Posts by pwsadmin
Out of the Camp Ch. 28 – Out of the Pit
Shortly before I joined the National Coal Board, I’d parted ways with the Boys Brigade after nearly seven years if you include the three years spent with the Life Boys, now known as the Boys Brigade Junior Section. During that time, I learned the basic rudiments of drumming from the then Drum Major of the…
Read MoreOut of the Camp Ch. 27 – Liberton and the Mines
So, then I started at Liberton Secondary and I really don’t remember anything about the first day or days or, indeed, anything much at all about my time there. My initial, overall feeling about being there was relief and real happiness but probably for all the wrong reasons. There was no bullying, and I made…
Read MoreOut of the Camp Ch. 26 – The Inch Secondary Modern
One day when I was playing with Alan Baird, a friend who lived across the street, I overheard part of a conversation his mother was having with another neighbor, Elsie Smith. They were sitting in the living room unaware that Alan and I were in the adjacent hallway when I heard a reference to Hazel,…
Read MoreOut of the Camp Ch. 25 – The Dragon & the Coronation
My first memory of church was as a member of the Tron Church Junior Choir when we performed an operetta called ‘The Dragon of Tangly Mountain’ by Gertrude Sullens. I remember the first couple of lines of the song sung by the chorus which went, “Poppies in the corn are gently swaying, Slyly peep the…
Read MoreOut of the Camp Ch. 24 – Out of the Camp
Flashback from 80s Saudi Arabia to post-war Edinburgh and my early years growing up in Auld Reekie. On May 8, 1945, the War in Europe ended, then later that year on September 2nd, US President Harry S. Truman announced Japan’s surrender and with it, the end of World War II. Midway between these two dates,…
Read MoreOut of the Camp Ch. 23 – Jeddah
Next morning at 9am sharp a black stretch limo was sitting outside the hotel waiting for me. As I walked over to the car, the driver, Wali, got out introduced himself and welcomed me to Jedda. He explained that we would be out for most of the day viewing the Sheik’s properties starting with two…
Read MoreOut of the Camp Ch. 22 – Roger the Impresario?
Ten days later he was gone. Irina told us that he’d received a late-night phone call from the police in Genoa where there was a problem with the truck containing his equipment and that this had delayed the ship’s departure to Jeddah. I wasn’t aware that the vessel had scheduled stops on-route but, in any…
Read MoreOut of the Camp Ch. 21 – International Wall of Death
We didn’t hear from Dima again for many months. Irina kept Mary abreast of his progress which sounded surprisingly and consistently positive. His Scottish contact had followed through with his promises, and Dima’s equipment was duly shipped to Lagos, all bills of lading, international permits and approvals, successfully certified and, without delay, Dima had started…
Read MoreOut of the Camp Ch. 20 – The Defection
With the waiting came the not knowing, not knowing the outcome of all of this drama and with the tension came the paranoia. Masha would sit indoors afraid to approach any window, let alone tweak any curtain to take a peek outside. She wouldn’t dare touch the telephone, certainly wouldn’t answer it when it rang.…
Read MoreOut of the Camp Ch. 19 – Soviets in London
The first couple of years back in London were largely Soviet influenced and drew us into a strange world of intrigue and suspicion-laden anxiety. During the course of her Russian studies at Hammersmith College, Mary learned of an exchange programme that had existed for some years between the college (now a campus of the University…
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