Kings field and the Invasion
As a Co I was on the other crew when the Albert taxi-ed itself into the hangar (fortunately). However, not long after and shortly after my LHS conversion, I was invited to spend almost 3 weeks as OC Kingsfield (a Hercules Captain role specified by the BoI) for a free fall training exercise. The rest of the activation party included a WO(ATC) local qualified. Almost as a joke I suggested that this could just as well be a Flt Lt (W) ATC LOCAL Q (Mrs X was one such) Flt Cdr R.. L.... could not see why not, nor could the para major at Upavon. All was well until 2 days before we left when the Queen Bee at Epi heard there was to be a WRAF officer at KF - consternation and alarm there were no suitable facilities at KF. After much wheeling and dealing by others at Gp sanity eventually prevailed and off we went to a most enjoyable period in the sun.
During the exercise, the Major commanding teenie weenie airways at Dhekelia called in to ask if he and his troops could fly in to inspect Albert. I suggested that he wait and talk to the Captain. Imagine the scene - Major immaculately dressed, shoes bulled and not a crease out of place. Albert lands, shuts down and I and Major wait to greet Captain who came down the crew door steps clad in flip flops and bathers, towel slung over shoulder and shades on (we had promised to take the crew swimming between lifts).
Again v shortly after in June I was tasked with delivering 38G TCW to KF for a no-notice deployment. The only problem was their activation signal said deploy to Addis Ababa (in the middle of the rainy season). They all showed up at Benson with wellies, rainwear and umbrellas but we were not allowed to tell. It got a trifle difficult, however, when asking through Stn Ops for an overweight T/O to carry the extra fuel for Akrotiiri to KF to Akrotiri - all the loads had been very carefully calculated we were told They were not overly amused when the doors opened 8hrs later to see the sands of Cyprus.
The same 38G TCW exercise was just ending when the Turkish Army arrived and TCW was already in place for evacuations - luck or did somebody know something?. Anyway being Lyneham based we were no longer allowed into KF that being jealously guarded by and for NEAF. My main memory of the evacuation was being offered 6x45 gallon drums of water to bring our empty aircraft back in trim. It seemed absurd to be exporting water from Cyprus to the UK and I refused, saying get me 6 passengers instead. Some argument about proper processing ensued before finally bringing me the 6 who travelled back in an otherwise completely empty cargo bay. I also remember, though did not witness, the "no football, no fires" speech supposedly given by B... 'Wingeing will' K...
As has often been said - happy days now long ago.