The day before the equipment assistant exams took place none of us was apprehensive. The evening was not spent ‘mugging up’ No questioning each other as we did when before I.T.W or wings exams, when we would ask such questions as what is the max speed , and wing span of the M.E 109, height of cumulus nimbus clouds, or what is an orographic cloud. In fact no one was concerned, for what did it matter if we failed. Came the great day when results were announced, and yours truly became an A.C 1 equipment assistant.
There were very few who achieved L.A.C qualifications, which was not surprising, in fact I felt it was quite an achievement to move up a grade without trying. I should point out that L.A.C is not a rank but a trade classification, and was the highest trade classification obtainable in the R.A.F.
As Kirkham was only about 120 miles from my home in Anlaby, some weekends I would leave after classes at about 4 P.M Friday and return early Monday. No one missed me, or seemed to care, and I was never stopped by the S.Ps. It was a very quick journey as I taxed a 500cc ex T.T Rudge I had laid up at home, which was very fast. The only problem was obtaining petrol , as there was no supply of 100 octane at Kirkham, but one good friend at home seemed to have a surplus of petrol ration coupons , and kept me supplied. I would like to tell you about the A.T.S N.C.Os at Fulwood barracks Preston, but think I had better observe that wartime maxim ’Be like dad , keep mum’.
About this time my warrant came through, which entitled me to wear an officers barathea uniform, which I managed to purchase from a Hurricane pilot’s widow for a fiver (there was no uniform allowance for a W/O.)
Shortly after the exams we were informed where our new posting would take us to. In my case, with a few others, we were posted to R.A.F Diedelsdorf Germany. Travel warrants were issued to take us to King George dock Hull , where we were to embark on a trooper to Hamburg . In my case I was lucky that we were sailing from Hull , which enabled me to get the Rudge to Anlaby , where a relative took me the short distance to King George dock. As usual ’oppos’ took my kit bag on the train. On arrival at King George dock I was surprised to find the trooper was not moored in the dock but outside the dock wall in the Humber, and to do this they had towed into place some Mulberry harbour sections. I would imagine these had been built in Hull but not used for the D Day landings, and would possibly speed up the turn round of the ship, which was constantly crossing the North Sea fully loaded both ways. Again it was very rough, and again I vowed, come the end of the war I would never set foot on a ship again.
With regard to Johnfair’s statement that he did not rendezvous for a raid , I wonder if things changed during the last raids of the war as I clearly remember a summer evening, just before dark, we crossed the coast near Skegness. Vis was perfect, with hundreds of aircraft either side as far as I could see, and thought it was almost possible to jump from wing tip to wing tip as far South as the Wash. However I can’t remember rendezvousing
THE MULBERRY HARBOUR UNIT IN THE HUMBER OUTSIDE kING GEORGE DOCK.
Some time ago an airline pilot who is the son of a Stirling pilot sent me a boklet of very interesting poems. The poems were written just before he was K.I.A.. I have just re-read it and found this one, which I thought might amused you.
