Growing Up – Part 1: Home Life.

   We shall start in the middle. No, I’m joking, of course, I’m starting at my birth. I was born Michael on 9th Feb of 1987. We lived in a place called Brandhall in Birmingham. I have my 1st memories of general life around 2 or 3 years old. We lived in a flat called Foley flats. It’s not that video, but there are pictures of the actual building below. Foley House flats have since been demolished. I remember going to watch the demolition which was in the year 2000.

Foley House and the entrance from the front, and the newsagents being the first shop as soon as you exit the building as I remember it.

   Our neighbour in that flat was Jayne I think. I remember playing with her kids at times. I don’t remember too much of the flats, but I do remember my dad coming to collect us from time to time. Mainly it was my nan and grandad that came to get me. My nan always shouted at my mom. Not sure why, I was too young. I think it was more my mom was expecting dad to come to get me, but my dad was drunk or with a woman or even off with mates maybe. I’m not sure. I think my nan was just sticking up for dad as you would as a mom I guess. I remember my grandad telling my nan to stop shouting at some point when I was much older. That was when we were in the newer house on maypole road.

   I do remember I think, he says. We lived on the 2nd floor. Hold on. After contacting my mom, she said absolutely nothing as she hasn’t answered back to my message haha. So I will guess we lived on the 2nd floor. I do remember the newsagents at the bottom that I used to go to as I grew a tiny bit older. We left Foley House around 1995. I presume it was around this year as my younger sister Joanne was born in 96 and I’m almost certain we were in Maypole road house by that point. Mainly because I remember bouncing her in her bouncer chair whilst my mom did the decorating in the new house. So that would make me 8. In which case, would mean I was going downstairs to the newsagents on my own before then. Madness. Even if I lived in a flat now, I would not be allowing that to happen haha.

   In the pictures attached. (see the below image). One of the pictures shows some steps up to the shop level. I remember as a young lad, my brother running and I was running next to him and he ran straight into the railing bars. His head opened up. Blood. Everywhere. We did not go to school that day. Most of the day was in hospital I bet. I don’t remember past the initial head injury, but I remember the scar (think Harry Potter’s head scar) and I remember it happening. Nothing after that. Shame. I recall some of the shops but not most. 

Foley House Flats. The bars at the top of the steps in the foreground were where my brother split his head open.

  Some of the shops from downstairs as far as I remember were: newsagents, fruit shop, Chinese, chip shop, William hill or bookies right at the end. Laundrette possibly. I do remember having to head to Brandhall road for the laundrette. That was a long walk as a young child. Not far as an adult, but still. I bet my mom really loved her new washing machine when she finally got one. I have tried searching for a picture of the laundrette from the 90s but couldn’t find one.

   For all the times I remember dad or nan and grandad coming to get me at the front door, I don’t remember leaving the flat. It’s really strange what sticks in the mind. It clearly shows I was happy to see them when they showed up because I remember them turning up. As to what happened next, clearly, that was irrelevant. This means a lot of what my mom said growing up makes sense I presume. Seeing how happy I was to see my dad, but not knowing what was in store. I’ll talk more about this in later posts.

   I remember around the age of about 5 and my brother was about 3 or 4. My mom had just finished wrapping presents for Christmas, (her words), and headed to bed. I and my brother apparently got up around 2 am and headed to the living room. My mom said she heard some ruffling and giggling and a loud SANTA HAS BEEEEEN!!! and then paper ripping. Mom said she jumped out of bed came in to see we had started unwrapping and told us to go get in bed and sleep because Santa had only just been and she was tired or something. So I presume we did and all was well. I vaguely remember heading into the living room early in the morning, but not a whole lot more.

   I vaguely remember out the back of the flats was a parking area. I can only assume it was for the residents of the flats that drove. Well, behind the car parking area on the main road level was a wall that was probably only about 5 or 6 feet high. But being young, 6 or 7 years old, it seemed like it were much higher than it was. Maybe. We used to make a den out in the foliage above that wall. When I say ‘we’ I have no idea who I mean. I just remember being with other kids. I also remember the exit for this car park coming onto Tame road from behind the flats opposite the church.

Aldridge road is on the left. Our route from the right, so I had plenty of time to contemplate today’s hill climb fate. Can you spot the differences between this picture and the one below?

    Strangely enough, I do remember walking to school a lot from Foley house. Mainly I think we had to walk up this monstrosity. (See pic above). This hill is actually a lot steeper when you’re only 3 – 7 or so years old. Not only that. My nan and grandad lived on a hill corner which was mental. Walking down the hill to my cousin’s house, and up was kind of steep still. Going off course kind of, I remember when I went to my cousin’s house as a young kid circa 8 – 12 years old maybe, my nan would stand on the corner and watch me down to my cousin’s house. Super sweet. 

This is the view from the other side of the Queensway which is seen in the picture just above looking back towards this picture. As you can see. Google maps show just how much has really changed. Where these buses are, is where the barricade was set up to watch the Foley House demolition take place.

   I will talk about school in a later post. You can actually find out more about my grandad in this post titled: My Grandad.

My Grandad

My grandad. It’s just hit 10 years since his death. I miss him so much every day. I dread the day my parents leave this world, and I can’t imagine how hard it is sometimes for my dad and my aunt. Honestly, it scares me.

   A little bit about my grandad before we hit off my memories again. So my Grandad was born Malcolm. He to me was absolutely everything. I didn’t know it then, which just makes it harder now. My grandad worked in the foundries. My dad worked alongside him for a period of time. I only just realised that I then went on to work alongside my dad for a bit. Does that mean my son will work alongside me for a bit? Now that would be special. I am moving off-topic. Grandad was not tea total, but if it was a hot drink, it was only ever tea. Maybe a biccy (biscuit) to dunk, usually a good ol’ McVities digestive. Grandad never really did drink around me, but I remember a couple of tiples, not sure of the exact alcoholic beverages but I’m sure he did. Around Christmas nan would make a tasty punch I remember haha. I’m sure he had some of that. Grandad loved card games, crib, bridge and newmarket to name a few. New market was a particular favourite of mine and the family.

   My grandad was an engineer in his own right. Such that he made all his own planters for nan and this would be something I went on to love doing. Some carpentry which he took an avid interest in at my high school. 

I know that my grandad missed his sister who immigrated to Australia to be with her husband, Uncle Frank who was just outright hilarious. They did talk on the phone a lot where possible as long-distance calls were an expensive luxury.

Im, sure there are many things I’m missing out here, but it will come to me in future posts I’m sure.

   I cannot remember my exact very 1st memory of my grandad, but I do remember early memories.

   One of the 1st memories that I do remember is nan and grandad taking us to Blackpool. Now I don’t remember much of the holiday, but I do remember being at the top of the Blackpool tower, in a place I remember being called Jungle Jim’s. It was essentially a massive ball pit where kids ran around on a massive scale. Think wacky warehouse but bigger. Unfortunately, I don’t remember much more about this holiday, but that Jungle Jim’s really stuck with me. No idea why.

This is I think in Blackpool Beach somewhere. But not sure where. My grandad with his white hair all wind struck.

   My other oldest memory of my grandad for me potentially would be when we went to his mum and dad’s house. I think it was myself, my brother and my 2 cousins. I remember walking down the hallway and seeing – well this is testing my memory I may even be wrong here so, I expect a message from my dad or aunt and uncle to say my memory has warped or introduced things that were not there. Walking down the hallway I saw I think a grandfather clock initially. From there I guess the best way to explain this is by numbers. Again something my grandad was ace at. So coming through the main door about 10 meters in was a glass cabinet with a wooden back. I suppose something like this is here. I just remembered after writing this article I didn’t say what I remember what was in the cabinet. Well, I don’t remember much haha. But I do remember the steam engine-looking type train thing. This was directly in front of me where the wall becomes offset so that you have to take a 90-degree left turn to go into the living room, or a side step left and continue forward if you wanted to go into the kitchen. I think I vaguely remember a downstairs toilet. But I’m not sure. I don’t believe I ever went upstairs so that may be why I remember a downstairs toilet. I also don’t remember ever staying long at my grandad’s mom and dad’s house.

   I’m not sure if I’m remembering it wrong because my nan had a good friend Dorothy. We used to visit on a semi-regular basis. Dorothy became aunty Dorothy and she bought us gifts for birthdays and Christmas. It was only ever Radox shower gel blue or green. But even then I knew that was more than she needed to buy us. I was always thankful for that. I have no idea how many years that went on, but it was at least maybe… 5 or 6 years that I remember getting Radox. My brother got some too. I honestly have no idea if my cousins got some. Weirdly, I don’t remember now that I think about it.

Myself my brother and our 2 cousins at Blackpool Pleasure Beach Pier.

My Early Military Days

When I finished training I had 2 weeks off, after the 2 weeks, I headed to the battalion in central London only to find that the regiment was also on 2 weeks’ leave. I think it was easter leave maybe? I forget.

The following happens within the week of the battalion returning from leave. So at this point, I was in my 3rd week in the battalion.

   When they came back, my friends and I started settling in. 1 of those friends immediately put his notice in to leave the army, which he was well within his rights to do, as he was still only 17. At that age you had (or still have?) 6 months for DAOR which is Discharge As Of Right I believe. Billy as he liked to be known had a special father shall we say. By no means do I mean this in a bad way. Actually far from it. After I heard how respected he was around the place. His father said in order to get his respect he had to do basic military training and that was it. So he did. Billy was to be fair, one of the best blokes I’d met at this point and if I’m honest with myself, probably ever was. Great bloke. His brother was awesome too. Also Known as billy for various reasons. Anyway. So he left the army about 4weeks after getting to the battalion. That left I think… 5 of us joining the Irish Guards. Myself, Culligan, Keith, McLoving from Coventry and a South African lad who was well respected amongst us.

   I got put into 2 Company 6 platoon. I just took a moment to think about that. It was either number 6 or 4 platoon to start with. I moved around and the platoon numbers changed so much it’s hard to remember sometimes the exact numbers. But I digress again. I had Culligan and McLoving in my platoon i think. South African lad went to 1 company and Keith joined 4 or 6 platoon. Always in 2 Company, if I was 4 he was 6 and vice versa if I was 6 he was 4. Eventually at the end of my career leaving 2 coy, I was 6 platoon before doing my last year or 2 into MT platoon.

   My 1st few nights were sleepless. I struggled. I got picked on and I was bullied. I’ve not told many about the horrors when I first joined. I had a guardsman. Let’s call him Guardsman (Gdsm) Ethel. Gdsm Ethel was an absolute cunt of an ass to me in the mornings. For whatever reason, he would love to be in my room regardless of what time my alarm was set for, and literally, and im not exaggerating when I say he would lift the foot of my bed up and just full-on throw me out of my bed. Absolute plonker. Hated him.

   After this encounter, I lost a lot of motivation for wanting to be in the army. I had gone past my DOAR time, and it was about this time that I just saw it as a job that I couldn’t be sacked from. Gdsm Ethel made my life hell for a fair bit. There were others, but he sticks out in my mind most. Or at this present time of my army life, he sticks out. Like a sore thumb in fact. From here, I spiralled into not really giving a care at all. This was picked up, as I started to smell, didn’t really brush my teeth, showered less, didn’t iron my clothes, as well as I, could have, I didn’t care about how my kit was looking and this showed as I started to get 10 O’Clock shows. 10 O’Clock show was where, if you had been inspected by a person of rank or authority, and had been picked up on anything you would have to go to the guardroom to show that what was wrong when inspected was now fixed or corrected. Not only that but obviously the rest of your uniform had to be immaculate too. So much so that those who usually got a 10 O’Clock show would: Re shave so it’s fresh, re-iron fresh new clean combats, boots freshly polished, and depending if it was summer order or winter order would dictate if sleeves were rolled up or down. I’m pretty sure you can guess what part of the year is rolled up sleeves or rolled down sleeves.

So, Platoon (Plt) Sergeant (Sgt) was Sgt Corcoran (RIP gone too soon) was my Plt Sgt. Cool, seemed like a nice enough character, and he was. He introduced us to our platoon. I remember a few from that. Mad dog and Gaz E, haha. Both great. There was a funny lad whose name escapes me that Gaz would hang with. Scouse lad. Ended up going to prison. That’s another story but he was generally an OK guy to be around. Gaz’s catchphrase would be FUCK’EM or BOLLOCKS with a pleasant laugh after saying such catchphrases.

   Everyone who joins from new into the army back then used to do an initiation. It’s been in the newspapers a few times that I’ve seen for what goes on in these but my initiation was really enjoyable. I was to drink from Topper’s famous 1974 boot. (Topper was my Plt Sgts nickname). In this boot, the lads had poured anything and everything. All the beers, all the liquors. So many liquors. Rice and chicken someone was currently eating? in it goes. An unused condom ( that i saw get opened in front of me)? in it goes. We then stood on a chair so everyone could see me drinking this concoction of diabolical proportions, and admittedly I didn’t really taste much as I put the heel of the boot up to my mouth to start guzzling it all down. The chicken needed to be chewed as I drank, the rice just slipping down, the condom flung half out hit my forehead, and down the hatch, it went. I drank all of it. It was messy. I climbed down off my chair ran the length of the corridor and spun with my head on a broom pole I pivoted around said broom handle and ran back. This time was Keith’s turn. After we all managed to do this we all went out. I remember going downstairs and I remember going to Soho/Leceister sq, but I do not recall how I got back. We got a taxi to Leicester square as none of me or my friends knew our way around London. So after that, I don’t recall too much. The boot and its contents I believe had got to me at this point. One thing I will always never know is how I got back to camp. I didn’t know the route back on foot, I don’t think I got a taxi. So I can only deduce that I came back with someone, but who? that I do not know! 

Recalling Military Thoughts #1

My reason for joining the military went a little something along the lines of this:

I believe this was around 2002? or 2003? maybe… I’m not fully sure. My memory is hazy on this certain date however, Saving Private Ryan came into the cinema in 1998. it landed on normal tv in 1999. So, by that, It would have spent about a year on Sky cinema? another year on movies.. then I would have seen it sometime after that haha.

   My dad and I (approx 13/14 yrs old?) were watching the film anyway as you know it was a big thing back then and Tom Hanks was massive, having not long done Toy story and a couple of other films Including you’ve got mail, another cracker anyway, I digress.

So in that scene (The scene in the office with the stacks of paper that is essentially dead soldiers who were getting letters sent back to loved ones, and this scene hit me quite hard as a young teen), my dad actually slapped me round the head. The, or at least as far as I can remember one of the only times my dad ever slapped me round the head. He declared: “You would never join the army!” I replied quite calmly if I remember “Yes I would”. At the time I didn’t have any intention of joining the army and I assume I only meant it in a way whereby I would join should my country need me. An example would be how Ukraine has called upon its men to volunteer and be counted for their country.

Around 2004 I went to the recruiting office after getting bad grades in school and honestly thought my life was over and if I’m really honest, I felt different from other people. Never really knew why But I do now. I’m Autistic. At the time it would have been categorized as Asperger’s syndrome, but also at the time I was just a naughty kid, don’t do as he told, no attention span fidgets too much, it’s yes or no, on or off, black or white, etc…’ Now life is a little easier knowing what my ‘problems/issues were. 

   Having done the recruitment office I was sent off to Lichfield to pass a fitness assessment. I had to do 60 sit-ups and 60 push-ups in 2mins for each category. Then the real work began. Now.. in school I was a fit kid. I was running in year 7 against year 9 and year 10 and finishing top 3. in year 9 i was beating year 11’s in running events, specifically 5k circuits. However, when I turned 16 I started smoking, and I loved smoking. My fitness just upped and left my body unfortunately once I began smoking. Getting back to my 3rd event in my Army preparation test was a 1.5mile run. I did it in about 16mins, which by any standard, is absolutely shocking. I’m 35 currently, and I’m sure I could do a mile and half backward even being slightly overweight in the required 13mins and 30 seconds now. But back then I did not. I failed it. They told me to come back in about 3 months to retry. So a newly turned 17-year-old lad thought OK, no worries.

After failing I joined an ‘Army Prep College’ which was Hall Green College. I remember the 2 instructors that had retired or recently left the army. One of them was Sgt or Staff Sgt Carling and I’m not sure of the other guy. Both of whom I believe were from the Royal Green Jackets but have now become The Rifles. The whole amalgamation thing blew my mind when it all happened. I think a friend from school called Kevin joined the Green Jackets, but I’m not sure if it was full-time or reserves. ANYWAY!!

In the army prep college, I met a great friend. Keith. My mom decided it was funny to call him Sanka as in Sanka from cool runnings. I’m not sure how close we became but I definitely felt like I was closer to him than he was to me if that makes sense. Swiftly moving on, we would run down to Sare Hole Mill from the college up the road and start doing circuits on the field. I remember throwing up more than once here and the only reason I didn’t want to give up at this point was that I thought it would mean I let my family down. It would mean I am indeed a loser. Then I would have no hope, a dead-end job, etc… so I just kept going. Obviously, if I gave in, it would mean my dad was right all that time ago (it felt a while back at this point in my life). So I pushed on.

   Eventually, I went back to Lichfield after about 4 months and I re-attempted the mile and half. I had 13 mins and 30 seconds to complete it. I got 12 mins and 59seconds. Now yes that is shocking still, BUT it was a lot faster than my last attempt and that was it really. I was ecstatic, to say the least. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t last that long.

   I can’t remember if it was my mom that saw me off or my nan and grandad at Birmingham New St train station. I arrived at Darlington train station a couple of hours later with coaches to ferry us to the camp. Camp would later be known as Helles Barracks in Catterick Garrison.

Later I would find out that in order to pass training 6 months down the way, I would need to move my run time for a mile and a half from 12/13 embarrassing minutes down to 10mins and 30 seconds at the worst. A foot soldier should be fit.

Memoir #1 The Beginning

So, I have never done a blog before. I have, however, done youtube videos. I’m not entirely sure what I am to write here, but I should start with why I wanted to make the website in the first place. 

I loved my grandad’s stories growing up and I have obviously stories of my own from my father. The problem is that when we inevitably pass away, if the stories are not told, then they are forgotten. Alas, I do not want this to be the case. I wanted to create this site so that I can use the blog to put down all my memories for my kids to be able to come and see and read any of my random thoughts. (There is plenty of them after all!).

I’ve had about 20 too many mates die for various reasons and it’s scary if I’m honest.

Maybe this will become more than my memories in time. I don’t have any particular plans for the site but.. who knows, right?

So about me, minus what’s in the main section about me. I am Michael & I have 4 kids. I may go into that another day but not right now as it’s pretty toxic. Whilst it’s not gone to court or anything that isn’t the point so, for now, it’ll stay out of the website till further notice.

   I’m currently 35 and here is a reduced list of what I currently like:

  • Gaming (PS5)
  • History Videos
  • James Webb telescope videos and what it’s doing currently
  • My job (I really love my job)
  • My heritage

So, I think, for now, this will do, as it’s a little about me and why I want to write these.

Have you ever thought about doing something or had the urge to do something similar?