num_pages: 80
description: In a mechanised age it is difficult to imagine the life of a cavalry man who had to cope not only with sword and rifle drill, but also with the vagaries of the horses. John Siminson served with the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, first as a territorial and then, at the outbreak of the Second World War, as a regular soldier. Re-classification as 'medical category deferred' necessitated the author's transfer to the 4th Cavalry Training Regiment at Colchester, where he was initiated into the real life of the army - no more a Saturday Night Soldier but a fully-fledged member of the regiment. In 1940 the cavalry regiment was re-organised and became the 61st Training Regiment - Royal Armoured Corps - at Tidworth. John became worried about a hernia, but became physically fit again following an operation. He then trained as a driver-operator and in December 1942 he was posted overseas on draft to the Middle East, where he joined the 12th Royal Lancers. It was an experience of many journeys by land and sea, in both rough and calm weather, through Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Italy, San Marino, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and France. The exotic sights and sounds were made more significant by the constant reminders - incidents of sabotage and bombs landing nearby - that war was never far away.
language: English
title: Saturday Night Soldier
titlecomplete: Saturday Night Soldier
publisher: Janus Publishing Co Ltd