Back at Thornaby, Danny gets some Good News.
The two weeks passed by, we had no significant problems, our troops collected their fortnight's pay plus (I think) their Annual Bounties; we said "Goodbye" to Martlesham and went back to Thornaby. There training was suspended for a week or two to give everybody a rest and allow the regulars to get in a spot of leave.
I've earlier described my failure to get a full career Permanent Commission, and my acceptance into the humbler "Limited Career" PC in the GD (Air Traffic Control) Branch. This would, of course, mean the end of my flying career. The details had not been worked out, but I imagine that the transfer between Branches would have taken place after my current tour at Thornaby. That they would allow me to continue as GD (Pilot) until the end of my SSC (in'57) was too much to hope for.
But now, five years before that date, AMO A499/52 appeared, extending the LCPC offer to the GD (Pilot) Branch. Naturally I immediately applied for my LCPC to be switched to that. And it was approved, too. But (and it proved a very big "But"), it was conditional on my passing the full aircrew medical board again. I didn' t anticipate any difficulty. From the very first, in 1940, I'd known that my mother's concern over my "Weak Chest" was not without foundation. But this had been no hindrance to me in any way; I saw no reason to mention it and the medics couldn't find it. On my two previous full Boards (in '40 and '49), I'd "blown up the mercury" for the full 60 seconds: that satisfied the Board that my lungs were good enough. And 35,000 ft in an unpressurised Meteor had been no problem.
Since my return to the RAF in '49, I'd had a blameless aeronautical conduct sheet, I hadn't bent or scratched a single aircraft, or committed any misdemeanour. It was a pity that I managed to blot my escutcheon so late (as it would prove to be) in the day. I shall tell the sorry story in my next two Posts.
Goodnight, all,
Danny42C.
"If you have tears, prepare to shed them now" (Shakespeare: Julius Caesar)
Last edited by Danny42C; 29th Jun 2015 at 17:16.
Reason: Speling !