I flew into Topcliffe from Catterick on 16 January 1970 as a young Army Sioux pilot to form 660 Aviation Squadron AAC. 2 Flt AAC with Beavers was already there. It was the start of the happiest time of my military career. We were made very welcome. The flying around North Yorkshire was great and the weather made it more interesting for our bread and butter low level activities. The RAF professional aviation environment was a good place for us to operate from. The O Mess was a wonderfully relaxed and comfortable home after the formal rules and restrictions of an infantry battalion mess. Most of the living in RAF aircrew were middle aged bean stealers but they were a very congenial bunch. Best of all there were wimmin, and families could came into the bar in the evening when we would roll back the carpet and dance. I think the barman was called Freddie!
Our favourite places for romantic eating out were The Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe Hotel (sole nantua and chunk of Aberdeen Angus) and The Old Deanery in Ripon, both still in action.
In the end I married one of the lovely young air traffickers in Topcliffe Church with the reception in the Mess. Now I am retired we live not a million miles from Topcliffe on the edge of the North York Moors, God's own country.
RAF Topcliffe has a very special place in my affections.