Can't remember his name but he was straight of the big book of cliched drill sergeants. He really had it in for my platoon. 'We were the worst shower of useless lazy barstewards ever to disgrace the uniform of the Republic of Ireland'. We were up at five or six every morning square bashing and ritual humiliation and running around the parade ground with our rifles held above our heads, elbows locked. I assumed this was normal, after all I had seen all the movies, until an officer interrupted his screaming, complaining that he was disturbing the sleep of other units still abed. He quieted down, muttering foul imprecations against the officer's parents and carried on torturing us. It turned out we were the only platoon to get this treatment. He was right though, some of us (not me) were useless beyond redemption.
Like all good drill sergeants he was funny too. But you dare not laugh or he would single you out for a diatribe of epic proportions.
Bear in mind, we were all volunteers and part timers who could go home any time they wanted without penalty. No one did though.
A few of us went on to greater things. Some went to military college as officer cadets, others the Foreign Legion, others to the British Paras, and one to the US Marines. They were well prepared.
Later when I watched 'Full Metal Jacket', it looked really familiar.
Great fun.
