Das WAREN ja Zeiten !
Warmtoast,
Thank you for the second group of OMQ pictures. Very little seems to have changed in the twelve years between our RAF(G) postings.
I'm particularly interested in the price you quote for petrol coupons (Dm 2.50 for 10 litres) - but of course it may have been different in '60 to'62 - and the fact that you were still getting around Dm 12:£1. In our time we first got Dm 11.90, that fell almost immediately to Dm 11.70, but remained (IIRC) at that figure up to '62 when we left.
Sterling at home inflated by a factor of 1.7 between '60 and '72, so you were getting a very favourable rate indeed. Taking all that into account, and doing some sums on the back of an old envelope, I reckon you were getting fuel at the equivalent of 23p a litre today - around 1/6 of what we're all paying. Those were the days !
Now in our time everybody got a free monthly ration of coupons to start you off. Was it still so with you (and can you remember how many ?). Ah, the dreaded VAT (came in with the '72 Finance Act, so after our time). I knew it well.
The principle here was that an exporting State levied no VAT (or MwSt) on goods for export, but the (EU) importing company (which had got the goods in VAT-free) had to account for "output" VAT on resale at the rate in force in UK (or wherever). If you'd bought a really valuable item out there, and benefited from this rebate, then Customs would (or should) have stung you for VAT ad valorum on top of Import Duty (no doubt they did !) when you came home.
Cheers, Danny.