Pom Pax,
Jab central for me was 1969 and sounds astoundingly close to your description. Halton medical centre had steps leading to the second floor, which we new apprentices were marched up, in vests and told to place both hands on hips. There followed a procession through the medics who attempted to replicate a pincushion in each of us. As I recall the procedure was repeated three times over a six week period, with those of us who failed various tests (Schlick test ?) being required to return for further puncturing. I wonder if our modern RAF uses the same technique with recruits. As a follow up, I well remember being sent to a field hospital in Riyadh during GW1 to receive my "protective dose" against all the ills Saddam could throw at us. Saddam never threw anything to my knowledge, but the twitch I inherited as a result of the cocktail is with me to this day
Smudge
