Page 7 - RADC Bulletin 2019

HISTORICAL
Recollections of
an Aldershot and
Devizes Conscript
Brian Sims (former Corporal RADC)
On reading the article, in the 2018 edition of the RADC Bulletin, about the RADC Central & Wessex Region Team building visit to Wadworths Brewery in Devizes I felt compelled to enquire whether any of the group took time out to discover the history of the Military in Devizes?
I was posted to this little known outpost
of the British Army in June 1957 to the 653 Army Dental Centre located at the Depot and Training Establishment of the Royal Army Pay Corps. Adjacent to this Depot was the Depot and Headquarters of the Wiltshire Regiment as well as the RPO (Regimental Pay Office) and REME. This collection of units formed the Devizes Garrison.
The Dental Centre was a two chair facility and on arrival as a newly qualified DCA (Dental Clerk Assistant) from our Depot
in Aldershot I was greeted by two Dental Officers, the NCO, another DCA and a Dental Radiographer. All were National Servicemen.
The daily routine was of regular dental treatment for any of the 3000 soldiers at this Garrison. In addition to this, at two weekly intervals, an intake of approximately 150 new recruits to the RAPC received an Initial Dental Inspection. This was conducted on a
Friday afternoon with the whole group lined up and marched into the Dental Centre two at a time. All dental records were held at the Centre with the objective of ensuring that each recruit was graded as DTC (Dental Treatment Completed) before they left the Depot at the end of their 10 week basic training course. In addition to the RAPC there were also monthly intakes of about
30 soldiers to the Wiltshire Regiment HQ & Depot.
This was a busy Dental Centre and it was located in the same building as the Medical Centre which had two RAMC doctors,
an RAMC NCO and two RAMC Medical Orderlies. In addition, the RAPC Medical Records Office with four RAPC personnel was also located in the building.
In addition to the Devizes Garrison, the Dental Centre was also responsible for treatment to the staff and students at the Royal Military College of Science (now the Defence Academy UK) located some 40 miles away at Shrivenham. This task was undertaken with twice weekly visits by one Dental Officer and DCA to a new Dental Centre located in a refurbished Guard Room. Transport (Landrover) was provided from the RAPC motor pool.
RADC Officers and Other Ranks of 653 Army Dental Centre – Devizes. Taken in July 1957. The Officer on the left of the picture is Captain Dobbs. Brian Sims – centre, bottom row
I remained at this Dental Centre for the rest of my service (19 months) and for most of this time I was the NCO. The main reason for staying at Devizes was because I was
a member of the RAPC Unit Swimming
and Water Polo Team, and this included swimming for the Unit at numerous District and Command events as well as at the Army Swimming Championships held at Woolwich Garrison in 1958.
This was a most memorable two years spent with the Corps at Aldershot and Devizes.
One of the two dental surgeries
653 Army Dental Centre at Devizes
The only memory of the Devizes Garrison from 1947 to 1972 is this memorial stone located on a roundabout on the A361 some 4 miles from Devizes town
RADC BULLETIN 2019 5