Gaining An R.A.F Pilots Brevet In WW II
Yes, great pics WT. Thank you. Interesting that some of the buildings have tiled pitched roofs, while others have flat roofs, presumably concrete slab ones. Rather echoes the UK trend whereby the salubrious triple decker 'Baldwin' OMs (eg Thorney Island and the now lamented Manby) gave way to the later more utilitarian ones with flat roofs. Not a cost cutting move as one might think but an attempt to make them more resilient to blast damage from bombing raids. The early buildings at Changi had tiles (from Marseilles), but the majority (including Temple Hill OM) had flat concrete roofs. For those who fancy wallowing in yet more pictorial wandering down memory lane, Pinterest offers a very addictive habit:-
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/4942...tm_medium=2004
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/4942...tm_medium=2004
Last edited by Chugalug2; 7th Oct 2018 at 16:34. Reason: Repairing Link
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Chugaluh,
I had Marseille tiles in New Zealand. They came in 4 sizes. Original French metric,
New Zealand Imperial (a bit different size), New Zealand metric (different again),
current NZ metric (compatible with the original). Made it difficult fixing the roof. I believe
the original ones came to NZ as ballast on the returning meat exporting ships.
I had Marseille tiles in New Zealand. They came in 4 sizes. Original French metric,
New Zealand Imperial (a bit different size), New Zealand metric (different again),
current NZ metric (compatible with the original). Made it difficult fixing the roof. I believe
the original ones came to NZ as ballast on the returning meat exporting ships.
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Chugalug2 ... interesting Pinterest link, especially the almost complete lack of Tengah photos. Clearly those at Changi had both time and cameras, whilst the MOB was too busy to do that!! 
MPN11, the link concentrated on Changi as that is filed as one of my Pinterests. If you entered yours as Tengah I'm sure you would be obliged. Tengah was of course a far off place of which we then knew little. It was rumoured they had some new fangled gubbings there called 'air conditioning'. The only RAF air conditioned rooms I ever slept in were the ASC transit ones at HKG, that is if we beat the Brit there. 
ea, it would seem that Marseilles tiles were much sought after then, if only on a "Never mind the quality feel the width!" basis, from what you say. The fact that Changi Hospital and sundry bungalows were so roofed was one of those minor facts (in this case gleaned from Sqn Ldr (then) Probert's History of Changi) that stick in the mind, whereas where I've just left my car keys doesn't!
ea, it would seem that Marseilles tiles were much sought after then, if only on a "Never mind the quality feel the width!" basis, from what you say. The fact that Changi Hospital and sundry bungalows were so roofed was one of those minor facts (in this case gleaned from Sqn Ldr (then) Probert's History of Changi) that stick in the mind, whereas where I've just left my car keys doesn't!
Last edited by Chugalug2; 7th Oct 2018 at 22:17. Reason: Places, dear boy, places!
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Thanks, Chugalug2 ... I've mastered the technology now, but still somewhat lacking in images!
Oh they will be added to, MPN, over and over. Rather like the sorcerer's apprentice it will pile email after email upon you with yet more links to feed the Tengah habit. I did warn of its addictive nature. 
WT, what a bolshie lot you were at Seletar! Was there any particular reason for the uprising? Shortly after RAF Fairford was re-opened (so that Concord could use the 10000ft runway for testing and development) there was trouble at t'mill. A lack of on station facilities and an almost non existent bus service to the outside world culminated in an outbreak of mini disorder (felling of flag pole, breaking of guard room windows, etc). The Stn Cdr's solution? A station parade! This was held in a vacant hangar in case of bad weather. All take offs and landings were prohibited from/to appropriate times. A fellow captain was at the holding point ready to go when the ban started, so sat there with engines at low speed ground idle throughout!
Unfortunately the open hangar doors were aligned with the holding point and the Allison/Hamilton Standard whine drowned out many of the commands, making the parade even more of a shambles than usual for station parades. Finally the whole point of the parade, the Stn Cdr's address, was reached and he ordered the SWO to have the parade break ranks and gather around him to be better heard. They duly did, and a friend of mine on parade as a supernumerary feared for his life as they advanced inexorably towards him. Somehow the farrago finally ended and all dispersed without further incident. The Stn Cdr was replaced shortly after and things improved generally thereafter.
BTW, the picture of a Hudson at RAF Sembawang on my previous link set me looking for it on Google maps. Remarkably the runway is still there, just to the west of Seletar! For an island the size and shape of the Isle of Wight it is surprising how many airfields there were in Singapore over the years; Kallang, Changi, Paya Lebar, Seletar, Sembawang, Tengah...any others?
WT, what a bolshie lot you were at Seletar! Was there any particular reason for the uprising? Shortly after RAF Fairford was re-opened (so that Concord could use the 10000ft runway for testing and development) there was trouble at t'mill. A lack of on station facilities and an almost non existent bus service to the outside world culminated in an outbreak of mini disorder (felling of flag pole, breaking of guard room windows, etc). The Stn Cdr's solution? A station parade! This was held in a vacant hangar in case of bad weather. All take offs and landings were prohibited from/to appropriate times. A fellow captain was at the holding point ready to go when the ban started, so sat there with engines at low speed ground idle throughout!
Unfortunately the open hangar doors were aligned with the holding point and the Allison/Hamilton Standard whine drowned out many of the commands, making the parade even more of a shambles than usual for station parades. Finally the whole point of the parade, the Stn Cdr's address, was reached and he ordered the SWO to have the parade break ranks and gather around him to be better heard. They duly did, and a friend of mine on parade as a supernumerary feared for his life as they advanced inexorably towards him. Somehow the farrago finally ended and all dispersed without further incident. The Stn Cdr was replaced shortly after and things improved generally thereafter.
BTW, the picture of a Hudson at RAF Sembawang on my previous link set me looking for it on Google maps. Remarkably the runway is still there, just to the west of Seletar! For an island the size and shape of the Isle of Wight it is surprising how many airfields there were in Singapore over the years; Kallang, Changi, Paya Lebar, Seletar, Sembawang, Tengah...any others?
If you entered yours as Tengah I'm sure you would be obliged. Tengah was of course a far off place of which we then knew little. It was rumoured they had some new fangled gubbings there called 'air conditioning'.
Chugalug2
Probably national servicemen anxious to get home at the end of their service, or perhaps youthful high spirts fuelled by seasonal drink - not tolerated nowadays of course!
WT, what a bolshie lot you were at Seletar! Was there any particular reason for the uprising?
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there were in Singapore over the years;
Didn't mean to infer otherwise FED. Incidentally. Wiki adds a further airfield to my list; Pulau Sudong on the eponymous island within the Singapore Southern Islands Group, and which it entirely occupies. It would appear that Singapore takes its security very seriously, having left the Malaysia Federation in the 60's and had us quit our bases shortly thereafter. A lesson for us perhaps?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...s_in_Singapore
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...s_in_Singapore
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Oh, yes, I recall noticing that at some stage. Nice to hace a spare 8,000 ft runway in case of emergencies!!
Chugalug,
Do you remember the Nav' Ldr on 30 at Fairford, Boss Ox, Sqn Ldr Derek Oxenham? He had been an airman at Seletar during the infamous strike or mutiny as it almost became in 1946. He was quick to point out when asked, that he had not taken part!
There are a few pages devoted to it in 'Lion in the sky', the history of RAF Seletar by N. Shorrick, published in 1968.
Do you remember the Nav' Ldr on 30 at Fairford, Boss Ox, Sqn Ldr Derek Oxenham? He had been an airman at Seletar during the infamous strike or mutiny as it almost became in 1946. He was quick to point out when asked, that he had not taken part!
There are a few pages devoted to it in 'Lion in the sky', the history of RAF Seletar by N. Shorrick, published in 1968.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force has impressive line up.It has 100 F15/F16s.4 Airbus KC135s to be replaced by 6 Airbus KC30As, 10 Lockheed CH/C 130s and a maritime surveillance capability.Sixty combat helicopters plus a plethora of air defence missiles and suchlike.We used to look after Singapore with less than half of that.
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Not only that, but Tengah has a new parallel taxiway, numerous HAS loops and covered a/c parking. Oh, the luxury!!
But I bet the OM Bar[s] aren’t as much fun!
But I bet the OM Bar[s] aren’t as much fun!
B48n, I can't really see boss Ox as a politically motivated man, young or old! I think that the Great RAF Mutiny was covered here previously and that the main grievance was that Far Eastern based servicemen's demob had to await that of their fellows in UK and Europe. As Danny said at the time, things were still very unstable in the Far East, with many "freedom" movements seeking independence following the Jap surrender rather than exchanging their "Co Prosperity" version of colonialism for those more conventional ones of the Dutch, French, or Brits. Mountbatten even co-opted Japanese troops for internal security use in some of these territories. There was also the logistical problems involved in shipping them home when priority there went to returning US troops. Did anyone think of Station Parades to improve morale? 
FED, impressive indeed. The State of Singapore may be small in square miles but its hard working and well educated population have turned it into a jewel of the Far East. As with most jewels it is coveted by its less successful neighbours, as well as the increasingly belligerent super power further north. Rather like the Swiss, it has to make itself a difficult and thorny challenge to anyone with malevolent designs upon it. Seems to me they've managed that in trumps. I remember that we offered to stay around to ensure its security rather than withdraw completely. "Thanks but no thanks" was Lee Kuan Yew's response. I think he had the right idea, sadly.
Oh, the locals could whoop it up on occasion, MPN11. The Sri Lankan Air Force OM was jumping one day while we were transiting through Katunayake. Upon enquiry it was revealed that they had just been paid for the first time in three months. Very responsibly they had decided to plough much of it back into the somewhat depleted Mess Funds!
FED, impressive indeed. The State of Singapore may be small in square miles but its hard working and well educated population have turned it into a jewel of the Far East. As with most jewels it is coveted by its less successful neighbours, as well as the increasingly belligerent super power further north. Rather like the Swiss, it has to make itself a difficult and thorny challenge to anyone with malevolent designs upon it. Seems to me they've managed that in trumps. I remember that we offered to stay around to ensure its security rather than withdraw completely. "Thanks but no thanks" was Lee Kuan Yew's response. I think he had the right idea, sadly.
Oh, the locals could whoop it up on occasion, MPN11. The Sri Lankan Air Force OM was jumping one day while we were transiting through Katunayake. Upon enquiry it was revealed that they had just been paid for the first time in three months. Very responsibly they had decided to plough much of it back into the somewhat depleted Mess Funds!
Stumbled across an interesting Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/7179...4281508043656/
Excellent film footage of mosquito bouncing mines down railway tunnels in Wales.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/7179...4281508043656/
Excellent film footage of mosquito bouncing mines down railway tunnels in Wales.