So not only is it the Lord that giveth and taketh away, Danny, it seems that their Airships do too. As you were in KD and wearing rank slides (a Freudian term if ever there were to facilitate one's easy progress up and down the CoC!) no embarrassing shadows or stitching betrayed your previous exaltedness.
As to the dynamics of your move, I shared your wonder at the safe reuniting with my effects consigned to the uncertain fate of a deep sea voyage while I flew ahead from RAF Changi to Stansted with merely a suitcase and the clothes that I wore. Despite all the dark talk of the jettisoning of crates of deck cargo, including cars being carried as an "indulgence", from HM ships suddenly diverted to operational tasks I never heard directly of anyone being left bereft of their trunks tin, not wanted on voyage, for the use of. Perhaps others did though...
Bad luck with the DIY Greatcoat, it was definitely worth a try. Further East and later on, Chinese tailors always managed to rise to the occasion. In the '60s the No1 SD uniforms produced in Kowloon far exceeded those of R.E. City or Gieves in both quality and value for money in my experience. All good things though come to an end.
Your tale of the anchor chain is a cautionary one and again confirms the old adage of each to their own. When our Squadron's Hastings aircraft were all grounded at Changi for some months following the tragic loss of one with all on-board at Abingdon, our Boss hit upon a scheme to keep us all occupied. He purchased an aluminium ex-ship's lifeboat (perhaps already having served its designed purpose?) and had it delivered to an impromptu boat-yard behind the Squadron building.
We were all "invited" to sub into the project which was to convert it into a cabin cruiser, with the financial incentive that its enhanced value upon completion would result in a capital gain realised on posting by your replacement purchasing your share from you. For me that failed at the first hurdle as I was tour ex well before the launching ceremony and thus suffered a total investment loss
In the meantime one was constantly called upon to scrounge material, be it wood, paint, rope, or for that matter chain, from where one was able. I believe it did finally sail and was used for Squadron barbies etc. So glad...
