What I find most shocking is that tanker crews were forced to sleep on base. Times must really be tight..
Really? Never once stayed off base during my many visits to Akrotiri on Victor tankers in the 70s. Our bitch was we always got the worst accommodation, whilst the pampered pets of the shiny transport fleet slept in air conditioned luxury in blocks 100 and 101. Only once did the worm turn when an unwise VC10 NCO called out "there go the tanker trash" as they slogged past on the way to their own inferior billet. Unfortunately for him the party contained a well known irascible red headed squadron leader navigator, who immediately ordered the NCO out of his room, which he promptly allocated to one of the tankers guys. The VC10 captain took offence, and took the matter to the station commander, who wisely came down firmly on the side of the tanker flight commander.