When I was 18, and studying for A-level, my call-up papers were served but I claimed deferral as I was studying. I think I claimed to be a "conscientious objector".
The next year, call-up ended and I thought I had escaped. However when my course finished and I had been in hospital, I was called up.
I had emigrated to America with my 19 year old lovely wife at 19 (4 July 1962) and I was called up their first. I served on a destroyer and slept in the gun deck, we were torpedoed and picked up by the Russian Sub that sank us, the sub defected to Britain so ended back home where I was arrested.
I was so confused because of the psychiatric treatment that I did not answer the call, I did not understand as I thought it was finished. The psychiatrist indicated the consequences of claiming to be a "conscientious objector" and changed my mind. Then some soldiers came with guns and I was taken to do my service.
I remember very little of my time in the British army because of subsequent treatment. The psychiatrist had his knife in me. However I volunteered for special services, I never was told if I was accepted and was sent to the Far East to do battle with the communists.
I have a vague recollection, which seem like bad dreams, where I had to use a long knife in hand to hand combat, a rifle to shoot and kill and a pistol to save my life. Man the killer.
I briefly flew a spitfire as a ground attack aircraft before we were grounded with the arrival of MIG's.
I did a tour of three months, then to Antarctica where we supported the British presence in Antarctica.
After a total of six months I returned home. Then the psychiatrist drugged me and I was put away with a brain operation (it was for a tumour).
I later flew a raid on a cave where we bombed a rebel position using a lightning on a cave at the foot of a deep ravine. It could not have been taken by ground assault.
Chris.