The way it was, way back then!

[JockWatt]

From the Football Times in 1954:

"Another two Dalneigh United players, John Watt and Billy Urquhart, have received offers for a trial with Clach and Caley respectively. This makes eight players from Dalneigh United who have received recognition. A proud record for a Welfare club".

And from a bit later:

"John Watt, ex-Dalneigh United centre forward, now on National Service in the Navy, scored nine goals in two matches while on trial for HMS Leeds Castle".

And yes, I'm holding the Drill Cup!

[Charles Bannerman]

I bet the wee boy between the Officer and the kilty man got bullied a bit at school! :thumb04:

On the other hand with a bunch of heavies from the 4th Company as minders, he might have been OK

Edited August 21, 2008 by Charles Bannerman

[absent friend]

Jock

This brought back memories of Willie McLeod, sitting there with his thick glasses on!!

I was there from about 1953 and the oldest guy then was Addies(?)McLennan, he had a problem with his hearing - a butcher with Riggs on Eastgate. He may have bridged the gap between you being there and my arrival as he was quite a bit older than me.

Have you had your invite to the Fourth's week/weekend get together next month? It promises to be very nostalgic - culminating in a Church Parade on the Sunday.

I can hear Bannerman now -'Auld mannies wi pill-box hats on, hadding up a' the traffic!'

Jealousy is an awful thing Jock, isn't it!

[JockWatt]

Jock

This brought back memories of Willie McLeod, sitting there with his thick glasses on!!

I was there from about 1953 and the oldest guy then was Addies(?)McLennan, he had a problem with his hearing - a butcher with Riggs on Eastgate. He may have bridged the gap between you being there and my arrival as he was quite a bit older than me.

Have you had your invite to the Fourth's week/weekend get together next month? It promises to be very nostalgic - culminating in a Church Parade on the Sunday.

I can hear Bannerman now -'Auld mannies wi pill-box hats on, hadding up a' the traffic!'

Jealousy is an awful thing Jock, isn't it!

Aye this young whippersnipper, Bannerman, must have had a FEW run-ins wi 4th lads or he wouldna' be sae bitter !!!!

I remember Addie well - he was a wee bittie slow as I recall !!! :thumb04:

The same year we won the Drill Cup, we also won the PE Cup that I'm holding -

Edited August 22, 2008 by Scotty
removed duplicate image - you uploaded it twice.

[absent friend]

Hi Jock

I tried to contact you direct, within this system, yesterday but maybe it did not work.

Peter Home, who is organising the reunion I mentioned, was interested in your 4th BB memories and would like to get in touch.

If you have received my direct message, that's ok because I have included his direct contact - if not - let me know and I will see what I can do.

[Charles Bannerman]

The young whippersnapper Bannerman is also of the pillbox generation!

[absent friend]

Hi Charles

Peter was able to recall much of your offering on the BB site when I spoke to him yesterday and it brought back super memories, more to him I must say, as he knew most of the people you mentioned from the other companies, I suppose due to his giving back more of his time to the BB whilst I discovered other directions and distractions!

He also pointed out, to me, the people in Jock's top picture and surprise surprise - many came from Culcabock, joined the following year by my goodself and, I would estimate, another six from the village which would bring the Culcabock involvement up to circa 50% of the 4th Company.

We also had, as new recruits that year, Frank and Willie Allan and Peter, his brother Jock was already there as can be seen from the picture, just above Jock Watt's right shoulder.

This must have been a healthy infusion of new bodies but, no doubt, the rest of the movement was experiencing a similar uptake in the youth of that day. Changed days indeed!!

[Charles Bannerman]

What a BB stalwart Peter Home was! One of the legends alongside Scoobies, Jackie Sutherland and Bill MacDonald.

[Kingsmills]

I have a birthday looming which, for the first time, takes me closer to 50 than 40. This thread has cheered me up leaving me feeling relatively young !

[absent friend]

Now look here, we don't need any of this adolescent nonsense - leave us to reminisce in peace.

I can imagine you, now that you have read that, hands in pockets - playing billiards - hair in eyes, saying 'Whatever'!

Nothing worse than a grumphy old teenager!

[DJS]

Interested to hear absent friend refer to Culcabock as "the village" as I've only heard my father and uncle, who grew up there, describe it that way before. Hard to believe that not that long ago Inverness used to end long before Fluke Street but now it goes miles past it.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Tonalt - Scorguie and Kinmylies always makes me reminisce - I can recall the trawl across the field opposite Balnafettack Farm and the winding road down to the Canal Locks - and not a feckin hoose in sight - or meeting ma Dad at Kinmylies House and walking up the never ending Brae back home !!

[JockWatt]

Hi Jock

I tried to contact you direct, within this system, yesterday but maybe it did not work.

Peter Home, who is organising the reunion I mentioned, was interested in your 4th BB memories and would like to get in touch.

If you have received my direct message, that's ok because I have included his direct contact - if not - let me know and I will see what I can do.

Hi Absent Friend - I didn't get your direct message! My email address is -

jockwatt@homemail.com.au

Please try again?

[absent friend]

Hi Jock

I tried to contact you direct, within this system, yesterday but maybe it did not work.

Peter Home, who is organising the reunion I mentioned, was interested in your 4th BB memories and would like to get in touch.

If you have received my direct message, that's ok because I have included his direct contact - if not - let me know and I will see what I can do.

Hi Absent Friend - I didn't get your direct message! My email address is -

jockwatt@homemail.com.au

Please try again?

Jock

I don't trust this new fangled bloody things - Gosh knows where the message ended up - I have given Peter your email address so he will contact you direct.

I am quite excited going up home, from Aberdeen, for the 27/28th Dinner/Church Parade and meeting all the 'old' boys.

Peter went through your photo with me and as can be seen from my reply to Charles, above, I could not put a name to the faces until Peter helped me, so I could end up rather embarrassed due to not recognising my fellow diners!

[JockWatt]

Hi Jock

I tried to contact you direct, within this system, yesterday but maybe it did not work.

Peter Home, who is organising the reunion I mentioned, was interested in your 4th BB memories and would like to get in touch.

If you have received my direct message, that's ok because I have included his direct contact - if not - let me know and I will see what I can do.

Hi Absent Friend - I didn't get your direct message! My email address is -

jockwatt@homemail.com.au

Please try again?

Jock

I don't trust this new fangled bloody things - Gosh knows where the message ended up - I have given Peter your email address so he will contact you direct.

I am quite excited going up home, from Aberdeen, for the 27/28th Dinner/Church Parade and meeting all the 'old' boys.

Peter went through your photo with me and as can be seen from my reply to Charles, above, I could not put a name to the faces until Peter helped me, so I could end up rather embarrassed due to not recognising my fellow diners!

Hi "Abs". Please remind Peter that he is/was going to get in touch with me?

Jock.

[absent friend]

Will try.

Here I am thinking you were both knee deep in 4th memories all this time!

[culduthel]

From the Football Times in 1954:

"Another two Dalneigh United players, John Watt and Billy Urquhart, have received offers for a trial with Clach and Caley respectively. This makes eight players from Dalneigh United who have received recognition. A proud record for a Welfare club".

And from a bit later:

"John Watt, ex-Dalneigh United centre forward, now on National Service in the Navy, scored nine goals in two matches while on trial for HMS Leeds Castle".

And yes, I'm holding the Drill Cup!

Jock mun you were supposed to wear your hat at an angle not straight!

[JockWatt]

Jock mun you were supposed to wear your hat at an angle not straight!

NO! The Staff Sergeant cap was always worn straight !

[absent friend]

Jock mun you were supposed to wear your hat at an angle not straight!

NO! The Staff Sergeant cap was always worn straight !

Well, that's me returned back home after the weekend in the Sneck - Centenary Dinner for the Famous Forth in Lochardal Hotel on Saturday night and Church Parade, from the hall to the Kirk, in the morning.

Not many caps, or anything else, on straight at the end of Saturday night Jock - good company, many stories(you were mentioned at our table Jock, but don't get excited so was Annie Bo Bo and Half Loaf) The only problem was that they were all getting older except me! I did not realise the stalward Peter Home is for the Forth - he has been in the company for 62 of the 100 years Lifeboy at 5 and Captain for the last 40 years. He was saying that 3 Captains covered 96(ish) of the 100 years, with himself and Willie MacLeod covering the bulk of that time. I think there was circa 75 at the Dinner and about the same amount at the Church Parade.

Now for the bit for Charles, yes, when I was in the BB we had a large influx from Culcabock, in fact we made up almost 10% of the dinner and parade number BUT 66% of the table was from - I know you said it Charles - South Drive, North Drive, Thornbush Road etc, so mentally I had to eat humble pie along with my sirloin steak! They were the best table companions we could have ever had and they proceeded to entertain us with Ferry stories that had us laughing throughout the evening, it was another way of life down there for a youngster!

Many photos were taken and if I get a chance I'll see if we can show a few mug shots of your peers, from your earlier days! In fact that is something that 'young' Bannerman could do for us since he is up in Inverness and the photos are up there too and he will have all the know-how,...... just for all his cheek about the Forth!

I do have a Centenary Booklet with photos from bygone days in it, including the one above with your straight cap and if I had an address I would send it to you as I feel sure it would bring memories rushing back

[culduthel]

Jock mun you were supposed to wear your hat at an angle not straight!

NO! The Staff Sergeant cap was always worn straight !

Spoken like a true Staff Sergeant, Jock.

Our St. Sgt. in the Second Co. always wore his at a slight angle. Maybe that is why we always lost the marching competitions.

[Charles Bannerman]

Good to see the story and photos of the Church parade in yesterday's Courier. Despite all the good natured Ferry banter I've sprayed around this forum about the Fourth, I'd be first to acknowledge that there's more tradition and social cohesion about that company than about any other from Inverness.

By the way, Jock, had they stopped drilling with rifles by the time you joined?