Castle tales - from 1947

FROM THE BORDER MAGAZINE JOURNAL OF THE BORDER REGIMENT, SEPTEMBER 1947

EPILOGUE

Much regret has been expressed at the Depot, the Border Regiment having been ordered to vacate the Castle after over 200 years in occupation. The following true incident in respect of the handing over of the Castle to the Royal Engineers on 15th April, 1946, may appeal.

At 0900 hrs. on that day, the Quartermaster met the R.E. Clerk of Works, to whom all buildings, ancient and modern, had to be handed over. The Clerk of Works produced several well-filled files into which he delved, and after some searching produced the inventory of R.E. fittings (Army Form G1001). Apparently these alone did not suffice, and another turning over of every page in each file took place for about five minutes without success in finding that which he desired. The following conversation then took place between the Clerk of Works and the Quartermaster: - Clerk of Works:

“Have you got your copy of the Marching In state; I appear to have mislaid mine?” (a long pause in which the Quartermaster looked long, unblinkingly and earnestly at the C.C.W.), and then replied mildly: “Son, many many years ago my great great great grandfather, keeper of the archives of this very Castle, was arraigned before his Commanding Officer for ‘By wilful or neglectful act making away with official documents.’ He was sentenced to be confined in McIvers Cell for 14 days and 13 nights. These were the very documents for which you now search, and that is the last thing that is known about them. They have never been traced, and their whereabouts is wrapped in mystery.”

The handing over then commenced, small tooth comb and magnifying glass being used, the whole affair taking longer than a week and the outcome being that approximately £200 barrack damages was preferred.

But as this included keys for doors and rooms, the existence of which was not known to the oldest inhabitants of the Castle (even Kipper Hayes became aware of strange nooks and crannies), the charge was materially reduced and medieval damages and deficiencies descended again into the antiquity from which they had been resurrected.

AFTERNOTE

DEPOT NEWS

The Castle and the Depot have for so long meant the beginning and the end of service in the Regiment that it is a major upheaval to find the Depot at Durranhill Camp. Here it has no dealings with recruits, although administered by 34 Primary Training Centre, and chiefly confines its activities to those leaving the Regiment.

The Guard Room (1) and Inner Ward (2) of the Castle are still in the care of the Depot, and here at present are kept the property of the 1st and 2nd Battalions not required abroad. Solidly flanked by crates of property sits the Hon. Secretary of the Regimental Association, Major T Mann, in the very room where so many recruits appeared for their first interview.

The stores in the Castle are in the capable hands of Private ‘Kipper’ Hayes, who, after 42 years’ service, finds himself only second in length of service in the Army.

The rest of the Castle houses the H.Q. of the 4th Battalion T.A., who have included their own story in this issue (3).

One day it is hoped that the Depot will again be housed in the Castle, and so rejoin the Association, Museum and property of the Regiment.

Notes

The Guard Room could be either the Outer Gatehouse or the Captain’s Tower.

The Inner Ward seems to refer to anything inside the Captain’s Tower.

The Territorial Army was reborn on 1st April 1947. Battalion headquarters, Headquarters Company, Support Company and ‘A’ Company of the 4th Bn was stationed at Carlisle Castle.

(FROM THE BORDER MAGAZINE JOURNAL OF THE BORDER REGIMENT

 VOL 1 NO 1 SEPT 1947)

EPILOGUE