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Old 24th Aug 2018, 22:48
  #28 (permalink)  
oldmansquipper
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Threshold 06
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Hmmm. Many Ord Cpls, Ord Sgts and OOs in my time, luckily most of the JOs I dealt with listened, and they went smoothly. Advising a Fg Off first tourist JP at Laarbruch that it was HIS job, and not mine to close the LL Club (JR Naafi) and the bar on a dance night - when the rocks were in town was not really an example of.a sympathetic Ord Cpl.

But the incident with Stn Duty personnel that sticks in my mind was during GW1 when I was at HQSTC. As an SME and Eng Auth I was called in from home at about 0300 to locate a number of the extremely scarce new fangled GPS things for the secret squirrels. A number had been obtained under several dubious funding regimes (STF, COs fund or whatever) and were jealously guarded by the individual units.

All went well at first, including me arranging a civilian helicopter to courier a few down from Scotland. (I always thought that WO was the most powerful rank but this proved it!!) lord knows who actually paid eventually....but I digress.

One unit did, however, prove difficult. I spent some time locating the units duty eng ops only to be told that he was not prepared to release said items. OK said I, "put me through to your OC Eng then". Again, he refused, much to late to disturb OC Eng for some random WO from Strike. Explaining for the third or fourth time I asked "Are you sure?". " Yes I am bl**dy sure" was his reply. It seems that Flt Lt X felt that his unit should not give up these scarce items on his watch.

I believe my rapidly penned "immediate" personal signal to his Station Commander changed his mind, and the items were released PDQ. His apologetic phone call came the following day.

Signals - remember them? .....I doubt that "Twitter" would work as well!

As for who actually released the secret and immediate signal? I couldn't possibly say, but when one is alone in an 'above ground' soft office whilst all the movers and shakers were cowering down the hole, necessity becomes the mother of invention.



Last edited by oldmansquipper; 25th Aug 2018 at 10:06. Reason: Additional comment
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