RAF Gan 1958 and Later
Thread Starter
MPN11
I have another project on the cards once I've finished with Gan. This will cover my first RAF posting of two years at 5 FTS, RAF Thornhill, S. Rhodesia 1951 - 1953 - with many photos.
As to cameras I still have the pre-war Zeiss Ikon camera that I took with me to Rhodesia in 1951, followed by a Voigtlander Bessa I bought in Rhodesia, then a twin-lens reflex Microcord (UK purchased) and for the Gan photos a Rollieflex Twin-lens reflex bought in Changi village. In 1960 I caught the 8mm cine-film bug and used that into the 1970's meaning I have hours of cine-film footage.
WT
Warmtoast .. an ongoing, fabulous, memoir
As to cameras I still have the pre-war Zeiss Ikon camera that I took with me to Rhodesia in 1951, followed by a Voigtlander Bessa I bought in Rhodesia, then a twin-lens reflex Microcord (UK purchased) and for the Gan photos a Rollieflex Twin-lens reflex bought in Changi village. In 1960 I caught the 8mm cine-film bug and used that into the 1970's meaning I have hours of cine-film footage.
WT
Last edited by Warmtoast; 14th May 2016 at 23:03.
Illustrated London News - Dec 1970
The Illustrated London News (now sadly long gone) did a feature on Gan in 1970. Unfortunately it was a large broadsheet publication, but hopefully this scanned (and stitched together) will show a bit more of life on t'island.
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(MODs - I apologise if images too large - please PM and I'll reduce!)
[/url](MODs - I apologise if images too large - please PM and I'll reduce!)
Thread Starter
Shackman
Thank you for those evocative 1970's photos.
I left the RAF in 1963 and my logbook (99 Sqn) shows my last flight through Gan as a member of the RAF as 26 June 1963.
In 2014 I visited again - photos to follow of Gan and Villingili as they were two years ago.
WT
Thank you for those evocative 1970's photos.
I left the RAF in 1963 and my logbook (99 Sqn) shows my last flight through Gan as a member of the RAF as 26 June 1963.
In 2014 I visited again - photos to follow of Gan and Villingili as they were two years ago.
WT
Shackman.
Interesting article, but I'm a bit concerned that the reporter stated that us Gannites went to the transit hotel (Blue Lagoon) 'merely to watch the children'!!!
I went to look at the adult female tottie.
Interesting article, but I'm a bit concerned that the reporter stated that us Gannites went to the transit hotel (Blue Lagoon) 'merely to watch the children'!!!
I went to look at the adult female tottie.
Last edited by uffington sb; 18th May 2016 at 19:52.
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Hi All,
Im reading this thread with great interest, as my father was posted to Gan shortly before I was born.
I would be very interested to hear from anyone who remembers him, for good or bad! His name was SAC Geoffrey Peter Barfield, known as Pete 'The Leak', and would have been out there in sometime in the mid 1970s, as I was born in March 76.
I no longer have any contact with him (personal choice on my part), but was always fascinated as a boy by the shells he brought back and the engraved metal plaque of the Addu atol we had on the wall.
Any photos with him in them would be great!
Cheers
Martin
Im reading this thread with great interest, as my father was posted to Gan shortly before I was born.
I would be very interested to hear from anyone who remembers him, for good or bad! His name was SAC Geoffrey Peter Barfield, known as Pete 'The Leak', and would have been out there in sometime in the mid 1970s, as I was born in March 76.
I no longer have any contact with him (personal choice on my part), but was always fascinated as a boy by the shells he brought back and the engraved metal plaque of the Addu atol we had on the wall.
Any photos with him in them would be great!
Cheers
Martin
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Costains beach bar
Anyone remember the beach bar?Large g&ts for 6d - hand measures!
I was SAC supply and offloaded supplies from Liverpool based ships.My ex school mate from Toxteth was on one Clan line ship- he gave me a crate of whisky for Christmas which I buried secretly in the sand.We supped it in the makeshift bar at Christmas!
Do you remember the first mobile NAAFI? Bread rolls rock hard!
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I was SAC supply and offloaded supplies from Liverpool based ships.My ex school mate from Toxteth was on one Clan line ship- he gave me a crate of whisky for Christmas which I buried secretly in the sand.We supped it in the makeshift bar at Christmas!
Do you remember the first mobile NAAFI? Bread rolls rock hard!
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http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...ml#post9344955
Thanks for all this Warm Toast
My dad was Nav Plotter in that Canberra and this is the first time he has seen this picture. He later flew on 543, and the pilot, Ron Mudge was last boss of 543 before disbandment. Lifelong friendships and all that.
To say he has been overwhelmed is an understatement., You have made my old man very tearful
Thanks for all this Warm Toast
My dad was Nav Plotter in that Canberra and this is the first time he has seen this picture. He later flew on 543, and the pilot, Ron Mudge was last boss of 543 before disbandment. Lifelong friendships and all that.
To say he has been overwhelmed is an understatement., You have made my old man very tearful
Warmtoast has provided a remarkable record of Gan's early days as a RAF station. With no wish to stop future contributions, I hope I can be permitted a brief description of its closure, based on a note I have from the late Wg Cdr Tony Richards OBE, who was OC 10 Squadron at the time and Captain of the final flight ASCOT 2274. The flight (VC 10 XR 806) landed at Gan from Bahrain on 27 March 1976 to fly out the following day with around half of the Station strength. The remainder were to embark on RFA Sir Percival. There was a final BBQ that evening, the Atoll Chief was given a tour of the aircraft next morning, crew members were garlanded with floral leis before starting the checks, closing the door, taking-off and heading north. Three people stayed behind - a young civilian doctor and his wife, who had moved into the Station Commander's house, and a retired Chief Tech who was going to keep comms going for some 6 hours after 806's departure. I understand that the closure was codenamed Op JETTISON.
Thread Starter
Reheat On
Background to me having these 1958 survey photos of Gan was that in February 2004 in connection with the R.A.F. Gan Reunion that I attended that was held later that year at R.A.F. Odiham I was in touch with the MOD and I was supplied with prints of this sortie that were shown at the reunion. In giving me prints of the survey the MOD stipulated that if they were to be posted or published anywhere they should be annotated “Source: © CrownCopyright/MOD” which I’ve done.
FWIW there is an earlier post on PPRune of these photos and others taken on this sortie here:
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...ml#post7121453
Post #98
WT
Background to me having these 1958 survey photos of Gan was that in February 2004 in connection with the R.A.F. Gan Reunion that I attended that was held later that year at R.A.F. Odiham I was in touch with the MOD and I was supplied with prints of this sortie that were shown at the reunion. In giving me prints of the survey the MOD stipulated that if they were to be posted or published anywhere they should be annotated “Source: © CrownCopyright/MOD” which I’ve done.
FWIW there is an earlier post on PPRune of these photos and others taken on this sortie here:
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...ml#post7121453
Post #98
WT
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Re-reading this wonderful thread, I noticed there was (repeat was) a cross runway. I assume 'better' aircraft with increased crosswind limits made that redundant quite quickly.
Thread Starter
MPN 11
ISTR there were two WW2 runways at Gan, but only one was used whilst I was there and this became redundant as soon as the long new runway was built. I doubt that the original runway would have been long enough to accept modern (1960's - 1970's) aircraft.
Short runway in use in 1958
Gan - March 1958 - Survey photograph "© Crown Copyright/MOD"
ISTR there were two WW2 runways at Gan, but only one was used whilst I was there and this became redundant as soon as the long new runway was built. I doubt that the original runway would have been long enough to accept modern (1960's - 1970's) aircraft.
Short runway in use in 1958
Gan - March 1958 - Survey photograph "© Crown Copyright/MOD"
Last edited by Warmtoast; 13th Mar 2017 at 00:18.
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Ah, of course. Thanks, Warmtoast ^
Until I saw that 1958 picture I too was unaware of any other runways (I did enough circuits there) but looking at the ILN picture above you can just make out faint outlines of one at the top right of the island. Of note, the guns in one of the picture were near what looks like an old dispersal in the same area; the islanders said that they had originally been part of the island's defence and had been properly mounted in an emplacement, which was then blown up when the anchorage was abandoned at the end of WW!!
Unfortunately due to a couple of reasons (too young and joined the FAA) I never visited Gan when it was active, however, I have enjoyed two holidays at Equator Village, the holiday resort that uses a lot of the old RAF buildings. There are still reminders of the RAF though, firstly the Astra Cinema is still there and even though it's over 40 years since the RAF were there, the kerbstones in Equator Village are still being painted black and white! Not the best resort in the Maldives, but certainly a lot cheaper and when I was last there what was the Officers' Mess was also being converted into a holiday resort. It was also quite nice to see a standard RAF tower basking in the equatorial sunshine.
Were there ever any 'birdstrikes' with the fruit bats as they fly day and night and one of them down the engine, or in the prop would have been pretty exciting?
There are still locals who worked with the RAF, including some working the tourists dhonis and I know a lot of ex Gan personnel have been to this resort for reunions.
Were there ever any 'birdstrikes' with the fruit bats as they fly day and night and one of them down the engine, or in the prop would have been pretty exciting?
There are still locals who worked with the RAF, including some working the tourists dhonis and I know a lot of ex Gan personnel have been to this resort for reunions.
Were there ever any 'birdstrikes' with the fruit bats as they fly day and night
Fruit Bats were a menace - rumoured to carry rabies. We had one come through the windscreen at night when downwind, but it was only stunned. I think we were more shocked! As it came to it had a bit of a tantrum and was trying to bite anyone who came near it and was generally creating havoc in the cockpit. Eventually I think the eng hit it over the head with something and it was put in a bag or container and released after landing.
Since then i've often thought about those birdstrike reports where you were asked 'Did you send the remains to MAFF.' I wish we had!
Oxenos, speak for yourself - we seemed to average three or four sorties per two week stint, but spent more hours playing bridge! If I remember the only time we could do training sorties was when there was a window with no projected RAF movements in our area of responsibility (effectively the Indian Ocean!).
Since then i've often thought about those birdstrike reports where you were asked 'Did you send the remains to MAFF.' I wish we had!
Oxenos, speak for yourself - we seemed to average three or four sorties per two week stint, but spent more hours playing bridge! If I remember the only time we could do training sorties was when there was a window with no projected RAF movements in our area of responsibility (effectively the Indian Ocean!).
Last edited by Shackman; 13th Mar 2017 at 15:39. Reason: Crossed with Oxenos
Oxenos, speak for yourself
I can remember us hitting a dirty great bat at Falconara on lift-off in a Belfast one evening just as the sun was going down. When we got back to Brize, the Station Flight Safety Officer asked my captain (who could be an awkward sod at times) to fill in a Birdstrike Report. It was pointed out that a bat is a mammal and therefore, not a bird. SFSO was told that if he supplied a Batstrike Form then it would be filled in. The stand-off went on for weeks.
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I wonder if anyone has any gen on the Victor parked on the pan on Gan when arrived in 1966 and I think still there when I left? I was told it was the victim of an electricl fire in the bomb bay due to excess baggage en route to the UK. Great thread, lots of things come back to mind, must search the attic for the copies of the GIP up there somewhere.
On the return leg, the aircraft caught fire at Gan, either on take-off or on landing, probably landing, not sure. Fortunately, they all got out, but apparently the crewchief suffered burns when he returned to the blazing aircraft to recover the Boss man’s golf clubs, at least, that’s the story I heard. Can you imagine anyone doing such a thing ?
It wasn’t the only Victor to crash that year : ASN Aircraft accident 29-JUN-1966 Handley Page Victor SR.Mk 2 XM716 RIP gentlemen.
Wiki has a long bio of Kyle, just in case you’re interested. This incident is omitted BTW.
I also found this for you :
“1966 brought more excitement when one of our aircraft [XL513], when returning from Australia, suffered a bomb-bay fire and had to land at Gan in the Maldives off the tip of India. A works team from Handley Page went out and re-wired the bomb-bay and we went out to service and check out all the aircraft systems. 5 weeks in the sun on a tropical island the highlight of which was listening to England winning the World Cup in the Sergeants Mess. From memory it was a very good (if somewhat alcoholic) night. Sergeant 'Clancy' Ross where are you now?? After a fire, re-wire, 5 weeks on the ground in tropical salt-laden air, there were many crossed fingers when she gingerly took to the air again. We must have done a reasonable job as she flew safely home none the worse for her ordeal.”
From : http://www.*************************...hp?comm_page=4
Ten years later 513 made its ABF landing : "... it was a bird strike but the captain chose to abort take off after V2! Brakes and brake chute failed to stop aircraft slowly going into the overshoot. One main undercarriage broke off backwards and I think if memory serves me right [the Victor] broke it's back. Apparently one of the crew managed to get his parachute hooked up while exiting the aircraft and streamed it across the grass but everyone got out safely."”
ASN Aircraft accident 29-SEP-1976 Handley Page Victor K.2 XL513
What a super thread, so many interesting stories and everyone is so gentlemanly too. Sincere thanks to warm toast, you are a Star Sir ! Make that five stars !