Danny comes to the Beginning of the End at Thornaby.
My time at Thornaby was coming to an end. My replacement came in (can't remember his name), and I wished him the best of luck (the whole Auxiliary set up was to close down in the next 2-3 years, so I suppose he would be the last Adjutant). My faithful Technical Expert, Bob Schroder, stayed behind with him.
My posting was to 12 FTS, Weston Zoyland, at the end of October. I cannot recall when my last visit to CMB had been, but the position had not changed (A2G1) from my first visit (after RAF Hospital, Wroughton) two years before. The height restriction of 10,000 ft still remained in force; I was as far away as ever from my LCPC in GD(P). But surely, there must be some reappraisal before I went down to Weston ? It was a Meteor FTS, I would be back on oxygen and going up to 30,000 in an unpressurised T7 (up at 10,000 ft/min and down at 8,000). How would they square that circle? I decided to wait and see.
Meanwhile all the coventions had to be honoured. I would leave the Mess with the customary small memento of my three years' membership. We didn't have Antique Shops in those days (at least so far North of Watford), but in a junk shop in Stockton I spied a little cut-glass and silver ink-stand (the inkpot tops and pen were silver, but the tray only EPNS). Fountain pens had been in use for almost half-a century; the present-day passion for old things was yet to come; nobody wanted an ink-stand. It was ridiculously cheap, even with engraving it wouldn't have cost me a fiver. It would add a little dignity to the small table in the hall with the In/Out Books. I presented it to the PMC (name forgotten - do we still do this sort of thing these days - and how about Cards ?).
In return, the Officers of 3608 FCU gave me an EPNS presentation tankard: it looks fine with a jar of flowers in it. The troops presented me with a travel clock. I said my "goodbyes" all round.
My kit and I crammed into the Bond in the last week of October. I did the journey to Somerset in two stages, overnighting in Tamworth. When I booked-in at Weston, I fully expected to be pulled in by the M.O. and given some explanation of how they were going to play it. But none came. I reported to my Training Squadron and was introduced to my instructor (F/O Wyard). Still no mention of my medical category. I kept my mouth shut and waited. Two or three days went by, I started flying, and slowly realised that they simply did not know anything at all about it.
I thought about this. It might be better all round if they remained in blissful ignorance. As I expected, the flying was not causing me the slightest difficulty. If I completed the Course and passed, I should have a very strong card to play next time round at CMB. As to how this ridiculous state of affairs had come about, I can only guess that the man who recorded medical categories worked at the far end of the corridor (in A.M.) from the chap who dished out the Refresher Courses, and they never spoke to one another. Mind you, there were examples galore of the RAF's Right hand not knowing what its Left was doing - indeed some disaffected persons suggested that, most of the time, its Right hand didn't know what its Right was doing ! But ours not to reason why ! Better to lie low (like Brer Rabbit) and say nuthin'.
That's all for the moment,
Danny42C
It'll all sort itself out in the end.
Last edited by Danny42C; 11th Jun 2013 at 17:54.
Reason: Correction.