'We have so much to thank the army for': Lancashire Royal Engineers celebrate half a century of friendship

Two Lancashire Royal Engineers are celebrating their friendship as they look back over half a century of memories from their time in the British Army. James Holt reports.
Richard is third from left, with Thomas stood in the centreRichard is third from left, with Thomas stood in the centre
Richard is third from left, with Thomas stood in the centre

A train journey from Preston to Hampshire was all it took for Thomas Barlow and Richard Brakewell to become the best of friends.

The two Lancashire men, who met when completing their attestation for the army, have recently celebrated fifty years of their friendship together.

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Thomas and Richard met on October 28, 1970, as young men entering the army recruitment office on Preston's Fishergate to 'take the Queen's shilling'.

Richard Brakewell, left and Tom Barlow, right outside the career office where their friendship blossomed 50 years agoRichard Brakewell, left and Tom Barlow, right outside the career office where their friendship blossomed 50 years ago
Richard Brakewell, left and Tom Barlow, right outside the career office where their friendship blossomed 50 years ago

Joining the British Army is still unofficially described as 'taking the Queen's shilling', including non-British and Commonwealth soldiers who sign up.

Both walking into the recruitment office, the pair couldn't have anticipated the lifelong friendship that would blossom thereafter.

Thomas, then 18, was eager to break away from Blackpool and move out of his family home while Richard was following in the footsteps of his older brother John, who was thrilled about being a physical training instructor for the army.

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Thomas, 68, said: "We just met completely by chance. When you go into the recruitment office, you know that you will be posted straight from there to your first training depot, which is daunting.

The entrance to Southwood Camp Cove, Hampshire, where the pair trained in 1970The entrance to Southwood Camp Cove, Hampshire, where the pair trained in 1970
The entrance to Southwood Camp Cove, Hampshire, where the pair trained in 1970

"When I went into the office, Richard was the only other person there, they took us in to make the pledge together and gave us both a bible and the Queen's shilling, which we still both have to this day.

"We knew straight away we would get on and would be friends for life."

Tom and Richard were sent straight to Preston train station, where a trip to Waterloo and then on to Hampshire awaited them.

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The journey was spent talking to girls in the women's Royal Army and getting to know each other - forming the foundations to a friendship that would be set to last 50 years - and counting.

Both men were recruits in the royal engineers, providing military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and were billeted in the same wing of the accommodation, working and training together at Southwood camp.

"We want people to know what a brilliant experience we had in the army. You need strong teamwork to be successful at any of the tasks they set for you and you rely completely on the people around you," said Tom.

"Richard and I found that we could always rely on each other. The strength of the individual really comes out in the team environment. Once you've developed that sort of friendship, it's a hard one to break.

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"We met up outside the recruitment office last year and wondered how long it had been since we first became friends. For us, the army was a great thing, it gave us opportunities to build our careers and prepared us for life. It gives you a great grounding as a person."

They have since gone on to pursue different vocations within the royal engineers but have retained contact and their longlasting bond which has continued today.

Even though there have been years when the pair have only had light contact, they have shared significant and special moments during each other's family occasions.

One of their most recent was a trip together to Cyprus, visiting the sites where Tom was once stationed on the six months he spent serving there in the army.

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The pair still continue to challenge one another on virtual quizzes once a week on a Sunday to remain in touch.

Tom added: "We remain close friends to this day and socialise and continue to celebrate with our families and our wider group of friends.

"We have much to thank the army for, not just the coincidence of signing up together and our resulting friendship, but also all the great lessons you learn as a young man

in the army, which prepares you for life in general."

Richard, 70, said that they both became friends instantly and reminisces on fond memories of their time as Royal engineers.

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He said: "The idea of the training was for them to demoralise you and then build you back up so that by the end of the training, you have built on your confidence. They didn't manage to break us, they tried but were unsuccessful. When one of us was down, the other would pick us back up.

"Being in the army opens up your eyes and makes you realise you could achieve more than you ever thought. It is so difficult for young people today, especially with Covid, but the army really opens up your horizons."

Like Tom, Richard was a young 20-year-old who wanted more out of life and planned to follow in the footsteps of his brother. Walking out of his mundane job at Leyland Motors was all it took for him to join the army, where they built bridges, felled trees and even handled explosives.

He added: "I hated my job and was so bored of it, I knew I wanted more out of life. One Monday morning I just walked out and said I was joining the army. That was that.

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“In those times you could just step out of one job and walk straight into another one. I knew that I wanted to join the army and went and did it.”

The Armed forces careers office still stands on Preston’s Fishergate giving advice about training and adventure and travel opportunities for full and part-time soldiers and officers.

For more information, visit apply.army.mod.uk.

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