How many RAF stations have swimming pools?

[chopper2004]

Just twigged pretty much every USAF / US Army aviation / USN?USMC (obligatory) has swimming pools as part of sports facilities but not every RAF station. One would have thought that be mandatory re fitness especially with the likes of Shawbury and Valley should have?

cheers

[chevvron]

I believe Halton's pool is still operating but probably for not much longer; Witterings is probably still open too.

[charliegolf]

Odiham used to have a pool, but it was in the last century.

CG

[Ninthace]

We did not have one at Bruggen, but we did have an EWS with a blue liner and changing rooms. Halton and Cosford I know had official pools,

[Yellow Sun]

Cranwell, Kinloss, Wyton and Langar had pools, although the RCAF may have built the latter.

YS

[SimonPaddo]

Odiham still had a pool this century

[NutLoose]

We did not have one at Bruggen, but we did have an EWS with a blue liner and changing rooms. Halton and Cosford I know had official pools,

Are you sure, i though Bruggen had one, just up from 431 MU and along the main fence... It was an open air one.

here you go, top right, follow the row of curved houses to the left where the road splays out and that is the pool?


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x768/1990_04_raf_brueggen_buildings_0eb15f790a5a4dca22a6f5a7d466f 0c27534f3fe.jpg

[downsizer]

I believe Halton's pool is still operating but probably for not much longer; Witterings is probably still open too.

Wittering hasn't had a pool since at least 1994.

Cranwell and Cosford do.

[oldmansquipper]

There are probably now more pools remaining than RAF stations…..

[spekesoftly]

RAF Nicosia had an excellent outdoor swimming pool which was very popular with most personnel, including the CO and his family. On one occasion my wife and I had just arrived and as we were making our way to the changing rooms the CO did a double-take and said to my wife "I'm so sorry, I didn't recognise you with your clothes on!"

[ICATQ]

St Athan had a pool and diving platform. Used mainly to scare the bejesus out of the trainees!

[SimonPaddo]

Can nearby beaches count?

[NutLoose]

St Athan had a pool and diving platform. Used mainly to scare the bejesus out of the trainees!

And a damned fine one it was.

[Ninthace]

Are you sure, i though Bruggen had one, just up from 431 MU and along the main fence... It was an open air one.

here you go, top right, follow the row of curved houses to the left where the road splays out and that is the pool?


Trust me, we didn't to the best of my knowledge. As I recall, the Station tried to get a pool built but was denied permission. Long before my time, they got round it by having an EWS tank for the purposes of firefighting. Non public funds were then used to add filtration and changing rooms etc, but on paper, it was an EWS. The pool was kind of on my slop chit as the PEdO was part of my organisation.

[Avionker]

Kinloss had a pool?

Please tell me that was pre ‘92 because I don’t remember one at all.

If it was there between ‘92 and ‘99 then I obviously spent even more time in the Abbey than I thought.

[WE992]

Brize Norton.

[David Thompson]

Binbrook had an open-air pool in 1972 as I used it during air cadet annual camp based at Manby . I don't remember much about the pool but the Lightnings bashing the circuit were great !

[NickB]

Laarbruch had one and very popular it was!

[Yellow Sun]

Kinloss had a pool?

Please tell me that was pre ‘92 because I don’t remember one at all.

If it was there between ‘92 and ‘99 then I obviously spent even more time in the Abbey than I thought.

Kinloss had an indoor pool up until at least 1984. It was on the south side and I think this might be it:


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/929x1278/11882d12_b932_42ee_939e_37e6eb66270b_c63fdccd84f62ef1ed13c0f f05a0d30f17943ba7.jpeg

[MPN11]

Tengah, along with many other establishments in Singapore, had one. Indeed, just before the run-down was announced, we were planning one for the Officers Mess in lieu of the underused tennis courts. Oh, the heady days of Empire … “Where shall we swim today, darling?”

[ICATQ]

Akrotiri had an outdoor salt water pool which fell into disrepair. In the late 1980s, due to lack of support and funding from the Station, the families held many events to fund a new pool, which eventually opened opposite the Pen Club.

The Station then assumed control of the pool as a Unit asset, which led to much disenchantment among the pool organisers and, a small but noticeable group boycotted the pool.

[brakedwell]

Bahrain, RAF Muharraq had a very good pool. I remember racing Dickie Henderson three lengths when he visited with a CSE Show. {After a few beers}

[Janda]

Kinloss had a pool?

Please tell me that was pre ‘92 because I don’t remember one at all.

If it was there between ‘92 and ‘99 then I obviously spent even more time in the Abbey than I thought.
Kinloss definitely had a pool in the 70's. Used it many times for dinghy drills and inter squadron competition.

[TWH]

Too much time in the Abbey. Pool, was alive and well until the Army ran it into the ground, despite offers from ex-RAF to run it for them at zero cost.

[Krystal n chips]

Trust me, we didn't to the best of my knowledge. As I recall, the Station tried to get a pool built but was denied permission. Long before my time, they got round it by having an EWS tank for the purposes of firefighting. Non public funds were then used to add filtration and changing rooms etc, but on paper, it was an EWS. The pool was kind of on my slop chit as the PEdO was part of my organisation.

Nope, sorry, Bruggen certainly had a pool located near those 3 two storey blocks on the road that went past the NAAFI and then turned left to run parallel with the main drag...it was also on the downwind leg which led to spurious allegations as to "low flying" to observe ladies there....alas, the originator of this claim, after escalating his complaints, was kindly invited for a free ride in a glider....and, as was kindly pointed out to him, from around 600ft, just how much of the female anatomy was visible ?.....the complaints mysteriously ceased at this point.

In fact, if you go on the Bruggen FB page, there are numerous posts / photo's showing families enjoying themselves.

[MG]

I think Ninethace was doing his best to show that his tongue was firmly in his cheek.

[sangiovese.]

Off piscine subject. Brize had a dry ski slope. No idea if it’s still there though

[Akrotiri bad boy]

Wildenrath had an outdoor pool. I met Mrs Akro there. I think I've still got my Speedo's somewhere:ok:

[langleybaston]

I think Gutersloh had a pool but rose-tinted spectacles?

JHQ Rheindahlen had both an outdoor pool ["the Bluey" ]with bar and club, plus a dry-ski slope. I think the latter was gonned by our second tour in 1990.

The older teenagers went to the Bluey to misbehave. Unfortunately the younger airmen and soldiers went there for the same purpose. We had two daughters, both gorgeous. Thus many an anxious Friday evening, and deadlines, strictly policed by SWMBO, who could assume the mien of a dragon.

[Ninthace]

I think Ninethace was doing his best to show that his tongue was firmly in his cheek.
You are getting there. On paper, Brüggen never officially had a pool, it was an Emergency Water Supply. It even had a EWS sign on the fence as I recall. The station used it as a pool via Non Public Funds. I can't really be clearer.:ugh:

[stacker]

Honington had one - at least in the mid to late 80s. Henlow also at turn of the millennium. Both still in operation according to a quick internet search.

[Shaft109]

Definitely had an indoor pool in 1996, we were bussed in from Lossiemouth for our proficiency certificate.

At Turnhouse in 1994 we went to a pool, but a bit of thinking about it reveals it was at Dreghorn barracks in Edinburgh.

[k3k3]

You are getting there. On paper, Brüggen never officially had a pool, it was an Emergency Water Supply. It even had a EWS sign on the fence as I recall. The station used it as a pool via Non Public Funds. I can't really be clearer.:ugh:
Just as the golf club at Brüggen was an alternative sick quarters and the links emergency helicopter landing pads.

[common toad]

Showing my age, but RAF Langar had a pool.

[stevef]

Colerne had a decent pool until the station closed in '76 due to the defence cuts. Overall, it was a pretty good posting except for the lack of WRAFs.

[Imagegear]

El Adem

I left two front teeth on the bottom, (we had drunk some of it when the artesian wells dried up).

IG

[oxenos]

Kinloss had a pool?

I was last there in '72, and recall going to Elgin for Dinghy drills.

[BEagle]

RAFC Cranwell in 1974. A student officer from an aristocratic background with an honours degree having been allocated to the last GE of the year, joined as a Flt Lt pilot such was the weirdness of the time. He also outranked his blunty direct entry Fg Off flight commander...

On being 'invited' by some PTI to swim lengths in the Whittle Hall swimming pool, he announced "Well, Cpl, what you need to know is that people in my world do not 'swim', they 'bathe'!". A floating bar in an expensive part of the world was more his scene than a tank of warm water at Cranwell!

[Herod]

] RAF Nicosia had an excellent outdoor swimming pool which was very popular with most personnel, including the CO and his family. On one occasion my wife and I had just arrived and as we were making our way to the changing rooms the CO did a double-take and said to my wife "I'm so sorry, I didn't recognise you with your clothes on!"[/color]

The place to be when on standby with the UN helicopters. 1969

[biddedout]

RAF Ascension Island had/has a pool at the Accom area somewhere on the road up to Green Mountain.

[wub]

Henlow had a good pool

[Lomon]

RAF Mount Pleasant had one last time I was down there.
RAF Honnington has one too.
RAF Akrotiri still has one.

[DeanoP]

RAF Khormaksar Officers' Club pool at Tarshyne beach gave safe haven from the sharks. Feel the heat!

(Photo from the RAF Khormaksar thread. Not mine)



Ahttps://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/636x427/tarshyne_pool_c24e2ca1dbf1efa6dad3d887a5457f87ec09ecf7.jpg

[Wycombe]

Not wholly an RAF Camp but I remember Deci had a nice outdoor pool

[Akrotiri bad boy]

I lived in the Kinloss south side singly blocks 1984/5 and I don't remember a pool. Mind you, I didn't realise there was a gym on site!

[oxenos]

I recall two Cranwell pools. There was one down near the airfield, linked to a gym when I arrived in 1960. By the time I left, we were using the new one.
Looking on Google earth, I see that the South Brick Lines have gone. I would have thought they might have preserved one of those huts, to show later generations what luxury the junior entry enjoyed.

[ACW342]

Wattisham most definitely had one, just right outside the NAAFI block (where the chip machine was)

A342

[Richard Dangle]

A few memory chips fading hereabouts...only to be expected given the demographic I suppose :)

I was at Kinloss on and off from 77 to 03 and the wee pool (next to the gym) was open, functional and extremely well-used throughout. Some famous swimmer (Goodhew? Wilkie?) did an exhibition swim in it once. As I recall, if you volunteered for lifeguard, you got out of some station duties.

St Mawgan had no pool but had early morning time slots reserved at Newquay (indoor and outdoor) which was near Newquay zoo. I well remember swimming in the outdoor pool very early morning listening to the zoo's resident lion roaring. Mountbatten had no pool, so the survival school used the one at RNAS Culdrose (which I recall being a proper size) for its many drills.

[The Oberon]

Masirah had one. I remember a particularly blood thirsty water polo match, aircrew vs groundcrew, during a Vulcan detachment 1969.

[FarWest]

RAF Henlow had one as I learned when I did my IOT there in 74. We all had to prove we could swim one length, Having swum at County level before joining, I took a racing dive into the pool and powered down to the end. My showing-off was seen by the PTI who told me to keep on back and forth until the entire sqn had attempted their one length. Lesson was rapidly learned as I climbed exhausted from the pool at the end.

FW

[Bob Viking]

Masirah still has one. Probably the same one you used. It’s not RAF though. It’s RAFO!

BV

[Al Richey]

Masirah still has one. Probably the same one you used. It’s not RAF though. It’s RAFO!

BV
I recall swimming there in 1973 while staging through. Because there were no women allowed on station, swimming trunks were optional. Not a pretty sight.

[proudfishead]

Yeovilton had/has 2. One of them is very deep but it's awfully difficult to do lengths when some inconsiderate chap insists on dropping mock helicopters into to it.

[The Oberon]

Masirah still has one. Probably the same one you used. It’s not RAF though. It’s RAFO!

BV
Also saw my first ever blue movies in the Buff Lodge down there. A Sick Quarters Sgt. was I/C projector.

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

Airport Camp Belize had one, again provided under the auspices of an EWS, or so local folk-law had it

[PICKS135]

Abingdon had an outdoor pool in the 70s. Remember midnight swimming in 1975 with a couple of hardy people. After a visit to the bar of course

[Ninthace]

Yeovilton had/has 2. One of them is very deep but it's awfully difficult to do lengths when some inconsiderate chap insists on dropping mock helicopters into to it.
If you want a deep pool, try the one at Fort Blockhouse, Gosport, formerly HMS Dolphin. The widths are short but it is 100ft deep. I did the obligatory 2x30ft, 1x60ft and 1x100ft runs through it. Heady stuff at the time.

[Brian 48nav]

Deano,

What a surprise. 48 Sqn Association Sec' was trying to contact you earlier this year. I said that I could try to reach you via PPRuNe PM - to no avail. We assumed the worst. Good to see your post!

Brian Wildey

[Cornish Jack]

One for the real oldies - Habbaniya had a swimming pool, and a cinema, and a zoo ! ... and a seaplane alighting area and a shopping 'mall' and a hospital ,,, and food poisoning !

[middlesbrough]

RAF Changi Officers Club , pool, and hairdressers with a free Indian scalp massage. Sorry no photo.

[Baldeep Inminj]

Scampton certainly had one in the early 90’s.

I could never understand why Shawbury and Valley don’t have them, being huge multi-service training bases.

[Herod]

This is all making me nostalgic (and old). Tarshyne, Nicosia, Masirah, Changi.

[XN593]

There was one here in 1974, but where was here?
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1077x641/screenshot_20221101_104758_gallery_2_7589a2676556560a2390de8 30f9efd9e4c38cbe8.jpg

[Wigglyamps]

Ascension in the late 80's had a tiled EWS and a diving board.

[Fitter2]

As someone mentioned earlier, Tengah had an excellent one, near 'the stables' (transit accommodation where I spent 3 weeks on my way to Kuching) and JCs curry stall opposite the main gate.

I was put off learning to swim by the squalid municipal pools we were taken to while at school, but as swimming was the only sensible form of exercise in Singapore humidity, quickly learned, and that was very useful later.

[Red Line Entry]

Not a dig, but an observation. The question was: How many RAF stations have swimming pools? Cue a host of posts regaling us with stories of closed stations that had swimming pools. This place should really be renamed the 'Retired Military Aviation' forum. I wonder what percentage of posters on this forum are currently serving...even Bob V's now an old codger! :p

[Bob Viking]

You’re absolutely correct (well retired anyway but not necessarily old). Which is why I will be at pains to only comment on stuff I actually understand from here on in. And I promise not to flood the forum with stories of how ‘it was so much better in my day’!

BV

[Jazzyg]

Bruggen defo had outdoor pool in 1990 ...

[Ninthace]

Bruggen defo had outdoor pool in 1990 ...
Not on paper it didn't := , unless the MOD adopted it post 89.

[Jazzyg]

It was certainly there as I used it a couple of times...outdoor and very pleasant it was too. I will see if any of my old muckas have phots. I even took the croc for a bask in the sunshine..(dont ask...was looking after it whilst my next door neighbour in the block was on fitters course.

[Ninthace]

It was certainly there as I used it a couple of times...outdoor and very pleasant it was too. I will see if any of my old muckas have phots. I even took the croc for a bask in the sunshine..(dont ask...was looking after it whilst my next door neighbour in the block was on fitters course.
See posts #14 and #30 for explanation. Failing that try getting OC SSS or PSA to fix it when it broke

[Minnie Burner]

Not a dig, but an observation. The question was: How many RAF stations have swimming pools? Cue a host of posts regaling us with stories of closed stations that had swimming pools. This place should really be renamed the 'Retired Military Aviation' forum. I wonder what percentage of posters on this forum are currently serving...even Bob V's now an old codger! :p

Wildernrath STILL has a pool, just sweet FA else. Apart from asylum seekers. And a big train set.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/711x456/wrpool_a5352e560fbbe91c4678edf3b5954c412fd8805f.jpg

[brakedwell]

Not a dig, but an observation. The question was: How many RAF stations have swimming pools? Cue a host of posts regaling us with stories of closed stations that had swimming pools. This place should really be renamed the 'Retired Military Aviation' forum. I wonder what percentage of posters on this forum are currently serving...even Bob V's now an old codger! :p

More pertinent, how many RAF Stations are there now. Not many I am afraid.

[Mrmungus]

Wattisham had an outdoor pool but I believe the Army filled it in and built another indoor pool on the other side of the Car Park.

[teeteringhead]

I could never understand why Shawbury and Valley don’t have them, being huge multi-service training bases. Can't speak for Y Fali, but Shawbs always used to use Cosford - only about 30 mins away and excellent bacon butties at the caff by the Station (BR not RAF) afterwards.

And Langar pool .... some tales to tell of that one from Syerston days ........ and I think it was RCAF built.

[Union Jack]

If you want a deep pool, try the one at Fort Blockhouse, Gosport, formerly HMS Dolphin. The widths are short but it is 100ft deep. I did the obligatory 2x30ft, 1x60ft and 1x100ft runs through it. Heady stuff at the time.

Sadly, the "Tank" ceased to be used, even on a reduced basis, by the Submarine Service in 2020, but it was kids' stuff compared with being first out doing a voluntary run from 300 feet when exercising with the "Swim Boys" off the West Coast of Scotland! A very deep pool indeed, and no restraints there like in the Tank.....:eek:

Jack

[NutLoose]

Surprised Brize never had one, though it did have a bowling alley, but you had to be a Civi to get a lane ;)

[Ninthace]

Sadly, the "Tank" ceased to be used, even on a reduced basis, by the Submarine Service in 2020, but it was kids' stuff compared with being first out doing a voluntary run from 300 feet when exercising with the "Swim Boys" off the West Coast of Scotland! A very deep pool indeed, and no restraints there like in the Tank.....:eek:

Jack
I did my last RAF tour at Blockhouse. My office was in the old submarine school that I had passed through some 20 years previously while in training for SSNs. I am surprised the tank lasted that long. Nothing like being sealed into a chamber slowly filling with water while being able to look out at the car park 60ft below. One of life's more surreal experiences.

[MENELAUS]

I did my last RAF tour at Blockhouse. My office was in the old submarine school that I had passed through some 20 years previously while in training for SSNs. I am surprised the tank lasted that long. Nothing like being sealed into a chamber slowly filling with water while being able to look out at the car park 60ft below. One of life's more surreal experiences.

Whilst the divers gently punch you in the abdomen if they think that you’re not breathing out on the way up.
Actually once you got over the panic of being flooded whilst trapped in the chamber the escape trainer was quite good fun. The dunker ( initially at Vernon then VL) less so. !!!
No idea why the submarine service stopped it. Seemed like vital training to me.

[Roland Pulfrew]

Surprised Brize never had one, though it did have a bowling alley, but you had to be a Civi to get a lane ;)

Brize did have one, assume that is it still has (it's even marked on Google Maps), so maybe one of the few stations pertinent to OPs question.

[Dominator2]

BV,
And I promise not to flood the forum with stories of how ‘it was so much better in my day’!

BV, your too young to say that. You have to at least be a "Cold War Warrior" to make such inflammatory comments!

[Bob Viking]

Haha. Got it. Although as a former Jaguar pilot surely I’m almost an honorary Cold War Warrior?

BV

[NutLoose]

Brize did have one, assume that is it still has (it's even marked on Google Maps), so maybe one of the few stations pertinent to OPs question.

Well b*gger me, all those years I was there and I never knew, if I had I would have been a frequent user.

[MPN11]

Brize did have one, assume that is it still has (it's even marked on Google Maps), so maybe one of the few stations pertinent to OPs question.
Can things on the internet lie? It's on Google Earth too.

[Teamchief]

Wittering hasn't had a pool since at least 1994.

Cranwell and Cosford do.
Wittering pool was an open air one on the sports field near to the staish's house. When it was filled in there was a bit of trouble as it had been provided by the Malcolm Clubs I believe.

[GreenXCode]

Sorry with my facetious hat on, I am unclear what aviation link the original Q has. To get back to present tense though Honington, as the Home of RAF FP, has a superb indoor pool but its opening hours are a little narrow. Much better than the grotty pool it had in the 80s when the roof let more water in over the winter than the small pool could actually hold ;)

[Compass Call]

I was at Wyton 1970-75, no swimming pool there.
If there was one it was in officers only country!

[NutLoose]

No you didn't.. completely false as usual.


what?

[cynicalint]

I was at Wyton 1970-75, no swimming pool there.
If there was one it was in officers only country!
There was a well established pool at RAF Wyton in 1976, -turn right (or left if coming from camp) at the guardroom ,across the green from the officers' mess right next to the main road. I swam my RAF swim proficiency ther in Aug 1976. It was still there in 1991-1995.

[Paying Guest]

Whilst the divers gently punch you in the abdomen if they think that you’re not breathing out on the way up.
Actually once you got over the panic of being flooded whilst trapped in the chamber the escape trainer was quite good fun. The dunker ( initially at Vernon then VL) less so. !!!
No idea why the submarine service stopped it. Seemed like vital training to me.
I think my head still aches from going through the dunker drills there back in 1975.

[dctyke]

Wittering pool was an open air one on the sports field near to the staish's house. When it was filled in there was a bit of trouble as it had been provided by the Malcolm Clubs I believe.


yep, all on its own next to the running track. Perfect for skinny dipping late at night in the summer, happy days in the early 70s. ( Comcen girls where are you 😉 )

[Barksdale Boy]

RNZAF Ohakea had one: happy days skinny dipping there in '73!

[ej200man]

Kinloss had a pool?

Please tell me that was pre ‘92 because I don’t remember one at all.

If it was there between ‘92 and ‘99 then I obviously spent even more time in the Abbey than I thought.

It was still in use by the RAF in 2004/5 when I was there and the building is still standing, although not sure what the Army have done to it now!

[Rocket2]

Can't see any mention of Lyneham's pool, if memory serves it was near the airmen mess & bowling alley it had a reasonable height diving board too. Scared myself witless having decided to try the high board - only did that once!!

[The Nip]

Surprised Brize never had one, though it did have a bowling alley, but you had to be a Civi to get a lane ;)

The pool at BZN was near the Spotlight Club and the then singly accommodation.

[Mogwi]

More pertinent, how many RAF Stations are there now. Not many I am afraid.

Maybe we should work out how many pools still have an RAF station 😊

Mog

[cynicalint]

Littlewoods and Vernons had good pools!

[chevvron]

Wittering pool was an open air one on the sports field near to the staish's house. When it was filled in there was a bit of trouble as it had been provided by the Malcolm Clubs I believe.
It was there near the cadet's MQs when I did summer camp in '87; where did it go?

[Stuff]

I believe Halton's pool is still operating but probably for not much longer; Witterings is probably still open too.

I'm afraid the Old Workshops that housed the Halton pool were declared unsafe around 2016ish. It has been shut ever since. Technically it does still have a pool but you can't use it...

[Powers]

In the summer of ’67, just a few minutes after leaping into the deep end of RAF Khormaksar’s very nice outdoor pool near the Shackleton pan, the peace was shattered by a terrorist bomb exploding on an empty Aden Airways Vickers Viscount airliner parked further down the pans. An unexpected, shocking and unpleasant event although most of us bathers had become accustomed throughout that year to the many unfriendly actions of the local Arab NLF and FLOSY brigades. As far as I remember, no one in the pool was injured but the poor old Viscount was a total wreck.

[Akrotiri bad boy]

Akrotiri boasted the world's only NAAFI beach at Buttons Bay, through the kokinnelli/keo fug I dimly remember there also being a pool at this esteemed establishment. I also spent many a happy afternoon lounging in the pool at the Akrotiri hovercraft and canoe club which included a bar within arm's reach of the shallow end.:ok:

[Gulfstreamaviator]

Giballtar has one.

[Paying Guest]

There was one here in 1974, but where was here?
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1077x641/screenshot_20221101_104758_gallery_2_7589a2676556560a2390de8 30f9efd9e4c38cbe8.jpg

Biggin HIll Officers Mess - but you can't quite see the very fine gravel surround, courtesy of a massive miscalculation by the designers of the RAFC Cranwell stand at the air show display 1971 regarding the quantity of gravel needed for a natty border to the stand!

[osbo]

I recall the tale (apocryphal?) from the 80s which went along the lines of a Vulcan being farmed out to an RAF station for retirement. The crew asked to land with as much fuel as possible so that it could be used as a fuel supply for the station pool.

Does anyone know more?

[chinook240]

As I understand it, the swimming pool at Odiham, and probably many other military bases, were built by the Nuffield Trust. Unfortunately, the Trust didn’t provide for the maintenance and running costs, which was probably fine in the pre-NMS/Budget days, where money could be lost in the noise. Once costs had to be accounted for, they became more difficult to run, even doing dinghy drills, aircrew swimming tests and the Mountsey Trophy didn’t cover it - hence their demise.

[Warmtoast]

I was at 5FTS, RAF Thornhill, S. Rhodesia between 1951 - 1953. Here's what the pool looked like then.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/640x459/thornhill_pool_4c1f430b4cb105934c160abc9e5fedab0f1c2647.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/598x405/changi_swimming_pool_c52e9da62f7d8a9778ea6e170650c04e7b2c0c7 1.jpg
....and here's what the pool at Changi looked like in 1956

Finally, the pool at the Britannia club in Singapore around 1956-57

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/787x764/britannia_club_singapore_my_dia_f8d87b08cecacd7dead097bb5f25 f47cb5edb8fd.jpg

[Stierage]

Colerne had a decent pool until the station closed in '76 due to the defence cuts. Overall, it was a pretty good posting except for the lack of WRAFs.

Batheaston School used to use it in the early 70s - still remember it

[snapper41]

Coltishall had one - I was OIC the Stn Swimming Team for a while in the early 90s

[deltahotel]

In the 60s Butsweilerhof and Gatow!

[MightyGem]

Gütersloh had one. We broke the ice doing dinghy drills one year. :eek:

[Stitchbitch]

11451641]Gütersloh had one. We broke the ice doing dinghy drills one year. :eek:

Did two cultural exchanges to 1AAC in 96 and 06. A couple of times a year we would chuck the crews in the main town pool with the wave machine, with an MS10 and BA packs. Great fun, apart from a very serious RM exchange with a soh failure who got the manual inflation drill on both life preserver and raft..🤣

[BEagle]

Due to some quirk of the 'Green Shield' system in around 1973/4, one chap turned up at RAFC already as a Flt Lt - and was higher up the Air Force List than his flight commander!

When advised by the PEdO of the PT requirements, which included swimming, he came out with the immortal phrase "Sir, you don't understand. I don't swim, I bathe!"

[Ninthace]

No quirk BEagle, when I turned up as RAFC, I arrived as a Flt Lt and senior to my flight commander and in fact, on one occasion, invited him to leave the mess if he could not behave properly.