They Stand Ready
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2012
- They Stand Ready was a film produced for the British government looking at the enlistment, training and duties of a National Serviceman. During the 1950s, all British men between the ages of 17 and 21 were required to serve for two years in the armed forces and National Service personnel fought in a number of combat operations from Korea to Suez.
The film depicts some of these conflicts and emphasises the importance of National Service and the need for Britain to maintain military preparedness across the world. Professional forces "cannot meet these huge demands" and Britain is said to have accepted compulsory national service "without liking it...for as long as may be necessary".
In fact National Service became increasingly unpopular and was abolished by the Macmillan government in the early 1960s.
You can learn more about Fifties Britain in our document collection introduced by the historian Dominic Sandbrook: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ed...
Director: A. Frank Bundy
Year: 1955
Featuring Lane Meddick
Produced by Gaumont-British Screen Services
A Central Office of Information film
back to the 50s,british sent troops to my country malaya to stop the communist...they still put efforts to defend it and not let malaya become a crap.So,the british is not bad at all even though they colonizes us,they still helping the local forces to defend our motherland like during the malayan emergency...thx to them,love from ur colony,malaysia
My husband was in the R.A.F. AND WAS POTED TO MAYLASIA IN 1960,S I AND MY SMALL CHILDREN WENT TOO. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL OUT THERE BUT GREAT DANGER WAS ALWAYS AROUND US WE HAD TO LEARN FAST HOW TO COPE AND ADAPT TO ANY SITUATION.E.POWLES
Warmest Greetings! I served as a British Army regular in the 28 Commonwealth Brigade Group based in Terendak, Malacca on a 2,5 year Far East posting from January 1965 to July 1967. This included service with Operation Crown, Thailand building an airfield, plus technical training in Singapore. Still miss the ghekos!
yes I did Aden Malaya Singapore etc with the Royal Marines. 50/60s. I look at the World especially this my Country now and ask myself , Was it really worth it, ? Because whatever we achieved back then, has been wasted away now. I feel like a stranger in my own land, with a government that treats its former soldiers with contempt, and a media together with a younger left wing population, that wants us to apologise for what we were ordered to do back before even their parents had been born. They see me and my comrades, as Racial Bigots, that are a burden on them.
@@robertscollick3382 I remember how sad I felt when Harold Wilson stood up in the House of Commons and announced, " We are withdrawing completely from East of Suez".
yep and many of our lads died saving your country from Japan, think on that when you land at Changi airport, where once was a POW camp.
My dear old dad was in from 1949-1951 and never did him any harm
To Samurai_Hypers pro. Thank you for your words. My brother was in the regular R.A.F. and stationed at Changi and served many tours in the north of Malaya. He patrolled there seeking Communist insurgents. I served in the regular R.N. and spent 3 weeks in K.L. and trained a little in jungle warfare, just in case anything untoward happened. I have returned to what is now called Malaysia, many times and never had a problem but many have thanked me when they find out what we did. Unlike many other countries that left the Empire the people from Malaysia appreciate the fact that they inherited what we left behind. Not boasting, just saying. Again thank you for your words.
'nuf sed.
My brother’s call-up was deferred until after he had finished his apprenticeship. He got his call-up papers on his 21st birthday. He served in Malaya (as it was then) with the REME, servicing aircraft for the AAC. He became a corporal and had a relatively pleasant life during his service there.
Its funny to think when I joined the regular army in the 70s, my kit was more like the old national service, including putties with boots.
I left the reserves (TA) in 2008. I do miss bits of it. But I am in my 60s , to old , unless they bring back dads army. so have to be happy with my memories.
If it moves salute it,if it doesn't paint it!Memories of painting mud patches green, coal black!Ex RAF 1966-71.
I was called up in REME in 1955. After a test I was put in a platoon where the bulk of the recruits were over 21cyears of age, me being only 18. The problem was quite understandably, they had a chip on the shoulders. I had it drummed into me before I went in, that I had to do I so make the most of it. Unfortunately this didn't fit in with the bulk of my platoon. I then did the Motor Vehicle course at Taunton before being shipped out to Libya. Being REME I went everywhere by myself, unlike the Infantry, even in the back of a truck from Benghazi to Tobruk. I found that every time I came across REME this chip on their shoulder was there, After being in a year I was posted to the RAOC Depot in Benghazi where the fellows were same age as me and a much better unit to be with. I got two stripes in just over a year and passed two trade tests. I tell you that being with REME was not enjoyable.
A formidable generation.
Thanks
to do as your told by the government into this shit is hardly "formidable"
@@thatguythatwascalledpainse1533You would have refused to go, would you? On what grounds? Cowardice maybe?
@@vincekerrigan8300 According to these anti- everythings to go against the establishment is O.K. as long as you don't go against these do- good , anti- establishment of theirs . Freedom and f speech is a 2 way street!!!
Tough British men.
"Tough British men" when doing as they are told by the government ?
@@thatguythatwascalledpainse1533 Tough British man is what I remember about my best Buddy. I don't think you know much about the topic.
@@thatguythatwascalledpainse1533So you wouldn't have done what you were told? Be fun to see you try.
Get out there and give the Arabs a good kicking. I wonder would they have gone so willingly if they had known what the uk would turn into 60 years later. The English working class have always acted like sheep . Keep tugging that forelock. Treated like shit when in the armed forces and even worse when thrown on the scrap heap when returned to civilian life.
@@barbsmart7373an old man now, if he made it to his age pension . Not so tough now. If the uk had not spent so much on this crap and trying to hang on to empire, the uk would be a rich country now . Aircraft carriers before hospitals, 4 weeks to see a doctor, swamped by illegals, your welcome to it
That bloody patronising commentator makes NS sound like a cross between a trip to Butlins and a weekend scout troup - no conception of the bullying that really went on.
Being a politician also makes you exempt, especially from going into the fighting.
That may be the case today, perhaps, but not in WW2, or in the times depicted.
The " Inns of Court Regiment " . In 1975 , the Inns of Court and City Yeamonry was a Signals Squadron based at Whipps Cross , North East London , part of the 71st Signals Regiment .I know , because at 18 , i joined them . From there I moved on the the Regular Army for 12 years.
My best friend with whom I joined the Cub Scouts with in 1965 joined the Regiment a year later. In 1984 whilst serving as a Vehicle Specialist at the R.A.O.C. Armoured Vehicle Depot, i read in Soldier magazine of two accidental deaths within the 71st Signals Regiment, one of them was my childhood friend, he was only 27.
It was him and the Squadron cook, they went to sleep in the Cabs of the vehicles, the generators were running underneath camouflage netting. The exhaust fumes from the generators never dissipated, and these two young Soldiers died an accidental death on Salisbury Plains. My friends name was Richard Desmond .
Hi Dick , This may come as a bit of a shock but I was on that exercise when it happened !!!!
That was in the days when you could walk along the road whilst wearing a military uniform without fear of having your head chopped off.
My old man done his two years of reckonable service, 1960-62, he done two lots of training, royal green jackets, and royal engineers, was supposed to go Cyprus however, circumstances dictated otherwise.. he deterred me from even thinking about joining the army, so I didn't, I read some of the comments on here, seems to me most who served in the national service days learned a lot, plus huge amounts of discipline..
I just missed it by 1 Year and would not have minded doing it at all I think it would have been a a great experience.
anthonyupson. I agree. I was called up in 1949, but failed the medical, and, believe it or not I was actually disappointed. In fact I even argued with officer after the medical, because the condition not being serious, I thought they might stretch a point. They had their rules though, so that was that. Possibly I was lucky, as most of my school leaving class ended up in Korea, which wasn't much fun.
If "John" is only 17-21 years old...then I need an eye-test!
You are right gavsky, he is fairly old for the age he is supposed to be
Full Cpl. In under 2 years, no way. The film is bollocks. Propaganda to soften the blow of National Service. Which came as a very cold shower to most young men of that period.
He more than likely was that young.
Back then people got married younger, had children younger and were considered an adult by the time they reached 17.
My father was in the Army at that age and was a man. Today people are still considering their offspring children when they are 24 years of age which is a joke.
And yet the legal age of maturity was 21.
@@jackofswords7 I knew a few who made Sgt!
Great video. It wasn’t like this in reality of course!
Berwick. How do you know what it was like?
My old Dad signed up for full time duty after his 2 year National Service but was on camp when a general call up of ex National Service men were called. A Rolls Royce turned up at the guard house and out stepped a Duke who was just a an ex Pte in an infantry Regiment. He slotted in with the lads doing the same duty but with a upper crust accent and his reading material was law books as he had just joined a Chambers as trainee barrister.
Fiction, simple fiction.
@Demun1649 why do you say this?
@@Ken_oh545 Because no toffs and chinless wonders were OR during National Service. I was going to be called up, an "oath of allegiance" to a monarchy is anathema to me. So I went to France and spent 5 years in the best regiment in the best army in the world. There is no such as a British army, nor a British navy, nor a British air force, nor a British police force, they are the enforcers who maintain an evil class based system, keeping real people in servitude and slavery.
Demun. As I said before, completely biased and ridiculous coment.
@@vincekerrigan8300 You must have whispered it very softly. I didn't hear you at all. Unless you meant that, you posted a comment, repeating a shallow and facile statement. But, you DIDN'T SAY that, you typed it. Your lexicon must be frightfully limited. Can't expect too much from a slave/serf, can I?
Superb! That was the spirit!
Australian people did this as well 4 years compulsory service ! My father did 1952 - 1956 met my mother & got married ! His mate was Jim flemming raaf pilot who did his career and trained me !! @ raaf Williamtown nsw Australia on the mirage fighters back in the mid 1980s
I thought the Aussies did six months plus the reserve.
class
they are forced to stand ready.
The film is just brilliant.
for anyone to agree this was a good thing to be forced into national service i question that persons intelligence ,
thatguy. Idiotic comment. Like most of today's ignorant generation, you look at everything through the prism of today. You have literally no conception of how unbelievably different life was in those days.
They taught better drill back then.......Notice the quick movements with a genuine pause in between them.
Fred B. Drill is still excellent.
I agree drill has slipped in the last 10 years but they have spent more time being soldiers and killing the Queen's enemies.
Can't believe they are boarding ship with fixed bayonets!, dangerous if you ask me.
the bayonets all had scabbards on aside from the colour party , as they went up the ramp they also had scabbards on
no health and safety shit then they didnt like it up em
@@louislungbubble
boarded the troop ship dunera bowned for kenya two years no home leave i signed for a exstra year served in the coldstream guards dont talk about the basic trianing nightmare at caterham
John made full screw in under 2 years ?
interhigh?
By heck l was frozen wean i ware on my camp the one good thing that we have now is a foem mattress and that not the most comftionb
12:06 I remember a full screw in Celle track bashing on a 432 and got blinded in one eye from a shard of metal, no compensation as he wasn't wearing goggles...who did in 1985?
I was in then Reme here i trained in a 432 on the road for my track licence
@@davel831 reme sheds next to the MT square just up from the gym
Mike L I was at fallingbostel with 7 armoured
Bordon for me
Mike L been there as well
At 4:16 is that Colonel David Stirling, the founder of the Special Air Service?
No
@@keithpringle3940 Wasn't sure.
Train late, no excuse!Probably charged!
interhigh where u at? :)
EYYYYYYYYYYYYY I SUBBED TO YOUR CHANNEL
LMAO when I saw perce going on board with bayonets fixed.
looks like the no.4 s have the scabbards on
Maybe that was because they were escorting the Regimental Colours aboard
@@robertheywood5523 Maybe they should have unfixed bayonets...quite sure the mess silver followed.
Englishmens look pretty when boarding a Ship 🇬🇧
"John" in the video looks like he's much too old to be called-up for the army.
So true , i looked like i was 15 when i went in at 19.5 years in 1958 , i was working at the GPO so it was the Signal Corp for me ,posted to Episkopi Garrison Cyprus.
@Stanly Stud what the hell is REMF.
The guy is probably 28 years of age and never did his time in any way
And migrants and other scroungers complain about there current accommodation at the expense of the British working man and women. AS they used to say when i served get some time in lad, and that is what is missing today, National Service is essential to stop the influx of those who would just abuse our Children and women with some of the most distasteful praises, common in many of the overseas dumps they come from. Many would leave our shores because they do not want to blend into our way of life,
the dingoes and big wheel daimler armoured cars are worth a fortune now most where melted down or range targets what a waste
Served as a T.F tankie in the RNZAC 72 76 drove M113 apc choice 👌
This should never have been abolished. Just think how orderly and disciplined our society would have been if it hadn’t. 😢
Why do you want people to be slaves to the government, training to kill people and potentially be killed?
865
Spot the RWF officer 👈😑
National service did nobody any harm probably will do it again
Except taking away a huge chunk of a young persons life where they could have been working a normal job and not running around getting screamed at by some dudes and then getting sent to kill people and potentially be injured physically or damaged mentally or even killed in the various battles and skirmishes that Britain participated in
Any country that conscripts people isn't a free country
I came across this while slightly shell shocked by Love Island. These young men knew there was such a notion as duty to their country. It's almost 60 years since the end of NS. What the hell has happened to us?
Love island......... now there is a contrast...
Pip Pip Cheerio
Bob’s your Uncle
Bring back National Service, put some pride and respect into our youth.
Problem is the Forces wouldn't want them.
@@thebrothers3971 Exactly! Plus there's so few regulars these days and there'll be even fewer in the years to come. With the amount of shit they've got to do there won't be any spare bodies to babysit a bunch of wee fannies that don't want to be there!
You sign up first, Alex
@@timsplanet2 Already done my bit, joined in 1963.
Oh yes lets sort these Whipper-snappers out with a good old sergeant major because in the good old days we could leave our front doors unlocked.
"More tea vicar" ?
shove your national service up your ass.
Who would want to volunteer for that? was there much sabotage or other forms of resistance?
given. They didn't volunteer, it was compulsory.
Trainee - I got held up because of bad weather, no trains, Sgt "no excuse". Oh sorry but there was nothing I could do about an act of God!
It's your responsibility! You can see the weather forecast and if it's likely to be shit and could disrupt your travel plans making you late or failing to attend a parade, then you leave earlier so you can arrive in plenty of time!
@@keithpringle3940Today's youth don't understand the concept of responsibility.
Hollywood training film😅😅😅😅😅Ex disabled service man .🇬🇧
Glorified footage of HM armed Forces. If only the real truth was know!
What truth ?
Oh do tell us, please?
What truth, what , British soldiers in Korea, 600 holding out many thousands of Chinese, some fifty or so escaped, glorified, monty at el alemain , OK that was ww2, im going to stick my neck out now and say ,' the British soldier is probably the best trained in the world, same as our police force, anyway why moan can't you just enjoy this piece of history, and john was only one of many who was in the army of the Rhine, some 55,000 or so.. so instead of bashing history, just watch it because it did happen in black and white!!
Pride? IN SERIAL SERVITUDE !