My ‘B’ certificate is dated about a year earlier that that of 76fan, and the numbers would indicate that some 2750 were issued in that year! Surely most must have been ATC cadets.
I flew at Exeter Airport with 624 GS, however, the airport did not have the utilisation it has today! Gliding was halted/recommenced by Aldis light from the tower. Most cessations were caused by the, sometimes spirited, movements of the CAACU (Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit) In my early days at the GS they flew Mosquito aircraft, but later re-equipped with Vampires.
One of these Vampires was to come a cropper however, courtesy of the GS.
Towing of the gliders, T21, Prefect, and the Sedburgh ‘Barge’ utilised a WW2 Bedford lorry with canvass doors, which was also used to draw out the twin launch cables. Cadets were encouraged to drive the Bedford. This lorry had a removable steering wheel, which just lifted off the steering column shaft. One of the standard ‘pranks’ was to remove this steering wheel whilst driving around the peritrack furthest from the tower, and for the driver to hand it to a new, unsuspecting, ‘passenger’ and say ‘you steer’. However, on this occasion, the steering wheel would not go back on to the spines on the steering column, and in the resulting confusion and with virtually useless brakes, the Bedford ran smartly in to the side of the Vampire.
With the arrival of the Vampires, all the Mosquitos were de-rigged, and their various components placed up against the hedge on the northern side of the airport, and left to rot.
We did go to
Halesland once for a Summer Camp, being accommodated in the huts at RAF Locking. One of my memories of Halesland , apart from the 45 degree rule, is the ‘T of trees’, which was on the upslope of the hills, and roughly pointed to the landing area. I can’t find it now on Google Earth.
