Wildboy, I flew with Wally many times ,in Borneo and occasionally in Singapore during `Confrontation`,or one of `Britain`s small Wars`. I think Wally was the youngest member of the `Master`s Mafia`,or the infamous group of `Master` aircrew on 103 Squadron. For those unfamiliar with the RAF rank structure , Master Pilot/Navigator/Signaller/Quartermaster/Gunner/Observer were the top ranks of Non-Commissioned Aircrew in the RAF. As such,you didn`t get there very easily ,usually you had vast experience of operating aircraft,how to avoid onerous duties that fell to other lower or even Commisioned ranks,doors were opened for you by Officers,even saluted you(generally a mistake),you could leap tall buildings in a stride,walk through walls,without getting dust on you,even run faster than a speeding train,if you used the powers bestowed on you.....The same as Station Warrant Officers,or a Regimental Sgt Major...or Regulator Chief PettyOfficer in the Navy....God always asked his Secretary to `Request` an audience with them.......
The other ones were MPlt. Jack Trigg,and MPlt. Dougie Ponsford,who can be seen to Wally`s left in the photo meeting/greeting some VVIP (Dougie Ponsford always reminded me of the picture of `The Laughing Cavalier`,and Jack reminded me of Arthur Askey with `bottle-bottom` glasses....Sorry ,forgive me `Masters` for taking your names in vain... !
I was ,kind of,allowed to fly with these guys,and Master Navigators and Signallers,as an SAR crew at Seletar and Butterworth(on holiday),as I had also started as an NCO Sgt Pilot,but had been `Turned` and been `forced` to be commisioned,despite my desire to one day become a `Master` like the `Others`....so I was `accepted`.....
Wally was known (only in hushed and whispered words`) as the` Persil-Pilot`,never to his face,or whenever a `Master` was within 100yds...when he wore the VIP flying suit..
He was always `dapper` shall we say except for the fact one could wrap one of the `tropical` flying suits around Wally twice,as evidenced by the earlier pictures.
I don`t have any particular anecdotes or tales about Wally,except to say one could always listen to their stories of `times past ` and `daring-do` that they had collectively experienced,and take away the `pearls-of-wisdom`, to think about and maybe use/adapt with the times,because when you are 21-22 or so,you consider yourself invulnerable/know-it-all,but they`d been there,seen it all before ,got the `string-vest`(t-shirts hadn`t been invented),and were here....
Wildboy ,a little `tongue-in-cheek` but your Dad was a real `good-guy`,able to dish out the `banter` with the best.... Sycamore..
Edit ;later; WBy,if you`ve got Wally`s `MasterPilot` rank badges/armbands/ medals...then treasure them,they`re special....
Last edited by sycamore; 2nd Jun 2012 at 22:00.