Danny 42C Thanks for the education on demob numbers----and I thought it was simply based on when you got to ACRC!.Incidentally those from N Ireland were not subject to this arrangement.
Some of our P,s were training at the US base in Phoenix until VJ Day---but I believe training then stopped--almost in mid air.
I got demobbed--not from Padgate --another deadful place!---maybe it was Wharton-- in Dec 47 and spent the next 9 months at ICI as an apprentice/labourer.
Oct 48 I started at U of Birmingham ---As I had my HSC I could have started in 2nd year but I chose to take the full 4 years.There were about 30 of us taking a BSc in Mech Eng --about 50/50 ex service and straight from school.We got an annual living ---Further Education and Training--- allowance for ex service people of around 200 pounds and all fees were paid by HMG
November 48 I applied to join BUAS and was turned down. I now have the paper assessments of me by the three man board,all S/Ldrs or above. I did not impress them--bad attitude,security minded--wanted a PC or a university degree.Anyway I was not happy as I knew some of those who were accepted and I was not impressed by them.
Early in 49 there was another recruiting visit and this time I just made the grade because I now know from the paperwork that it was the CO who agreed to take the risk of accepting me. He thought he could make something of my--HE NEEDS DISCIPLINE.
In those days the UAS,s were like a flying club but you got paid and there were no restrictions on hours flown
We were all in civvies and classed as Cadet Pilots .Castle .Bromwich was our flying base with maybe 6 Tigers and 2 RAF instructors for the 20 or so CP,s. It took me about an hour to get out there from Selly Oak --two trams---but it was worth it
I re soloed in March 49 after only 30 minutes dual. But I did 13 circuits on that solo and I have never understood why my instructor said I was OVER confident. I would have thought this performance had demonstrated UNDER confidence.
Summer Camp in 49 was at RAF Aston Down,Bassingbourne in 50. By tis time we had Chipmunks and I got a couple of rides in a Harvard during these two week camps
It must have been in 1950 that I was the first recipient of the Chancellors Cup awarded to the best BUAS cadet. Then ,and even now, I have no illusions about this. My keeness/over attendance was good for the CO,s career and it was this rather than OLQ that worked in my favour
I think we got about 1/6 an hour while at CB ,presumably normal day pay during the fortnight of Summer Camp AND a 35 pound bounty each year.
Around this time the CO--S/Ldr JAC Aiken---advised me that a mistake had been made. Anyone who joined the Squadron having completed EFTS ,like me, should be a PO----of course no back pay or seniority were involved.I think it was around this time that the CO suggested he sponsor me for a PC on my university graduation.Again recruiting univesity graduates would be part of his career path but I wasnt interested
By 1951 I was in my third year and one of my fellow students, PMR Walton had just become CO of 605 at Honiley. This was at the time of Korea and training/retraining had come back into fashion. With my encouragement Aiken and Walton arranged for me to go on a "wings" course that summer at Oakham on Harvards
There were maybe 4 of us --two sponsored by the Belfast RAuxAF Squadron and one---who rightly said his family owned a bank--Hoare--from one of the London Squadrons.The others had "engineered"being called up , I was a volunteer. They got a bounty--I did not, despite taking it up with my MP. I know--NEVER volunteer.
My instructor was a Canadian--F/L Hoover--- and I graduated August 29th,I now had 418 hours AND an RAF pilots brevet!.
So now it was on to Honiley and 605.On Sept 11 I took a Harvard up to RAF Newton for an RAuxAF commissioning interview with one of the Atcherlys.Sept13 Walton took me up to Horsham St Faith in the Meteor 7 . After a few dual flights he sent me solo on the 14th. A week or so later he sent me solo ,again from HSF ,in a Vampire 5.
I remember that flight well. No one had briefed me really and I tried a loop at 30,000 ft----I dont recall exactly what happened but it sort of fluttered down until I came to. Later on in my 605 time I went up with our resident RAF instructor in the 7 to practice single engine flying.throttle back one engine,raise the nose, the airspeed bleeds off and it becomes increasingly difficult to hold on sufficient rudder to keep straight. Told the exercise was over dumb me took my foot off the rudder and in an instant we were on our back---Lucky I was with an experienced instructor!The only other problem I had was loss of oxygen at height but my wing man took charge and guided me down. On a more amusing note, if we flew near Daventry on a Sunday am we got heavenly organ music on our radio--this maybe at 30,000 ft over cloud.
While we flew week ends it was possible to fly during the week though it was more likely that only a Harvard would be available.
I suppose we did all the exercises that a regular RAF fighter Squadron would do---snake climbs through cloud,practice interceptions ,QGH ? letdowns.One exercise, we went to the London area to intercept a flock of USAF B29,s coming in from the East
Before I joined 605 they had one Vampire land on the Severn mud flats---fuel pump failure? and while I was there our only Sgt Pilot caught a wing tip on take off. He immediately returned and landed down wind,running into a walled aircraft parking area. By a miracle he was thrown out of the cockit and flew in an arc held by his parachute shrouds to land on his back on the grass sloping behind the wall---no serious injuries.
But my 605 time was coming to and end.
I had been offered an ICI job in Buxton, Dowty Cheltenham had turned me down for a graduate apprenticeship---this before I had the time to tell them to "stuff it" and U of Toronto was offering 6 month jobs as "instructors" This I accepted.
June was a busy month-- university graduation,marriage and off to Summer Camp in Malta.I missed the graduation ceremony because of camp but I told Walton we were leaving for Canada in August---I TURNED BROWN---Leaving the ship etc.etc. As a result I was not allowed to fly a Vampire out to Malta but travelled in the back of a Hastings with the "troops".
Funny thing is that some years later Walton emigrated to the US and lives about 35 miles away-- I have spoken to him by phone but we have not met! I can understand his feeling about me in 52 as he had put in effort to get me my wings and in to 605
We flew out of Takali and were able to get in some air to drogue firing---recollection is that it was hot humid and hazy.
But the story isnt over!