For those who enjoyed the book "The Go Between" there is a wonderful line
"The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there".
It must be a sign of my advancing age or perhaps that this year is not merely the 100th anniversary of my father's birth, but almost exactly a decade since his death, that I seem to have a clearer memory of events in my childhood associated with my dad's career, than at any time.
If it helps prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease, I make no apology for sharing those wonderful memories.
The Royal Air Force was in the 1950's and 1960's very protective of the "brats" especially the ex pat brats. I hope it still is.
RAF KL had a very busy runway. Wikipedia suggests it had more air movements than any other runway in the World at that time. Whether that is true or not, is irrelevant. What is relevant is that the MQs were on a hill which rose up on one side of the camp and from the garden I had a clear view of the runway.
KL was not a holiday resort like Seletar. No beach or sailing club. I do not even think it had a tennis court. But it did have a swimming pool with a NAAFI where I would while away time. Aside from the pool there was the cubs. School was on an Army Camp k/a Batu Cantonment, to which I was bused every day along with other brats living on the Camp, one of whom and just four months younger than me, was the son of the Staish.
All the operational parts of the Camp were of course off limits.
For one day in the month of April 1958 that rule was lifted. In the afternoon and early evening (it went dark at 6.00pm) I was taken to the Tower and later as dusk descended, travelled along the runway in the fire engine watching the firemen light the gooseneck flares.
KL was not only a RAF Station but was also 'the civilian aerodrome for the capital of the country. The year before, in 1957, Malaya had gained its independence and had its own airline and and was creating its own air force
I cannot recall whether all three ATC in the Tower were civilian, but one was certainly a Malaysian.
How do I recall that?
Because there came a point where food was produced and we all tucked in. Two of the men laughed and one of them explained that the third man was a Muslim and as it was the festival of Ramadan, he was supposed to fast until dusk -- and the speaker exclaimed, which caused great mirth -- he cheats.
I checked, as I usually do before posting these recollections, and the month long festival of Ramadan was indeed in the month of April in 1958.
So what great event gave rise to a 9 year old boy being invited to learn about ATC and lighting runway flares? It certainly was not my birthday. that is in November.
The answer is provided by a varnished broken wooden spar which bears the words "Chas, in memory of our arrival at Fort Langkap, Frank".
On 16 April 1958 Frank Barnes, the OC of 194 Sqn (later stationed at Tern Hill when my dad was at Shawbury) flew my dad in a Sycamore to conduct an aerial survey of a Single Engine Pioneer which one of the pilots on B Flight 267 Sqn, had managed to park on the jungle canopy which rises up to 200 feet, when making the near vertical climb from Fort Langkap.
I have some wonderful colour slides my dad took of the Single Pin resting on top of the trees, together with a photograph of Frank Barnes wearing his bone dome grinning through the front screen of the Sycamore as my dad took his picture.
Why the broken spar and the photograph? The Sycamore lost power and it came crashing down through the canopy to the ground below.Needless to say it was a write-off.
The golden rule the pilots were taught on the jungle survival course was "always stay with the aircraft".
When a Valetta came down, sadly killing the air crew, the loaders in back, who had been instructed to belt-up, survived. But one had decided to try to hack his way out of the jungle. Although the Valetta was quickly discovered, it took the SAS two days to find the young man who had wandered off.
I do not know how long it took to find my dad and Frank Barnes and extract them, but my guess is that the decision was taken that I should be occupied well away from the house until my dad's status was established and communicated to my mother.
I did speak to my dad about this incident 10 years ago. His memory was very clear about it and he proudly told me that he had a small gash which did not prevent him flying 24 hours later.
As for the survey, he told me he wanted to see if the Single Pin could be extracted and repaired. Alas like the Sycamore, it was a write-off.
A postscript is that Wing Commander Frank Barnes AFC Rtd. went out to the Middle East when he left the Service to Abu Dhabi's Defence Force and later run an aviation company in Bahrain and tried to persuade my dad to go with him. As in 1946, my dad politely declined.
Gulf Daily News » Local News » Second World War hero Frank Barnes mourned