look very carefully
boys, and took part, with the others of to the mincer which stated that it was
at the first known photograph of John
his intake, in the much praised physical 1 horsepower and his reputation as an
in the “First Class of Apprentice Cooks”
training display. This was in the presence expert remained intact.
(Enlisted Boys) in March 1947, some-
of such distinguished visitors as General John had more than his fair share
thing of that life and character are captured
Sir Humphrey Gale, Colonel Byford of interesting posts that involved not
in that photograph. John is fourth in from
and Lieutenant-Colonel Salmon, names only his catering but also his training
the left, in the very fashionable national
to be conjured with in the Corps history. skills. In one posting it must have been
health glasses in the front row. We are all
There is no record of the time John took his diplomatic skills that were required
very familiar with this type photograph
for his 100 yards sporting achievement. to come to the fore when he took over
taken in different situations throughout
our Army careers. What is particularly
striking about this photograph is how
John’s pose singles him out, the slight tilt
of the head, the informal crossing of the
ankles, out of ‘step’ with the others on his
side of the row and that slightly laconic
look. Even at this very early stage of his
career there is something of the promise
of the great things to come.
That first entry was remarkable, not
just for being the first, but for the array
of talent that it spawned that was very
influential through the life of the Corps.
John of course was a very notable per-
sonality throughout his service of over
36 years and influenced many who had
the good fortune to serve with him. But
such an intake of 14 year olds as John’s
would not even be allowed now, the
very idea of taking a group of 14 year
old boys putting them in a uniform,
instilling a sense of personal and team
discipline and teaching them a trade
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