Eagle Airways "trooper" UK-Singapore 1961

[zippo1958]

1963 (ish) - father posted to Seletar (6TSU) from Heathrow - Rome - Istanbul - Bombay - Paya lebar on British Eagle Brit.

I could be wrong about Rome - but definately Istanbul (I still have the brass letter opener Dad bought me at the gift shop). Bombay - I remember almost getting knocked back due to the heat and smell of spices.

We got put up at the Pasir Ris transit hotel whist waiting for a married quater on base ... the wait lasted almost 6 months. Mind you, as a youngster it was OK because you could just go swimming or fishing. Must have been hell for mum - being left alone whist dad at work and the kids at school!

Anyone at Seletar 63-70 who remembers the small West Camp cinema - my old dad used to be the manager (secondary duty). I'd love to see any photographs of the Cinema (if anyone has any?).

[pasir]

References to the cinema reminded me of an incident in Singapore
in the Fifties . - Our mob (Signal Corps) were based at Pasir Panjang - and we'd often go to a forces Kinema somewhere near BMH Alexander - In those days the MORs were very child like and could speak only little English but would be found in the front seats of the cinema - probably not understanding a word - however they did understand our National Anthem - which normally signified The End of the performance -
and time to leave. During one particular film the National Anthem was
part of the feature and consequently played half-way through - Immediatley all the front seats went up and the MORs proceeded to file
out - Only to sheepishly return to their seats when they realised the
performance was far from over - to raucous laughter from the BORs.

...

[Tankertrashnav]

Anyone at Seletar 63-70 who remembers the small West Camp cinema

Remember it well zippo,but regrettably no photos.

I remember seeing Antonioni's Blow Up there sometime in 1967. Didnt understand it then, and still dont understand it despite having seen it on tv several times!

Did the cinema double as a theatre? Seem to remember seeing Pam Ayres in a play there - she was an SACW at JARIC FE at the time.

[forget]

Astra. Try below, bound to be something somewhere. I lived at 25 Hyde Park Gate from 75 to 85.

RAF Seletar Singapore

[josalsam]

British Eagle "Bonaventure" G-AOVO

Late 1962 British Eagle, Bristol Britannia "Bonaventure" flew from RAF Cottesmore to RAF Tengah, Singapore. I was part of the support crew for 10/15 Sqdn Victors sent on detachement to Tengah and later RAAF Butterworth.
I have been trying ' like Tevios' to remember the route we took. We flew directly to RAF EL Adam, refuelled and continued to RAF Khormaksar for another refuel. This is where I get lost, I always thought the next stop was Karachi, then Gan on to Singapore. Looking at the map this does not seem right, from Aden up to Karachi and then down to Gan is not logical. My thoughts are now that we went from Aden to Gan then on to Singapore. It must have been the return journey that we refuelled at Karachi then on to Istanbul and home. More thinking tells me that Butterworth to Karachi is a long way, the Brit must have made a stop before Karachi, something in the back of my mind says Calcutta 'Kolkata'

When we returned from Butterworth to the UK, I was one of the first to board the aircraft. I made my way to the front and went through a door curtain which led to the flight crew area. There were about three rows of three seats on the right side and a small galley area to the left. I called to one of my pals to come and join me, he said it was for the stewardesses and for me to join him at the back. One of the stewardesses heard him and said to me it would be ok to stay if I wanted. Not being a complete idiot I accepted her offer and found a window seat . I was 18 at the time, me and three or four stewardesses all to myself, what more could a chap want. I was treated like royalty, tea and coffee whenever I wished, sandwiches on tap. Those girls really worked hard keeping us all fed and watered, they would come in to where I was sitting and kick off their shoes, sit in one of the seats next to me, put up their feet on the seat in front that had been pushed forward to give more leg room, and chill out. Needless to say, I had a great time with those girls, I will always remember them. The end of this little tale ends in sorrow, shortly after my flight home "Bonaventure" crashed into the side of a mountain near Innsbruck, there was total loss of life. I never knew then, or now, if any of the girls I had befriended were amongst the casualties. I still have a silver tea spoon with Bonaventure engraved on it, it always reminds me of those young girls that looked after me so well on that British Eagle, Bristol Britannia, "Bonaventure"

[Chris Cramp]

Bagdad

Can anyone recall an incident that took place in 1961. My mother, brother and myself were flying Cunard Eagle Airways from Stansted via Istanbul to Bahrain. For some reason we took the wrong course and flew into Iraq airspace. We were required to land and spent a few hot hours sitting on the tarmac in Bagdad before we were allowed to continue. I was 10 at the time, so my memory of the incident is not very clear. If anyone can give me any more details I would be much obliged.

[brakedwell]

On July 1st 1961 Kuwait became sovereign state. General Kassim immediately claimed that Kuwait historically belonged to Iraq. Britain reacted by sending Hunters and other military hardware to discourage an invasion. Understandably, relations between the UK and Iraq Became very tense. This could have had something to do with your unscheduled landing in Baghdad. Despite having overflight clearance we were ordered to land there in 1975 during a (Britannia 312F) flight from Gatwick to Sharjah, ostensibly to check we were not gun running. We were regular visitors to Baghdad, so I can only assume some awkward bugger got of the wrong side of bed on that day.

[mayorofnewark]

Excellent thread

Been trying to get details on my flight to Singapore for a while. Departed from the West London Air Terminal (remember that?) in September 1965 and delivered to a British Eagle Britannia at (SFAIR) LHR for the long flog to Singapore with stops at Istanbul and Bombay, plus another stop in Malaysia but I'm not sure where. There had been a fire in Bombay airport, so no services at all.

Traveled with several other RN midshipmen to join our first ships. I sat with Martin (better known as Henry) Ford in what I remember as 2x2 seating (despite any seating plans of Brits that I can find being 3x3). Biggest joke at check-in was fellow Mid Jimmy Luard dressed in full winter kit including a great-coat, having used all his baggage allowance and not being quite sure what kit he might need close to the Equator.

I can remember arriving at Changi and thinking that it wasn't really that hot, then realising that it was about 2 in the morning.

Joy of joy, my ship had sailed and, together with a few other 19 yo Mids, I was given a bungalow in the Naval Base, an advance of pay and a very short self-taught course in dissolute behaviour. Regrettably terminated once higher authority realised what we were up to and set us to work!

My return from Singapore was in HMS Ark Royal (Sea Vixen, Scimitar, ASW Wessex, Whirlwind, Gannet COD and Gannet AEW).

Be grateful for any views on mid-60s Brit seating lay-out, stops in Malaysia, 'Henry' Ford, etc, as I'm writing a journal for my family.

[brakedwell]

First Class seating was positioned in the back of civil Britannias. Transport Command Brits didn't have first a class compartments, but officers were usually allocated seats in the rear of the aircraft. Standard 3+3 seating was reduced to 2+2 where the fusilage tapered towards the tail. Unfortunately I can't remember how many rows of seats were affected, but I think it was at least two.

[lauriebe]

mayorofnewark,

My journey to the Far East, courtesy of British Eagle in mid-66, followed the other route; Kuwait, Colombo, to Paya Lebar. Can only remember 3x3 seating.

Is it possible that Butterworth was the stop that you made in Malaysia?

[dicewright100]

Bristol Brittania fight to Hong Kong 1966

As an 8yr old, me and my mum wereflying out to join my dad stationed in H K, after refuelling at Columbo we had engine trouble and had to return and stayed the night til it was fixed ? Can anyone remember or add further details.It was 1966 , I seem to think it was Eagle air and we stayed in the Union Jack Club, London the night before.

[beaugeste47]

British Eagle Brittannia

I was on that flight.Stayed in the Mt.Lavinnia Hotel for 2 nights.

[rog747]

this is nice
el adam field

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ma8K1KiGoY

[cliver029]

Ah Memories

..Only just picking up on this thread.

Filled in some of the (many) blanks but not all, flew October '63 on a British Eagle Brit(it would seem from London).

Having just spent 2 years at Lyneham on aircraft prep, I was a bit sniffy about the state of the civilian Britannia aircraft we were being made to travel in.

Main memories were landing at Istanbul airport and seeing all the abandoned aircraft across the airfield and trees growing out of the wrecks, the other memory was sharing the terminal building with a plane load of refugees heading off to Australia, so I was told, oh and the Turkish coffee, wonderful

Then onto Columbo and the big black birds all over the airfield, no idea how long we were there, but then straight onto a night landing at Changi and the first wiff of Singapore air, but then after two and a half years at Tengah you sort of got used to it

Thanks for the other snapshots people

[Mr Oleo Strut]

Memories of the military magic carpet...

1954. Young Liz became Queen last year, gave me a propelling-pencil and sent me off to take the 11+. Hilary and Tensing had climbed Everest and after a couple of exciting nights at the Union Jack Club in London we climbed into a motor-coach and set off in the night from the Goodge Street Military Air Terminal to Blackbushe Airport. The new Queen was sending us off to Kenya for three years to swim in the warm Indian Ocean, very kind of her. And there she was, not HMQ, but our Airwork Handley Page Hermes, G-ALDX, glittering with lights and with various throbbings going on. Off we staggered into the dark velvet sky, loaded to the gunnels with pax and stores (a cardboard box of refreshments each), sinking back into our rearward-facing seats. As dawn broke we flopped down into RAF Luqa like a half-dead duck then, refreshed, flapped our wings and skimmed off to El Adem. We thundered very low over endless sand dunes until Khartoum rose up out of the desert. My, it was hot there, but much hotter when the aircraft doors opened. Even hotter was the dark brown stew offerered and unwanted but, shame, I was not allowed to drink the ice-cold water in glass jugs - it was foreign and might be dirty! Then off from Khartoum to Entebbe - on a big lake and very green, en-route to Nairobi. We arrived there hot, tired, sweaty and dirty - and that was just the aeroplane, but what an experience for an Army youngster. My reaction to my first flight and arrival in Africa was to throw up all over my Dad, he wasn't impressed.

[LITTLE CLEM]

SINGAPORE FLIGHT 1961

Hi there. I was on your flight as a 5 year old and 3 month old sister. Dad was W/O Orgles and Mum was on her first flight.
I remember the engine being lost and the turbulence ,the sickness is very well remembered.
If I remember rightly it was a Transport Command aircraft (could be wrong) but it departed from UK at Stanstead.
We were driven by Raf coach (or Garry) from RAF Northolt to Stanstead.
We lived at the Loyd Lease estate (RAF) in Duxford road No 3 I think.
Went to school at the Infants which were palm built huts.
We came home 1963 on a Commet 4b Transport Command.
If you need more gen by all means let me know.
I have a very good memory of those years.

[Mr Oleo Strut]

In later life I found myself at Heathrow as a Customs Officer in the 60s boarding British Eagle trooping flights or clearing their passengers and baggage. The flights were always packed with military personnel and/or their families, usually loaded down with 'duty-free' booty of all sorts which they gamely tried to smuggle in. Often we had to tell them that their cheap cameras and watches were fakes, and that their snazzy silk suits would not survive in the rain. On one occasion I went down the back end of a Britannia to deal with the liquor and tobacco stores and found a group of Gurkhas sat on tbe floor in a circle making tea over a portable gas stove. Nobody seemed bothered so I assumed it was common practice and turned a Nelson's eye on their activities. I remember what a spacious aircraft the old Brit was from cockpit to tail compared to the very cramped Comet, but my favourite was and still is the BOAC Super VC10. A real beauty from top to bottom.

[Warmtoast]

I flew with 99 Sqn at Lyneham from 1959 - 1963. 99 was equipped with Britannias, but the military version C Mk253.
A couple of photos from my album showing the military passenger layout looking forward. Standard seat pitch was 38", but to cram in more PAX pitch would be reduced to 36" (compare that to todays 31" pitch in civil economy - if you're lucky!)

At the time RAF Transport Command standard routing to the Far East was Lyneham - El Adem - Aden (Khormaksar) - Gan - Changi and occasionally extended to Hong Kong.











Looking towards rear





..and in CasEvac layout.

[Mr Oleo Strut]

Great reminder, Warmtoast, of what a spacious old bird the Britannia was. Many thanks.

[LITTLE CLEM]

YOUR POST

Have left a post. I was on that flight!
No 2887. 28.12 61.
If you would like more info have a read and let me know.