When stationed at Portreath in 88-90 I was billeted at St Mawgan. We had no wailing tannoy systems or vehicles driving around outside with somebody shouting through megaphone, as was the case at Leuchars in 1973, instead when Portreath went to play war St Mawgan didn't, thus I used to get a knock on my door from the Orderly airman or corporal who when I responded said you've got to report to your section, at silly o'clock. When I was at the Static War Headquarters at Boerfink near Ramstein, we had bliss. No Tacevals, Minivals or the Max kind. Just fell into a different routine; from 24 hour shifts to 12 on 12 off, or, and I'm sure of this during Crested Eagle 1980, 12 on and 24 off! And it didn't matter whether you were working real world or taking part in whatever exercise; Crested Eagle, Able Archer or Wintex.
But as for when they started, I'd say sometime in the early 1960s in Germany, or even before, Leuchars had its first one in October 1966 as related in my last book Northern Q;
'originally planned for the 18th but postponed to the 19th due to the weather. This first evaluation was considered a practice run as such, that is to say there was a degree of notice and a sense of walking the station through the proceedings to get the idea of what would be expected in the future. However, when that time came, there would be no notice.' sentence taken from my original draft.
FB
PS, the best was lying in bed at silly o'clock at St Mawgan hearing the local people stumbling around when just they were having a Taceval or Sand grouse or whatever!