Upon finding your own military memorabilia.

[Hangarshuffle]

I have recently been in the process of moving home. This has taken a little longer than I envisaged, and only today am I unpacking the boxes. Doing the boxes packed with the many books I own, something fell out.
Its a little yellow plastic temporary ID card from my time at Basra COB. Apart from the usual short burst of facts - my name and initial, rank and number it has an EXPIRE date marked in red, thankfully not it seems the date of yours trulys potential or planned demise but presumably the date the card runs out, not me.
Also my id photos on it, from a few years ago now, taken in the office at the HQ office in the COB. I have a well developed "Shearer Island" on my forehead, am in desert combats and have a rifle slung across my back. Get some...! Pity me face is in total shadow, or maybe not.
Finally along the bottom but taking up about 30% of the total space, in much bigger bolder letters are the letters DH.
I would like to think this stood for Dead Hard. But more likely, it probably stands for Duty Halfwit. Would be more appropriate under the circumstances. Cannot recall what that means.


I wonder what kind of things you all have or have found after an absence of months, years or decades?
This little yellow thing pulled me right up short. I have no recollection of packing it and cannot even remember the last time I saw it - I must have stuck it in a book, whose to say even on the flight home and totally forgotten all about it, until now, tonight.


What kind of memos do you have? That provokes a memory, touchstone or past time?


Good evening.

[NutLoose]

Clearing out my mums house after her demise I was stunned to find an envelope with the photos of my Swinditz passing out parade and my entry official ones, additionally she had kept all my joining instructions and welcome to Swinditz paperwork... Bless her

[MPN11]

Attic and cupboards and drawers of the stuff! Scary.

As it happens, I was putting some foreign currency (euro <shudder> ) in the mini safe this morning, and discovered my MoA C.A. Form 604 ... Private Pilot's Licence (Flying Machines) ... Number 62***, dated 1962. I had completely forgotten I had that, I only think about the (very thin) logbooks.

nutloose ... Mercifully my mother failed to dump, amidst her 'great clear out', a few bits of my father's history, including his Army pay book, D-Day maps and a few bits of correspondence with the War Office. Oh, and his illegal record of where he had been from 39-45 ;)

[ShotOne]

Oddly enough, just come across a membership card for the RAF Lossiemouth motor club circa 1984. Best bit being it's for a Triumph Spitfire...

[smujsmith]

Oh dear, shotone. A triumph Spitfire ! Owned one myself and still can't get over it being labelled a "hairdressers" sports car. Went well though.

Smudge:ok:

[ShotOne]

Ha, yes...and I thought it was a hot ship at the time

[NutLoose]

And is no doubt a rusty stain in the scrapyard in the sky by now :E

Smudge, the missus wants to know, do you do perms?

[Tankertrashnav]

Just found out my smallpox, cholera and yellow fever jabs have all been out of date since 1976 :eek:

[South West Wanderer]

As newly minted from IOT i found myself in MPA for a couple of months holding (because I did so well?). My trip coincided with the Phantoms handing over to the F3s. I came home with an alitimeter from one of the Phantoms as they scrapped them in-situ.

[just another jocky]

Ah the old Spit. At least one can claim to have owned one. Yellow, with a black soft-top. Bought it just before I went to Valley.

Babe magnet. :E

[skua]

Shame that - when they got to the legal age - they ran like hell to the man with the MGB!

[L J R]

Recently, I managed to find copies of my original application for commision forms of 35 years ago.....Looks like they were completed by a 12 year old.....I am alarmed that they actually recruited me based upon the scratchings, erasures, errors and largely illegible hand writing...!

[Prangster]

Can anyone help advise where I might trace a wartime negative. I recently cleared mums house and found a typical squadron photo with all of 156 Sqn standing on sitting under, packed like sardines on a Lanc. It must be about 1943 vintage as my stepfathers on the front row as signals leader, he remustered as pilot from 44 onwards. The photo is in very poor condition and I would love to replace it.

[Rigga]

In my Mom's possession when she passed on was a photo of me and my Swinderby mates having a drink, and letter from me dated 1975 saying that I'd met this girl...

I still meet the girl, every morning.

[BARKINGMAD]

One complete and one half RollsRoyce Griffon piston, still awaiting soda-blasting to make them fit and acceptable to the memsahib as conversation stoppers for the living room.

And a Jet Provost control column, legally acquired before the wreck (NOT MINE!) went to the local scrappys.

And lots of printed material, none of it Top Secret, guides to flying various types. I just need to get a Round Tuit to sort it all..........:)

A recipe book called "Air Fare" by the Ladies of RAF Binbrook and 11 Group signed by a Ron Hayes?

[BOING]

The final orange copy of AP129 "Flying Vol 1, Aircraft and Equipment" and AP129 "Flying Vol 2, Aircraft Operations" fully amended (unusual for me, on 20 Aug 66) and totally complete just before it was replaced, I believe, by AP1234.

Quote from early chapter:
3. The aircraft captain is the leader of his crew. In him, as in any other leader, should be found and expressed the quality of leadership. The existence of this quality has long been recognized by the human race. Not only is leadership inevitable to man's history it is necessary to the making of it.Without leadership no enterprise of any importance has ever been carried through with success. Seemingly hopeless causes have been won through the example, personal influence, and determination of some great leader.

A heavy load to place on a 20 year old.