Originally Posted by
Doctor Cruces
Lets both defer to our fading memory then. Mine says the standard weapon of people then was the SLR with the SMG issued to MT drivers and the like who needed to carry in confined cabs etc. I was definitely issued with an SLR when we were armed guarding at Eastern when tensions were heightened but I don't remember being armed when Eldorado Canyon went off. Can't remember the occasion we were issued "guns" when I was there but must have been late 1990 to when the lights went out because I remember being supervisor of the guard so I must have been an NCO by then and I was on Det from Lyneham because of shortage of ERD trained bods. I remember the sadness caused when we had to trade our lovely SLRs in for those abominable little SA80s that replacede them.
There is of course the possibility that we are both correct just because I didn't see Sterlings doesn't mean there weren't any, I do remember the RAF coppers having them somtimes when they visited. I was at ERD from 1980-88 and again from 1990 til it closed.
Official personal weapon type allocation for the RAF generally in the pre-SA80 era was:
SLR: airmen > cpl
SMG: sgt > sqn ldr (ground branch)
SLP Browning 9mm: wg cdr and above (ground branch)
SLP Walther 7.65mm: aircrew
There were separate policies for RAF Regt, RAF Police and MTDs.
In addition, subject to the agreement of OC Armament Flt / Sqn (that spare weapons existed) and OC RAF Regt Flt (to make ammunition available for qualification), sqn ldrs with a war role exclusively in a COC/SOF or deployed HQ could be issued with the SLP 9mm in lieu of SMG. For several years after aircrew changed over to the Walther from the Browning, there were plenty of "spare" Browning around at unit level.