St Athan 40th Entry B/E 50 years Ago
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Is this....
...a good time and place to plug the RAF Boy Entrants Association?
RAFBEA Main Title Page
It is only £8 a year and there about 1200 of us members at the moment.
RAFBEA Main Title Page
It is only £8 a year and there about 1200 of us members at the moment.
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More Ex Boy Entrant Stuff
I joined at 15 years 3 months old with 33rd Air Wireless Mechanics at Cosford. I soon began to feel that Avionics was not my forte and applied to transfer to Armament. First strike for the Air Force, my request was granted and I moved to St Athan joining 35th entry Armament Mechanics just after they had completed ITS. The previously mentioned “Sgt Ugg” was well known even to us and we were on a different wing well away from his patch, but his reputation as a strict disciplinarian AND a decent bloke to boot was well known. My time at St Athan passed in no time at all, Gliding Club being a principle pastime (went solo just after my 16th birthday. I firmly believe the technical and personal grounding I received has stood me in good stead throughout my life. On leaving the Air Force I worked for civvie contractors and a Middle East government gravitating through becoming familiar and practicing the skills of other trades; learning the ins and outs of the ground handling business, obtaining an FAA Flight Dispatchers license ultimately becoming the Operations Manager for a private flight department, then later a Regional Manager for a company providing global services to corporate aviation. I place my success in later life as a direct result of the core training and development I received first as a Boy Entrant then later throughout my Air Force Career. I’m now retired in the Philippines and have as an occasional drinking partner ex 33rd St Athan. I sometimes think I’d like to write a book, but right now I’m too busy on my three acre small holding; have a fresh batch of pigs arriving this week and will be starting a test planting of coffee bushes soon. The Boy Entrant system kick-started me off to a good and interesting life - a thousand thanks !
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In October 1959 I joined the 38th Entry of Boy Entrants at Cosford as a "u/t Telegraphist II". Demobbed June 1973 after 12 years "man's service" having served at Driffield, Sharjah, MOD (Defence commcen), Akrotiri, 38 Gp & Mountbatten (3 MHU RAuxAF). Excellent training which allowed me to become a Radio Officer with GCHQ 1973-2003.
48th St Athan
I joined January `63, 48th Entry. Worst winter ever, snow trenches to the mess and other facilities.
Does anyone from St Athan around that time remember the old Defiant and JU87 that were in a permanently locked hangar?
Me and a buddy unscrewed one of the corrugated hangar walls and squeezed in to have a shufty
Pic of the Ju87, and instrument panel. I was an "Insty" after all.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandoz...57624815976825
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandoz...57624815976825
Does anyone from St Athan around that time remember the old Defiant and JU87 that were in a permanently locked hangar?
Me and a buddy unscrewed one of the corrugated hangar walls and squeezed in to have a shufty
Pic of the Ju87, and instrument panel. I was an "Insty" after all.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandoz...57624815976825
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandoz...57624815976825
I joined January `63, 48th Entry. Worst winter ever, snow trenches to the mess and other facilities.
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38th Entry at St Athan. Flt Cdr was Peter Sqibb who never missed an opportunity to fly any Hunter that was coming out of the MU. Our Discip Cpl was Cpl Stevens, a large and friendly rock ape. We were told that unless we remembered our service number on the first pay parade we wouldn't get anything!
Of all the guys in the entry I only ever met 3 of them during 30 years!
The YMCA would always take stamps in payment.
Looking back it was fun ........
Of all the guys in the entry I only ever met 3 of them during 30 years!
The YMCA would always take stamps in payment.
Looking back it was fun ........
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Nice to see a revival of this thread after 5 years. Now heading for my 55th anniversary of that not to be forgotten day that helped shape the rest of my life.
Never did confirm if 26er was my flight commander but dates and ages indicate a probability. (post #12)
Never did confirm if 26er was my flight commander but dates and ages indicate a probability. (post #12)
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Shack37
Re your post no 12, at that time I had never been further east than Amman, and that only a fleeting visit. Malaysia, Singapore etc. came later. I actually took over a flight from Flt Lt Richardson. The squadron commander was Sqn Ldr Alderdyce, the wing was eventually commanded by Wg Cdr Thynne, a navigator recently arrived from Thor missiles and the big boss was Air Cdre Porter. Other flight commanders I remember were Hill, Browne, McNabney, Barton, Hyam, Read.
Re your post no 12, at that time I had never been further east than Amman, and that only a fleeting visit. Malaysia, Singapore etc. came later. I actually took over a flight from Flt Lt Richardson. The squadron commander was Sqn Ldr Alderdyce, the wing was eventually commanded by Wg Cdr Thynne, a navigator recently arrived from Thor missiles and the big boss was Air Cdre Porter. Other flight commanders I remember were Hill, Browne, McNabney, Barton, Hyam, Read.
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Shack37
My memory of John Barton is that he left the RAF from St Athan and became a pilot with Cambrian Airways - they had a base at Rhoose at that time. Cambrian were eventually absorbed into BEA/BA and years later I met him at Heathrow when he was a captain on Tristars. But if he or somebody who has more recent knowledge knows better !!!!! It is all a long time ago.
My memory of John Barton is that he left the RAF from St Athan and became a pilot with Cambrian Airways - they had a base at Rhoose at that time. Cambrian were eventually absorbed into BEA/BA and years later I met him at Heathrow when he was a captain on Tristars. But if he or somebody who has more recent knowledge knows better !!!!! It is all a long time ago.
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26er
Again, thanks for that update. He was certainly happier flying than doing kit inspections, especially the examples of B/E socks and underwear on show sometimes.
I hope he´s enjoying a well deserved happy retirement.
Again, thanks for that update. He was certainly happier flying than doing kit inspections, especially the examples of B/E socks and underwear on show sometimes.
I hope he´s enjoying a well deserved happy retirement.
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I too was in the 40th Entry
Always a pleasure to be able to make contact with a fellow Boy Entrant from those many, many years ago.
My name as you will see is Geoff Jacobs and I trained as a aircraft propulsion mechanic, posted to Bomber Command, RAF Marham on graduation.
Hope we establish contact through:- [email protected]
sincere regards,
Geoff.
My name as you will see is Geoff Jacobs and I trained as a aircraft propulsion mechanic, posted to Bomber Command, RAF Marham on graduation.
Hope we establish contact through:- [email protected]
sincere regards,
Geoff.
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Hi Geoff, welcome. I was on the Inst course in D Flt along with the Plumbers. I think one of our lads also went to Marham, Larry Dequidt (pronounced Dikeet) but where that came from after all this time I don´t know.
No doubt our paths will cross from time to time on Prune.
No doubt our paths will cross from time to time on Prune.
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26er - the dustbins in Fulton Block, Cosford were never painted but they were polished with Brasso & Duraglit (outside AND inside) every Friday night
(I was 38th entry Tel II 1959-61)
(I was 38th entry Tel II 1959-61)
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Sled Dog
Hi Sled Dog nice to hear all of your memories. I was 31st Engines St Athan 1957 to 1958. Hut D21 DI Sgt Evans, As Sgt Boy Ugh took my uniform to press it for passing out parade and loaned me his Pace stick. I went back to Saints in 67 as Tech Instructor, Ugh was a Sgt in the bedding store. When I got my third, the first person in the mess to buy me a drink was you guessed it Ugh. Great memories. One of our civvy instructors in 57 was Mr Morley, when I went back to saints I took over his locker still got one of his manuals, Gypsy Queen. Would love to hear from any 31st members. Was in contact with Ken Miles but lost his email. Have lived in Oz since 89.
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I arrived at Swindiz in early 1970 & after getting over the shock of the hard toilet paper, I decided to be the 'Grey recruit' keeping my head down.
I do remember a DI ranting about the station commander, saying he should take the flag off his car when not in it. One day, he spotted the car flag on & no one in it, so he had our flight marching up & down, saluting the empty car.
I remember thinking to myself "Things are going to seem so normal after this".
Arriving at St Athan a few weeks later, thing did seem remarkably normal. I remember the 'Sky high club' a wooden structure known amongst us as the 'Swinging tit', but I heard that it later burnt down.
The Rhonda valley commandos were certainly very good at 'Educating' us young lads!
I do remember a DI ranting about the station commander, saying he should take the flag off his car when not in it. One day, he spotted the car flag on & no one in it, so he had our flight marching up & down, saluting the empty car.
I remember thinking to myself "Things are going to seem so normal after this".
Arriving at St Athan a few weeks later, thing did seem remarkably normal. I remember the 'Sky high club' a wooden structure known amongst us as the 'Swinging tit', but I heard that it later burnt down.
The Rhonda valley commandos were certainly very good at 'Educating' us young lads!
