Originally Posted by
BEagle
One of my earliest memories was of RAF Thorney Island when we had our ULAS Summer Camp there in 1970. Normally we would have a packed lunch in the crewroom, but one one occasion a couple of us went to the Officers' Mess for a proper luncheon...
It was magnificent! A white coated chef carved ham off the bone with a sideboard groaning with all kinds of salad, new potatoes etc. Those who chose from the menu were served by mess stewards; the whole experience was very upmarket, but was probably at the end of traditional mess dining as Military Salary kicked in.
Roll forward 20 odd years and my lunch as a ULAS QFI was often 2 x small pork pies and a couple of tomatoes 'on the hoof' between trips.
Ah Beagle, I seem to remember @ St Athan as a UWAS cadet that lunch was a waitress affair and orders taken by them most meticulously.
I can remember going to Locking once and eating in the airmens mess, where the food was rather good.
I was on a trip out of Lossie on a detachment, the aircrew were supplied with 2 platters of lunchtime sandwiches, which were so delicious and apparently not the norm,
that the Nav wrote to the catering bod there to thank them.
Whatever lunch was @ St Athan it must have been good, as several of us snoozed in the ante room afterwards and occasionally missed transport back to the squadron.