Notes on Long Lost Photographs

I was cleaning out the attic recently at my Aunties house, (I stayed for a short while with her in the mid sixties), when, there right at the back of the attic, I saw something that was covered over with part of an old carpet. When I picked the carpet up to dispose of it, I found my old kit bag from my Army days.

I think it was 1969 when I had just come home from one of my stints in Germany with the BOAR, I must have left the kit bag at my Aunties house, and over a period of time simply forgot about it.

My wife and I retired from long-haul travel recently, and have settled in a house in Westhoughton, near Bolton in Lancashire next to my Aunts.

When I inspected the contents of this long lost kit bag, I found that my military kit including tunic, pants, etc, and some civilian clothes, were still in serviceable condition. I was particularly delighted to find that my old beret and cap badge were ok, and when I tried the beret on to see if it would fit, it still fit like a glove. It brought back many memories, and I wondered then where all the lads from Wigan, Hindley, and Ince were now, and the thought came to me that I would never see them again.

It was in December1959 that I joined the Hindley branch (C Company) of the 5TH Battalion the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment; the drill hall was located in Lord St, Hindley.

I spent 10 exciting and happy years with lads from all around the North West area, and regularly attended the weekend meetings as well as Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Annual camps and other events took us to numerous locations, including overseas, where the British Army was stationed.

Finding this old kit bag also solved a long-standing family mystery as to what had happened to a Loyals cap badge that had been something of a family heirloom as it had been passed through various generations of the family.

Family Tradition

The Loyals was a military tradition for my family, my father John Vickers was in the regiment for a short time before being transferred to the Coldstream Guards, 1939-1945.

My grandfather George Vickers was in the Vickers Medium Machine Gun section of The Loyals all throughout the Great War 1914-1919.

It is my grandfathers original cap badge that my Father wore, and I wore the same cap badge for my 10 years in the Loyals.

Photographs and Memories

This unexpected find was the topic of our conversation throughout the day as we both tried to think of the names of some of the fellows from the North West area that I served with. We also realised that I had very few photos of my 10 years in the Army.

All throughout the sixties I don’t remember any of my fellow soldiers having a camera, or having any photos taken whilst we were serving soldiers, the few that were taken have long since disappeared.

One of the items that I found in the kit bag was my mess tin and it was only when I was packing them back in the kit bag that I realised that there was something inside it. When I examined the contents I found a piece of towel which was wrapped around an old aluminium film container.

I knew there were photos on the film but I had no idea what they were. I could only think that they might have been related to my marksmanship days at Bisley camp in Guilford, Surrey. I had left military service in 1970 after being transferred to the East Lancashire Regiment in 1969 so the film was most likely from around that time.

I was intrigued and baffled with the roll of film and what it might contain; I really did not know were to go to find out if the film was salvageable, and worried that it might have faded over the 30 or 40 years that it was in my kit bag.

Before scouring the yellow pages for someone that could turn the film into photos, I remembered my cousin telling me about a guy that lives in Platt Bridge, near Wigan. His name is Alec Touhey and he specialises in restoring old and worn photos. He is surely a modern day master of this craft.as he has done a simply fantastic job of transferring the film into photos.

When I received the finished photos my family and I were thrilled and delighted, they brought the past back to life, and we felt it was only like yesterday that they were taken.

Whilst looking at the photos I began to wonder if I could find out whether any of the lads were still around. It occurred to me that if I approached the local press I may be able to persuade them to run a little story, maybe with a photo or two, suggesting that I would like to make contact with any old Loyals left in the area. It might even be possible to organise a meeting at some local venue. They or any relatives might like to have copies of the photographs that they had obviously never seen.

Over the years I have never forgotten, and oftimes reminisce about the great times we had in the Loyals as true Lancashire Lads.

Yours

M. Vickers
Ex Lance Corporal, Loyal North Lancashire Regt .