ha ha what a trip and final outcome
i was stationed in army chester...had just come back of a spot of leave prior to our 2 yr stint in berlin...funds were low..that was monday before paris final..on wed. a had a word with my platoon commander who lucky enough was a mad red alan woolford bless him hes prob a col now. anyway he arranged for me with my oc,maj weeks to let me go to final. and alan also got me 200 quid from my advanced credits..payoffice..the journey was on..i had from tues lunchtime to thurs aftoon to get back to camp.

so i made arrangements with my bro george..to meet them at service station knutsford..on tues at 13.00 hrs...so i got to knutsford sat waiting for ulsterbus coach to arrive for my trip tp paris via portsmouth harbour..time, was ticking down but i needed the loo..so couldnt wait any longer..off i dashed...aghhhh.. on return from loo i see a ulsterbus coach pull away...out off knutsford services...omg..what can i do! remember no mobile phones then. so i decided to take a chance...i had to get to portsmouth try and catch my bro he had boat and match ticket for me via prior arrangement.

i hitched a lift of a lorry driver who dropped me at birmingham services..who arranged a coach driver he knew nat express to drop me at..euston station london which he did both of them bless them never took a penny of me..and thank u both.

on my arrival at euston..i had to get to waterloo.which i did...it was now 8.30 eve...i paid £6 for train ticket to portsmouth harbour. on my arrival at portsmouth it was now 22.15..qtr past ten eve. then my second chance i had to take i dashed to ticket control desk at boat to leharve large line of passengers..asked was a party of 40 and mr greenhill..on board. the girl told me look heres a boarding pass, but u must come off if he is not there. phew i know...off i ran was fit then just managed to get aboard gangplank pulled away and the boat i was alone on the ferry...no ticket for boat match and i didnt even know if my bro and freinds were on boat. anyway i looked around...went to the bar thru the back sliding doors..it was then my heart leaped..there he was my bro honestly i nearly cried with releive. he hadnt seen me but the looks on my freinds faces said it all...was i a ghost...lol i sat down on brothers, arm of his chair. ave u got the time mate, he looked at his watch said 10.45..mate looked up at me and said were the fck were u ha ha ....the rest is history...and barney rubble ie alan kennedy..made my night..wed..godbless all who helped me in my epic journey to paris i shall never forget to the day i die.