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Description
Infantry Junior Leaders Training Battalion Cap Badge
This Sale is for the Cap Badge as worn by the Infantry Training Battalion, based at Plumer Barracks, Crownhill, Plymouth and Parkhall Camp, Oswestry, during the 1950's & 1960's.
Also worn by Infantry Junior Leaders of the All Arms Junior Leaders Regiment, Tonfanau Camp, Nr Tywyn (was then Towyn), Merioneth, North Wales 1959-1966.
These unit's trained boys from the age of 15 - 17 as future senior NCOs and Warrant Officers of the British Army.
Brand new and unissued staybrite/anodised Cap badge in an all Gold finish, approx. 38mm high, complete with it's mounted slider and made by J.R Gaunt (London) Ltd.
Guaranteed new/unissued and in mint condition.
Brief Regimental History
Infantry Junior Leader Battalion
The Infantry Junior Leader Battalion (IJLB) was formed at Tuxford, Nottinghamshire in 1952. Initially it was called the Infantry Boys Battalion, later the Infantry Junior Leader Battalion. This Unit moved to Plymouth, Oswestry and then Shorncliffe and trained over 15,000 Junior Leaders. It was in existence until the 1985 Defence cuts. Iis stated aim was to provide the future Warrant Officers and Senior Noncommissioned Officers for the Pool Guards and the Infantry of the Line.
Tuxford
The first boys walked through the gates at Tuxford in April 1952 with A Company being permanently detached from the Battalion and based in Harrogate. The unit was designated the Infantry Boys Battalion and the concept was simple.
Selectively recruit boys of school leaving age with the required attitude and potential. Provide them with a comprehensive training package that included sports, education, leadership skills and infantry training and which, would prepare them for a role as future Senior NCO’s and Warrant Officers in the British Infantry.
Plymouth
The Battalion moved to Plymouth in 1954 and A Company rejoined them from Harrogate. In 1957 the rank Boy was discontinued throughout the British Army and was replaced by Junior, at this time the Infantry Boys Battalion was renamed the Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion.
Oswestry
In 1960 the Battalion moved to Park Hall Camp in Oswestry which became its home for the next 15 years. Under the command of Lt Col Frank Coutts KOSB and Lt Col Charles Barker Gordons the training programme was rationalised to create a programme based on the Sandhurst model . The first full year being dedicated to Education (70% education, 30% military training) and the final year focussing entirely upon military training. This successful format continued until 1975. During 1970 the Junior Infantrymen’s Wing was formed and was based in what had formerly been the RA lines . In 1971 to mark the enduring relationship which existed between the Battalion and the local community, the unit was granted the Freedom of Oswestry, a singular honour for a boys unit.
Shorncliffe
The Battalions final move was to Shorncliffe in 1975 when the school leaving age was raised to 16 years. There had been a resident Junior Infantrymen’s Battalion based in Shorncliffe since 1967. The Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion disbanded in 1985 however many of those trained there continued to serve into the new millennium. The Junior Infantrymen’s Battalion continued until it finally closed in 1991.
A sad day for the British Infantry and a lost opportunity for Britain’s youth.
About the A.A.J.L.R.
The year was split into 3 terms with a fresh intake of boys each term. The first term of each boys service was completely dedicated to turning these 15 and 16 year olds into disciplined soldiers.
From the second term the prime emphasis was on education as all senior NCO's were required to obtain the Army Certificate of Education [Class 1].
Alternate days were spent on Military Training which included Drill, Weapons Training, Driver Training, Map Reading and casually strolling over the gently rolling Brecon Beacons in wonderful Welsh weather fully equipped in thin denims, a poncho and carrying a webbing back pack.
The boys final term included specialist training according to the arm or corps he intended to serve in as a senior soldier.
Mixed in with all this there was sport, adventure training, outward bound courses and inter company competitions including the Rhyl cup.
Every boy also took part in the 'Duke of Edinburgh's Award' and to this end most evenings were spent doing a large number of hobbies. The rest of the time was spent cleaning the barracks or doing your personal kit whilst huddled round a coal burning pot-bellied stove in a futile attempt to keep warm. Oh, those were the days.........
Makeup of the Regiment
| COLOUR | COMPANY | PLATOON | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
R | Basic Training Company. | ||||
| A | Balaclava | |||||
| Falaise | ||||||
| Imphal | ||||||
| Knightsbridge | ||||||
| B | Egypt | |||||
| Gallipoli | ||||||
| Somme | ||||||
| Ypres | ||||||
| C | Alamein | |||||
| Normandy | ||||||
| Rhine | ||||||
| Tunisia | ||||||
| D | Cambrai | |||||
| Dettingen | ||||||
| Minden | ||||||
| Waterloo | ||||||
Omdurman Troop
Omdurman Troop was formed in May 1959 at Tonfanau as part of the All Arms Junior Leaders Regiment. (Please note the use of Troop and not Platoon, this was in Respect of the Troop Commander being a Gunner at that time and Omdurman being also a Gunner Battle Honour, and remained with Omdurman to its untimely end).
The first boys arrived on the 11 May 1959.
At that time Recruit Company did not exist due to the Regiment being in the early throws of formation. 'A' Company had assembled a few days earlier.
The troop was Commanded by a Captain Murray-Flutter, Royal Artillery. The Troop Sergeant was Dennis Elmore who was also a Gunner. The troop also had an RAEC Sergeant, a National Serviceman. The Troop was based around Block 89, a brick building.
Omdurman Troop was part of 'C' Company, Commanded by Major T.G.H. Jackson MBE Royal Signals.
Due to the expansion of the Regiment, Omdurman Troop, moved from 'C' Company to 'B' Company on the 22nd October, 1959, which was Commanded by Major L.L.S. Williams, Royal Artillery. All Officers and Senior NCO's moved with the Troop. The Troop also moved accommodation into one of the wooden 'H' blocks.
In the first term of 1960 the Troop Commander changed, Lt. J.B.H. Rowallan.
The Troop functioned as a unit within 'B' Company until its end in late October of 1960.
The Troop was disbanded mainly because of the reaction of the Junior incumbents to a Scottish Officer Lt. McClagan who became the Troop Commander on the 2nd September, 1960. This Officer was not an Officer nor Gentleman! He was a vicious, cruel and malicious person. His favourite routine was multiple 'Kit' inspections at any time of the day or night. During these he would pull a Junior Soldiers locker from the top and crash it to the floor, any damage done to kit or locker was then charged to the Junior Soldier. He would throw over beds and many other such actions. During Outward bound he would bully and tirade everyone. During Rifle Training he would strike people with their rifles. He should not have been sent to AAJLR.
This cruel mans actions resulted in 48 boys out of 52 going AWOL one night in late October, 1960. People had tried to speak out, but as with the military attitude of the era, no one listened, (Sic..No change there then) and those who did complain were marked men by this beast of a man.
Most of the Boys either surrendered or were taken into custody within 48 hours of absconding.
The authorities now had to listen and listen seriously.
Within seven days of the great escape, Omdurman Troop was disbanded and the junior soldiers were dispersed amongst the other Troops/Platoons and Company's of the Regiment.
Punishment was light for those first time AWOL Boys, habitual absentees got the full treatment though (The Guardroom could not hold them all). Later this absence was expunged from their records.
Many Omdurman Boys therefore saw service in three of the Company's within AAJLR.
And so the great denial of the existence of Omdurman Troop began.
In it's short life over 2,100 boys graduated to join the regular British Army.
|
A History of the Regiment |
| Date | Event |
| May 1959 |
First Intake. |
| 29th July 1960 |
First Graduation Parade. |
| 10th. December 1960 |
Second Graduation Parade. |
| April 1961 |
Third Graduation Parade. |
| 4th. August 1961 |
Fourth Graduation Parade. |
| 9th. December 1961 |
Fifth Graduation Parade. |
| April 1962 |
Sixth Graduation Parade. |
| 28th. July 1962 |
Seventh Graduation Parade. |
| 8th. December 1962 |
Eighth Graduation Parade. |
| 6th. April 1963 |
Ninth Graduation Parade. |
| 27th. July 1963 |
Tenth Graduation Parade. |
| 7th. December 1963 |
Eleventh Graduation Parade. |
| 11th. April 1964 |
Twelfth Graduation Parade. |
| 8th. August 1964 |
Thirteenth Graduation Parade. |
| 12th. December 1964 |
Fourteenth Graduation Parade. |
| 10th. April 1965 |
Fifteenth Graduation Parade. |
| 7th. August 1965 |
Sixteenth Graduation Parade. |
| September 1965 |
The final intake. |
| 11th. December 1965 |
Seventeenth Graduation Parade. |
| 9th April 1966 |
Eighteenth Graduation Parade. |
| 6th August 1966 |
Nineteenth Graduation Parade. (Final Graduation) |
About the Camp
Location
On the west coast of the County of Meirionnydd, in the parish of Llangelynin in the Rural District of Dolgellau and approximately two miles north of Towyn (Tywyn) on the mid-Wales coast of Cardigan Bay.
Area
The total area of the Camp was some 220 acres held by the Ministry of Defence. This included the Commanding Officer's residence at Cefn Camberth which measured some four acres.
Pre WW2
It is claimed that the Royal Artillery were camped in the Tonfanau area during the First World War but it was not until around 1937 that a tented camp was struck followed by brick structures in 1939.
WW2
At least one American unit (413 Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion) trained there before the Normandy invasion.
Post WW2
In 1948 it became the home of 55 Light Anti-Aircraft Training Regiment who stayed until they were disbanded in 1958.
The following Royal Artillery units were stationed at Tonfanau camp between 1950 and 1969:
37 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, 55 Training Regiment, 63 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, 67 Training Regiment and 22 Light Air Defence Regiment. 22 Light Air Defence Regiment were there again from 1967 to 1969 (well, they were known as the Welsh Gunners!). It was also used by a number of Territorial Units for their annual camp.
In 1959 there was a need to train more boys so the camp became the base for the newly formed All Arms Junior Leaders' Regiment until it too was disbanded in 1966.
In early 1967 in marched the happy band of 22 Light Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery who must have been overjoyed with Wales after leaving Malaya. They managed to slip away to Germany in 1969 and the camp was officially closed in 1971.
Infantry Junior Leader Battalion Association
There has been an IJLB Association for some years with over 480 members but has recently undergone a major re-launch and has a new website and forum www.jjlb.co.uk and they are actively recruiting new members.
Memorials
The Association has its own Memorial to the unit in CAE GLAS Park, Oswestry, we also have a memorial garden on the site of the old Park Hall Camp armoury.
The Memorial was constructed and dedicated in 2009 with some 300 + former Boys and Junior Leaders on parade in Oswestry, exercising our right, IJLB having been granted the Freedom of Oswestry, to march through the town.
The Memorial was funded completely by donations from members and regimental associations.
MILITARY - BRITISH ARMY
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