Sir, – Robin Gill (September 7th) mentions that he was corporal-in-charge, Regiment of Pearce, 20th Infantry Battalion, Clongowes Wood College, 1963/64. I was a member of the school's FCA unit a few years previous to Mr Gill's tenure. I stayed on in the FCA, attending at the regiment's barracks in Dublin, after leaving school.
I recall on one occasion, on the school Sunday morning FCA assembly parade, someone had switched a lady’s nightdress for the Tricolour; as the officer-in-charge had his back to the flag pole, he hadn’t noticed; we footsloggers smartly paraded and facing the “flag” presented arms with the usual aplomb. On noticing the switch, the officer-in-charge was under-impressed by the indignity shown to the flag.
I have to say that the regular Army soldiers in charge of us in the school were gentlemen. I do not recall them ever using obscene or foul language when giving commands. However, later, when I was on parade in the Dublin barracks, an officer used foul language when giving commands. I was perturbed and requested permission to speak from the ranks; when this was granted I told him that I would not carry out further parade commands until he desisted, which, after a long pause and a glare from an angry-looking, purple-coloured face, he did. – Yours, etc,
MICHEAL O’CATHAIL,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.