Anyone remember the Majunga detachment?

[Dundiggin']

I spent 6 months on the beach in a bamboo hut with a straw roof living the life of luxury in the Village Touristique............now that was a detachment!

[L J R]

I personally aviod places that remind me of the Hanoi Hilton myself.

[Rossian]

You, mon brave,could be opening one of the bigger can of worms seen on this site since............ A bottle of "Trois Chevaux" anyone?
The Ancient Mariner

[Union Jack]

I certainly do, but I'm saying nothing until I see what emerges from the swamp .....

Jack

[ArthurR]

If I remember rightly, I was at Khormaksar at the time, but new a few that got a short detatchment there. Biggest complaint: bacardi and coke was
1s 0d in the day and 1s 6d at night due to coke being imported

[Dundiggin']

For I too ended up in the 'Swamp' :cool: after 'Madam's' Aug '66 - Feb '67 :) - oops!

[Dunhovrin]

Oh God,

The Majunga '66 brigade finally pulls themselves out of their bathchairs and gets their nurses to write something for them. Takes me back to the days of Lossie '88 and when the 8 Sqn crewroom was full of "Blah blah Majunga, blah blah Sharjah, blah blah Changi". Having just landed from 8 hours up and down the Aberdeen 120 radial looking for trade it was enough to make you puke. We weren't jealous, oh no!

If this thread is to continue I demand to know how Boots H***ken got the nickname. Didn't it occur out there?

Dit On.

[Shack37]

Anyone remember the Majunga detachment?

NO, but I did three.:oh:

s37:O

[Dundiggin']

Were you ex-37 Sqn Khormaksar? I was out there with your Sqn and with the great Olaf Berg from 38 Sqn Malta.

[Shack37]

Dundiggin,
Yep, ex 37 K'sar. Only did one short trip to Majunga from Aden to assist with an engine change and later two dets from BK. The one from Aden (returning to K'sar by Shackair) resulted in an unplanned stop at Nairobi, Embakasi. There was a Britannia detachment based there at the time who, apparently, were caused great embarrasment by our presence.:mad:
We listened to the 1966 World Cup final on the Beeb world service whilst ensconsced tempoarily in the Spread Eagle Hotel.
Cheers,
s37

[Dundiggin']

Interestingly perhaps, I and another bloke who was a Shack armourer in Majunga, subsequently were flying together on Pumas and went to Rhodesia as part of the Ceasefire Monitoring Force! We decided to keep our Majunga involvement quiet but eventually it was revealed and the Rhodesians were perfectly fine about it as they were getting their oil from SA!:*:* Perhaps the Majunga det was not as effective as we had hoped. Anyway it was bloody good fun. :ok:

[Shack37]

Dundiggin
No arguments on that observation, fun was certainly had by most. Not always appreciated by some of our white French neighbours when we were briefly billeted in the (I think) Hotel de France in Majunga town. Many a rugby / shack song was interrupted by flowerpots raining down from three stories up.:eek:
Our version of the French national anthem didn't get many votes in the airport bar either:\
On the other hand, fraternisation was encouraged:oh:
Still, we were a happy little band:O
BTW Have had a few trips offshore as a Puma pax, think I prefer something with a galley:ok:
s37

[Dundiggin']

Aaaaah! L'Hotel de France was also the place to convert water to wine and back again! :ok: I was working in the bureau from Sep '66 to Feb '67 which was possibly after your time there. I saw the change from 37 to 38 and then to 42. Should have seen the natives move when the vipers lit up on the Mk III's or was it Mk II's?!!

[Shack37]

I don't think any MkIIs had vipers fitted, just the MkIII, PhIII which needed a boost to get off the ground with the extra bits and pieces fitted. I wonder if the Hotel de France is still going. A wonderful place coming a close third after madames and villlage touristique. We once did a tour of all three in a landrover with 19 souls aboard. Never been so close to my friends before or since.:cool:
After that short trip with 37 I went back again twice 68/69 with 204/210 from BK.

[wingnutsdg]

Hi Shack37, This is the butterfly collector (in joke). We meet again.

It was only the MkIII PhIII that had vipers, ended up causeing so much stess on the airframe the MkIIs outlasted them.

I was in Majunga in 69 or 70 (memory a bit hazy) 204 Squadron detachment from Ballykelly. Stayed at Camp Brittanique... and then the Village Tourisique prior to departure. Best detachment ever.... I think :)

[Shack37]

Wings / Dundiggin
If we keep pushing we may get a few more coming out of the woodwork:suspect:
Come on now, we know you're there, you know you want to...............:uhoh:

Eight posters so far, there were more than that most mornings in Jospin's waiting room:oh:

Cheers
s37

[MrBernoulli]

Dundiggin'

"Perhaps the Majunga det was not as effective as we had hoped.

Absolutely correct! Your patrolling achieved the big ZERO when it came to effect on Rhodesia's fuel supply.:E

[Rossian]

In my role of "little helper" sat in on one or two of his consultations to help with language. Wonderful chap. He was great humanitarian and very understanding of the weaknesses of mankind. I think that stemmed from the fact that as a very junior army doctor he'd been posted to Devil's Island. Many, many years later I met a v. senior medical chap who told me that they were still doing medical/admin discharges as late as the early '90s of chaps who had caught (or thought they'd caught) a nasty anti-social complaint at Mere Chabot's establishment . I think that the problems started after a certain boss decided to put Madame's out of bounds and she was forced to augment her client base with South Korean fishermen. Bloody puritans - the trouble they cause.
The Ancient Mariner

[Dundiggin']

'Mere Chabot'?? Do you mean Madame Chapeau?

Biggest laugh was when 'Madame' appeared in the bureau shouting (in French naturally!) words to the effect that one of her daughters was pregnant and it was one of our detachment wot dun the dirty deed! Olaf Berg (not known for his ability or desire to speak French) wanted interpretation at this very noisy and French interruption to his daily work schedule. Eventually he told her to 'Bugger off' in a broad South African accent! That seemed to solve it!!

[Shack37]

Rossian
I seem to remember that the period that madame's was "out of bounds" was one of her busiest. It certainly didn't affect the traditional "handover night" when relievers and relieved got together for (de)briefing.
I still have a, slightly fuzzy, mental picture of a visitor arriving one night with some of our aircrew and thoroughly enjoying the wine/trois chevaux. I saw him the following morning, apparently still a little woozy because he'd managed to put his collar on back to front.

Wholeheartedly agree about Dr. J. a great character. I believe the RAF took him to the UK to pass on some of his expertise and managed to lose him for a while in Bahrein.
s37

[wingnutsdg]

I have seem Madam's spelt Chabot, Chabeau and Chabaud. There is still a Madam Chabaud advertising a restaurant, bungalows and hotel in the attached, half way down on the right:

www.majunga.org/images/guide-ortm/guide-touristique-majunga2006.pdf (http://www.majunga.org/images/guide-ortm/guide-touristique-majunga2006.pdf)

And here still in Mahibibo:

http://www.madagascar-guide.com/fr/Pages/decouverte/nord/majunga/resto.html

and here in Katsepy... just across the river:

http://www.majunga.org/chabaud/

Luckily I never had cause to meet Dr Jospin :)

[Shack37]

Interesting advert in that link for la Chaboud restaurant "Service Simpathique"
Nothing new there then.:ok:

I did visit the good doctor once. Sporting injury I think. Incurred during a football match against the local lads.:yuk:

[wingnutsdg]

Yeah right :cool:

I looked at Village Touristique on Google Earth, still seems to be some buildings in the same location but much overgrown now, hut seem closer together and water closer to the buildings with a sandbar further out....

I'd like to locate camp Brittanque if it is still standing, but too built up around that area now

15 42'26.50" S 46 18'17.68" E

[scrimshanker]

think you'll find it was May 70 (or Mar 71) that you met us in bundu boots and butterfly net as our new copulate !!

Best birthday I ever had was at Majunga.. Francoise stepping out of a large cardboard box with det com's house keys in one hand, and landrover keys in the other.. good old Dickie.. he knew how to look after his junior officers !!

And I did get to know doc jospin.. and not for a sports injury !!

[Croqueteer]

:) Last weekend I was at the 75th birthday party for our 38sqdn skipper who led us on three Majunga detatchments! Nearly all the old crew was there, so many tales were told, and we had to stay an extra day in Devon before we were fit to drive home. Beat ups of the beach and the Maison were the norm, as was sending an "Ops normal" to Salisbury control every hour as we were in their FIR, but they were never less than pleasant and helpful. A very civilised detatchment.

[Nineiron]

I was hauled in for questioning ( well invited for a beer or two) by you lot. I was the only English crewman aboard the MV Wumme, (a scruffy looking trawler full of stuff that went bang) that seemed to attract your attention as we minded our own business off the Madagascar coast. Our German skipper had already tightened the strap on his U boat commander's hat once after refusing interception and boarding by the Royal Navy on the high seas. I was having a quiet beer one afternoon in the Hotel de France when my eyes focussed on a 'Keep Ballykelly Flying' sticker behind the bar. The conversation started with a simultaneous ,'what the bloody hell are you chaps doing here?' With an American colleague we had a great night at your club bar. I remember him being amazed that we all knew the same songs about basic bodily functions.
Thankyou for reminding me about pleasant days at the Village Touristique, a bamboo hut with a bed and a mosquito net and a bit of bent water pipe as a shower, what more do you need? Ah those barbecued crayfish! I remember a restaurant near there with a large domed ceiling. The chameleons would run up the walls until they lost traction, then plummet down on to the dinner table. We drank the bar out of red label and convinced the barman that his stock of black label was useless stuff that he would have to sell us it half price. Remember the dart board in Madame Chapeau's bar? Somebody had constructed a large pair of pincers for extracting the darts, embedded to the hilt, by the local spear throwers. I sailed off into the sunset, well Lourenquo Marques actually, and eventually took to flying aeroplanes for a living. I hear that bubonic plague broke out in Majunga in 1997, not surprised.

[denachtenmai]

Pinching Pedro the bus driver's gearstick and passing to the back just as we were going up the hill from the village touristique. Oh how we laughed when he got his own back by flinging a firkin great chameleon in my lap days later:eek:
Regards Den.

[Shack37]

Phone call from officers mess person to airfield guard warning that detachment Duty Prat had left a note inside one of the aircraft with the word "Bomb" written on it. Note found and the word "disarmed" added.
Officers mess person rewarded with large gin, Duty Prat rewarded with large grin.

s37:D

[jackbeveridge]

I was stationed at majunga commcen in 1970 for the regular 6 months tour. Happy days. I enjoyed reading the majunga forum. brought back memories. one incident spings to mind. About 6 of us organised a trip up to the top end of madagascar to collect sea shells. Seemingly they are quite rare. Two landrovers with trailers carrying all the gear, including fresh water, tents ect. An officer approached us and asked if he could come with us as he was a keen butterfly collector and he was desparate to catch some of the rare butterflies which are native only to Mada. We ofcourse agreed. We didnt make our intended destination, got lost in jungle and some of the roads were totally impassable. So this guy persuaded us to help him catch butterflies instead of sea-shells. He majically produced three or four nets and gave us a few basic tips on the art of catching and killing the butterflies without damaging the wings or bodies of the beasts. So there we were prancing about in the jungle catching butterflies. You couldnt make it up. he was like a young kid let loose in a sweetie-shop. And we all joined in the big game hunt with loads of enthusiasm. I have just discovered, in attic, some slides of that particular hack. Now on my pc. If you are that officer then i would be more than happy to send you these photos. Or to anyone else who is interested. My email address is
[email protected]

[GIGFY]

Oh, I remember it well:ok:
Well, that's not strictly true as many will back me up. The days were warm and hazy and the only brain stressing activities were listening to Mel Quick (armourer) brow beating the patron at Village Touristique about the battles the English won over the French.
I'm surprised there has been no mention of the Flying Saucer - any memories?
I lived in one of the shamba huts on the beach and was entertained most day and nights by "boomarang flies" and Marty Robbins belting out from the bar. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marty_Robbins)
Here is a link for our Shacks:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/27862259@N02/6437001489/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/27862259@N02/6437001489/Did any of you run the gauntlet from Uganda to Aden via Egypt? 500 feet with lights out so the Migs didn't catch us - fun, NOT!
I think I can safely say it was the best 3 months of leisure we ever endured:)

[Alan Mills]

I went there 4 times with 205 from Singapore, 2 of them on 3 day visits from Gan, and 2 from Honington with 204. I wish I had had more time to explore the island. Christmas 1971 was memorable, with Gibraltar staff casting covertous eyes on our Christmas trees on the way out. The locals at our film nights in the "Maison" seemed to appreciate "Zulu" when we showed it at a film night! Plus collecting bodies from tin town as we went in for a flight. and the 3 dogs Snoopy, Ratbag and S***bag, at the airfield site.

[Alan Mills]

There were 2 stories, one was that his use of the foot pedals was pretty fierce, the other was that one afternoon when he was on SAR standby at Gan (205 Sqn) he was so upset at a decision against him on a the volleyball pitch outside the accommodation, that he booted the ball over the hut roof, and retired to sulk. I was there at the time.

[oxenos]

I think it pre dated 205, AM. He arrived on 205 late 1969, and we flew together about a dozen times in Oct/Nov, before I came home. I'm pretty sure he was known as Boots when he arrived on the Sqn.

[Alan Mills]

Ox, you could well be correct, it was all long ago, although I still remember the bedbugs in the Hotel de France, and the appalling toilet on the hotel's 1st floor!

[Shack37]

GIGFY

Your link shows a Mk3 and is labled 42 Sqn. I thought 42 had Mk2s back then. I'm not sure but I don't think they ever converted to Mk3s.
Happy to be corrected.

I was there with 37 Sqn. in 1966.

[oxenos]

Like you I had thought 42 stayed with Mk.2s, but Joe Ashworth's book shows them having 3s from NOV65 - SEP 71, when they converted to Nimrods. It also shows 977 as being with 42 from MAY66 (post Viper fit) to MAY68.
I did 2 months in Majunga from 205 in summer 68, and a short detachment in Oct 69, with Boots as my co-pilot and Gerry "Primrose" Lane as Nav Captain

[GIGFY]

Hi, Shack37
Yes, we had the MkIII's - pain in the butt if you forgot there wasn't a tail wheel - think about it:ooh:
At one point, St Mawgan was host to 210, 201, & 42 - all MkIIIs.
Just a matter of interest, I was posted to Helicopter Flight just down the road from 37 from 1962-1964 before being "volunteered" to return to Khormaksar to initiate closure in 1966. Thankfully I wasn't there in 1967 when the last Wessex flew off.
I've tried to find out from comrades the names of the locals we had contact with but no luck.
I believe a 37Sqn guy married a lady from Madagasgar and he has a website somewhere.
PS: here it is:
Return to Majunga 2008 (http://www.37aden.co.uk/returntomajunga/index.html)

[Shack37]

Thanks GIGFY, memory could be fading a bit.
I was at St. Mawgan from November 1961 to June 1966 with a break for fitters course mid 63 to mid 64. During that time we had 201, 206 (Mk3s) and 42 (Mk2s). This changed when 206 moved to ISK and MOTU came to St. Mawgan but I'm fairly sure 42 had Mk2s when I left there for K'sar.
On escaping Aden in 67 I went to Ballykelly, home to 204, 210 (Mk.2s) and 203 (Mk.3s). I think that was unchanged when I demobbed in 1971 but it's possible 203 may have move to Honiton??? prior to my leaving.

That website is the 37Sqn site run by Dave McCandless. It was Dave who married the daughter of the lady owner of the most popular pub in Majunga's famous Tintown neighbourhood. I visit it regularly (the website) to catch up on any new messages which sadly sometimes include departures of old mates.

[GIGFY]

Thanks for the feedback, Shack37 - I did a check for memory's sake and found that our change over from 2s to 3s happened between Nov 1965 until Jan 1966. I joined the squadron in January 1966 and was on board for the acceptance flight of one of the first 3s.
While at Khormaksar, I had a great number of mates on 37, specially one Porky Dring, engines, who, I don't believed ever washed but managed to get hitched to a millionairess! He didn't sign on again - funny that.
My association with shacks continued when posted to Lossie to run the engineering side of the SAR 202sqn choppers. I use to swan over to 8Sqn for a couple of TGIFs. It was interesting to learn the EWS domes collected seaweed just as well as the dustbins on mk2s!

[Shack37]

GIGFY
Thanks again, that clarifies pretty much everything from T4s to Mk3Ph3, where and when, over a number of years.

As for dustbins and seaweed, we had a 206 Mk3 return to St. Mawgan with part of the dustbin missing. There were some ATC Cadets on board that trip, one of whom was enjoying the view from the tail end as scanner met water. He appeared unfazed on disembarking, probably thinking it was quite normal for bits of a maritime aircraft to submerge occasionally.

Happy days.

[Rossian]

.....I found absolutely fascinating!

The thing that struck me most was the emptiness of the streets in town and the roads around. I remember it as being rather a bustling place.

Was it on this thread that there was a photo of a Mk2 Shack batting along the beach very low towards the airport, with a line of young girls waving?

I'd have been intrigued to hear Dave's wife's impressions of returning after such a long time away.

Definitely the all time best det - EVER!

The Ancient Mariner

[Blanket Stacker]

203 moved to Luqa from Ballykelly. 204 went to Honington when BK shut.

[Shack37]

Was it on this thread that there was a photo of a Mk2 Shack batting along the beach very low towards the airport, with a line of young girls waving?


Rossian, the link in Post #37 has that picture or another version of same. I believe it's a 38Sqn aircraft. If you look closely you'll see that 1 and 2 engines are shut down and feathered.

[GIGFY]

I remember that! The pilot report in the 700, "unusual thump felt at aft end":}

[Shack37]

I remember that! The pilot report in the 700, "unusual thump felt at aft
end":}


Closely followed by another one from the Station Commander in private.

[fly7boy]

Did three of the wonderful/awful Majunga Detatchments out of Ballykelly and Doc Jospin, an enthusiastic whisky drinker, saved my life when I picked up an awful 'fever' in Mombassa. I was 'in n out of it' for about three days and Doc was encouraged to the apartment Dessai by offers of whisky if he pumped me full on penicillin...:)

[GIGFY]

BOOM BOOM:ok:

[Exascot]

Before my time but I did take a highly polished gleaming Queen's flight Andover into Majunga in the mid 80s. One of the locals took one look at us and said 'ah Royal Air Force' then pointed at our aircraft and said ........ 'Shackleton' :eek:

[Shack37]

Before my time but I did take a highly polished gleaming Queen's flight
Andover into Majunga in the mid 80s. One of the locals took one look at us and said 'ah Royal Air Force' then pointed at our aircraft and said ........
'Shackleton' :eek:


Can understand your emotion, they often brought tears to my eyes:{

[Rossian]

......they used to point at the Air France 707 lurching into the sky on its way to Tananarive and cry "Angelais angelais" (Malagasay French was pronounced rather differently).

One visitor from the capital was delighted to find the source of a new phrase common in the natives of the city, "Qu'est que F*^&£ing c'est?", delivered at max volume. The source was one of the groundcrew out at the airfield site.

The Ancient Mariner

[oxenos]

Nicole, the barmaid in the Hotel de France (who, it was said, wore hairy shreddies) had been taught to play liar dice by successive detachments. On one occasion someone tried to pass her a four of a kind, having accepted a pair. Her response was

"Qu'est que F*^&£ing c'est ? "

It took over from " you lie like a cheap Changi watch" as an expression of disbelief

[GIGFY]

Nicole, the barmaid, was not always the barmaid at the Hotel de France. In the early stages of the detachment, Nicole was seen mostly at the Village Touristique. In '66 this busty girl had a taste for medium sized, blonde haired gentlefolk. She set her eyes on one Dickie Leston who was thankful that she soon discovered officers were the best meal of the day. Once she was observed taking a picnic with a maintenance officer - folding table, table cloth, silverware and wine. There were other "ladies" but Nicole was something else and made a great difference to the diversity for the lads.

I'm sure there are more interesting stories involving Nicole and her friends.

[Rossian]

.....when we ran out of or had not been given current authentication tables a bit of lateral thinking was called for.
The ground station call was, in a deep gravelly voice, "and the next object is?"**
To which there was only one reply "Nicole's knockers"

The Ancient Mariner

** it came from a radio panel game whose name escapes. It was a bloody long time ago. And yes, they were rather splendid.

I have been informed whilst in the pub this evening that the programme was "Twenty Questions"

[GIGFY]

Struthe, Rossian, you're going back not few years but eons. The program was "Twenty Questions" chaired by Norman Hackforth and it ran from 1947 to 1967.

Thank God for Google:ok:

[oxenos]

"Nicole's knockers"

No wonder you wern't concentrating on the dice.

[37MonsieurDavid]

Hi, Shack37, that person who married the daughter of the owner was a Flt Lt Berg, the Detachment Adjutant and much later than 1966 when J/T Dave McCandless who got married on 1 Oct 1966 to the daughter of one of the French ladies who worked in the 'Bureau de Defense' in Majunga (to whom all returns were sent by the detachment). Dave from 37 Sqn Khormaksar was one of the first on 3 Shacks to land on Malgash soil on 19 Mar 1966; he got engaged in Jul 66, was refused permission to marry - Gen App in those days - and was hurriedly shipped back to Aden to 'cool off' by his Sqn Cdr - a Sqn Ldr Blunden. His attempts to return to Majunga, via indulgence, were refused by HQ staff to stop him getting married and when all else failed he turned to his Flt Cdr - a 37 Sqn pilot of the old school - Flt Lt Nicholls - who was standing in for S/L Blunden (on leave) - who set up a training flight/crew rotation (or the like) to Majunga via 37 Sqn Shack so the poor chap could get to his wedding. Dave went there on duty because, since his forced return to Aden in July, 38 Sqn from Malta had taken over but were using the tools and kit left behind on Khormaksar Inventories, so Dave's official duty/purpose in Majunga was to do an official comprehensive Inventory Check of 37 Sqn Inventories. As he stepped off the 37 Shack, the 38 Sqn EngO - a FO Rowley - with a smile on his face, handed Dave an envelope saying "Inventory Check completed.... now go get married for goodness sake before anyone finds out!!". Dave had 2 days to get married - the Det Cdr Wg Cdr Burgh and his wife stood in for Dave's parents and the whole 38 Sqn detachment were invited to the champagne reception in 'Le Grand Hotel'; however, after only a 2 day honeymoon was ordered back bt HQ staff via Argosy to Khormaksar. There the HQ Staff, not willing to be out-manoeuvred by a pilot, refused to recognise Dave as a locally married airman and thereby refused to place him on the list for an AMQ. This meant his wife had to remain in Majunga for a year (probably a good thing considering the deterioration in the security for families in Aden culminating in Operation CallFam in June 67) till Aden collapsed and Dave escorted/supported the 4x 37 Sqn Shack withdrawal back to Shawbury via many points north, in Aug 67. Dave and Christiane are still married today and returned to Majunga a few years ago to sadly witness the dilapidated state of Majunga town and the lovely 'Village' beach after 2 typhoons had devastated it. The 'L'Hotel De France' and the Soucoupe Volante were in ruins too and, contrary to popular opinion Dave never went to Madame Chabeaus (not sure of the spelling). Hope you enjoy this update.

[GIGFY]

Dave McCandless's Link:

Check out this link:

Return to Majunga 2008 (http://www.37aden.co.uk/ReturnToMajunga/index.html)

[brakedwell]

I night stopped in Majunga 3 times when on 99 sqn Britannias. It was not a popular trip (Bahrain - Majunga - Bahrain with a refuelling stop in the Seychelles northbound), so none of the wheels/country club experienced the joys of the Hotel de France's bouillabaisse or a cultural evening at Madam's. Fast forward to 1977 - I was in Nairobi for a week shuttling between Lusaka/Ndola and Nairobi with an IAS DC8 when our last Britannia arrived from Gatwick on it's way to Majunga with an Agip miniature submarine and support team (Italian) on board to inspect an off-shore oil rig which had been damaged in a cyclone. The F/E had been Engineer Leader on 99 sqn while I was there, so had never been to Majunga. The Britannia left Nairobi the next morning, scheduled to return in 36 hours. They turned up four days later looking like a gang of unwashed pirates! Apparently there had been an attempted coup shortly before they landed in Majunga. They were arrested and thrown into the airport jail under suspicion of being part of the take-over, mainly due to the submarine and the divers! They were incarcerated for three nights, unable to wash or shave, with very little food or water and no beds. Our embassy in Antananarivo eventually managed to get them released on the condition they left the country immediately. When I met them in the bar of the Pan Afrique Hotel shortly after they checked in they were not a pretty sight, downing Tusker as if it was going out of fashion!

[Shack37]

That was not Dave McCandless


37monsieurDavid. Thanks for the update and correction. Sorry for not replying earlier but only read your post when the thread was revived here.
I visit Dave´s 37Aden site fairly often to se if owt new up.
Are you in fact THAT Dave monsieur?

I also have reason to thank that same Flt. Lt. Nick Nicholls. He was captain of our Shackair flight Maj to K´sar and got us safely to Nairobi after a Griffon got a bit warm.

[Rossian]

.....or is he one who used to fly Javelins and then came to Shacks and then went to Majunga as a native speaking "fixer"? Only because I'm curious.

Oh and he flew CF100s in the RCAF before all of that.

The Ancient Mariner

[Jackabonehome]

I was on the last Shack detachment from 204 Squadton and we returned to the UK via Uganda, Cameroons, Mauritania and Gib. Hot days and steamy nights at the Maison du Mayor with so much laughter it hurt.

[shck1]

I was there with 42 Sqdn in early '67 for 6 weeks so missed the Torrey Canyon mess - whoopee. I had just arrived back on 42 after a Nav Fitters course and was asked if I had a passport - why ? because you are going to Majunga - Uh - quick check in St Mawgan library- yes - us electronics fitters can read. Stayed in the Village Touristique and became fed up with "Guantanamera" being played almost every 10 minutes. Got used to 3 Horses, Mutzig and Oranjeboom beers. Came back to SN via Shack Air, had a nose red going into Wheelus so stuck there for a few days then we had to fly to Malta with the wheels down and have new leg fitted there !!! did wonders for the fuel consumption. I still have my 3 Horses tie. Touristique has a web site.

[Steve Bond]

Hello Shck1,

I would like to talk to you - and indeed anyone else here - about your time there for my forthcoming book 'Shackleton Boys'. Please get in touch.

Regards

Steve Bond

[JW411]

My association with Majunga was as an Argosy captain on 105 Squadron in Khormaksar. We had a couple of resupply flights per month from Aden to Majunga via Nairobi. I recall that one of the most important pieces of cargo was Bacardi for Madam on the inbound flight and Pastisse for the Maitre D in the New Avenue Hotel in Nairobi on the outbound.

I am no Shackleton expert but here is a photograph of Mk.3 XF730 which I took at Majunga in 1967.

[JW411]

And here are a couple of Mk.2s at Majunga

[JW411]

And finally for today, here is Air Madagascar's finest; DC-4 5R-MAC about to depart to Moroni in the Comores. Three Mk.2s and the Argosy can be seen in the background.

[Kitty Hawk 1]

I took a gleaming Queen's Flight Andover into there in the 80s. A local ground crew chap took one look and said, 'Ah Royal Air Force; Shackleton'.

[Union Jack]

Before my time but I did take a highly polished gleaming Queen's flight Andover into Majunga in the mid 80s. One of the locals took one look at us and said 'ah Royal Air Force' then pointed at our aircraft and said ........ 'Shackleton - Exascot (Post #48)


I took a gleaming Queen's Flight Andover into there in the 80s. A local ground crew chap took one look and said, 'Ah Royal Air Force; Shackleton'. - Kitty Hawk 1

But did they "get a room"?;):ok:

Jack

[JW411]

Here's another one I found this afternoon. Once described by one of our captains as "the place where the bed bugs and the mosquitoes vie for the privilege of biting an Englishman".

[Alan Mills]

That looks like one of the local taxys. I remember the upper internal balcony at the Hotel de France, which drained into the communal loo, and soaked the cardboard box full of used toilet paper.

[brakedwell]

ISTR the Hotel de France produced a fine Bouillabaisse :D

[JW411]

What I do remember was standing in the bar just as the sun was going down and getting up close to the many and varied local insects that were falling out of the rafters into my hair and my beer!

[wingnutsdg]

I was at Majunga with a 204 Sqn detachment from Ballykelly in 69 (I think). The best detachment among so many others.

[GIGFY]

You needd to try and make contact with a guy called Ron Coles, ex-leckie I think. Someone, somewhere will know how to contact him.
He was the oracle for 42Sqn in its day and never let a day go by without a diary note.

Hello Shck1,

I would like to talk to you - and indeed anyone else here - about your time there for my forthcoming book 'Shackleton Boys'. Please get in touch.

Regards

Steve Bond

[Plugsy]

Majunga, 1969, double detachment, 204 sqn out of BK, 19 years old, say no more !!
Plugsy, rock on Shack beys, H & R BK suks, all bitter and twisted !!

[wingnutsdg]

Majunga, 1969, double detachment, 204 sqn out of BK, 19 years old, say no more !!
Plugsy, rock on Shack beys, H & R BK suks, all bitter and twisted !!

I was there at the same time as you Plugsy, I wish I could have stayed longer. ("Horace") :ok:

[Alison0904]

I was stationed at majunga commcen in 1970 for the regular 6 months tour. Happy days. I enjoyed reading the majunga forum. brought back memories. one incident spings to mind. About 6 of us organised a trip up to the top end of madagascar to collect sea shells. Seemingly they are quite rare. Two landrovers with trailers carrying all the gear, including fresh water, tents ect. An officer approached us and asked if he could come with us as he was a keen butterfly collector and he was desparate to catch some of the rare butterflies which are native only to Mada. We ofcourse agreed. We didnt make our intended destination, got lost in jungle and some of the roads were totally impassable. So this guy persuaded us to help him catch butterflies instead of sea-shells. He majically produced three or four nets and gave us a few basic tips on the art of catching and killing the butterflies without damaging the wings or bodies of the beasts. So there we were prancing about in the jungle catching butterflies. You couldnt make it up. he was like a young kid let loose in a sweetie-shop. And we all joined in the big game hunt with loads of enthusiasm. I have just discovered, in attic, some slides of that particular hack. Now on my pc. If you are that officer then i would be more than happy to send you these photos. Or to anyone else who is interested. My email address is
[email protected]

I’ve got a feeling this officer could have been my Dad… he’d have been about 28 back then. He was a keen butterfly collector and sounds like the bizarre sort of thing he’d do. His name is Nick Wright. Sadly recently passed away but would be great to see the pics if you still have them. Thanks

[Imagegear]

I had a work colleague back in the 90's who was a Lady RN CPO at Majunga Commcen in the 60's.

A delightful Lady, I doubt she is still around.

IG