RAF Bridlington in the 50s/60s?
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harbourlights
Hi to TripleC, Seasidelad364 and Alan Hooper, re RAF Bridlington I was there June 63 to Nov 64. Change of CO From Turner to Chandler. Also have some photos (somewhere in the house) of exercise in Brid Bay with Leconfield Yellow Bird. You may contact me email: [email protected].
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RAF Bridlington
In October or November 1963 the BFTS course I was on at Syerston went to RAF Bridlington to do real dinghy training. We first went to RAF Leconfield where after a ground brief we were picked up by a Whirlwind on the airfield. We then were bussed to Bridlington where the sea was crashing over the harbour wall. There is no chance they'll takes us out in that we said. Wrong! Out we went and very uncomfortable it was in the Air Sea Rescue launch (or whatever it was called).
They threw us off with a single seat dinghy each in a long line. After about half an hour a Whirlwind appeared and started picking us up. Before it got to me and some others it disappeared. It had a gearbox problem we were told later and it landed on the beach. It then started to snow and I began to think this wasn't a lot of fun.
Another Whirlwind appeared after what seemed like hours and picked us up. As each entered the aircraft cabin the crew man gave us a drink of Navy rum out of a medicine bottle. That certainly warmed us up.
My overriding memory of the whole affair was that sitting in a one man dinghy in waves causes your kidneys to ache due to continually bangig into the tubes behind. It was warm though.
ACW
They threw us off with a single seat dinghy each in a long line. After about half an hour a Whirlwind appeared and started picking us up. Before it got to me and some others it disappeared. It had a gearbox problem we were told later and it landed on the beach. It then started to snow and I began to think this wasn't a lot of fun.
Another Whirlwind appeared after what seemed like hours and picked us up. As each entered the aircraft cabin the crew man gave us a drink of Navy rum out of a medicine bottle. That certainly warmed us up.
My overriding memory of the whole affair was that sitting in a one man dinghy in waves causes your kidneys to ache due to continually bangig into the tubes behind. It was warm though.
ACW
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
ACW, the launch crews were all heart.
One luckless trainee had a dinghy malfunction. After an age they threw him another.
On ours bonny Prince Charlie was doing his pilot training and we were stuck under Purple airspace f o r 2 hours.
Or off Butterworth the MAC would not inflate, they left us in L S J with the sea snakes.
One luckless trainee had a dinghy malfunction. After an age they threw him another.
On ours bonny Prince Charlie was doing his pilot training and we were stuck under Purple airspace f o r 2 hours.
Or off Butterworth the MAC would not inflate, they left us in L S J with the sea snakes.
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PN,
That happened to our lot as well. One guy, an ex Cpl Tech and the oldest guy on the course, had a dinghy malfunction. We all protested but they ignored us. After an age when the bloke could not grip anymore they pulled him out, clipped a new dinghy to him and threw him straight back in. We all thought it was pretty heartless.
ACW
That happened to our lot as well. One guy, an ex Cpl Tech and the oldest guy on the course, had a dinghy malfunction. We all protested but they ignored us. After an age when the bloke could not grip anymore they pulled him out, clipped a new dinghy to him and threw him straight back in. We all thought it was pretty heartless.
ACW
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RAF Bridlington
Hi Speedbird48 and Daveboats, I was at Brid between June 63 and Nov 64 as Unit Clerk. I do have some photos of exercise in Brid Bay with 202 helo.
You and others are quite welcome to receive copies by email ([email protected]) (no charge).
You and others are quite welcome to receive copies by email ([email protected]) (no charge).
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harbourlights
Hi I to was there in 64, would like to see photo/s may be different to
the ones I took of winching exercise in the Bridlington Bay.
I was the Unit Clerk at the time. Contact email address: [email protected]
the ones I took of winching exercise in the Bridlington Bay.
I was the Unit Clerk at the time. Contact email address: [email protected]
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Hi Alan
Think I remember you from Aden. Were you a Engine Fitter?
Only just come back to this site after seeing a Utube video of the engine of P1387 (ex Brid boat) being started after many years. I have photos (B&W) taken with my Brownie 127!.
Steve
Think I remember you from Aden. Were you a Engine Fitter?
Only just come back to this site after seeing a Utube video of the engine of P1387 (ex Brid boat) being started after many years. I have photos (B&W) taken with my Brownie 127!.
Steve
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Hi Triple C
Your Father was at Brid when I was posted in. He then got posted to the MCU at Aden. I was posted to Aden in early 1965 also to the MCU. I was on the RTTL mostly and I remember your father being the skipper when we were tasked to sink the Ark Royal on exercise in the Gulf of Aden.
I have some photos of the boats and winching during a real casualty situation.
If anyone wants copies of these I can be contacted on e:mail:
[email protected].
Your Father was at Brid when I was posted in. He then got posted to the MCU at Aden. I was posted to Aden in early 1965 also to the MCU. I was on the RTTL mostly and I remember your father being the skipper when we were tasked to sink the Ark Royal on exercise in the Gulf of Aden.
I have some photos of the boats and winching during a real casualty situation.
If anyone wants copies of these I can be contacted on e:mail:
[email protected].
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Also this, and more, from Pathe:
RAF Rescue Boats - British Pathé
I don't think I'd give large amounts of rum to hypothermic survivors!
Was it not Brid where they lost TTL (?) One man lost his life, the WOP, forgotten his name but he was the ex WOP from Valley MRT. Good hand but had a great fear of water. As if he knew.
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Hi Sevarg
It was P1386 that was hit by a freak wave off the coast of Northumberland.
It was rolled over and one member of the crew suvived in an air pocket in the galley. If the Wop was in his cabin he would have trapped if the door swung shut.
Not a nice place to be in a rough sea anyway as I spent many hours as a Wop on P1387.
It was P1386 that was hit by a freak wave off the coast of Northumberland.
It was rolled over and one member of the crew suvived in an air pocket in the galley. If the Wop was in his cabin he would have trapped if the door swung shut.
Not a nice place to be in a rough sea anyway as I spent many hours as a Wop on P1387.
