A few lighter moments;
The places we routinely visited,and the fact that Customs & Excise was non-existent was just too much for some. The undoubted "King" was our other Gunner,Bill, a cockney.He was more like a travelling salesman.He had a finger,if not a whole arm in all the rackets that could produce cash.He was a "Ladies Man-Par Excellence"could charm the birds off the tree.
He was the only chap I knew in FEFBW to have a brand new Car!! Remember this was not long after WWII andsuch commodities were only just starting to flow.He was not selfish,he did let us in on some of his routine items.Ive absolutely certain many more lucrative schemes he kept to himself. One could for instant buy a Rolliecord reflex camera in Hong Kong and providing the seals on the box were intact,sell it for double in any shop in Iwakuni.Likewise ladies shoes,bought cheap by the suitcase full in HK [remember to buy small sizes].Could be disposed of with out bother.There was a snag.On Base,two currencies were used,BAFS for UK/Aussies,Script forUS.Either was convertible into Yen,but Yen was NOT convertible.Therefore one lived ones social life off base on your ill-gotten gains, or tried to buy something in the way of Japanese Porcelain,Carved Cherry Wood,something you wanted,or you drank a lot!! Bill had a source of cultivated pearls!! which he sold for another,albeit he said," small profit" to a merchant in Singapore,putting his gains back into Singapore Dollars ready for the next roundof his enterprise.
Fluffy Huggists,are not a new phenomen.Communicable Sexual Disease was obviously causing concern amongst the hierarchy.So.......The Archbishop of Lichfield was summoned to give the lads a talking too...As if that was going to do any good?
We just happened to be off to Iwakuni and the Venerable gentleman and party,were to be transported.We left at crack of sparrows early Sunday morning,were about halfway To Kai Tak,when we got a message on the intercom that one of his acolytes wished to visit the flight deck.Not unusual.He appeared and approached the skipper and said"His Eminence would like to hold a short prayer meeting in the Wardroom,would any
member of the crew wish to attend?" The skipper said yes we would all come,which somewhat confused him,and he shot back to the Wardroom.George was in,so leaving just the Flt.Eng. we all trooped down after the skipper had a quick word on the intercom.All squeezed into the Wardroom to find the Bishop being talked to rather animatedly by his acolyte.The Bishop said he wished to bless us all and was certain we had more important tasks to perform.In all the shortest service Ive ever attended!!!