RAF Fighter Command VHF/DF Fixer Net Early 1950's
Thread Starter
I think India Four Two has the answer as ISTR Negombo's Station Flight had a Devon on strength.
Re snakes. Snakes were a problem on an earlier posting of mine to RAF Thornhill, S. Rhodesia, so with previous snakes experience under my hat I was pretty blasé about these worries. See here for photo:
http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...ml#post8178203
Post #4621
...and across the island at China Bay we were troubled by bigger threats in the form of elephants that regularly foraged in the jungle around the airfield. They tended to stay in or at the edges of the scrub-jungle alongside the airfield and didn't venture onto the airfield or near the China Bay Homer itself. Still we were always a little anxious as to what to do if one came too close, Station HQ were not too informative and suggested if one came close we were not to worry!
I took this photo of an elephant in the scrub-jungle alongside the airfield. The adjacent bay had an unpronounceable Singhalese name, but because of the regular incursions by elephants to feed alongside the airfield we in the R.A.F. just called it “Elephant Bay”.
Re snakes. Snakes were a problem on an earlier posting of mine to RAF Thornhill, S. Rhodesia, so with previous snakes experience under my hat I was pretty blasé about these worries. See here for photo:
http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...ml#post8178203
Post #4621
...and across the island at China Bay we were troubled by bigger threats in the form of elephants that regularly foraged in the jungle around the airfield. They tended to stay in or at the edges of the scrub-jungle alongside the airfield and didn't venture onto the airfield or near the China Bay Homer itself. Still we were always a little anxious as to what to do if one came too close, Station HQ were not too informative and suggested if one came close we were not to worry!
I took this photo of an elephant in the scrub-jungle alongside the airfield. The adjacent bay had an unpronounceable Singhalese name, but because of the regular incursions by elephants to feed alongside the airfield we in the R.A.F. just called it “Elephant Bay”.
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Warmtoast,
What a batch of beautiful photographs ! Was never in Ceylon myself (I have no truck with Sri-Lanka), but there Mountbatten lived in some state, with a contingent of Wrens to do his bidding. From our hot and dusty Burma bashas we looked enviously at this set-up, and put our thoughts intto little mocking ditties, of which I can recall only two:
"You can be an ACSEA hero,
And never see a Zero"
and
"Why would you need an Enemy
When you've got a Wrennery ?"
Sour grapes of course.
Saw a few snakes in India (mostly in a snake-charmers basket in some bazaar). But the sight of your green horror turned me quite pale ! (must have a good scout round the bathroom [their favourite spot] before I disrobe tonight). You should've got a Mongoose as a pet ("Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" would sort them out for you). But what a marvellous handbag Hermes could make out of that one.
Elephant-wise, my only "contact" with them was in Assam, and our problem was not too many, but one too few. Our (working) elephant went AWOL, and never came back. As a trained elephant costs as much as a new pick-up truck (I am indebted to a colleague on "Pilot's Brevet" for the information - where else would you look for a "Glass's Guide" of elephant prices ?) - and Government of India property to boot, they tried to put the blame on us, and wanted the RAF to pay for it. (I should mention that there was an air raid at the time, and Jumbo had got a bit of hot shrapnel up his bum).
Your D/F hut is in a lovely spot, but how would it stand up to a big tusker who decided to give it a gentle push ? (just a thought !)
Have heard of "Adam's Peak" (and there's an "Adam's Bridge", too). Was the Garden of Eden supposed to have been - in Ceylon ? "Adam's Peak" - was that where they kept the Buddha's tooth ?
So many questions !
Danny.
What a batch of beautiful photographs ! Was never in Ceylon myself (I have no truck with Sri-Lanka), but there Mountbatten lived in some state, with a contingent of Wrens to do his bidding. From our hot and dusty Burma bashas we looked enviously at this set-up, and put our thoughts intto little mocking ditties, of which I can recall only two:
"You can be an ACSEA hero,
And never see a Zero"
and
"Why would you need an Enemy
When you've got a Wrennery ?"
Sour grapes of course.
Saw a few snakes in India (mostly in a snake-charmers basket in some bazaar). But the sight of your green horror turned me quite pale ! (must have a good scout round the bathroom [their favourite spot] before I disrobe tonight). You should've got a Mongoose as a pet ("Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" would sort them out for you). But what a marvellous handbag Hermes could make out of that one.
Elephant-wise, my only "contact" with them was in Assam, and our problem was not too many, but one too few. Our (working) elephant went AWOL, and never came back. As a trained elephant costs as much as a new pick-up truck (I am indebted to a colleague on "Pilot's Brevet" for the information - where else would you look for a "Glass's Guide" of elephant prices ?) - and Government of India property to boot, they tried to put the blame on us, and wanted the RAF to pay for it. (I should mention that there was an air raid at the time, and Jumbo had got a bit of hot shrapnel up his bum).
Your D/F hut is in a lovely spot, but how would it stand up to a big tusker who decided to give it a gentle push ? (just a thought !)
Have heard of "Adam's Peak" (and there's an "Adam's Bridge", too). Was the Garden of Eden supposed to have been - in Ceylon ? "Adam's Peak" - was that where they kept the Buddha's tooth ?
So many questions !
Danny.
Thread Starter
Danny
Don't know, because Negombo's Snake Hill was devoid of pachyderms, too near civilisation I suppose!
The China Bay VHF/DF Homer was in the middle of the airfield with water on two sides - China Bay on one side and Elephant Bay on the other. The photo shows it at dusk as a Sunderland takes off from China Bay on evening patrol during "JET 57" (Joint Exercise Trincomalee 1957).
Four of Seletar-based 205/209 Sqn's Sunderlands detached to and moored at China Bay for JET57.
Your D/F hut is in a lovely spot, but how would it stand up to a big tusker who decided to give it a gentle push ? (just a thought !)
The China Bay VHF/DF Homer was in the middle of the airfield with water on two sides - China Bay on one side and Elephant Bay on the other. The photo shows it at dusk as a Sunderland takes off from China Bay on evening patrol during "JET 57" (Joint Exercise Trincomalee 1957).
Four of Seletar-based 205/209 Sqn's Sunderlands detached to and moored at China Bay for JET57.
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Silverstead Days
Interested to note that you were at Silverstead Fixer way back. I completed the DF Op course at Compton Basset in the second half of 1953 and was promptly put on a troop ship to the Suez Canal Zone where I was assigned to the Kabrit Homer. Because they were over-staffed with DF Ops. I spent very little of my time there actually working in the Homer and instead carried out a range of other RT and Signals duties before my tour came to a premature end. I should have done a 30 month tour but Egypt signed a treaty with UK which meant that our occupation of the Canal Zone was ended and my tour terminated after 18 months. Instead of being sent somewhere interesting like most of my fellow DF Operators, I was posted back to the UK in May 1955.
I was sent to RAF North Weald from where I was posted to Silverstead Fixer, billeted at Biggin Hill. Sadly I can’t remember any of the DF team I worked with. What I can remember is the war we waged with Biggin Hill. The camp seemed to hold frequent events so that anybody off duty or between shifts on the following day was immediately roped in for litter picking and generally clearing up the mess. To avoid being caught up in this nonsense we used the Fixer as a retreat. Somehow we acquired a couple of RAF beds, with bedding, and converted the empty loft space in the Fixer into a bedroom which allowed off-duty operators to sleep over and hide until the mess clearing was completed.
This meant of course that as well as beds we needed food and we had to convince the cookhouse that there were a number of us working at the Fixer at any one time and we needed rations. I have clear memories of attending a meeting with a senior NCO in the cookhouse in which we pointed out that the standard rations issued to Fixer staff were inadequate. He sent for a poor junior and told him to imagine that he was three men, working round the clock in the middle of a field, some way from the camp. He then drew the other guy’s attention to the box containing the meager rations that we had been offered, looked at him and said something like, “You reckon you’ve got enough to eat there?” The response was predictable. The NCO then ran off a long list: eggs, bacon, sausages, bread, butter, tea, milk, etc., then gave orders for them to be prepared immediately and made available twice a week in future. So from then on we lived in comparitive luxury.
I can’t remember exactly how long I was at Biggin Hill. I certainly remember the IRA scare which lasted for some weeks towards the end of 1955 and during which, if we failed to escape, we were made to join those patrolling the airfield at night carrying pickaxe handles. At one point I was interviewed by the SIB because they were convinced that I was responsible for leaking details of the Biggin Hill security precautions to one of the daily papers. I did no such thing but that’s another story.
I left Silverstead towards the end of 1955 when I was posted to Slappers Hill Fixer in Devon. I stayed there as Corporal for the final 18 months of my engagement.
They were happy days.
Leahoe
I was sent to RAF North Weald from where I was posted to Silverstead Fixer, billeted at Biggin Hill. Sadly I can’t remember any of the DF team I worked with. What I can remember is the war we waged with Biggin Hill. The camp seemed to hold frequent events so that anybody off duty or between shifts on the following day was immediately roped in for litter picking and generally clearing up the mess. To avoid being caught up in this nonsense we used the Fixer as a retreat. Somehow we acquired a couple of RAF beds, with bedding, and converted the empty loft space in the Fixer into a bedroom which allowed off-duty operators to sleep over and hide until the mess clearing was completed.
This meant of course that as well as beds we needed food and we had to convince the cookhouse that there were a number of us working at the Fixer at any one time and we needed rations. I have clear memories of attending a meeting with a senior NCO in the cookhouse in which we pointed out that the standard rations issued to Fixer staff were inadequate. He sent for a poor junior and told him to imagine that he was three men, working round the clock in the middle of a field, some way from the camp. He then drew the other guy’s attention to the box containing the meager rations that we had been offered, looked at him and said something like, “You reckon you’ve got enough to eat there?” The response was predictable. The NCO then ran off a long list: eggs, bacon, sausages, bread, butter, tea, milk, etc., then gave orders for them to be prepared immediately and made available twice a week in future. So from then on we lived in comparitive luxury.
I can’t remember exactly how long I was at Biggin Hill. I certainly remember the IRA scare which lasted for some weeks towards the end of 1955 and during which, if we failed to escape, we were made to join those patrolling the airfield at night carrying pickaxe handles. At one point I was interviewed by the SIB because they were convinced that I was responsible for leaking details of the Biggin Hill security precautions to one of the daily papers. I did no such thing but that’s another story.
I left Silverstead towards the end of 1955 when I was posted to Slappers Hill Fixer in Devon. I stayed there as Corporal for the final 18 months of my engagement.
They were happy days.
Leahoe
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A great response from the depths of History! Welcome, Laahoe!
Thread Starter
Interested to note that you were at Silverstead Fixer way back. I completed the DF Op course at Compton Basset in the second half of 1953 and was promptly put on a troop ship to the Suez Canal Zone where I was assigned to the Kabrit Homer. Because they were over-staffed with DF Ops. I spent very little of my time there actually working in the Homer and instead carried out a range of other RT and Signals duties before my tour came to a premature end. I should have done a 30 month tour but Egypt signed a treaty with UK which meant that our occupation of the Canal Zone was ended and my tour terminated after 18 months. Instead of being sent somewhere interesting like most of my fellow DF Operators, I was posted back to the UK in May 1955.
I was sent to RAF North Weald from where I was posted to Silverstead Fixer, billeted at Biggin Hill. Sadly I can’t remember any of the DF team I worked with. What I can remember is the war we waged with Biggin Hill. The camp seemed to hold frequent events so that anybody off duty or between shifts on the following day was immediately roped in for litter picking and generally clearing up the mess. To avoid being caught up in this nonsense we used the Fixer as a retreat. Somehow we acquired a couple of RAF beds, with bedding, and converted the empty loft space in the Fixer into a bedroom which allowed off-duty operators to sleep over and hide until the mess clearing was completed.
This meant of course that as well as beds we needed food and we had to convince the cookhouse that there were a number of us working at the Fixer at any one time and we needed rations. I have clear memories of attending a meeting with a senior NCO in the cookhouse in which we pointed out that the standard rations issued to Fixer staff were inadequate. He sent for a poor junior and told him to imagine that he was three men, working round the clock in the middle of a field, some way from the camp. He then drew the other guy’s attention to the box containing the meager rations that we had been offered, looked at him and said something like, “You reckon you’ve got enough to eat there?” The response was predictable. The NCO then ran off a long list: eggs, bacon, sausages, bread, butter, tea, milk, etc., then gave orders for them to be prepared immediately and made available twice a week in future. So from then on we lived in comparitive luxury.
I can’t remember exactly how long I was at Biggin Hill. I certainly remember the IRA scare which lasted for some weeks towards the end of 1955 and during which, if we failed to escape, we were made to join those patrolling the airfield at night carrying pickaxe handles. At one point I was interviewed by the SIB because they were convinced that I was responsible for leaking details of the Biggin Hill security precautions to one of the daily papers. I did no such thing but that’s another story.
I left Silverstead towards the end of 1955 when I was posted to Slappers Hill Fixer in Devon. I stayed there as Corporal for the final 18 months of my engagement.
They were happy days.
Leahoe
I was sent to RAF North Weald from where I was posted to Silverstead Fixer, billeted at Biggin Hill. Sadly I can’t remember any of the DF team I worked with. What I can remember is the war we waged with Biggin Hill. The camp seemed to hold frequent events so that anybody off duty or between shifts on the following day was immediately roped in for litter picking and generally clearing up the mess. To avoid being caught up in this nonsense we used the Fixer as a retreat. Somehow we acquired a couple of RAF beds, with bedding, and converted the empty loft space in the Fixer into a bedroom which allowed off-duty operators to sleep over and hide until the mess clearing was completed.
This meant of course that as well as beds we needed food and we had to convince the cookhouse that there were a number of us working at the Fixer at any one time and we needed rations. I have clear memories of attending a meeting with a senior NCO in the cookhouse in which we pointed out that the standard rations issued to Fixer staff were inadequate. He sent for a poor junior and told him to imagine that he was three men, working round the clock in the middle of a field, some way from the camp. He then drew the other guy’s attention to the box containing the meager rations that we had been offered, looked at him and said something like, “You reckon you’ve got enough to eat there?” The response was predictable. The NCO then ran off a long list: eggs, bacon, sausages, bread, butter, tea, milk, etc., then gave orders for them to be prepared immediately and made available twice a week in future. So from then on we lived in comparitive luxury.
I can’t remember exactly how long I was at Biggin Hill. I certainly remember the IRA scare which lasted for some weeks towards the end of 1955 and during which, if we failed to escape, we were made to join those patrolling the airfield at night carrying pickaxe handles. At one point I was interviewed by the SIB because they were convinced that I was responsible for leaking details of the Biggin Hill security precautions to one of the daily papers. I did no such thing but that’s another story.
I left Silverstead towards the end of 1955 when I was posted to Slappers Hill Fixer in Devon. I stayed there as Corporal for the final 18 months of my engagement.
They were happy days.
Leahoe
Our paths must have crossed whilst at Silverstead as according to my record of service I was posted from there to Bovingdon in 1956, but have no recollection of who you were - sorry!
I had a very happy time at Biggin Hill and Silverstead and my memories are positively favourable. I don't think I suffered any of the indignities that you mention above.
Also I don't recall there being any space to sleep in the roof space of the Fixer, we did after all have a rest hut in the same field alongside Silverstead Lane.
WT
Last edited by Warmtoast; 14th Feb 2022 at 09:09. Reason: Amend date of posting
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Hi WT
Hell, at the age of 86 I have very little recollection of anybody.
However, like you, I look upon my time at Biggin Hill and Silverstead (in fact most of my RAF time) as very happy time. Maybe I laid it on too thick about our experiences at Biggin Hill. We didn't regard them as indignities, rather more of a fun way of overcoming certain inconveniences, mostly created by the wartime pilot jollies which happened at weekends. On the whole life there was good.
Not sure what happened to the improvised bedroom in the Fixer though. As far as I can remember it was still intact when I left to go to Slappers Hill around autumn 1955. Maybe the powers that be found it and took it back. And I confess that I don't have a very clear memory of the rest room by the lane. As far as I can remember, if we were by the lane, we were either getting out of or into a Land Rover.
But like I said recollection of detail is tricky.
Leahoe
Hell, at the age of 86 I have very little recollection of anybody.
However, like you, I look upon my time at Biggin Hill and Silverstead (in fact most of my RAF time) as very happy time. Maybe I laid it on too thick about our experiences at Biggin Hill. We didn't regard them as indignities, rather more of a fun way of overcoming certain inconveniences, mostly created by the wartime pilot jollies which happened at weekends. On the whole life there was good.
Not sure what happened to the improvised bedroom in the Fixer though. As far as I can remember it was still intact when I left to go to Slappers Hill around autumn 1955. Maybe the powers that be found it and took it back. And I confess that I don't have a very clear memory of the rest room by the lane. As far as I can remember, if we were by the lane, we were either getting out of or into a Land Rover.
But like I said recollection of detail is tricky.
Leahoe
