Chiefy Goddard
Circa 1964 a 90 Sqn Valiant XD863 was in the hangar at RAF Honington being subject to a major service, I was replacing a faulty Orange Putter cable that ran from the cockpit bulkhead right up to the tail. This involved removing numerous panels each one held in place with wirelocked bolts, a job that was anticipated to take about two days. The Crew Chief was the infamous Gerry “Effing” Goddard and Gerry told me to take a break and go for a coffee. I willingly agreed and went to the hangar coffee bar, quite a number of groundcrew were already there, playing cards or reading newspapers. I had just picked up my coffee when in stormed our Gerry shouting words to the effect “ I told you blank blank lot to get out and work on the blank aircraft”. This was combined with Gerry snatching up the playing cards and newspapers and throwing them out of the window, rapidly followed by the crew rushing into the corridor towards the hangar.
I assumed Gerry did not mean me, so I stood my ground only for a hand to grab the collar of my overalls, then another on by behind, I was spun round and ejected into the corridor and landed up against the wall, next second same hands, same grip, I assumed I was now to be propelled into the hangar, only to be spun round and thrown back into the coffee bar with the words “sorry wrong one”.
Gerry may have been somewhat hard on us but just a couple of days later we were stopped by Gerry’s wife who asked how was Gerry acting at work, we told her he was a bit grumpy at the moment and she just nodded. The next day Gerry called us all together and said “ Look chaps whatever happens at work don’t tell the wife, she’s giving me hell!”