Parson's pleasure
From Sir Richard Parsons Sir: I enjoyed the upbeat column on National Service by Paul Johnson (And another thing, 22 July), whom I remember as an articulate, slim, carrot-headed youth in those academies of the military art, Bushfield Camp and Eaton Hall. No doubt he has changed. The Education Corps, whose arcane mysteries were revealed at Bodmin and Beaconsfield, was adept at providing a welcome sanctuary for us military duffers. We were indeed yelled at ('Parsons, you are a wit.' [Pause] 'A nit-wit.' Sycophantic laughter from rest of squad); but it soon became apparent that nothing very awful was likely to happen.
I once heard our sergeant discussing with a minion whether or not to put me on a disciplinary charge. He decided against it, with the immortal words: 'He's no bloody good, but he's dirt willing.' This seemed an admirable description of the posture needed for a happy period of National Service.
It was good training, too, for a subse- quent career in the Foreign Service. Flus- tered ministers are not all that different from enraged senior officers and can some- times be appeased by a show of enthusiasm.
Richard Parsons
London Ni
Previous page
