THERE can be few men left in the Territorial Army today that are capable of equalling a record of service exceeding 30 years, and who still look and feel like young men. Those who aspire to such heights cease to be individual soldiers, and become rather institutions in their own right. One such man is the retiring RQMS of 1/51 Highland Volunteers, Alan Cameron Morris.

Alan Morris's military career began in 1949, as a National Serviceman in the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) - that is, the 3rd of Foot - 39 before you know who! His first confrontation with military discipline occurred whilst serving with the battalion in Hong Kong, where as a Lance-Corporal detailed to supervise some twenty Jankah Wallahs (soldiers under punishment) he incurred the wrath of the Provost Sergeant and lost his stripe. He was then transferred to Khartoum with the battalion Advance Party, where he had the job of supervising the civilian contractors who had about 600 men working for them. Even in those early days his man-management talents were put to good use - despite the lack of a stripe. He had in his charge about 150 more men than the CO!

In June 1950 he joined the London Scottish for four years compulsory service (first group) but was persuaded to volunteer in October because a new recruit was needed to lay the wreath at Hallowe'en. In 1951, he attended his first camp at Dover, as a Signaller. HQ Company was thin on the ground at the time- he was one of the only six privates in the Company, and as there were only three Companies in all, he found himself doing Guard every third night. For the next four years or so, Alan Morris became heavily involved in signalling for the battalion. The British Army had by this time graduated from carrier pigeons and semaphore to sophisticated things like radios and morse transmitters. Alan recalls little of the types of equipment that he was required to use, except that they were all without exception bloody heavy. His forte, however was line-laying. He recalls once using this skill to his personal advantage some years previously when serving in Hong Kong. The stretch of line for which he was responsible happened to cross a main road. It was the RSM's custom to hold a Drill Parade every Saturday morning. The young Alan Morris hated drill. As it happened a convoy of tank transporters used this particular road every Saturday morning. These heavy vehicles screwed up his line on every occasion that they passed, and every Saturday morning Pte Morris excused himself, and went along to rejoin the breaks, never hurrying in his work and always hanging them at exactly the same height across the road. Thus he missed every drill parade.

But back to his career as a volunteer in the London Scottish. He rose steadily through the ranks at the rate of about one promotion a year until in 1957 he was appointed Colour Sergeant in "A" Coy and later in HQ Coy. It was in the years that followed that he perfected the "Q" arts of blanket counting, scrounging and the like. He hated square bashing, shouting and anything remotely connected with infanteering; he wasn't averse to physical exercise and hard work, in fact he liked nothing better than to be tucked away in a store somewhere with plenty to do. His motto became an oft quoted saying of a contemporary RQM who said: "He will work any hours as long as he doesn't have to leave camp".

It seemed that the world of ration strength returns, bedrolls and greatcoats had swallowed him up for all time, until he was exhumed one day in 1965 and threatened with promotion to CSM. This shook him a lot, so he marched into the office of the then RQMS, Duggie Leitch, and asked to be reduced to the ranks so he could be a private storeman - and was turned down! So he became reluctantly, CSM Morris and remained so until 1967. When the reorganisation of the TAYR took place in that year, he managed to escape back to the stores as a Colour Sergeant, and remained hidden until 1970, when circumstances forced him to resume C5Ming for a short period. But greater things were "in store", and he was later appointed RQMS of 1151 Highland Volunteers, thus fulfilling an ambition of some twenty years standing. He has held this post for the last 11 years of his service, finishing last October after over 31 years in the London Scottish uniform. In that time he has attended 33 Annual Camps, of which no less than 25 have been in the "Q" role. Reflecting upon this astonishing record of undetected crime, Alan remarked: "I was never really what is generally described as a soldier".

Over the last eight years. Alan Morris has, in addition to his "Q" functions, acted as the "G" Coy Recruiting Officer, a duty which like all others, he has performed extremely well. It is perhaps worth recording, that in those eight years, he processed over 300 potential soldiers. It is sad to reflect also that (through no fault of his) few of those 300 remain in the Coy strength today.

In sporting activities he has shown a great interest over the years. He was a reluctant cross-country runner in his early days, representing the London Scottish on several occasions. He was captain of a successful basketball Regimental team for many years around the 50's, and also played for the London District team. He is still extremely fit, despite the onset of old age, and junior soldiers may take a lesson in learning that this man completed his Tickle Test (three miles) this year in under 24 minutes - 23.48 to be precise.

Alan Morris's first love has been and always will be Highland Dancing, which he took up in 1950 as an extra-regimental activity. His first teacher, Bill (J. S.) Williams found the young Pte Morris a far sight better at dancing than he was able to teach him, and recommended him to the famed Pipe Major Peter Quinn (Royal Scots Fusiliers and Parachute Regiment). In later years Alan trained the Regimental team himself, and when they competed in and won in the Scottish Championships at Oban in 1956 and 1957, it was largely due to his efforts. Alan also won the Individual Army Championships in both those years, and returned in 1959 and 1960 to win the Open Professional Championships both times. He has danced at most of the Highland Gatherings throughout Scotland with varying degrees of success. In Highland Dancing, as in all his other pursuits, he is a perfectionist. There have been occasions in recent years when he has stiffly condescended to give classes in Scottish Country Dancing (an abstract form of Highland self-expression, distantly related to Highland Dancing) to improve our performances at the annual Sergeants Mess dances, and at times he has coached the officers prior to the Royal Caledonian Balls (with anguish) "Two-Three-Four Set to your partner ... Turn! No, Mr Angus; don't wrench the poor girl's arm out. Gently but firmly. Come on gentlemen, smile. You are supposed to be enjoying yourselves. No, Captain Strachan, Sir. Don't wave your arms about. You're not cocking the whoop. Keep 'em by your side! With a one, two, three . . . . .. He assures us all the time that Country Dancing was invented to be enjoyed; otherwise it is just a waste of time and effort.

Alan Morris, though a man greatly admired and respected was never a seeker of popularity, and never suffered fools gladly. He was the sort that could be extremely reproachful without raising his voice, indeed he is well known for his bleak smiles, and the frigid meaningful glares that silenced the noisiest transgressors without words. And whilst he often cast a mental barrier between himself and others, it was not from pride and self- importance, for he was at times the most approachable of people, assisting the sincere supplicant to the utmost of his ability. It is probably because, being a perfectionist he saw so much in the TA that wanted for doing well. He approached all problems with calmness and deliberation, and did well all that he put his hand to. By his own admission he was "never what was generally described as a soldier". That seems neither a fair nor accurate judgement, for as we all know, soldiers are of many kinds, and an Army does not only comprise "teeth arms". He added by way of explanation: "I don't mind physical exertion, but 1 dislike discomfort and boredom intensely. Being an infantryman, one gets lots of both". Sufficient to say, a good RQMS is equivalent to a platoon of Jocks.

Alan counts among his highest achievements his appointment as RQMS in 1970. This was never a job that he just tumbled into by chance, rather it was an objective towards which he had worked for close on 20 years. He became an "Ancient" in 197 1, a singular honour, as he was one of the youngest men to have been admitted to this august body in recent times.

He was President of the Sergeants Mess in 1962 and 198 1, and has been a Trustee of the London Scottish Regimental Trust since 1975. He was Bayonet Fighting Champion of the London Scottish in 1953, and, for what it is worth - Cribbage Champion of the 1/51 Highland Volunteers Sergeants Mess in 1973!

Alan took "early retirement" from his job a year or two back, and now works full time as the Regimental Administrator at No 59, where RQMS or no, he is able to keep a watchful eye on everything. It is therefore unlikely that we shall see the last of him for some time yet. Be on your guard!