Page 20 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 57

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

Commander happened to be the most
RECIPE
hated corporal RMP on the camp,
tall, always immaculate and very keen. Here is my own take on ‘Jackson’s Melba toast’, the General always enjoyed it;
“Jackson, cook, private” he said making Thickest, freshest sliced square white loaf – toasted – edges cut off – sliced down the centre,
to write this down, “No,” I replied “I was there will be uncooked bits in the middle which is fine – re-toast the two slices created – the
made up today to Lance Corporal”. The loose bits will harden up, look rustic and the slices, square, triangular or fingers as required
change in his attitude was unbelieva- will be super & crisp. Easy, which is important when you are feeding 20+ diners on your own.
ble, he came round the desk, extended
a hand to mine which he shook and the food we had cooked directly to the the batmen who had been there a while
said “Congratulations, what’s your first squaddies over the hot plate, here, things which helped with settling in, serving
name, you must come to the NCO’s were really different. Our salad was usu- the early morning tea to the boss in turn.
club tonight and we shall have a drink ally just lettuce, here it could include The food and many dinner parties went
together”. I didn’t realise what a friend grapes, walnuts, croutons, blue cheese well, and I enjoyed the quality of being
he became until returning drunk from dressing, etc, was beautifully displayed able to buy and prepare nice dishes, also
town early one morning and in no way and everything arranged as a buffet. All learned the correct way to iron shirts so
the dishes were nicely garnished which they looked as if they come fresh from
we learned to do. The squaddies would a new box!
have cleared all the plates regardless! We all then moved to Woodborough
The favourite music at the time was Hall, which had just been vacated by the
“Magic Moments” sung by Perry Como. RAF, there was an Aga and gas oven in
Nottingham the kitchen so plenty of cooking space,
gaining for some reason a jockey to
I was then sent to Bestwood Lodge,
our staff. On the top floor of the large
the Headquarters of Northern District,
Georgian house was the emergency fire
Nottingham to prepare/cook for a
escape. Not a ladder or flight of steps
midnight dinner, four beautiful salmon
but a large contraption fastened to the
which I cooked, boned [easier to serve
wall under a window with a heavy rope
for me], and garnished nicely, looked
through its centre and a large, padded
good and went well. This was my first
loop on each end. Throw one end of the
taste of Northern HQ but not my last.
rope out of the window to the ground,
I then returned later as relief chef to the
using the loop as a sling, climb out of
home on Derby Road, Nottingham of
the window and depend on the mecha-
Lincoln, Officers’ Mess the GOC Northern District, General nism in the box to control the speed of
R. E. Goodwin for two weeks to cover
‘SPD’ [sober and properly dressed] as his chef’s leave, little knowing that your descent, we used it for hours until
the General took up residence.
he wrote in the book, the early morning 6 weeks after that I would return as his
call at 5am for our shift ensured I have personal chef for the rest of my service. 7th March 1959 came and went, and
so did I from the army. A medal has
never drunk alcohol again to this day. Only the General, his wife, two dogs
One’s time in the army was getting and two National Service batmen to been produced for we who served, if I
want one, I have to buy it.
shorter, so any training became less cater for. Nice large house, bunking with
useful to them as your time decreased. Soldiering is a great career, but do
remember we were dragged from our
Even so, I was selected to go on courses
normal lives and forced to take part.
and became the best qualified cook in
the District, working in a camp kitchen. Talking to someone who had spent his
time on a Radar site in Lincolnshire
I passed the B2 course, had an increase
in pay and also Drills 1 which came who said it was two wasted years. I have
a cooking skill which has proved useful,
in handy for handling men. I was pro-
moted to the Officers’ Mess, which was and joined the Post office for the rest of
my working life.
a little more demanding but less hassle.
479 Jackson J.R. L/Cpl
Nasi Goreng, the rice was a problem
– the returnees expected it to be as in
Malaysia, Pilau, Basmati, Fragrant, Wild Quiz Answer
etc, all we had was pudding rice which Dr. No, James Bond’s first film in 1962.
will never separate into loose grains. Ursula Andrews is pictured emerging
Our curry consisted of powder flavoured from the sea in her own bikini, which
stews, remember this was 1958. The in 2019 fetched $42,000 at auction, at
course for Officers Mess B2 was held her waist is a webbing belt which is the
in St Omer, Aldershot at the Officer same as I and many others sweated
Training Establishment & specialised over, polishing the brasses etc., don’t
cookery school. It was a revelation. think she bothered or needed to.
Think of Godber in ‘Porridge, we served The Woodborough Hall Team, two batmen and a Jockey
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