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24
Feb
Exorcisms, Falklands heroics… new project captures Ripon’s remarkable military stories
A retired Ripon Cathedral canon who performed an exorcism to troops in Bosnia is among those who have contributed to a project to preserve the city's military heritage.
Ripon played a key role in both world wars.
About 350,000 soldiers passed through the city’s army camp during the 1914-18 war.
Militia camps were built in Ripon as war approached in 1939, and the city became a vital training area for the Royal Engineers, with Bailey bridge testing among the activities taking place.
You can read more here.
Pre-World War Two huts at one of Ripon's army camps.
Now Homes England wants to demolish Ripon Barracks as part of the 3,000-home Clotherholme development.
The charity Ripon Military Heritage Trust is campaigning to preserve one or two huts and convert them into interpretation centres near the new development.
Bosnian exorcism
As part of the campaign, the trust used a £1,000 grant from North Yorkshire Council to buy recording equipment and interview veterans who were based in Ripon after the Second World War.
One interview featured retired canon Keith Punshon, who was an army padre sent to Bosnia with the Ripon-based Royal Engineers in 1997 and 1998.
He performed his first exorcism at a factory where the soldiers were based, and which had been the site of an atrocity during the war.
He said:
Hundreds of young people had apparently been acid bathed after being murdered in the factory.
The young soldiers got a bit upset about it and things were going bump in the night. So off I went and met the lads and got to know them.
Keith Punshon
Armed with his clerical kit, including a few candles, the clergyman decided the problem needed “commanding theatricality”. He explains:
I went to the soldiers and said “right lads I’m going to have an exorcism and these people are going to be laid to rest to go with God, to rest in peace…and you from then on will be left in peace to get on with your work.
So it was bell, book and candle, read passages from the Bible, celebrated communion irrespective of whether they were Muslim or Christian, God is God, said prayers, said a Muslim prayer I knew. It settled the soldiers’ minds.
Bob Lisle
Falklands veterans
Trust volunteers also captured interviews with Tony Douglas, 72, a captain in the Royal Engineers who heard an astonishing admission from the Argentinian commander in the Falklands shortly after surrendering, and from Bob Lisle, 71, who went to the Falklands with 11 Field Squadron Royal Engineers.
Bob helped to load the SS Atlantic Conveyor container with supplies and heavy equipment, but the ship couldn’t dock with battle raging at Port Stanley so the crew started cutting holes in the deck to unload.
Bob left the ship before it was destroyed by Argentinian Exocet missiles in May 1982.
To complete the audio archive, the trust is particularly keen to speak to veterans of more recent conflicts such as the Gulf and Iraq wars, Afghanistan, as well as from the Falklands, the troubles in Northern Ireland and any Second World War veterans who may still be alive.
Andrew Coles, who is leading the oral history project, said:
As the military history of Ripon approaches a key moment, with the winding down of operations at the military camp, now is the time to capture the experiences of the men and women who not only worked and trained at the camps, but also were impacted by their presence in Ripon over the years.
After centuries of influence on the city, we need to preserve and record this important aspect of life in the city of Ripon. Talking to those with memories of serving in Ripon and from Ripon is a privilege. We want to speak to as many as possible with links and memories of the military in Ripon, so that we can preserve this vital and important part of Ripon’s character.
The Gordon Highlanders at Ripon during the first World War.
Trust chairman Guy Wilson said:
We have already learnt so much about military life and activity around Ripon from speaking to people who were there.
We now have to capture that and more on recordings before it is too late so that the contributions of the people who served in Ripon can be properly understood and remembered into the future and the many humorous and illuminating anecdotes about army life are not lost to us all.
The Stray Ferret has backed the trust's campaign to save Ripon's military heritage.
To contact the trust about the project, email ohp@riponmht.org.
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