On a Monday morning in April 1963, young Brian Ashby was 'getting a rollicking' from his manager at TSB, and it was all the fault of the President of the United States, John F Kennedy.

Well, sort of. The problem was that Brian, then aged 23, had come to work in his slippers, due to the fact he had blisters all over his feet having completed a 50 mile walk from Dover to Maidstone, organised by the Kent Messenger and inspired by JFK himself.

"In 1962 or 1963, President Kennedy had said something about the English youth getting soft, unlike the Americans," recalled Brian, who lives in Gravesend. "The Kent Messenger organised a 50 mile walk because of that – that's how I understood it."

It's probably how a few others understood it too, but it's not exactly as the history books have it.

Three years earlier, Kennedy had come to office with the aim of improving the health of America, and written an article in Sports Illustrated magazine, entitled "The Soft American" which warned Americans were becoming unfit in a changing world.

Then in 1962 he'd discovered an old executive order from ex-President Theodore Roosevelt, which challenged US Marine officers to finish 50 miles (80 km) in 20 hours.

The president proposed modern day marines should take on the same challenge, which in turn inspired the people around America to have a go, particularly after JFK's brother Bobby completed a 50 mile walk in February 1963.

It's hard to imagine it happening now, but a 50 mile walking craze was born.

The challenge soon spread overseas, becoming a fad in the UK and hitting Dutch shores around the same time; and it's easy to see how some might have seen the idea as a challenge from the Americans.

But never mind the US Marines; Brian's stamina on the day of the first Kent Messenger Walk – organised 60 years ago this week – would have got him into any special forces unit around the world.

With the first walk due to start at midnight on Friday, April 5, 1963, Brian's preparation was far from ideal, having done no training and working a full day's shift at TSB in Gravesend before the walk.

"I worked from 9am until 7.30pm then went home and got changed and caught the train down to Dover at 9.20pm. We started walking at midnight."

While subsequent KM walks would start at Margate, Brian admitted the start of the first was "a bit disconcerting" due to the steep climb out of Dover for the first few miles.

Around 4,500 people took part in the first walk, and stewards were supposed to release the walkers in batches, but being a wet night everyone was keen to get started. Some decided not to wait for the official start and suddenly there was no holding back the rest.

There were two stage checkpoints. By the time they reached Canterbury Barracks about 1,000 walkers decided enough was enough. At Ashford Barracks more dropped out, and only 670 crossed the finish line at Maidstone Barracks.

Brian was among them.

"We got into Maidstone on Saturday afternoon, and they were providing free breakfast when you finished – bacon and eggs. I was alright as we finished but as soon as I smelt the egg and bacon I passed out. The KM ran me home in a van.

"After the first one I had so many blisters I couldn't put my shoes on when I went back to work. In those days I was a cashier behind a counter so customers couldn't see my feet, so I went to work in my carpet slippers.

"Instead of being grateful I was there, I got a rollicking because I didn't have my shoes on. Nowadays, they'd have a week off."

Despite collapsing over the finish line and needing to bandage his feet, Brian was back the next year at the start line, this time in Margate, and completed every one of the five KM Walks between 1963 and 1967.

Now 83, he admits he wouldn't take on the challenge again, noting "each walk was 50 miles, but 50 yards is an effort now" but he has fond memories of the walks.

"The first one was my favourite," he added. "When it came to the later ones my dad had a car and followed me along the way, parking up two or three miles up the road.

"The second year I got the Saturday off. My manager was ok about it but kept saying how stupid it was. A few years later I had moved branch but he phoned me up asking for advice because his son was doing it."

Most of the time he remembers walking on his own, staying focussed on the task at hand.

"You just end up concentrating on taking the next step forward," he added. "It starts off with this throng of people but by the time you're at Ashford you're on your own. The next person is miles up front or behind.

"I remember lambs being born, and the sun rises were nice. You start at midnight; it's three hours to Canterbury and then the sun comes up, it must have been between Canterbury and Ashford.

"My times always varied. The longest one was 17 hours, and the quickest was 15 hours.

"A lot of people did it quicker than I did, but when you get these sort of events you get people who are semi-trained and much fitter. I didn't do any training, I just went to the walk and went for it, but 60 years ago that's what we did. Everywhere you went, you walked or cycled.

"It was all done as your own challenge, and I enjoyed it. Nowadays it's all done for charity, which is admirable. Doing things for charity is great, but you don't see too many people doing these kind of things any more – especially after a day's work!"

One year, Brian's cousin Derek went along and found out just how tough the walk was.

"He was struggling between Ashford and Maidstone so I left him, with my parents keeping an eye on him," he added. "I finished the walk myself, then changed into my slippers and walked back to meet him. I helped him along the last bit.

"If you look at the picture you can see I'm there with my slippers on."

The last one, in 1967, saw Brian complete the walk with his girlfriend Joan, amidst weather conditions so bad they could have put an end to some blossoming relationships.

Instead the walk was a sign Joan was in for the long haul.

"I was courting a young girl at the time, and she's now my wife," recalled Brian. "She did the walk with me, but it was torrential rain. Lots of people dropped out after 15 miles.

"Her argument was that I was carrying on, so she would only have to wait for me, so she might as well carry on as well.

"It was bad. We had a break at Canterbury, then it was 15 miles to Ashford and 20 miles to Maidstone. The road from Ashford to Maidstone goes on and on.

"There were 7,000 people on the last one. I think the KM packed it up because it got a bit much. I often wonder how many people there are around now that did all five walks.

"I wish I could do it now!"