I was at RAF Seletar when they had Sunderlands but I was on the other side where we flew Chipmunks from the runway. I was seconded to the MAAF (Singapore Wing) as a ground engineer instructor.
It is entirely possible the Sunderland would have RAF Admin members fly with them and probably drop bombs in the jungle against the communist guerillas, but I think it would be an ad-hoc basis and well before my time there.
The Sunderland took off and landed on the patch of water between Singapore and Johor Baru, but were usually towed up a ramp for parking on land. There was also a float-station off Penang which used an army base as HQ.
Any engineer who worked on Sunderlands used to have his tools on a long string!!!
btw I doubt if your gramp started National Service when he was only 14...most that age, like myself joining RAF Halton at age 15, had to be a Boy Entrant or Apprentice.
Last edited by Davita; 2nd Jun 2014 at 04:21.
Reason: Not RMAF...MAAF