TOPCLIFFE musings.
Do you have any memories of Topcliffe please? I was forecasting there c.1967.
Mainstay of our business was the Varsity squadron. Their boss, I believe, was SLdr Tommy Tucker, complete with scarlet lined greatcoat and assertive manner. Two pilots were Poles, known to us as Flt Lt ****slinger and MPilot Smackyerarse .......... close approximations to their real names. The Varsities provided good variety for us, and I believe supported V Force dets to Maccrihanish. Whence came boxes of kippers for Met. on a pre-order basis.
In my memory it is always winter there, snow, greatcoats, gloves, and a skiddy drive from Thirsk.
Two of us lived in Thirsk, the other was F-ing George. Our boss was Jack Houseman, twice torpedoed in the war, with a twitch to go with it. Ken Winspear made up the team of forecasters. Jack and Ken both went on to great things as their merit was acknowledged.
We saw a lot of the JPs from Leeming, and I never knew why ........... not far for a land-away was it?
When I was posted to Guetersloh the Varsities indulged me in both directions whilst getting sorted, including sitting up front, so they clearly forgave me for duff forecasts!