Conscript

Peter Hall, who now works as a mechanic for Scania, was once a weekend warrior. As a Territorial Army man in the late 1970s, Peter served part-time with the Royal Corps of Transport, as part of the TA's appeal was that as well as military training, you could carry on your trade with the Forces.

There was also some foreign travel. Peter spent time in Germany on NATO exercises for short periods. There he drove three ton ML and MK trucks, Series Land Rovers - and being a motorcyclist, occasionally was used as a DR, on BSA WD B40 350s.

One afternoon he was given a message to take to a senior officer at another BAOR unit relatively nearby. The weather was mild, so he jumped aboard in just his light uniform. But on arrival, the officer there ordered him on considerably further with another message. He climbed into the mountains, dusk fell, the temperature dropped, and Peter learned a life lesson: never go motorcycling without the proper kit.

And the B40? "I didn't have an opinion on it. It was there , I got on it, and rode it from A to B. It didn't inspir e any feelings one