You certainly get around, I42 - nice photos too!

Cheers.

Dora-9,

Thanks. I've reached the stage in my life where when an opportunity presents itself, I go for it, on the basis that I may never have the chance again! Next time I'm in the Deep North, I'll probably be knocking on your door! ;)

I'm back in Saigon now!

India Four Two

Thanks for the updates on how my nearly sixty-years old views of Singapore look now - very fascinating - many thanks.

Re. your photo of the Changi sailing club, in my days at Changi the RAF Changi sailing club had "Cadets" as the dinghies for novices ISTR, plus I was very envious of the couple of Star class racing yachts (as used in the Olympics) the club owned, but sadly never had the chance sail in them, but I did do sailing at RAF Negombo in the clubs "Fleetwinds" which were fast and light - here I am sailing one on the Negombo lagoon in 1957.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...psic95lzcq.jpg

For us Brits who were in Singapore in the late 50's and early 60's the Chinese ladies were daring with their outfits as compared with the girls I was going out with at home.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...pse8f5bcb8.jpg

A Singapore street view of a Cheongsam-wearing Chinese lady captured by my 8mm cine camera c.1960 - at the time the wearer would probably be arrested if she wore it in the street in London!

Warmtoast,

A very nice shot of you and the Fleetwinds.

I know, you were just taking a shot of the car and she walked into the frame! ;)

These days, the young Singaporeans wear fashions indistinguishable from those in the west - very often girls are wearing short-shorts and cropped tops. It makes a cheongsam look positively formal.

John Schlesinger's outstanding "fly on the wall" film about a day in the life of Waterloo Station. It was nominated for a BAFTA Film Award for Best Documentary. As well as being a masterpiece of film it has a magnificent soundtrack composed by Ron Grainer (who later composed the Doctor Who theme).


Spent many an hour waiting for trains



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx_lUCgC-Jo

Union Jack Club
 

Writing a book about Swan & Maclaren, Singapore's oldest surviving architectural practice (estd. 1892) and looking to get hold of a decent high res. copy of the Union Jack Club photo, which was designed by Harry Robinson, the form's sent partner, in 1923. Thanks, Julian

Julian

I can let you have a high res copy of my Union Jack Club photo, just PMQ me with your email a address and I'll oblige.

WT

Does anyone remember the Troopship Empire Medway in the early 50s? she was a bundle of fun ,rolled her way across the Bay of Biscay like a drunken sailor on her way to Gibraltar and the Near and Far East , no cosy bunks "You are on a ship laddie HAMMOCKS for you "and not a decent cigarette to be had only we got boxes of 50 of the slightly scented variety, they were awful .Glad we got off at Gib to happier times of decent RAF food only a good posting provides, Tea, made with Carnation milk [No Cows on Gib] plenty of sunshine not too hot but we all got very brown the best 2 years of my youth . Flew back to UK in a Hunting Clan Viking in 1953 .:O:O:O:O
Memories of an old man.

I recently watched series 3 of Tenko. Was any of that actually filmed in Singapore? If so which part? In one episode I hear references to "The Goodwood park" hotel where BA crews stayed during the 70's. Looking at it now on Trip Advisor you would never think it had history dating back to WW2.

Thanks for those Singapore images gents(?) - one of them answers a question I've been pondering for years when "in town" on trips with the airline and staring out of my hotel window (I hasten to add: not The Raffles).......i.e. the provenance of the red brick building on Beach Road directly opposite the main entrance to Raffles, to my eye it always looked suspiciously like a military or associated structure ......Now at last I have the answer.

As some will probably know, but some won't it (the NAAFI building) is still there, in v good condition (think it was recently refurbished ), though dwarfed by hotels now and a long way from any beach.

Just remembered the slot car racing in the NAAFI club, which I visited a few times during eight years of Changhi Slips. Marshal girls on the tight corners to pick up cars that left the track and ended up on the floor! Happy days.

That's astonishing. I've been to Singapore dozens of times and never noticed the NAAFI building. I'm guessing you stare at it from the Swissotel Stamford?

wub,

That's the one. I'm currently staying at Swissôtel Stamford and I went across yesterday to have a look. Very nicely restored, along with the drill hall and two other military buildings. All four have been cleverly incorporated into the new South Beach complex covering the whole block.

I'll post some photos when I get back home and download them from my camera.

wub Personally that was indeed the case for many years but we now seem to play a hotel version of musical chairs, though we have always been pretty much in line of line of sight and a very short walk from the old NAAFI building.

Look forward to India Four Two pics, I've just looked at what I've got from trips over the years and I've got a few taken from outside the place.......but with my back to it...looking across the road at Raffles front door!!!!

As India has also said the club is now dwarfed by a high rise development - though at least it looks like somebody (presumably the developer) has decided to keep old club intact and in a very good state of repair. I suspect in some countries it would have been bulldozed flat by now. Must go and have a closer look next time I'm in "town".

Re the NAAFI Britannia Club in Beach Road
In 2008 I posted some 2007 photos of the NAAFI Britannia club as it was being demolished/rebuilt here:
http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...ml#post4419044 (Post #43).

It included this sign erected by Singapore City Council.


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...Singapore4.jpg

I'll be there in October and will make sure when I leave Raffles I'll have a good look across the road instead of looking back at Raffles. Looking forward to India Four Two pics. I do have photos of the building but didn't recognise it. As I said, astonishing.

I believe that due to high production costs, only the first two episodes of series 1 were filmed on location in Singapore. At the time, my late brother was employed by the BBC and spent some time in Singapore as a member of the Tenko production team.

Interesting thread bump - must have missed it first time round. The Dunera, Nevassa and Uganda figures large in my early years as an uncle was a Chief Engineer with the BI line and he was on them all. Uganda was the most visited when it docked regularly in our then home town of Dundee for schools cruises. A family invite to the officers dining room always went down well! Never did manage to do any cruises on them though.


Later in his career he had a secondment to the RN to oversee fitting out of a new fleet of vessels including the ill-fated Sir Galahad. We got the full tour of that one when almost complete.

http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/...e%20Colour.jpg

http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/...ver_1000px.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...SEEVickers.jpg
Note the slipper tank for extra endurance.

http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/...5e0fe0a0_b.jpg

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/q...41533_1024.jpg

http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/..._airbase_2.jpg

Britannia Club
 

During the last knockings in Singapore in 1971, there were rumours circulating among the great unwashed (lower ranks of all three British services) that it was destined to become an officers' club for the Singapore Armed Forces.
On one notable occasion, the 'high-spirited' chappies took it upon themselves to ensure that the revered edifice was left in a less than pristine condition. Much of the furniture and fittings was trashed - I believe several items of furniture took a swim after being launched from the diving board. Subsequently the military fuzz became involved and names were taken!
One of those involved was a wag from a Changi unit. At his disciplinary hearing, the evidence from a Military Policeman was read out. When I asked why airman X was standing on the piano with a fire extinguisher, he replied "Trying to put out the fire, corporal" :E.
Rather unfairly, the junior ranks of all units were subject to a collective charge, whether or not they had been involved.