Clouds of Orange Blossom
Now back at the ranch.......(or "revenons à nos moutons", as they say)...
MPN11 (#8682 revisited),
I think perhaps our divergent opinions on your Points 1. and 2. may stem from our different experiences. Would it be fair to say that your people in Area Radar tended to be older, more responsible, more experienced and more married than mine in the AFS at Leeming ?
Surely they didn't take them straight off the Joint Course at Shawbury onto Area Radar, still "wet behind the ears" ? (I do hope not - otherwise memo to self and Mrs D. : "Go by train and boat from now on !") *
Now consider things at Leeming. I think we never had more than four WRAF Controllers at any one time - all spinsters in the "full bloom of youth". They are outnumbered more than 15:1 by a constantly renewed population of young gentlemen (the student pilots), who are (a) of the same age as they; (b) of the same standard of education (and this is important); (c) (let's not be mealy-mouthed about this), of the same class as they; (d) perfect physical specimens (A1G1, anyway); and (e) bachelors (almost to a man). If their taste was for something slightly older, and more experienced, then there were still plenty of young, single QFIs to pick from. All these are cooped up in the same Mess.
Wouln't you expect ("Consequences" ?). As I put it: "Even Holy Mother Church wouldn't put a Monastery and a Nunnery under the same roof - and expect nothing to happen !"
And so our WRAF came and (inevitably) swiftly went. ("You can't stop the Sun from shining") Stands to reason.
Note *:
BBC 2 2100-2200 last night "City in the Sky". Thought of putting in a "Heads Up", as it sounded as if they might devote it solely to Area Radar, but they only put in a few graphics and a reference to our old friend Separation Standards, the rest on other subjects. So glad I did not. (Repeated same Channel at 140005 if anyone interested, good serial).
PS: Changing tack completely, Strubby may have been a haven of peace and tranquility in your day, but in mine ('55-'58), it had more movements per diem than (then) Heathrow. We had all the AFS Meteors plus Empire Flying College Canberras, Lincolns and the odd Hunter. And if you think young Bloggses are hard work, try some old ones ! Controllers came off Watch like "wet rags". SATCO had to watch which one would "crack" first from Battle Fatigue, and give him a week's "rest cure" at Manby.
When I was posted to Thorney Island, I thought I'd died and gone to Heaven.
Danny.