I was born in 1940 in the heart of the Quay at no 10 Tyne street just some 200 yards from Ellison st drill hall.The drill hall played a huge part of my teenage years from being in the Durham Light Infantry army cadets at 13 years old,it was great to be with my mates growing up in the the Quay from Primary school the Quay Board school then on to Clegwell we grew up together the cadets was some thing to do some where to go,from there we all joined the TA being 274 field regiment P Battery drill nights were Tuesday and Thursday weekends were Sunday we got regular army pay being a full Bombadeer at 19 years old l got more than l got serving my time at Palmers shipyard 1959 but it was not just the money it was the comadery we went all over firing our 25 pounders most popular was the Otterburn ranges in Northumberland l left in 1961 leaving with some happy memories of Ellison st drill the dances we used to have above all all my childhood friends.mates such happy days.