I am working on a major project looking at the various wars and lesser campaigns that the RAF has been involved in post 1945, and am anxious to contact anyone who took part in them in any way - aircrew, ground crew, etc) - please.
The non-definitive list includes:
Berlin airlift Korea Suez Biara oil lift Kuwait Indonesian confrontation Kenya anti-Mau Mau Malayan Emergency Congo Brunei Iceland - Cod War
etc., etc.
This is not about who shot-down what, it is looking for "I was there" stories covering the many emergency/humanitarian operations in which the RAF has been involved, whether it be fighters, bombers, transports, MR, helicopters... The aim of the finsihed work is to cover 100 years of the RAF, with each decade being represneted by personal accounts of a number of such activities.
I would be most grateful for any offers of help please. I have tried this thread on the Military Aircrew forum and have only managed to get one - excellent - personal account.
I have some photos of burning Spitfires after Egyptian Spitfires IXs bombed and strafed 208 Squadron's Spitfire XVIIIs at Ramat David on 22 May 1948 I think taken by my father who was there, alas long since deceased.
You could add the RAF's active participation in campaigns in Oman in the late 1950s/early 60s, and, I seem to recall, Dhofar rather later.
Last time I looked there were still the remains of a Vampire in the Jebel Akhdar area to prove it. There are many in this forum who know a great deal about it all.
And I remember being given air cover along the beach from Aden to the North-East for about 40 miles before turning inland on a roundabout patrol route to Ataq and Beihan. Vampires and Hunters, I think, but perhaps from a colonial airforce? Does that count? They liked to wave to us as we sat on top of the armoured cars and they flew past at the same height as we were......
Location: uk mostly, desert lots, searching for lost posts
Posts: 2,194
Aden, Radfan Cyprus ....
It's a very broad question but this is the right place to ask it. A search on this forum will reveal quite a bit on the Jebel Ahkdar Vampire and its particular "little war".
Later contributions in Oman - post the 1970 "replacement" of Said bin Taimur by Qaboos bin Said - were not confined to Dhofar; RAF helicopters assisted in Oman's "reassertion of sovereignty" in the Mussandam in '70-'71 .....
Location: uk mostly, desert lots, searching for lost posts
Posts: 2,194
Indeed Jenkins old fruit. The "friendly forces" didn't jump out of our aircraft, although sadly we (not me, my oppo) picked up the one who didn't "beat the clock".
Last edited by teeteringhead; 6th Sep 2012 at 21:45.
Depending on the scope, one might also include the IS situation in Hong Kong during the cultural revolution of 1967. Large numbers of bodies floated down the river from China, many with their thumbs wired together, so I don't think they willingly jumped in.
In HK itself, there was widespread rioting, which was only quelled when a more robust police response was instituted. Several police officers and servicemen were killed and an army doctor, with whom I worked, received a Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct. A Gurkha officer (now something of a big wheel) suffered shrapnel wounds in the bum during his very first patrol.
What we would now call IEDs were planted, including several at the Kai Tak officers mess, one of which was detonated near my bedroom - damn cheek of it!!!
It was as a direct result of the IS situation that the army, which had been reinforced with a roulement battalion, requested and got extra helicopters. These were Whirlwind 10s, taken from 103 and 110 Sqns at Singapore, shipped to HK on HMS Triumph and located at Kai Tak. In 1968, these aircraft formed the nucleus of a new squadron: No 28.
By the way TTH, the chap who didn't 'beat the clock' on 22 December 1970 now rests in St Martin's Churchyard Hereford. He was aged 24 and his parent Regt was Coldstream Guards.
Further to my post above about Jebel Akhdar, Colin Richardson gives a broad and detailed picture of RAF activities in the Trucial Coast region in his book "Masirah. Tales from a desert island", Scotforth, 2003, and Nicholas Stanley-Price describes events at RAF Sharjah post-war in "Imperial outpost in the Gulf", Book Guild, 2012.
Location: uk mostly, desert lots, searching for lost posts
Posts: 2,194
JENKINS It would be good to see the pic and/or a GR for the cairn, as I may be driving from Abu Dhabi to Khasab early next year (long story ......) and could see if I can find it. (Lat/Long would do, as I shall take the trusty Garmin with me - and I know truckies have difficulty with GRs! )
Generally speaking Omanis are very respectful of Brit efforts on their behalf, so I would not be surprised to discover it was still there.
1970 was the first time (of many!) that I got 25th December in my log book(s) too.......
Location: uk mostly, desert lots, searching for lost posts
Posts: 2,194
Steve
I think many of us "more mature" military types like myself , Old-Duffer and JENKINS frequent these pages as well. The atmosphere here is less frantic than that which sometimes pervades the Mil Forum .......
)
