Wasn't going to add to this thread, but ML wrote some very narrow perspective stuff.
ML
"Remember the TACEVALs and MINEVALS, yes you went through the motions of gate guard, roving patrols, air raids and NBC drills, . . ."
Yes, I
do remember the "mini-wars"- not at Calne though, but in Germany, summer and winter, with one of the strike squadrons. If ". . .the main objective was to re-supply the forward troops with ammunition" just what do you think ours, and other's, Canberras were doing standing QRA loaded with nukes? Waiting to protect ammuntion shipments? I don't think so. What was the purpose of the RAF's V force? Air drops of .303 and field rations?
And then you go on to write. . .
"This entailed every able bodied mover building pallets of ammunition on the Calne Strip – and I mean all of them. Hour after hour, no meal breaks down at the mess, hot lox were brought for them, a quick scoff, and then back to another pallet."
Oh dear, so you had to leave your warm crewroom for a while? What do you think the "customer facing" pilots, navs, riggers, leccys, sootys, faireys, et al were actually doing at the business end then? Especially the Canberra aircrews who realised they probably wouldn't be coming back! Dedicated blokes one and all. And if they did get back, how would you feel if you had to wonder if you'd have anywhere to come back to!
Gawds, this is not banter.
Out.