During December of 1954, the Senior NCOs mess of 3 (F) Wing, Zweibrucken, challenged the 2 (F) Wing Grostenquin Senrior NCOs to a hocket match on a certain Saturday afternoon. I do not recall who of our mess accepted the challenge but we managed to gather 11 men plus a coach. None of us had skated in 3 to 5 years. Having no ice skating rink at Grostenquin, we were unable to practice beforehand and we were not too steady on our borrowed skates and the equipment (one size fits all) that was loaned to us by 3 Wing. Anyway, we proceeded to 3 Wing and met them. Boy - oh boy, oh boy - did we ever receive a lesson.
The first period went so so and most of the boys gave all they had.
The second period started with two shifts less one man but finished with one shift and a spare man.
In the third period, we borrowed two men from the other team to have a shift and a spare man.
WO Gillespie (2nd row standing 2nd from left) was the eldest but the best on our team. The goalie completed the game as well as Gillespie, myself (the last standing in the second row at the far right), the Coach (dressed in plain clothes) of course, I believe Shorty and Slim (the two at the extreme left in the front and rear row).
We were so tired that the boys were vomiting and whenever we had a chance to touch the puck, we would shoot it down the ice. Luckily, there was no "Icing" rule. We really enjoyed ourselves but never again did we ever accept such a challenge. Even a week later our limbs were stiff and hurting.
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