Nissen Huts....Radiators ?...What is the World coming to ?
Charlie Juliet,
I was at Strubby '55-'58. The palatial Nissen huts you mention must have been a later addition. As Taphappy says (of '47), it was coke stoves for everybody, same in '58.
I'm glad you confirm Nissen huts though, for a tale springs to mind:
I think it was '57, and it was the day of the AOC's Inspection. I was Officer i/c of one of the airmens' Nissen Huts. The place had been bulled-up to perfection; on our last check before the Parade, the hut Corporal and I were quietly confident. Sixteen (I think) beds were made up impeccably, the floor lino had been "bumped" until it shone, the stove was blackleaded into a dull gleam.
Parade over, I rushed back to my hut, the airmens' billets were No.1. on the AOC's itinerary after coffee & biscuits in the Mess. I reckoned twenty minutes at most to Ground Zero. The Corporal and I went in.
Fifteen perfect beds met the eye, plus one dishevelled heap in the corner. It seemed that one of our chaps had been unexpectedly grabbed for night guard duty. Coming back to the billet during Parade and finding all quiet, he'd assumed the place had already been inspected and tumbled gratefully into his pit.
Officer and NCO acted without a word being said. We leapt upon this poor wight, flung him out of bed, threw a blanket round his pyjamas and bundled him out over the hedge into the field behind, under strict orders to stay put out of sight until further notice (luckily it wasn't raining). Then we turned our attention to the bed. Never was a bed made up to (passable) Inspection standard so quickly.
We finished about five minutes ahead of the official entourage. Of course, the AOC passed by our Hut, didn't he ? Always the way ! We gave him time to get well away and then collected our shivering castaway from exile.
Happy Days,
Danny.