Training Conventional Phase. Everyone in the photo is a national serviceman. The corporal is J C Van Zyl. We were all teachers and thus slightly older than his 19 years. Nevertheless he was a very good instructor, and he worked very well with us. He was very full of himself, but is he wasn't like this, he wouldn't have been a good corporal :-))) His catch-phrase was always "Hoooor JY!!!" (`Do you hear me?')

The teachers also did P.T.!! On more than one occasion I heard talk that us teachers didn't do `proper Infantry School P.T.' because we were older. Bull!!! Bravo Company. Platoon no. 4 busy with class competition. Third from the left is Henry Bayman who presently teaches at Wagpos just outside Brits. Third from the right is Gerrie Duvenage, who presently teaches at Potch Gymnasium. Fourth from the right is Johan Zwarts who is presently teaching at Hoerskool Brits. The chap on the poles is Wilhelem De Bruin, known as "Oompie" or "Uncle". Look at his glasses and you will understand the origins of his nickname. He was always in trouble, but he was one of the main characters in the platoon. Unfortunately he committed suicide the year after he completed his national service. This was a great pity.