Fuck NO!!!
I knew Scouse well... He, along with Dave Allen and Mick whose last name eludes me right now but he ended as a WO Man, (Wright???), came over from 2 PARA. Scouse was at Bloody Sunday IIRC.
My best memory of Scouse was at the Battle of Hastings. We were at Lydd and Hythe and got a day off and driven to Hastings. The plan was for an FRV at about 2000 at a pub on the east end of town. Many were there early and were hanging out in the pub. The 4 tonners arrived and several of the lads were inside finishing their game of pool while Scouse, myself and a group of others were in the car park waiting to embus. All of a sudden all hell broke loose and bodies came flying out of the pub. Somehow something kicked off over the pool table and our lads were not having it. The duty NCO's were on us by the 4 tonners immediately to keep us out of it and Scouse and I were hustled aboard. We were stood next to each other pulling down the canvas of the 4 tonner watching the carnage when we both saw Brian Conchie, (ABA Boxer at the time), crack some cunt on the chin. We all heard it break and the chap went down - out cold. Conchie ran and got on our 4 tonner while repeating "Foooch, I foooching killed 'im"... Scouse and I kept telling him "Naahh, he's moving" while looking at each other thinking "No he fucking isn't"...
Suddenly the car park was filled with cozzers who had the 4 tonners move to some truck stop and got us all out and lined up. Conchie and Scouse had swapped tee shirts prior to this and Conchie left with "Jack" Frost to make it home on foot - which is a whole other story...
The cozzers lined us all up and had some "witness" try to finger the near murderer because by now the cunt had woken though was not in the best of health. Dickhead came down the line and Scouse was stood next to me in the direction the "witness" was coming from. He fingered Scouse and I collapsed laughing having been with Scouse on the 4 tonner witnessing the punch.
Scouse, as was Scouse, took it like a man, said nothing and was taken away.
Upon arrival back at Lydd and Hythe I went to the Boss, (Mike Basnett), and told him Scouse was innocent as I was sat next to him in the back of a 4 tonner when the "alleged incident" occurred. The Boss took it to heart and off he went to the cop shop returning with Scouse a couple of hours later.
When asked how it was Scouse replied "It was Fooching nothing"... Typical of Scouse
I never knew his first name but he was a good man and a good soldier... Yet again I mourn the passing of a man I served with and respected... Sucks!!
