13 Sqn Dwtachment Muharraq

[Canberra913]

Anyone got memories of this Set in the 1960s?

[ian16th]

While I was at Akrotiri, 1962-64, 13 Sqdn always had a couple of a/c at Muharraq.

[scorpion63]

I was posted to 13 Sqdn detachment at Muharraq in July 1968 at that time 3/4 Canberra PR9's were based there with the rest of the squadron at Luqa, Malta.
A few months later all the aircraft and both air and ground crews where sent back to Luqa and the permanent detachment ceased as a result of the RAF draw down in that part of the world. After that time regular single aircraft deployments took place, I think operating from Oman.

[jindabyne]

Eggs and Marsovin!!

[JW411]

I can't help you very much but I thought you might like this photograph. As far as I can guess, it was taken in the second half of 1967.

[kenparry]

I was at Muharraq in 1969-70. At that time, there were occasional visits by a single PR9 from Malta, for maybe a week at a time. They also visited Masirah once in a while.

Not sure about Marsovin in this context - I never saw any brought to the Gulf. But in the Transit Mess at Luqa, diluted 1:3 with Coke, known as "Screech and coke", a frequent tipple. Screech was how you reacted if you drank the stuff undiluted.

[jindabyne]

Ken,

The 13 Sqn Canberra brought in boxes of Marsovin and large raw hams on a regular basis. 'Twas then my task to distribute them around married quarters and hirings, in the Wing landrover. By the last delivery, I was in no fit state to đrive the thing.

Eggs were also involved, but I can't recall the arrangement!

[JW411]

Here is a shot of PR9 XH172 taken at Muharraq. It appears to have 39 Sqn's badge on the tail but I notice that it was serving with 13 Sqn when it met its untimely end near Akrotiri on 06.10.72.

[scorpion63]

Having served on both squadrons the general rule was mod state and hours, 13 sq had most of the early,XH13? airframes and 39 had the later XH 16?17? airframes but that did change from time to time, the command spare XH176 was brought into service following the loss of a 13 sq airframe on approach to Luqa. 13's role was survey while 39 was tactical although both sqdns did a bit of both. Later after 13 went back to PR7's all the PR9's were put through a long SRIM programme and got mixed up and reissued to 39 over a long period of time. So no hard and fast rule, you got what you got!!