The John Reddisson Saga--My Early Life by Freddy Johnson

Author:Freddy Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781781484265
Publisher: Grosvenor House Publishing
Published: 2014-10-29T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8

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In May 1959, I left Wooburn Grange, shortly to be renamed the ‘Wooburn Grange Country Club’. I moved into my quarters in the Officers’ Mess at the Army Education Branch Centre at Wycombe Birch Park. I was leaving a building which had been my home for over four months. Little did I realise at the time that it would become instantly recognisable to millions of television viewers in later years.

In planning the series of ‘Fawlty Towers’ – six in 1975 and a further six in 1979 – it was decided that Wooburn Grange Country Club would double for the hotel and that most of the exterior shots would be filmed there, including the opening shot of the building at the start of each episode. Unfortunately, Wooburn Grange Country Club is no more. It burned down in 1991 and a developer later built a number of houses on the site. I must be one of a very small band of people who can actually say, ‘I lived for several months at ‘Fawlty Towers’ – in the very building shown at the start of each episode.’

I distinctly remember the first time I realised that the fictional hotel and Wooburn Grange Country Club were one and the same. Previously, I’d had a vague idea that they could be, but one day it rang really true as, yet again, I watched Basil Fawlty walk down the hotel steps. I was with some friends in a pub when I heard the familiar signature tune on the pub TV and we turned to see the start of an episode. As it progressed, there was a familiar exterior shot. I couldn’t stop myself saying out loud, ‘I lived there. I actually lived in ‘Fawlty Towers’.’ A man at the table next to ours leaned over and said, ‘I don’t know what you’re drinking, mate, but whatever it is, I’m off to the bar to get myself a double.’

On our first morning at the Education Branch Centre, we had an introductory talk from Major Trevor, who commanded the Officer Training Wing. He introduced us to our course instructor, Captain Frank. I was the only one wearing civilian clothes that morning. The other eleven course participants had all just finished a basic officer cadet course elsewhere and were thus recently commissioned as second lieutenants. They were now reporting for their professional Branch training. Some were National Servicemen, others were hoping for a long-term Army career. My lack of uniform was rectified that very afternoon by a visit to the Centre Quartermaster. The Army tailor was also visiting, so I was able to be measured up for additional items such as service dress and mess kit. The Army granted a generous dress allowance which covered the purchase of most items.

Captain Frank gave us a synopsis of our course study subjects and it looked very much like a condensed post-graduate certificate of education. He was a pleasant and lively instructor with a ready sense of humour. His one failing was an occasional lapse in deep preparation of the specific subject in hand.

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