Mixed Emotions

Joshua and I set off for Brompton Barracks in Chatham, Kent, at 1100. It’ll be around 700 miles there and back for me. The hottest day of the year and I’ll spend it in a van!!

Once we passed junction 3 on the M25 we were further east than normal and the road signs brought back memories of my childhood; not all good.
Reigate - reminded me of ‘Woodruff’ children’s home, I went there just before my ninth birthday in 1962.
Camberley - ‘Pinehurst’ children’s home, once I reached ten I moved here from Woodruff. Pinehurst holds particularly unpleasant memories, run by a Mr Goldsworth and his wife. Their son Nigel was a few years older than us and was a bully, so much so that despite the passing of time were we to meet I would do him serious physical harm.
Mitchum - Pentlands Remand Centre I was sent here by Chertsey Magistrates Court a holding centre before moving to;
Redhill - the Classifying Centre, children were classified by gender, intellect, race and religion before moving to their allocated approved school.
Lastly Wisley where aged eight I tried to sprint across the A3 and was hit by a Triumph Herald and as a result spent some months in the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford.

Eventually we reached Chatham, more memories, my first Base Port of my service in the Royal Navy but inevitably a lot of changes.

I was allowed on to the camp to drive Josh to his accommodation block where we unloaded a van full of his kit. He has his own room so therefore a bit of privacy, although we are uncertain this could be his home for the next twelve months.
Eventually I set off for the return journey, still on the road at midnight but only an hour away from home.