Page 171 - Mind, Body & Spirit Number 104 2020/21

Don Challinor 1931– 2021
A Staffordshire lad destined to travel the world, Don was born in 1931 to Evelyn Gwenifer and Arthur John Challinor with brothers Mike (who joined the Royal Navy), Chris (who also joined the Army) and sister Diane. After leaving school he worked as a Confectioner Baker at Lowes Bakery in Stafford for a few years; he then joined the Army in 1951 as a National Serviceman in the Royal Army Service Corps. Don was Initially posted to the Green Howards in Richmond and then to the Lincolnshire Regiment. However Don’s natural inherent fitness and love of sporting activities led him to become a Physical Training Instructor and after a tough selection course in 1953 he was selected as a Sergeant in the Army Physical Training Corps. Don was to have numerous postings around the world which started on attachment to the Northern Command School of PT at Catterick alongside characters such as Hughey McWhinney, Gordon Stavely, Bill Baxter, Daley Duncan, Don Glynn and the Commandant at the time, Harry Harbin.
Then in 1956 Don and his wife Margaret and their one-year-old son Nicholas travelled by Troop Ship (TSS(HMT)) Nevasa, (the largest troop ship built at the time) on his first posting to Hong Kong. It was the time of the Suez crisis, so the Suez Canal was closed, and the ship had to travel around Africa making the journey over 7 weeks in length. Don was initially attached to the 79 Coy Water Transport Company RASC; he then was moved to the 1st Royal Tank Regiment (1RTR). These were exciting times for a Stafford lad, especially living in the New Territories at Lai Chi Kok and then Sek Kong Valley – snakes everywhere and the occasional Tiger wandering across the border from mainland China! During this period, their second son Steven was born (who later in life had ‘Made in Hong Kong’ tattooed on his backside). It was a troubled time especially with Communist insurgents doing their utmost to disrupt colonial life in Hong Kong. Don remembers the Transport Company having the awful task of picking dead Chinese bodies out of the waters of the Hong Kong Harbour and surrounding river estuaries. Whilst in Hong Kong, Don, along with John Travers, Ralph Wills, Dick Richards, Len Burdett and Ken Delgetty, starred in the film ‘Ferry to Hong Kong’ in a fight scene against some local sailors - Don is seen flying backwards over a table in the bar. They were ably supported by Orson Wells, Sylvia Symms and Kurt Yurgans, famous stars of the day. He also took part in the famous Dragon Boat races in Victoria Harbour each year.
In 1960 Don and his family then travelled with 1RTR to Munster and then Hohne, for a busy 3-year tour in Germany. This time the return journey from Hong Kong was much shorter as the Suez Crisis had ended and the Suez Canal was once again navigable. They travelled aboard the TSS(HMT) Oxfordshire, another grand troop transportation ship. Germany, with its cold snowy winters proved a radical change in climate and geography. It was also the time of the ‘Cold War,’ and 1RTR played a major part in defensive training exercises to demonstrate the West’s capability to hold back Eastern Bloc forces if invasion were to occur, so Don was always busy.
In 1963 he had the prestigious attachment at the Parachute Regiment Depot in Aldershot on the ‘P’ Company Selection Staff. Whilst stationed there he was instrumental in the design and build of the notorious Trainasium, Steeplechase and Assault Course Para fitness testing facility working alongside memorable Para trained Corps Instructors.
In 1966 it was then back to Hong Kong with the 1st Battalion the Welch Regiment, but this time travelling by VC10 and landing at
the infamous Kai Tak Airport centred almost in the heart of the city. The Battalion were stationed in Stanley Fort, the last Hong Kong strong hold position taken by the Japanese in WW2 (defended to the last man by the Royal Scots and their Canadian comrades). Apart from its bloody history, it was a marvellous place to live – a peninsula with golden sandy beaches surrounded by crystal clear water and wonderful views onto the South China Sea. The Communist insurgent troubles were still causing life to be stressful and on one occasion Don and his family found themselves trapped in the ‘China Fleet Club’ whilst rioting raged all-round the streets of Hong Kong and Kowloon. This was also the time when the US Navy used to transit Hong Kong for R&R and resupplies for the troops coming and going from the Vietnam War. Stanley Fort is now occupied by the Chinese communist liberation Army, but Stanley Village is still a popular visitor attraction.
Then after 2 1/2 exciting years Don moved on with the 1st Battalion to Gravesend in Kent and during this time their daughter Claire was born. Army life meant long absences apart and was hectic and busy for Don and this turmoil took its toll on married life with Margaret which resulted in their divorce.
1969 took him to the Army School of Physical Training in York for one year, on promotion to Warrant Officer Class one (WO1) (Sergeant Major Instructor (SMI)) responsible for training young potential ‘PTIs.’
It was not until the final posting of Don’s army career that he was to fall in love with Adventure Training and he was in Scotland from 1970 to 1973 Commanding an Army Mountain Training Centre at Kingussie as a WO1. The Centre was used by Army Outward Bound School Twywn (for staff training), the Women’s Royal Army Corps, and The Parachute Regiment plus staff and pupils from Edinburgh
BEYOND THE GYM
DONALD CHALLINOR
Lt Col (Retd) Nick Challinor APTC/RAPTC (son)
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Father and son – Hong Kong with 1RTR - Tank Training area 1959