My first tour was 1987 (RE), which was a construction tour where we built a new HQ for 14 Int, along with RUC Police Stn builds in Plumbridge and Rosslea.
We were on Ballykelly base with 2 Grenadier Guards. They were short of numbers and asked us if we could supply some PAX to assist them. We gave them a section, who went off in Guards berets, did some basic trg and spent a few weeks trogging around the south.
It was a hard choice for many.....................laying some blocks, bit of concreting, some painting then knock off, into the bar that was built in week 1 and attend the NAAFI for the weekly stomp along with the local female 'Coleraine Commandos' ..............OR...............live rough on compo, trogging over the countryside in the wet winter pretending to know what you were doing!
Needless to say, there were not many volunteers!