Originally Posted by
Top West 50
In AAFCE and AFCENT in the early 80s, our bunker kit comprised a standard RAF blue shirt and DPM trousers. An American colleague remarked one exercise, "John, do you realise just how high on the hill you have to stand for that camouflage to be effective?"
I was that Soldier (Airman), HQ AAFCE the Boerfink Bunker, 1980-83. I was surprised we were issued from May to September, with KD. The senior RAF Officer, Group Captain Bryant, ruled that Officers had to wear long sleeve shirts at all times, with a Tie of course. All non-commissioned ranks were permitted the option of either long or short sleeve, no tie required for the latter. However, the three major command and control exercises which took place, Crested Eagle, Wintex (the clue's in the name) and Able Archer, all took place in Winter. Every time it was the same, all other NATO air force and certainly army personnel, turned up in their issue combat fatigues. The RAF alone, turned up in the standard working dress Blues. Some who had come by DPM kit by default, never general issue back then, would turn up as you say, in a mix and match. it was the same four years after when I was posted to Gatow, the most embarrassing image being a rather dishevelled looking crowd of RAF personnel being decanted off the Bus at the ranges, Platoons of 1 KOSB and 1 BW were already there. The looks of the perfect uniformed ranks of a Platoon of the KOSBs as they stood on parade with their Sergeant said everything, no comment just a row of knowing smiles, as the typical RAF, mix of wedgewood blue shirts with DPM trousers and tunics (the latter items were now issued alone), no cravats, no Khaki shirts no webbing and some scruffy urchins, male and female, for sure. Oh for the good old days!
FB