Nicosia 1956. Suez. Lots of Hunters parked - though one less than a few days earlier as EOKA had blown one up by attaching a bomb to the undercarriage. Easily done as hundreds of local labourers entered the station each morning without being checked as far as one could tell. Anyhow, as orderly officer one pitch black night I was obliged to inspect the guard on the pan. From the darkness a quavering voice said "Halt, who goes there?". "Orderly Officer" said I. "How do I know that?" said frightened airman. "Shine your torch" said I. "They didn't give me one and don't come any further, I've got a gun" said he. "Is it loaded" said I. "No sir" said he. At this stage the moon appeared from behind a cloud and we could see one another vaguely. He suggested I put my F1250 on the ground and step well back which I did and he groped around until he found it, couldn't read it of course, but said it felt like a F1250 so we agreed he had done all that could be expected. I said "Well done, airman" and sloped off back to the bar for a cooling Keo.
And some folk think the present RAF is bad!
Last edited by 26er; 16th Apr 2013 at 20:03.