Reading Mr Lancaster's report I am not surprised at how badly the RAF was treating our lads in Green.
As an Ex-RAF Airman who was a Lyneham some 20 years ago things certainly don't seem to have changed much, particularly in the RAF's ability to manage SLF.
And the fact that RAF Officers were conspicuous by their absence.
I remember copping 'Duty Airman'at Lyneham on a very regular basis, usually once every 3 weeks.
Very rarely did I even see the 'Duty Officer' let alone get any direction from them.
However, on one instance I did and both I and our friends in Green could have done without it.
A TACEVAL was called early one morning when I was on Duty Airman. Within minutes of the hooter going off the whole of 3 Para turned up at the gates, apparently as part of the TACEVAL, and were due to be flown out PDQ.
At that precise moment the Duty Officer turned up screaming "Don't let them in! Don't let then in!".
Bear in mind that there was a convoy of Land Rovers and Bedfords stacked up at the gate tailing back for Gawd knows how far.
"Why not sir?" was my perplexed reply.
"They're not allowed on Station until they've been booked in" was his reply.
A Para Lt. and a very large Corporal (I'm not kidding - this bloke made Jaws out of the Bond films look small) appeared demanding where they should go to get the planes.
The D.O. spluttered "You can't proceed until you've booked in. I want every vehicle registration number and the names, ranks and serial numbers of every person in the convoy."
Both the Paras and I looked at the D.O. and looked at each other.
I seem to recall saying to the D.O. something along the lines of "Sir, these guys are on our side!"
The Paras comments had quite a few F's in them.
The Paras and I walked over to the Convoy, me armed with a clip-board and the Para Corporal with an LMG in his paw (I jest not - it was the first time I'd even seen an LMG and this bloke was waving it around like a pistol!).
We quickly sorted out where they had to go and I just stood there looking offical making up vehicle regs, names, ranks and serial nos as they drove past and for many hours after.
I seem to remember that the names 'Smith' and 'Jones' appeared on my list a lot.
And what did the D.O. do when I'd finish with my list?
File it in the round one.
Thank God I'm a Civvy now.