Laarbruch RIC Stories
In the early 1970s when II (AC) Sqn were on Phantoms I was detached from the Army photographic interpretation unit at Rheindahlen to the Laarbruch RIC for war role training. Besides myself there was the RIC's permanent Army SNCO photo interpreter (Ssgt X) who was a bit of a character and had been on the Guards All Arms Drill Course at Pirbright at some point which he could turn on and off at will. He took great delight in confirming the RAF's worst fears about the Army. Two incidents involving both him and myself come to mind:
The scene is the PI cabin where Ssgt X is waiting to debrief a crew. Enter stage right steely-eyed Phantom crew with the Nav looking at his aircrew watch.
Steely-eyed Nav to Ssgt X: Staff (at least he didn't say Flight) have you got the time?
Ssgt X (assuming Guards Drill Instructor persona): "Time Sir. Glad you asked that. Shows a keen, enquiring military mind. Time, Sir is always the same: ONE two-three ONE, moving on ONE and standing perfectly still on the regimental pause of two-three between the drill movements."
Exit steely-eyed Nav muttering about Army lunatics.
The other was during the end of day debrief that included a short equipment recognition test using 35mm slides. A slide of an Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB) is flashed up and the Squadron Recognition King points to a victim and asks What is it?
Victim: an MT-55 - this was a Soviet AVLB
Myself: Oh no its not, its an East German BLG-60 (similar to MT-55 but with significant differences) and then pointed out the differences amid much joshing from assembled aircrew.
Sqn Recognition King: How do you know that?
Myself: Because I took that photograph whilst covering an East German Army day parade in East Berlin.
Briefing dissolves into laughter but subsequently the Squadron Recognition King checks identifications with the RIC before he shows them to the Squadron
Part of some heady, if anarchic days with the RICs